#american-roots

#american-roots

Originally from Illinois and now based in Maine, where he has lived for the past four years, Pokey LaFarge brings a lived-in perspective to American roots music. Drawing from early jazz, blues, swing and folk traditions, his songwriting balances warmth, rhythm and emotional clarity without slipping into nostalgia for its own sake. Over the years, LaFarge has grown into a confident bandleader, known for performances that feel loose but intentional, with space for both musicianship and connection.

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass -the annual free, three-day music festival at Golden Gate Park-each year presents a diverse range of music including its namesake bluegrass, but also a wide variety of American roots music like soul, rock, country, and folk. The festival's lineup extends to other genres as well, with recent years including acts in funk, world music, and indie blues, and this year's festival, for the big 25th anniversary, was no exception.