(BHM) Hardly Strictly Bluegrass (HSB) is excited to share the full lineup for its silver anniversary in San Francisco's iconic Golden Gate Park from Friday, October 3 to Sunday, October 5.
Now in its 25th year, the free music festival will once again present a truly eclectic bill of top performers spanning an array of genres, including Emmylou Harris, Jeff Tweedy, Margo Price, Hovvdy, Hannah Cohen, Patty Griffin, Dougie Poole, The War And Treaty, Rosanne Cash, Steve Earle & The Hardly Strictly Dukes, Cass McCombs, Albert Lee, Asher Shasho Levy, Austin de Lone Tribute w/ Bill Kirchen & Special Guests, Buddy Miller, Celebration of Hazel Dickens F: Della Mae, Laurie Lewis, and Alice Gerrard, Charlie Parr, Dry Branch Fire Squad, The Felice Brothers, John Prine: Songs & Souvenirs w/ Jason Wilber and Dave Jacques, Lola Kirke, Maria Muldaur, Max Gomez, The Mekons, Moonalice, The Mother Hips, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Purple Glaze, Rodney Crowell, Rose City Band, Sam Bush, Shawn Colvin, The Singer & The Songwriter, and Yoseff Tucker & The Bow Ties, and with events such as SCUFF: Queer Line Dancing Feat. Eric Long Band, HSB @ 25: Stories Behind the Festival, and O Warren Where Art Thou: The Hellman Siblings Remember Their Parents in Song.
As a special way of marking HSB's anniversary, the Haight Street Art Center is pleased to present The Big Twang! Hardly Strictly Bluegrass at 25, a special exhibition opening on September 11 and running through October 12, 2025. Highlights of the exhibition include HSB founder Warren Hellman's rhinestone jacket (made for him by his granddaughter Laurel Hellman in 2011), as well as his beloved banjo; key posters from HSB concerts over the years (a number of which have been signed by scores of performers); the festival's famous penny machine; and dozens of photographs capturing faces in the crowd by documentary photographer and filmmaker Lizzy Myers.
HSB is also celebrating its anniversary with the release of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass at 25: The Big Twang!, a stunning book of photography and essays. The book captures the sights and soul of the renowned festival in Golden Gate Park through the lenses of Jay Blakesberg and many other talented photographers. Featuring a heartfelt foreword by Emmylou Harris and an afterword by Steve Earle, the book also includes interviews and essays by Aidin Vaziri, Frances Dinkelspiel, Sylvie Simmons, and Tricia Hellman Gibbs.
"For the first time in our history, we have decided to put together a book to share the memories we have made for the past 25 years of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass", said Avery Hellman, Creative Director of the book. "We spent months collecting our favorite photographs of performances and candid moments to share with our audience. This book really tells the story of our unique place in the world of live music; it is guaranteed to delight you, and revive any forgotten memories of HSB."
As a companion to the exhibition, on September 20, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass will co-host a special book launch event with the Haight Street Art Center featuring live-music by Yoseff Tucker to celebrate the publication of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass at 25: The Big Twang!
This year, in addition to the festival, there will be some first-ever special events held to celebrate HSB's birthday.
In celebration of the 25th Anniversary of HSB, and honoring the memory of Nancy Hellman Bechtle, the San Francisco Symphony and singer, composer, and actor Lyle Lovett join forces Saturday, September 13. Lovett and the San Francisco Symphony will be joined by conductor Edwin Outwater and Lovett's Acoustic Group. Known for his gift of storytelling, the Texas-based musician fuses elements of country, swing, jazz, folk, gospel and blues in a convention-defying manner that breaks down barriers.
Portions of the concert's proceeds will benefit the San Francisco Symphony's Music and Mentors program, which provides assistance to instrumental music programs in San Francisco's public middle schools and high schools. Tickets for "Celebrating Hardly Strictly Bluegrass: Lyle Lovett and his Acoustic Group with the SF Symphony" went on sale to the public on July 19.
HSB will kick off its landmark 25th anniversary weekend celebration this year with a very special sold-out festival eve benefit concert honoring legendary singer and songwriter Emmylou Harris - the only artist to perform at each and every edition of the much beloved San Francisco free music festival. Set for Thursday, October 2 at San Francisco, CA's The Masonic, "A Tribute to Emmylou Harris & 25 Years of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass" will see the 14x GRAMMY Award-winner joined by some of her closest friends and collaborators including Allison Russell, Albert Lee, Margo Price, Patty Griffin, Rodney Crowell, Rosanne Cash, Sam Bush, Shawn Colvin, Steve Earle and other guests. Buddy Miller will serve as the show's musical director, backed by The Red Hot Dirt Ramblers. The all-star lineup features some of Emmylou Harris' current and recent bandmates, including Albert Lee, Bryan Owings, Chris Donohue, Eamon McLoughlin, Glen D Hardin, Phil Madeira, Sam Bush & Steve Fishell. All proceeds will benefit the foster-based, 501(c)3 nonprofit dog rescue organization Bonaparte's Retreat.
The tradition of "Out of the Park" concerts will continue this year, once again benefiting Sweet Relief, Bay Area Musicians' Fund. Many of the artists listed in the initial lineup will be performing nighttime shows at some of the Bay Area's favorite venues, including Reverend Horton Heat at Sweetwater, Patty Griffin & Nick Lowe at The Great American Music Hall, Watchhouse at the UC Theatre and many more.
HARDLY STRICTLY BLUEGRASS 2025
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA
October 3-5, 2025
FRIDAY
ALO
The Altons
Amos Lee
Anderson East
BALTHVS
Corey Harris
The Devil Makes Three
Hannah Cohen
Marc Ribot: Map of A Blue City
Margaret Glaspy
Margo Price
The Mother Hips
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Paper Wings
Purple Glaze
Reverend Horton Heat
Rodney Crowell
Shawn Colvin
The Singer & The Songwriter
Sinkane
The War and Treaty
SATURDAY
Albert Lee
Austin de Lone Tribute w/ Bill Kirchen & Special Guests
Buddy Miller
Cass McCombs
Celebration of Hazel Dickens F: Della Mae, Laurie Lewis, and Alice Gerrard
Cimafunk
Courtney Barnett
Dan Tyminski Band
Hovvdy
HSB @ 25: Stories Behind the Festival
Jeff Tweedy
Jontavious Willis
Josh Ritter & the Royal City Band
Kaia Kater
Maria Muldaur
Max Gomez
Olivia Wolf
Patty Griffin
Robert Earl Keen
Rosanne Cash
Rose City Band
Rosie Flores
Sam Bush
Samara Joy
Steve Earle & The Hardly Strictly Dukes
SCUFF: Queer Line Dancing Feat. Eric Long Band
TopHouse
The Watson Twins
Yoseff Tucker & The Bow Ties
SUNDAY
Alan Sparhawk with Trampled by Turtles
Asher Shasho Levy
Charlie Parr
Chuck Prophet and His Cumbia Shoes
Dengue Fever
Dougie Poole
Dry Branch Fire Squad
Emmylou Harris
Evolfo
The Felice Brothers
I'm With Her
Jimmie Dale Gilmore and the West Texas Exiles
John Prine: Songs & Souvenirs w/ Jason Wilber & Dave Jacques
Kelly McFarling
Lola Kirke
Lucinda Williams
Madeline Hawthorne
The Mekons
Moonalice
Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets
Ocie Elliott
O Warren Where Art Thou: The Hellman Siblings Remember Their Parents in Song
Peter Rowan With Sam Grisman Project Playing "Old & In The Way" & More
The String Cheese Incident
Tim O'Brien
Watchhouse
William Prince
ARTISTS PLAYING THE TRIBUTE TO EMMYLOU HARRIS ALSO PERFORMING AT HSB:
Albert Lee
Buddy Miller
Emmylou Harris
Margo Price
Patty Griffin
Rodney Crowell
Rosanne Cash
Sam Bush
Shawn Colvin
Steve Earle
OUT OF THE PARK CONCERTS:
Reverend Horton Heat - Sweetwater (October 2)
The String Cheese Incident - The Fillmore (October 4)
Rosanne Cash - Bing Concert Hall at Stanford (Palo Alto) (October 5)
Chuck Prophet - Hopmonk Novato (October 11)
Rodney Crowell - Rancho Nicasio (October 5)
Josh Ritter - The Chapel (October 3)
A Night of Music, Movies, and Meaning:
Finding Lucinda Live Screening + Performance
Four Star (October 3)
Patty Griffin/Nick Lowe - GAMH (October 3)
Dan Tyminski - Sweetwater Music Hall (October 3)
Watchhouse - The UC Theatre (October 4)
Los Straitjackets - Ivy Room (October 4)
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