Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2026 To Begin With All-Star Steve Earle Tribute Concert

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2026 will commence with “An Evening Honoring Steve Earle” on October 1 at San Francisco’s The Masonic. Set to perform are Emmylou Harris, Jackson Browne, Steve Earle and other artists.

Hot Tuna, Elizabeth Cook, Gillian Welch, David Rawlings, Larry Campbell, Teresa Williams and Molly Tuttle are also scheduled to perform. Buddy Miller will serve as musical director with Reckless Kelly featuring Greg Leisz.

Acclaimed singer-songwriter Steve Earle has performed at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass since its second iteration in 2002. HSB executive producer Sheri Sternberg further detailed “An Evening Honoring Steve Earle”:

“We can think of no better way to bookend our silver anniversary than celebrating 25 years of Steve Earle at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass. We are so fortunate to have legacy artists like Emmylou and Steve who have embraced our annual gathering since the beginning. We wanted to recognize their efforts with concerts benefiting charities that are important to them. This year’s proceeds go to the non-profit Sweetwater Spectrum, a community that provides adults with autism or similar intellectual/developmental disabilities, innovative, community-based, long-term housing. Our final flourish is that Buddy Miller will be with us as musical director once again, bringing his unique, special sauce to this tribute.”

Presales began today (June 10). Tickets for “An Evening Honoring Steve Earle” go on sale to the public on June 12 at 10 a.m. PT.

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass returns to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park October 2 – 4, 2026. The lineup for the free event founded by the late philanthropist Warren Hellman will be revealed in the coming months.