Every April since 1987, Old Settler’s Music Festival has lit up central Texas with great music from all over Texas. If you’ve never been to the festival, you should pack up your bags and go at least once. There are plenty of reasons to make the trip.
The 32nd Old Settler’s Music Festival may have been my favorite of all of the 12 Old Settler’s Music Festivals I’ve attended. The lineup was fantastic, the fans were fun, the camping was great, the vendors offered a variety of merchandise and food, the staff was excellent, and the weather cooperated. This was the second year that Old Settler’s Music Festival has been in the new location near Dale and Tilmon (east of Austin and halfway between Lockhart and Bastrop). Organizers have worked out the majority of the complex issues of moving to a new venue.
The hundreds of volunteers and staff work hard to make sure you have an enjoyable experience. Old Settler’s Music Festival prides itself on being a laid back, positive, family-friendly experience and they ask that everyone keep that spirit alive by spreading the good vibes.
Old Settler’s Music Festival is one of my favorite music festivals and here are 10 reasons why:
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The artists are some of the best, and they don’t all come from Texas. In fact, they come from all around the world. Most have won some type of award ranging from a Grammy to Best Folk Album or Best Folk Songwriter, Song of the Year, Musician of the Year, Hall of Fame Inductee, and more. -
There is an excellent mix of music genres including folk, rock, blues, jazz, gospel, bluegrass, pop, country, Tex Mex, more.
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The stages are within walking distance to the campgrounds.
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The fans and staff are friendly, fun, and a pleasure to be around. When the music starts, the talking stops, and people keep the area around them clean.
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The VIP passes include free dinner on Friday and Saturday; lunch on Saturday; free beer, wine, and soft drinks; a covered area with tables; air-conditioned clean potties; and a viewing area in front of the stage. It’s the best way to go if you can afford it.
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It’s kid- and family-friendly with lots of stuff to keep the kids entertained and happy during the music. -
The stages leave plenty of room for fans to spread out blankets and lawn chairs and still have a good view while enjoying excellent acoustics.
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There are a variety of vendors selling a wide range of excellent food, drinks, merchandise, or a massage.
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The campground is always packed (it’s impossible to not meet some new fun fellow music lovers), but the campers are friendly and outgoing, the campground is alive with jam sessions, and there is usually enough generators to provide electricity to everyone.
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The lineup always has a few of our favorite musicians (like Hayes Carll, Wood & Wire, or Shinyribs) or artists we’ve enjoyed at Old Settler’s Music Festival before as well as lots of artists we may have heard of but never seen (like Jason Isbell or Brandi Carlile). There are also pleasant surprises (like Mandolin Orange, James Hunter Six, or John Moreland) that we can’t wait to see again, plus several acts we have seen and enjoyed at previous festivals. Shinyribs, for example, is always fun and enjoyable.
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The “vibe” is superb. Brandi Carlile described it best: “What a great vibe and fun festival for us; it feels like we’re playing around a campfire with friends and family!”
Okay, so that’s 11 reasons. I couldn’t stop at 10.
Old Settler’s Music Festival Campground Music on Thursday
The music officially kicked off on Thursday on the Campground Stage, which is located at the top of a loop that circles the Banjo Campground. The stage is small (compared to the main stages) and set under the trees, which makes it more intimate and easy to get to the front to enjoy your favorite band.
In addition to a great setting and excellent lineup, what I like about the Campground Stage is that you can bring in your cooler as well as your lawn chairs. Across the street from the Campground Stage are several vendors selling everything from apparel to some good food including Asian noodles, delicious grilled cheese, empanadas, and burgers. You can also buy beer, wine, and some of the artist’s and festival’s merchandise.
Wednesday night was open mic on the Campground Stage and Thursday night’s campground lineup included:
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Feeding Leroy – Getting some attention from last year’s late night campfire circles, they have a good gospel undertone. Unfortunately, I missed Feeding Leroy.
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Jaimee Harris – Originally from Waco, Jaimee Harris received nominations for “Best Folk” and “Best Songwriter” in 2019, in part because she paints the highs and lows of life with a low growl and high tremble with edgy, lavish melodies.
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Mipso – A traditional string band featuring a variety of contemporary influences with unconventional tuning, intricate acoustic arrangements, and gleaming harmonies.
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South Austin Jug Band Reunion – What a fantastic reunion after a breakup over 15 years ago. They had the crowd standing and cheering throughout their set.
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Paul Thorn – You can’t help but love Paul Thorn’s humor, stories, and muscular brand of roots music with his gravelly voice.
It’s hard to beat an excellent lineup, a fun crowd, music under the trees sparkling with a variety of colorful lights, and stars twinkling high in the sky. What a way to start the festival! Paul Thorn was entertaining and South Austin Jug Band was fantastic!
Friday’s Lineup at Old Settler’s Music Festival
On Friday, a yoga cass started at 10 a.m. but I was still sawing zzzs. Yoga was followed by an open mic on the Campground Stage, but I didn’t find out about it until the last artist was playing. What I heard was very good and some fans told me that the previous artists were also excellent.
On Friday, the music starts on the festival grounds (across the street from the Banjo Campground). The grounds are home to a huge stage with excellent acoustics (Black’s BBQ Stage). The smaller Bluebonnet Stage is a short 2-minute walk around the corner. A full day of music started at 4:00 a.m. on both stages and included:
Original Black BBQ Stage:
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John Moreland – He sings with tender, sauntering melodies steeped with profound penitence, and he has a knack for stepping inside your heart and showing you the beauty within sadness.
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Amanda Shires – She was winner of the Americana Music Awards Emerging Artist of the year, in part thanks to her distinctive vibrato, flamboyant violin, and insightful imagery.
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Del McCoury Band – A legend of American Bluegrass with 31 International Bluegrass Music Association Awards plus induction into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame.
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Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit – Wow! What a fantastic set from a Grammy award-winning artist who can tap into authentic anthems and the healing power of music. It’s not surprising that Jason Isbell has emerged as one of the biggest stars and best songwriters in modern Americana music.
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Shinyribs – It’s virtually impossible to describe Shinyribs because they are always evolving. This “country soul swamp funk” outfit has the pizzazz of a ferocious tent revival.
Bluebonnet Stage:
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The Last Bandoleros – A fantastic set that blended Tex-Mex flair, charming Beatles-esque harmonies, Brit pop, and modern country.
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James Hunter Six – An English-born modern R&B legend with suave vocal stylings that have been likened to the husky croon of Ray Charles.
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Robert Ellis – He loves sonic reinvention and is endlessly pushing musical boundaries with complex jazz arrangements and Beatles-esque oohs and ahhs. He sang and played piano in a long-tail white tuxedo and white cowboy hat.
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Mandolin Orange – A husband and wife duo with melodies that are comprised of sage, juicy, and sophisticated lyrics with a mix of gospel, bluegrass, pop, and country that instantly entices you.
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Black Pumas – The Austin-based Black Pumas are led by a Grammy-winning psychedelic guitarist.
What a fun day of excellent music. Some wows go to Jason Isbell, Mandolin Orange, and James Hunter Six.
Music at Old Settler’s Music Festival on Saturday
After a brief storm delay (it didn’t rain, but threatened to) the music started on the Blacks BBQ Stage at 11:00 a.m. and on the Bluebonnet Stage at 10:30 a.m. Entertainment included:
Original Black’s BBQ Stage:
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Ben Hunter & Joe Seamons – Songster revivalists who perform acoustic blues, field hollers, fiddle and banjo breakdowns, and early jazz. I missed them because of the rain delay.
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Sara Grace & the Soul – Named one of Houston’s “Top Bands Under 21” and a highly ranked The Voice contestant, Sara Grace channels the classic blues heroes of yesteryear.
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Los Legends – Three legends (Flaco Jimenez, Ruben Ramos, and Rick Trevino), all three of which are Grammy winners, played and sang some excellent Mexican and Tejano music.
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The SteelDrivers – They perform their own brand of bluegrass soul with an authentic, rootsy feel.
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Samantha Fish – A winner of seven awards with a thunderous grit incorporating otherworldly guitar artistry delivered with a silky smooth voice.
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Hayes Carll – Grammy nominee and winner of seven honors, his shows incorporate his natural wit and a technique that directs his audience to value life’s moments.
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Brandi Carlile – A seven-time Grammy nominee and winner of three, Brandi has become the face of modern folk with powerful, emotional storytelling and haunting harmonies.
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Galactic – This New Orleans-based group carries the spirit of Mardi Gras. Their music felt like a block party on Bourbon Street with multi-faced sonic grooves and funk pop ‘n’ roll lace with a progressive sound, modern rhythms, and electronic instrumentation.
What a fantastic day of superb music. It started an hour late thanks to an approaching storm that didn’t really materialize. But the wind made the evening so cold I left early, shivering, and missed Galactic.
I loved Hayes Carll’s set.
It was also easy to see why Brandi Carlile has won 3 Grammies. Her set was in the top five sets I’ve ever enjoyed. Outstanding!
Bluebonnet Stage:
Youth Talent Competition – 10 young (12 to 17 years old) talented singer/ songwriters competed for recognition and a set on the Bluebonnet Stage.- Workshops with Wood & Wire – Wood & Wire turned their workshop into an enjoyable 45-minute set.
- Youth Competition Winner – I didn’t catch the winner’s name, but I did enjoy his voice and 30-minute set.
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Workshop with Ben Hunter & Joe Seamons – I missed this.
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Penny & Sparrow – This folk-rock duo champions prismatic harmonies with a lucent, acoustic sound and have a unique capacity to make a large venue feel as intimate as a cozy listening room.
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Wood & Wire – they have evolved into a remarkable force in bluegrass thanks in part to a solid, authentic songcraft that’s resulted in a Grammy nomination and an award for Best Folk/Bluegrass
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The Lone Bellow Trio – This indie folk trio fashions songs about transcending from the ashes of personal hardship with a church-like quality that coaxes audiences from jubilant foot-stomping singalongs to euphoric calm.
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Paul Cauthen – He plays 1960’s nostalgia with head-bobbing, hip-shaking melodies, and a butterscotch baritone reminiscent of Johnny Cash along with a commanding presence similar to Waylon Jennings.
- Wild Child – This Austin-based seven-piece folk pop mini-orchestra doesn’t fit in a box. The cold wind drove us back to the RV before they started.
Penny & Sparrow were superb (excellent harmonies, great personality, and very entertaining) and their rendition of a Simon & Garfunkel song was entertaining and sounded just like Simon & Garfunkel. Wood & Wire were also outstanding!
Old Settler’s Music Festival Lineup on Sunday
On Sunday, the Campground Stage came alive with a Sunday church service and an excellent lineup that included::
- Gospel Surprise – Shinyribs was joined on stage with a gospel choir.
- Jeff Plankenhorn – A multi-instrumentalist that moves effectively through folk, country, blues, bluegrass, gospel, and rock and roll.
- Ley Line – World travels inspired this band to blend rhythms from Latin America, Brazil, and West Africa to create an infectious groove with multilingual harmonies.
- Ida Mae – This husband and wife team sing together with an unusually seductive “which-is-which” dynamic while combining classic rock chic with sumptuous, hip swaying blues rhythms.
- Shinyribs – It’s not surprising that Shinyribs won Album of the Year, and for three years in a row they won Best Band of the Year. They are clearly the cure for what ails you and the Congo Line Kevin led through the crowd got everyone on their feet.
I knew I was in for a special treat when 10 musicians entered the stage with a wide variety of instruments and they were followed by trailblazer Kevin, the leader of Shinyribs, dressed in a yellow pinstriped suit, yellow cap, blue shirt and blue suede shoes, a yellow tie, and a blue guitar. I was not disappointed. Shinyribs and his Congo line dancing through the fans was the perfect ending to an outstanding 3-day festival.
Camp Shhh Times at Old Settler’s Music Festival
For over 10 years, a group of music-obsessed fanatics and super fans (those that can party till the sun comes up) known as Team Goodtimes created a magical music experience for campers’ late night entertainment, from a combination of campers and artists singing and picking around the campfire to when the Main Stage music ended in the wee hours of the morning. To continue this tradition, Camp Shhh Times was formed.
Late night fans numbered from 50 to 500 and were gathered intently around a small tucked-away wood stage to watch and listen in absolute silence and wonder. Camp Goodtimes brought the intimacy of a listening room with a lineup of world-class musicians. The music started at 1 a.m., the bands played unplugged, and the lineup featured Old Settler’s performers as well as some of the Goodtimes artists.
Located on a small hill (Buddy’s Hill) adjacent to the stage area, Camp Shhh Times included:
- A Kid’s Talent Show for kids 12 and under at noon on Sunday
- Thursday included Mipso, John Elliott, and Batty Jr.
- Friday was South Austin Jug Band, Calliope Musicals, and MIDDLESPOON
- Saturday included Wood & Wire, Ley Line, and McMercy Family Band played until 4 a.m.
Food, Arts & Crafts, and Kids Village at Old Settler’s Music Festival
This year, there were 15 different vendors serving some tasty morsels like: BBQ, Asian noodles, kettle corn, empanadas, Torchy’s Tacos, tamales, pizza, Venezuelan cuisine, and lots more. Around the Main Stage perimeter and interspersed with the food vendors were several artisans from around the region that showcased and sold their goods ranging from art to jewelry to clothing and a variety of crafts plus a massage and photo booth.
Old Settler’s Music Festival is kid friendly, and there were lots of kids enjoying the music, meeting new friends, and taking advantage of the Kid’s Village, which included: a petting zoo, pony rides, face painting, bounce house, play zone, bubble wands, jugglers, hula hoops, and more fun stuff.
Old Settler’s Music Festival Camping
A large part of what I love about Old Settler’s Music Festival is the camping in wooded areas or meadows. It’s the best way to enjoy Old Settler’s Music Festival. You can stay up for the late night music or picking in the campground and not have to worry about parking and driving home.
There are three major areas for camping: Camp Collins for tent camping only; Camp Banjo for tents, travel trailers, and motorhomes; and Camp Armadillo for tents, trailers, and RVs.
Camp Collins and Camp Banjo are on the edge of the stage and vendor area while Camp Banjo is home to the Campground Stage. Camp Armadillo is around 800 yards from the stage area. Generators for electricity, port-a-potties, and water are spread throughout Camp Banjo and Camp Armadillo.
If you’re camping with a trailer or RV, you need to arrive early in the week (a lot of campers come in on Sunday) to pick a good spot or get a site close to a generator. There are no designated sites and it’s all first-come first-serve. By Friday night, Camp Banjo is packed with colorful tents of all sizes, a variety of RVs from old VW buses to $300,000 motorhomes, to hammocks, and even some couches. On Thursday, we could look out the front window of our motorhome and all we saw was grass and trees.
The picture above and on the right is what we saw when we looked out our front window on Saturday morning!
Groups of fans who come every year have formed circles of friends and family and have names for their camps with very elaborate set ups. A free golf cart shuttle runs continuously to take you anywhere on the grounds. There is also a bus selling RV Parts, plus trucks that come around to fill your RV with water or dump your RV holding tanks.
The campground is always alive with the smell of good food cooking, laughter, and music and picking circles. I asked one guy who came down from Canada for the festival how he liked the Main Stage music and he said “What little I saw was good, but I’m not here for the stage music. I came to join in the jam and picking circles in the campground!”
If you don’t have an RV, there are several RV rental companies that will rent you one and some will even deliver the RV and set it up in a campsite for you. How great is that? There are also some furnished camping and glamping tents that you can rent for a fun and hassle-free experience, and they sleep 2 to 4 people. As an example, the deluxe bell tent for 4 people includes: friendly front desk service; 4 twin air beds and crate tables; linens, pillows, towels, and blankets; 4 welcome packets with essentials like eye masks, ear plugs, sunscreen, and tickets for showers; and more. Best of all, there’s a cooler with complimentary beer!
Old Settler’s Music Fans Are The Best
A large part of what makes Old Settler’s Music Festival one of the best are the fans. The fans are a good mix of young families, old hippies like myself, free spirits, and just about everything else. Common to all of the fans is a love of music, good times, and a desire to keep the Old Settler’s Music Festival vibe alive. The fans are friendly, outgoing, and courteous to the artists playing and sensitive to keeping the grounds clean and litter-free. Each year, I make several new friends and reacquaint with others I’ve met at previous festivals. View more Old Settler’s Music Festival Fans.
Thanks go out to Jean Spivey (executive director), Sage Allen (director of site operations), Mike Hanley (production manager), the sound crew, and the hundreds of staff and volunteers that make Old Settler’s Music Festival one of the best music festivals in Texas. See you next year.
Author: Mike Sharp
I have a passion for travel and outdoor activities, and now I'm enjoying retired life. I will continue my traveling, golfing, boating, and enjoying life all across the great state of Texas.
