OAKBORO — Rooted in authenticity, much like the genre itself, the Big Lick Bluegrass Festival — as large and respected as it has become — carries the feel of an earlier era, shaped by the hills and mountains where the music began. Musicians gather around a single microphone, picking and harmonizing as they share stories of the past and the pioneers who built the tradition. Those same influences carry through to the younger bands now pushing bluegrass forward for a new generation.
Founder and promoter Jeff Branch traces the festival back about 24 years, when he was approached about putting on a bluegrass event at what is now the festival grounds. The first year featured established acts like Rhonda Vincent, Lonesome River Band and Third Time Out — a strong start by design.
More than two decades later, it’s a three-day event that draws roughly 2,000 people to a campground venue in Stanly County and continues to expand.
“We’re just constantly building it up — getting bigger and bigger,” Branch said.
Friday nights were added with local bands, then expanded to full lineups. Thursday followed. Open mic sessions turned into booked performances. What started as a one-day show became a full weekend built around both stage acts and campground culture.
“It’s always been here, and it’s always been a camp-out,” Branch said. “Back then we just didn’t have the power to support it like we do now.”
Investment catching up to demand
That gap — between demand and infrastructure — is from where much of the recent growth has come.
New ownership has led to upgrades across the property, including additional electrical hookups, with more expansion planned after this year’s festival. Branch said another round of sites and sewer connections are expected, adding capacity for future events.
“They see what this is doing,” he said.
For longtime emcee Sherry Boyd, who has been with the festival since the beginning, those upgrades changed the trajectory.
“It’s never been about the lineup,” Boyd said. “Jeff always has a great lineup.”
Instead, she points to improvements in the grounds — and the overall experience — as the turning point.
“When the improvements were made … people started coming more and more,” she said.
A promoter tied into the music
Branch’s connection to bluegrass runs deeper than the festival.
He plays bass, grew up in a family ingrained in the bluegrass and still works closely with artists when booking and building the lineup. His uncle played alongside legends like Lester Flatt and Bill Monroe, and Branch said that background shaped both his interest in music and his approach to the festival.
“I grew up in it,” he said. “It was in my blood.”
That familiarity shows up in the lineup.
This year’s festival featured The Seldom Scene, Lonesome River Band, The Grascals, Authentic Unlimited and Clinch Mountain Boys, led by Ralph Stanley II, along with a mix of regional acts.
Branch said nearly every major name in bluegrass has passed through the festival at some point.
“All of the big names in bluegrass music have been here over the years,” he said.
Validation from the stage
For Stanley, that reputation holds up.
The son of bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley, the younger Stanley has spent decades in the genre — starting as a child traveling with his father before eventually leading the Clinch Mountain Boys himself.
“I started traveling with my dad when I was about 2½ years old,” he said. “He put a banjo around my neck, but I didn’t care for it. I went to guitar and stayed there.”
Stanley said he joined his father’s band as a teenager and later struck out on his own before being asked to carry on the Clinch Mountain Boys after his father’s passing. This year marks 80 years for the band.
He said Big Lick stands out on a crowded circuit.
“It’s one of the best festivals going, and it’s got one of the best promoters,” Stanley said, pointing to his longtime relationship with Branch.
While legacy acts still anchor the lineup, artists say the crowd is changing.
Eli Johnston of Authentic Unlimited said one of the biggest takeaways from recent years has been the number of younger fans — and players — showing up.
“It’s really cool to see all the young people … trying to learn how to play bluegrass,” Johnston said.
That shows up most clearly offstage, where jam sessions stretch late into the night and younger musicians mix in with more experienced players.
Branch said the festival’s staying power comes down to relationships.
Local sponsors help support the event financially and often distribute tickets, helping bring in new attendees each year. That network is tied to Branch’s long career in law enforcement, education and community work across the region.
“I’m well known throughout five counties,” he laughed.
After more than 20 years, the formula hasn’t changed much — strong lineup, campground setting and steady upgrades.
But the scale has.
And with more expansion planned, Branch said the goal is simple: keep growing without losing what made it work in the first place.
