Jeff Tweedy Added to Newport Folk Festival Lineup

The Newport Folk Festival continues to enhance its already impressive lineup of acts with Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy named as the latest addition. The festival takes place at Fort Adams State Park in Newport, RI the weekend of July 25 – 27. Tweedy will appear Sunday, July 27 alongside Mavis Staples as one of the “Friends” she’s enlisted to celebrate her 75th birthday as part of the weekend’s “75 Years Of Mavis” celebration.

Here’s what Staples had to say about Tweedy’s appearance: “Hey everybody, this is Mavis. Have you heard the news? My dear friend, Jeff Tweedy, is coming to Newport to help me celebrate my 25th birthday. Ohhh, did I make a mistake? Ah yes, it’s the 75th, isn’t it? Well listen, it feels like the 25th to me. Now listen: I’ll only be 75 once (I think) so I want all of my friends to come out and dance with me. I’ve got some new steps-because I’ve got these new knees! Uh-huh…and Tweedy’s going to cut a step too. Ok! I’m looking for your face in the place-everyone come on out…Happy Birthday to me!”

Band of Horses, Nickel Creek, Robert Hunter, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Conor Oberst, Trampled By Turtles, and Hurray For The Riff Raff are just a few of the other acts slated to appear. The full lineup for the weekend follows.

Friday, July 25 Band Of Horses, Jenny Lewis, Robert Hunter, The Devil Makes Three, Reignwolf, Death Vessel, Phox

Saturday, July 26 Nickel Creek, Shovels & Rope, The Milk Carton Kids, J. Roddy Walston & The Business, Houndmouth, Shakey Graves, The Oh Hellos, Aoife O’Donovan, Benjamin Booker

Sunday, July 27 Mavis Staples, Jeffy Tweedy, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Conor Oberst, Trampled By Turtles, Hurray For The Riff Raff, Gregory Alan Isakov, Lucero, Caitlin Rose, Thao & The Get Down Stay Down

In other Tweedy news, two more solo shows were added this week to his upcoming run of gigs: on June 9 Tweedy will play the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, MD and on Wednesday, June 11, he will appear at the Brown Theatre in Louisville, KY.

[Andy Kahn is Senior Editor at MediaNet and runs the music industry and discovery website Editor’s Mix.]