Wilkesboro, NC (August 3, 2026)—North Carolina’s MerleFest is legendary among Bluegrass aficionados. Founded in 1988 in memory of Eddy Merle Watson as a fundraiser for Wilkes Community College, the annual event brings the handmade music to the masses each year. While this year’s edition included genre leaders such as Alison Krauss & Union Station, Old Crow Medicine Show, Molly Tuttle, Railroad Earth, Steep Canyon Rangers, Buffalo Traffic Jam and others, there were dozens of acts playing the many different stages, and ensuring the crowds could hear them was as crucial as ever.
“We used all of our DPA microphones on multiple stages,” says DPA Application Specialist Gabriel Antonini and Mid-Atlantic Sales Manager Chris Kontopanos. “Whether it’s banjo, mandolin, fiddle, any instrument, it was acoustic. Our job was to get out of the way to make it sound like there was no microphone at all. That’s what came through the PA.”
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That philosophy resonated with engineers throughout the festival. At the B-Towns Americana Stage, Cameron Grogan of SE Systems used a full complement of DPA microphones, including the company’s DDK4000 Drum Microphone Kit and 2028 Vocal Microphone.
“We had a full kit of DPAs on stage, including the full drum miking kit,” says Grogan. “Those are beautiful mics—punchy, open, natural, everything you want in the drum kit. We also used the 2028s on vocals, which were phenomenal. They’ve got a great low-mid body that is present, but not overpowering. Turn it up, it still sounds excellent. The 2028 blows me away; everything about it is great.”
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While vocals play a critical role in bluegrass and Americana music, the genre’s intricate acoustic instrumentation presents its own set of challenges. “I’m a big fan of the 4099,” says front of house engineer Joel Rose, who has worked with bands such as Railroad Earth and Green Sky Bluegrass, as well as the Bay Area touring audio company, Ultrasound. “I’ve done a lot of work in the bluegrass scene, and the mandolin player for Green Sky uses the 4099 for clarity and even response.”
