Forget about Coachella and its reunion of the anti-capitalism hate group Rage Against the Machine, the best music festival this weekend is the Americana music celebration known as MerleFest on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.  This year's roster includes Doc Watson, Allison Krauss & Union Station, Blue Highway, Sam Bush, Cherryholmes, Elvis Costello, John Cowan Band, Donna The Buffalo, Jerry Douglas, The Duhks, Béla Fleck, John Hammond, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Del McCoury Band, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Peter Rowan & Tony Rice Quartet, Darrell Scott, Earl Scruggs, Pam Tillis and The Waybacks.

As usual, I'll be hosting a hospitality suite at my namesake, The Walker Center, whose auditorium will also serve as one of the festival's 12 stages.  If you want to drop by the hospitality suite, be sure to e-mail or leave a comment and let us know how many passes you will need.  Pending the results of a routine background check, you will be able to pick up the passes at will call.