Watch this page for updates as we add more performers!

WGF Indigo GirlsThe Indigo Girls have spent thirty-five years performing together, produced fifteen albums (seven gold, four platinum, and one double platinum), earned a Grammy and seven Grammy nominations, and have toured arenas, festivals, and clubs the world over. . . [More]

 

WGF Matt MaherMatt Maher, a Grammy nominated musician whose latest release, Saints and Sinners is a call for social justice rooted in the work of historic faith leaders such as Archbishop Oscar Romero, Martin Luther King Jr., St. Therese of Lisieux, and Mother Teresa, joins the 2016 Wild Goose[More]

 

Across the years, Ken Medema has shared his passion for learning and discovery through storytelling and music with an ever-growing circle of followers around the world. Ken has been performing for over 40 years in many different venues… [More]

WGF Dar WilliamsEvery new album from Dar Williams represents her thoughts and feelings about both her own life and larger forces in the world. But her ninth studio record, Emerald, marks a particularly dramatic confluence between her experiences and broader contemporary culture… [More]

WGF Pato BantonA Pato Banton concert is an event not to be missed and an experience not to be forgotten. Positive Vibrations abound with a beat to keep you on your dancing feet, while Pato delivers a message that is food for the mind and soul. Many have considered his charismatic performance as live theatre where no show is alike and audience members become participants in the experience. Pato dialogues with the crowd on a range of topics including current day events and spiritual freedom while keeping the vibes upbeat and fun! [More]

WGF Phil MadeiraPhil Madeira is a Nashville-based musician, artist, songwriter and producer. Phil has been a behind-the-scenes shaker and mover as a band member (Emmylou Harris; Her Red Dirt Boys, Buddy Miller, The Phil Keaggy Band) and session musician/songwriter (Alison Krauss, Mat Kearney, Old Crow Medicine Show, Buddy Miller, Garth Brooks, Toby Keith, Daniel Amos, Amy Grant, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band,The Civil Wars, Julie Miller, The Band Perry, and many more.) [More]

Melani Jackson is a singer/songwriter, a creator of what she calls “Life” music. She is known for her open and free spirited demeanor. She has created a cross cultural array of inspirational songs that everyday people can relate to, regardless of ethnicity or religion. Ms. Jackson has a powerful voice that is only rivaled by her powerful message. [More]

WGF16 Thom BuchananThom Buchanan started playing the guitar at the age of 12, and has been honored to back-up artists such as Jeff Fenholt, Phil Driscoll, Darlene Zschech, Joe & Becky Cruse, Cindy Cruse-Ratcliff, Kent Henry, legendary studio guitarist Mike Deasy, Georgian Banov, JoAnn McFatter, Don Potter, Suzy Wills-Yaraei and Roy Fields, to notably name a few. [More]

WGF Tuf FrancisTuf (pronounced toof) Francis is a family man, professor, scholar, public speaker, and active musician. He began playing music 22 years ago on a derbeki, a single Middle-Eastern drum. Since then, he has added to his repertoire many other percussion instruments, acoustic guitar, drum kit, and lead vocals. He played in several bands and recorded music for almost 15 years. [More]

WGF AlatheaRooted in the Appalachian Mountains, the duo Alathea (Mandee Radford Langely and Cristi Johnson) create and perform original music in what they call Front-Porch-style, using eclectic instruments (including banjo, dulcimer, harmonica, washboard,) thick modern harmonies and engaging storytelling – of life on the road, with children, as women trying to figure out what faith looks like, taking cues from nature and being a mother and meeting neighbors along the way.  [More]

WGF I.StarFrom the heart of Appalachia, I,Star rises… Encompassing a core fusion of husband-wife duo, MC/poet Truth-I Manifest’s potent lyrical flow, and singer/songwriter Aradhana Silvermoon’s angelic melodies- with a stellar band of multi-instrumentalists’ profoundly funky prowess- I,Star’s performances are a dynamic interplay of hard-hitting poetics weaving between evocative refrains, building to harmonies in the hooks. Their wholly original “folk-hop” carriage bears powerful and relevant commentary on personal and global spiritual transformation, stewardship of the Earth, social justice, and visionary love. [More]

WGF Ben WrightBen Wright understands himself as being called to “amplify the voices of others.” When not doing this through urban and social justice ministry, he does so through audio mixers and powered speakers. Ben also teaches religion and cultural appreciation courses in Danville, VA. A loyal face since the first Goose, this year Ben is celebrating his April wedding to wife Rebecca. Check out his mix at the Silent Disco and Youth dueling karoke. [More]

WGF Beer & Hymns Orange CountyChad Markley and Kristen Howerton are the co-founders of Beer and Hymns Orange County, which was inspired after Kristen visited Wild Goose in 2014. It has grown from a small gathering of friends to a monthly event of 200+ people. Chad runs an IT company by day and loves connecting people through music. He has been a worship leader for over 20 years. Kristen pens the blog Rage Against the Minivan and is a frequent speaker on the topic of race, adoption [More]

WGF eine blumeEine Blume is Missouri based wife and husband folk duet, Erin and Caleb Paxton. Their songs are intimate, atmospheric and soulful. Someone once said, “..like ascending into a warm velvety fairy tale”. They spin their words and melodies from faith, parenthood, poetry, living and dying. They have produced 4 studio albums and are now working on an E.P. about the life and death of Caleb’s father and also have a worship album in the works. They are comfortable [More]

WGF Eliza Moore“If Sarah McLachlan, Mahatma Gahndi and Dr Martin Luther King made a band together, that would be Eliza Moore‘s music.” (Geeta Nadkarni, journalist). A multi-instrumentalist, yoga teacher and former theology student, music is Eliza’s church and the audience the congregation. Throughout the performance Eliza invites the audience to join in mediation, prayer, song and sounding. As the performance progresses she will then begin to write music in the moment inspired by joined voices and intentions. Eliza Moore has been described as an Icelandic Joni Mitchell [More]

WGF Julian DeShazierAs a national speaker, advocate and emcee, Julian “J.Kwest” DeShazier has appeared on ABC, CBS, FOX, and Dr. Maya Angelou’s “Oprah & Friends” radio program. J.Kwest is also an Emmy Award-winning musician, featured in the video “Strange Fruit,” a commemoration of the Billie Holiday song and a meditation on racial violence. In 2012 he and his group, Verbal Kwest, appeared in the OXFAM and Bread for the World-produced documentary The Line, providing a critical voice against poverty and violence [More]

WGF Emmanuel JalEmmanuel Jal was born into the life of a child solider on an unknown date in the early 1980s in the war-torn region of Southern Sudan. Through unbelievable struggles, Emmanuel managed to survive and go on to emerge as a recording artist, achieving worldwide acclaim [More]

WGF Me and MollyThis dynamic duo, based out of Nashville, encompasses real songs with raw lyrics and sings from the soul. Molly Stevens and Declan McGarry have been opened for acts such as Ben Sollee, Lindi Ortega, Darlingside, The Indigo Girls, Griffin House [More]

WGF15 Beer & Hymns ChicagoSomething sacred happens when people sing together. Nate Baker-Lutz and Josh Rockett launched Beer and Hymns Chicago after experiencing it at Wild Goose in 2013. With local musicians playing banjos, mandolin, guitar, accordion and anything else lying around they lead spirited sing-alongs where the only rules are faster and louder. They’re committed to minimal amplification, relying on those gathered to lead the way and guide the singing. They’ve also helped a group launch Holland, MI [More]

WGF Terry GondaDrawing from the complexities of her own journey as a Catholic, lesbian, engineer, artist; Terry Gonda has been weaving stories of hope and inspiration through song for over 30 years. Her voice is strikingly soul-stirring, yet it is her passion, humor, and raw vulnerability that connect deep within the listener. Traversing genres of folk, pop, country and coffeehouse rock; she pairs her powerful vocals with skillful and playful guitar [More]

WGF Taize Vespers ServiceTaize is a form of sung prayer. It was initially developed at the The Taize Community, a monastery in Taize, France, and has spread across the world. The vesper service will include sung prayers, using simple, repetitive melodies, voiced prayer, and times of silence. The mood is quiet and reflective. People who play guitar or wind instruments [More]

WGF Kerry PritchardLeaving the Tracks tells stories of leaving places that no longer welcome or no longer fit, of traveling in search of more. Stories of grief, of hope. Stories of longing for a home, a place to rest, to be heard, and to belong. Hymns for the homesick. We invite you join us, and to consider your own story, to remember where you have been, to honor who you truly are [More]

WGF The Poetic DiasporaJourneying through the sonically diverse realms of old school and new school hip hop, R&B, funk, and soul, Joe Davis & Poetic Diaspora seamlessly blend melodic instrumentation with raw, poetic energy to tell stories of struggle, resilience, and celebration. Through poetry, song, and story, the collective of artist activist [More]

WGF Joshua LongThe live experience is a musical journey through life, faith, and spirituality. Performing songs off his debut album “All God’s Children,” Josh invites audiences to sing along, meditate, worship, and celebrate life and the mystery of the universe [More]

WGF Poor ClarePoor Clare is a new indie folk band from Seattle, performing original music inspired by the mysteries of God and life. Poor Clare’s music echoes the beauty of the Pacific Northwest: melodies that soar from the peaks of the mountains, lyrics exploring ocean depths, textures that rain from the clouds like a dream. Led by songwriter and performer, Lacey Brown [More]

WGF Pinkerton RaidThe Pinkerton Raid is an indie pop act with harmonies and textured instrumental arrangements. They’ve played festivals across the Eastern and Midwest US and have played with David Wimbish & The Collection, Lowland Hum, Noah Gunderson, Denison Witmer and The Soil & The Sun. This is their fifth appearance at Wild Goose [More]

WGF Paul DemerPaul Demer, singer-songwriter and Galileo Church worship architect, and Nathan Berry (cello), share Demer’s original songs and the stories that inspired them – personal encounters with, and theological musings on, vanity, fear, doubt, depression, and apathy. Demer uses songwriting to re-narrate these experiences and invites listeners to locate their own stories [More]

WGF Ben KilgoreFor six years, Ben Kilgore fronted The Hero Factor, a Tulsa band with a big sound and a big heart. In 2007 Ben struck out on his own. Ben showcased for Sony Music, Interscope Records, and a dozen other labels. Along the way, he caught the attention of songwriter/super-producer Akon, and the pair began discussing future collaboration. Three years later, Ben Kilgore has centered himself and found a new direction. He continues to write honest songs that uncover emotions often unsaid, and hope often overlooked. [More]

WGF Maybe All Is Not LostRev. Dr. Katie Hays is the Lead Evangelist for Galileo Church, a three-year-old Christian community that seeks and shelters spiritual refugees. “Spiritual refugees” are those for whom church has become boring, irrelevant, exclusive, and even painful – especially Millennials, and especially LGBTQ+ people [More]

WGF Maggie Valley BandHailing from North Carolina two sisters and friends of the Maggie Valley band came together in the town they now identify themselves with. Each member learned their trade of music in the beautiful mountains of Maggie Valley, NC. Sisters Whitney & Caroline Miller grew up in a home where playing the piano was a daily requirement. The Maggie Valley Band has been influenced by a wide variety of artists, movements, cultures, and ideas. [More]

WGF Macushla & FriendsWith a small band of musicians-drummer, fiddler, guitarist, keyboard & singer, we engage the gathering by weaving together a combination of highly participatory chant, song, story & poetry from the Celtic Christian tradition. The chant,both lively and meditative, draws on traditional Irish melodies and the rhythmic call-and-response chanting style [More]

WGF Love and ValorLove & Valor is a Burlington NC based folk band. Consisting of three members, all of whom sing, play instruments, and write original music! Love & Valor strives to make each audience member feel at home and connected to our music. We also play a wide variety of covers from The Lumineers to Cage the Elephant [More]

WGF Kristen LeighKristen Leigh‘s “indie chamber folk” music traverses the liminal territory between genres and styles – a place where sacred and secular, darkness and light, vulnerability and wit, ruin and redemption, doubt and hope, and cellos and banjos all live comfortably alongside each other. Kristen crafts songs that call us into the depths of human experience. Her collaborative, down-to-earth, and interactive stage presence [More]

WGF HardworkerHardworker brings banjo and guitar and sweet harmonies, singing songs of heartbreak and home, but these are mixed up with the concerns of the incarcerated, the exile of the refugee, the voice of the silenced, and the insanity of belief. For Wild Goose, songwriters Sus Long and Michael Conner leave some of the bar tunes at home and share their musical wonderings about the worldly powers and principalities and the place of today’s psalmist. Hardworker’s subject matter is informed by novels and poems, morning news, late-night theology, and the stories of the people around them. [More]

WGF Jason & DeMarcoJason & deMarco are celebrating 14 years together this summer. They were married in 2010 and in 2011 welcomed twin sons through surrogacy, each a biological child with the same biological mother, documented in Jason’s recently released book, “The Journey of Same-Sex Surrogacy.” Jason & deMarco announced the launch of their non-profit, (S.A.F.E.) Safe, Affirming, Family Environment in 2011. With the international release of their album in 2006, “Till the End of Time”, Jason & deMarco became familiar names to music fans around the world. [More]

Get a taste of GRACEPOINTE asWGF Josh Hailey Melissa Greene, associate pastor, & Josh Hailey, creative director, lead 30 minutes of music & space before Stan Mitchell, senior pastor, speaks. GRACEPOINTE is an interdenominational, progressive Christian community in Nashville, TN. [More]

WGF Brother's BearBrother’s Bear, a Louisiana-based folk/Americana quartet, will be performing a set of original songs in which they hope to explore and celebrate the human experience through stories of love, loss, and friendship. Life can be beautiful and it can be painful; through their music, Brother’s Bear wrestles with the suffering and the miracles of life to find meaning and hope. The band aims to add to the beauty of the world by creating honest, open-handed art. [More]

WGF Look HomewardLee Anderson (guitar, vocals), Alex Bingham (upright bass), Evan Ringel (trombone, fiddle), and Wilson Greene IV (banjo), of Look Homeward fuse North Carolina folk with the soul beach music, the moving spirit of gospel, and our distinct Old North State bluegrass. Yes, the band is named after Thomas Wolfe’s novel, and no, they do not feel home is a place to which you cannot return. You can hear home in all of their verses and compositions. ~Jennifer Wood, North State Journal