_edited_edited_edited.png)
CHUCK PROPHET & HIS CUMBIA SHOES
An extraordinary and unlikely pairing, Prophet and ¿Qiensave? blend seamlessly together as the collection dives headfirst into the world of Cumbia music, which consumed and comforted Prophet during a recent bout with stage four lymphoma and subsequent recovery. The songs are intoxicatingly rhythmic, all but demanding you move your body while you listen. There are flashes of rock and roll, punk, surf, and soul, all filtered through the streets of San Francisco and wrapped up in the rich legacy of a genre that traces its roots back hundreds of years and thousands of miles.
NEVER COME DOWN
Blending modern and traditional American roots music, Portland’s Never Come Down features Joe Suskind, Crystal Lariza, Lillian Sawyer, and Kaden Hurst. Since forming in 2018, they’ve built a devoted following through extensive touring, released Better Late Than Never (2021) and Greener Pastures (2024), and earned acclaim at festivals including Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, Iceland Airwaves, Americanafest, FreshGrass, and RockyGrass.
MARGO CILKER
In the wake of the critically acclaimed “Valley of Hearts Delight” and her stunning debut “Pohorylle” Margo Cilker has made a name for herself as a clear-eyed troubadour, spinning songs from everyday truths. Her live performances are at once intimate and electric, inviting glimpses into the characters and moments that are the fabric of life. She makes her home near the Columbia River in Goldendale, Washington with her husband, songwriter and working cowboy Forrest VanTuyl, as well their dog and some horses.
FOSSIL RECORDS ARTIST
THE COFFIS BROTHERS
With two songwriters, six albums, and more than a thousand shows under their belt, The Coffis Brothers have earned their reputation as modern-day torchbearers of all-American rock & roll. It's a sound caught halfway between amplified Americana, acoustic folk, roadhouse R&B, and electrifying roots music, crafted by a pair of California-born siblings who've been sharing the stage since childhood, and the five piece band filled out by Kyle Poppen (guitar), Aidan Collins (bass), and Cory Graves (drums).
NIGEL WEARNE
Nigel Wearne saunters after dark in the music of the night, blending blues, jazz and Americana-noir. Hailing from Gunditjmara country in the deep south of Australia, he’s a guitarist and multi-instrumentalist with diverse influences such as Nick Cave, Tom Waits and Rickie Lee Jones.
Nigel has played some of the world’s most prestigious music festivals, including Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, MerleFest, Philadelphia Folk Festival, 30A Songwriters Festival, Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion and the Cambridge Folk Festival (UK).
FLACO EL JANDRO
Over the past six years, Flaco el Jandro has been furthering the trajectory of Chicano music through a series of independently produced EPs and singles—each carrying a distinct sound and story, yet unmistakably Flaco. Hailing from California’s Salinas Valley, his work reflects a deep connection to place, culture, and community.
Flaco has served as a music director at the world-renowned El Teatro Campesino and has collaborated extensively with arts organizations and nonprofits throughout the tri-county area. In addition to his solo work, he is an active producer, currently developing projects with multiple emerging artists from the Salinas Valley.
ISMAY
Ismay is your host for Woollystar, and this year they are back performing a full band set of their new album coming out June 2026!
Raised backstage at their grandfather’s Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, Avery was inspired by artists like Emmylou Harris and Gillian Welch. After a decade working the family ranch in Petaluma, they emerged as ISMAY, performing nationwide and internationally at festivals including Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering.
FOSSIL RECORDS ARTIST
FORREST VANTUYL
Forrest VanTuyl is a songwriter, poet, and musician from Washington State. He has performed with Ramblin Jack Elliot and Sera Cahoone, and toured and co-written with Margo Cilker. His work has been featured by the New York Times, the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, and KEXP.
Forrest released a new album Old Trails in 2025 on Fossil Records.
FOSSIL RECORDS ARTIST
PATRICK DETHLEFS
Patrick Dethlefs returns to Woollystar in 2026! Hailing from Kitteridge Colorado
he has always let his instincts guide him. While he found early inspiration as a young musician everywhere from Jimmy Page to The Allman Brothers, the Colorado native put most of his energy into original material.
“I don’t think I was a big learner of other people’s songs, even in the beginning,” Dethlefs says. “First getting the guitar, I think I just learned chords and put them together in a different way.”
His late dad, a guitarist and singer-songwriter, imparted a love of acoustic guitar from an early age. Given his first six-string at age 12, Dethlefs spent his foundational years finding his voice.
TENNESSEE KAMANSKI
Tennessee Kamanski was only 16 when she began creating demos in the home studio operated by her father Paul Kamanski, probably best known perhaps for writing hits for the Beat Farmers, a San Diego cow-punk band of national stature. Even then, he also had his own band, as well as playing in various groups with Joey Harris, including the Electric Sons and the Fingers with Billy Thompson.
GREAT BASIN MUSIC REVUE
For our fifth year, we are continuing the tradition of bringing local performers from the Great Basin & Sierra Nevada to the Woollystar Stage. The lineup for this special kick-off set includes Ava Covington and Kyle-Matthew Taylor with more TBA.