Dogwood Arts announces 2023 Southern Skies Music Festival lineup
January 24, 2023

St. Paul & The Broken Bones and Grace Potter to headline

Two-Day Music Festival to Feature The Dirty Guv’nahs, Black Joe Lewis, Jackie Venson and more at World’s Fair Park May 20 & 21

Black Joe Lewis

KNOXVILLE -- Dogwood Arts is thrilled to announce the lineup for the 2023 Southern Skies Music Festival, curated by hometown favorites The Dirty Guv’nahs, returning to World’s Fair Park on Saturday, May 20th and Sunday, May 21, 2023. The 2nd Annual event will feature St. Paul & the Broken Bones, Grace Potter, The Dirty Guv’nahs, Black Joe Lewis, Jackie Venson, The Stews, Cruz Contreras, Doc Robinson, Cece Coakley, EG Vines, Kelsi Walker & the Nervous Kids, Brian Clay with Lauren Arp, and Ben McLaughlin & the Mystic Marauders.

"We are thrilled to bring Southern Skies back for a 2nd year! The inaugural festival exceeded all expectations and working alongside Dogwood Arts and Born & Raised Productions has been an absolute dream. 2023 is going to be bigger and better with 2 days of performances, and more surprises than before,” says Guv’s frontman, James Trimble. “Our goal is for Southern Skies Music Festival to become a southeastern music festival staple that is known for it's hospitality, creativity, diversity, and all around fun. Can't wait to see you all again this year!"

Tickets go on sale Friday, January 27 at 10AM (EST) at southernskiesmusicfestival.com/tickets.

After a successful first year, the festival is expanding to a two-day event featuring thirteen musical acts across two stages, food trucks, craft beer, cocktails, a Maker Market, and more. General Admission Weekend Passes start at $85, or attendees can go VIP for $225 (with access to premium viewing area, hangout space with private bars and restrooms, festival merchandise, and more). Tickets go on sale on Friday, January 27th at 10AM (EST) at southernskiesmusicfestival.com.

The Guv’s live experience has been hailed as one of the best in the southeast and according to Music Connection Magazine, “The Dirty Guv’nahs don’t just play music; they capture the human experience through song.” Likewise, Southern Skies captures the spirit of Knoxville and honors the Dogwood Arts mission to promote local and regional musician and artists.

Dogwood Arts is working with Born & Raised Productions, the Knoxville-based music production company behind Sunset on Central, the Outpost, and Silent Disco Knox to produce the festival.

For more information, visit www.southernskiesmusicfestival.com, and follow on Facebook, Twitter @southernskiesfest_, and Instagram @southernskiesfest. Dogwood Arts, presented by ORNL Federal Credit Union, is a 501(c)3 organization with a mission to promote and celebrate our region’s art, culture, and natural beauty.

HEADLINER INFORMATION

St. Paul & The Broken Bones

ST. PAUL & THE BROKEN BONES – THE ALIEN COAST (JANUARY 28 / ATO RECORDS)

A fever dream in sonic form, St. Paul & The Broken Bones’ new album The Alien Coast represents the most adventurous and original output yet from an ever-evolving musical powerhouse. In a profound shift for the Alabama-bred eight-piece—Paul Janeway (vocals), Jesse Phillips (bass), Browan Lollar (guitar), Kevin Leon (drums), Al Gamble (keyboards), Allen Branstetter (trumpet), Chad Fisher (trombone), and Amari Ansari (saxophone)—the band’s fourth full-length and first for ATO Records strays far from the time-bending soul of past work like their 2014 debut, arriving at a convergence of soul and psychedelia, stoner metal and funk. At turns explosive, elegant, and unhinged, that sound makes for a majestic backdrop to St. Paul & The Broken Bones’ visceral exploration of the strangest dimensions of the human psyche.

Grace Potter

GRACE POTTER

Described by Spin as “one of the greatest living voices in rock today,” Grace Potter has not only played every major music festival from Coachella and Lollapalooza to Bonnaroo and Rock in Rio, she’s created her own thriving music festival, Burlington, VT’s Grand Point North. Additionally, she’s shared a stage with artists such as The Rolling Stones, Willie Nelson, Robert Plant, the Allman Brothers, Neil Young, Jackson Browne, Mavis Staples, and The Roots to name just a few. A three-time GRAMMY-nominated artist (two for 2019’s Daylight, one for her multiplatinum duet with Kenny Chesney, “You & Tequila”), Potter has also collaborated with the Flaming Lips for a Tim Burton film, and written and produced music for film and TV, including Disney’s animated feature Tangled and the ABC animated holiday special Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice.

In October 2019, Grace released Daylight, her second solo LP and first for Fantasy Records. Daylight arrives after a turbulent, life-altering 4-year hiatus from music that had the acclaimed singer-songwriter contemplating whether she would ever record another album. Cathartic and emotionally raw, Daylight is the result of that arduous journey, the most emotionally revealing, musically daring work of her career.

The Dirty Guv'nahs

THE DIRTY GUV’NAHS

Voted Best Band in Knoxville for 10+ years running, The Dirty Guv'nahs met while attending the University of Tennessee and what was initially supposed to be just a couple of occasional gigs led to a massive southeastern following, 10+ years of touring, 4 full length albums, and 2 live albums. Their energetic and inspired live shows earned them fans all over the globe and led to multiple festival appearances at Bonnaroo, SXSW, Wakarusa, while also getting the honor to open on tour for bands like The Avett Brothers, Zac Brown Band, The Black Crowes, Wilco, NeedtoBreathe, and the Levon Helm Band. Deemed "Knoxville's Favorite Sons", The Dirty Guv'nahs have vowed from the beginning to continue providing rock & roll for the people as long as the people want it. They hope that curating Southern Skies Music Festival right here in their hometown of Knoxville will keep the people happy for many years to come.