The Rhythm & Roots Festival is once again taking place at Ninigret Park in Charlestown from August 29–31. The upcoming edition promises to be one of the best in the festival’s history with an absolutely stacked lineup. There’s a wide variety of performers exhibiting styles such as funk, blues, country, folk and bluegrass among others. To be in the know on who to check out if you’re attending, here’s a list of five bands and musicians you shouldn’t overlook.

Lettuce

August 29 – Rhythm Stage

6:40–8:10 p.m.

Drummer and percussionist Adam Deitch, bassist Erick Coomes, guitarist Adam Smirnoff and saxophonist Ryan Zoidis started the band while attending the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Lettuce is currently one of the top funk bands on the planet. This has been a big year for them with the release of a live album with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. Their next unveiling is a studio full-length “Cook”, due out on December 3. They also have a local connection to Rhode Island. Their trumpet player Eric Bloom is originally from Bristol.

Ebru Yildiz

Molly Tuttle

August 30 – Rhythm Stage

6:40–8:10 p.m.

The bluegrass world has its fair share of prodigies who started at a young age, and Molly Tuttle is a stellar example. The guitarist and banjo player from Santa Clara, California has been performing ever since she was a teenager while garnering acclaim for her instrumental skills. She also released a new record titled “So Long Little Miss Sunshine” on August 15 and it has already received a ton of positive reviews while reaching the upper echelon of various album sales charts.

Griffin William Sherry

August 31 – Roots Stage

6:30–8:00 p.m.

In September 2024, Portland, Maine singer-songwriter Griffin William Sherry released one of the best albums to come out of the New England region so far this decade with his debut “Hundred Mile Wilderness”. Since then, he’s reimagined and released a couple of the songs “Our Town” and “Reflections” off of the full-length, and it’s going to be awesome seeing him perform them along with a few others. Any fan of excellent songwriting and storytelling shouldn’t miss out on this set as part of a vibrant final day at Rhythm & Roots.

The Wood Brothers

August 31 – Rhythm Stage

6:40–8:10 p.m.

The Wood Brothers are one of those bands who are difficult to pin down and classify in terms of genre. The Nashville based trio of guitarist and co-vocalist Oliver Wood, his brother Chris on bass and co-vocals, and multi-instrumentalist Jano Rix create a mix of blues and folk with hints of jazz and bluegrass. It’s an awesome approach that’s gotten them a dedicated fan base, and their new album “Puff of Smoke” that came out on August 1 is a prime representation.

Trampled by Turtles

August 31 – Rhythm Stage

8:30–10:30pm

A band who are of a similar essence, Trampled by Turtles from Duluth, Minnesota possess an excellent blend of folk and bluegrass. The sextet of lead vocalist, guitarist and harmonica player Dave Simonett, bassist Tim Saxhaug, banjo player Dave Carroll, mandolin player Erik Berry, fiddle player Ryan Young and cellist Eamonn McLain pull this off without the need of a drummer while incorporating seamless harmonies. Seeing them perform will be a fantastic way to close out the weekend, so don’t miss out.