By Lynne Margolis

(LSM May/June 2013/vol. 6 – Issue 3)

Despite shivery night temperatures that no doubt caused lots of cuddling among campers, the 26th annual Old Settler’s Music Festival, held April 18-22 in Driftwood, drew more than 16,000 fans for a long weekend of laid-back listening. The trustafarians came for Friday headliner Michael Franti’s reggae-influenced positive vibrations, but they also dug performances by such roots-music stalwarts as the Del McCoury Band, Son Volt, Terri Hendrix, the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Justin Townes Earle and Fred Eaglesmith. Saturday, artists from Elephant Revival and the Dunwells to the James Hunter 6, Jerry Douglas, Bob Schneider, Martin Sexton, a reunited Reivers and jam band Leftover Salmon kept fans dancing and grinning, and Austin’s the Gourds kept the campground diehards partying Sunday afternoon. The Duchman Family Winery’s Old Settler-label wines were also a hit, as were blinking-LED hula-hoops (gyrations generate heat, of course). Youth Talent Competition winner Katie Kirby will appear at next year’s fest, scheduled for April 10-13.