FreshGrass: Not Just Another Bluegrass Festival

FreshGrass, a Midwest bluegrass experience like no other, happens every May when the festival takes over The Momentary at Crystal Bridges in Bentonville, Arkansas. Not just another bluegrass festival, FreshGrass celebrates roots and evolution, blending the deep traditions of bluegrass with modern genres like rock, country, and blues. The past, present, and future play out on stage in real time.

Festivalgoers are treated to a rich mix: artists and makers selling their wares, musicians from local acts to headliners, jam sessions in the Red Barn, artist talks at the RODE House and even square-dancing. Each year is unique, but one thing remains constant. This year's featured "Intimate Portrait" was with singer, songwriter, and author Rosanne Cash, the eldest daughter of the legendary Johnny Cash. Asked to describe her music, she said, "Someone else would have to answer that, though many refer to my music as Americana." Her songs often read like poetry because she weaves nature, heartbreak, healing, and growth into her soulful lyrics.

An avid fan of Jane Austen, Cash carved out her place in music as a songwriter. She shared, "I love language that has melody. The rhythm of the writer with a particular voice. When I write prose, I write like a songwriter." She views music as a service to others. "I consider myself to be in the service industry and feel the function of music is to open the heart." Quoting Bob Dylan, she said, "The audience comes to know their feelings," emphasizing that "Authenticity is immediately recognizable and relatable."

That authenticity radiated from her headline performance with her husband, John Leventhal, on the final evening of FreshGrass. Her raw and resonant voice and Leventhal's harmony moved the crowd. Their set celebrated multiple milestones: Rosanne's birthday, their wedding anniversary, and the 30th anniversary of The Wheel, a fan favorite album produced by the couple's Rumblestrip Records.

The night before, Cash sat down with sculptor Kevin Kresse for a heartfelt conversation. Kresse, who sculpted the life-size statue of Johnny Cash now standing in the U.S. Capitol's Emancipation Hall, shared his creative journey. He joked about the sculpture looking like Frankenstein mid-process, saying it nearly talked him out of finishing it. Cash replied, "I, too, have had to pull songs down to the metaphorical skull and start over."

Though it was her first time at FreshGrass Bentonville, Rosanne felt right at home. "I love festivals that focus on the arts," she said. "Everyone is looking for something ...to feel their feelings, gain access to repressed feelings, or connect with others. Music is a great connector."

The statue unveiling held deep personal significance. Cash spoke of her father's essence captured in bronze. She recalled her Aunt Joanne, Johnny's legally blind sister, touching the statue to see it for herself. An emotional day, filled with memory and meaning, Kresse quipped, "Joanne is saucy!" Cash laughed and agreed, sharing a story about meeting Roseanne Barr. "You are the reason everyone misspells my name!" Barr exclaimed, and Cash shot back, "YOU are the reason everyone misspells my name!"

Rosanne Cash's creative life has earned her numerous honors, including an honorary doctorate from Arkansas State University. "You can call me Doc," she teased Kresse. She loves mentoring students: "I love working with young people; they are so hungry with passion and creativity."

She also understands the self-doubt that artists face. "I still have doubts. Doubt is part of the process... You cannot rely on inspiration striking. That is the war of art." Her creative rituals? Long walks in nature, writing retreats in cabins, and disconnecting from screens. She even keeps a pen on her nightstand, hoping to capture dream-born lyrics.

After her talk with Kresse, the crowd moved to the main stage for boot-stomping, body-moving performances. The warm evening breeze set the stage for a standout act: The Lost Bayou Ramblers, who also played a rare set later that night at the Tower Bar.

As sunset poured through the windows, the top floor of The Momentary erupted to life with Cajun-Creole fusion from brothers Louis and Andre Michot. Their Grammy-winning band has mixed traditional Louisiana music with bluegrass and rock for 25 years.

Though new to the Bentonville edition, the Ramblers have roots at FreshGrass Mass MoCA in Massachusetts, but began in Lafayette, Louisiana, in 1999, carrying on a family music tradition. Andre builds his accordions; Louis plays fiddle. Over time, they've added members, forming a tight-knit crew that primarily performs in Louisiana.

True to FreshGrass's focus on innovation, the Ramblers travel with a solar-powered Sun Roller Stage, built after Hurricane Katrina to bring music to powerless communities. Louis explained, "FreshGrass is more than a festival; it is a way of life. It celebrates so many genres of roots music... but has lent itself to expansion over time." Their mission? "Have fun, play music."

Art is also central to FreshGrass. This year's standout exhibit featured Jim Marshall's photography of Johnny Cash's prison concerts at Folsom and San Quentin. The intimate images transported viewers back in time.

Alejo Benedetti, Curator of Contemporary Art at The Momentary, noted the powerful timing. "It has synergy with the music program," he said. "Jim Marshall, the Godfather of concert photography, captured a unique and intimate image, placing the viewer right there with the musician." His friendship with Johnny Cash helped produce some of history's most iconic concert photography.

"Cash felt Marshall was the photographer who could understand the why behind the prison concerts," said Benedetti. Marshall's lens humanized legends, offering glimpses of backstage nerves, pre-show rituals, and onstage passion. His work makes fans feel like part of the story.

With its "Welcome to All" spirit, The Momentary brings global art and music to Arkansas, offering something for locals and travelers alike. FreshGrass introduces many emerging talents on the brink of success, alongside headline acts like Rosanne Cash, Lukas Nelson, and Shakey Graves.

Few places offer such an immersive blend of music, art, and community. If you've been to FreshGrass, you know the magic. If not, mark your calendar for May 2026. Details and lineup will be available at: FreshGrass Bentonville.