2026 Schedule
Ready to hit the dance floor? Join us for dance lessons at Rhythm & Roots and learn the steps, build your confidence, and have some fun before the music gets going. Whether you’re a beginner or already know your way around the dance floor, our lessons are a fun, welcoming way to get moving.
Introducing our dance instructors for this year’s festival!
Debbie Shaw: Debbie has been teaching zydeco dance at clubs, festivals, dance camps, and on dance cruises, both in the US and abroad, for over 30 years. She strives to not only share the authentic steps, but the joy and spirit of the dance. She has an international reputation for relaxed, fun, and easy-to-follow zydeco dance teaching.
Jim Christensen: Jim has been teaching Cajun and Zydeco dance since 1985. Teaching at large festivals and local dances he has remained a true traditionalist and will teach you the basics of the traditional dance styles, and once you have the basics down you can take it as far as you like. The most important thing is that we all have fun doing it.
Step inside the sound that has made Los Texmaniacs global ambassadors for Tex-Mex music. Founded by bajo sexto master Max Baca and rooted in San Antonio’s conjunto scene, the Grammy-winning band pulls apart its signature blend of conjunto, blues and rock and shows you how the pieces fit together. Expect close-up demonstrations of the bajo sexto and button accordion, a look at the interplay that drives a conjunto rhythm section, and the stories behind a style born where German and Czech dance music met Mexican-American communities along the Texas border. Bring your questions — this is an open, conversational session, and the band is generous with answers. No instrument required, just curiosity.
For thirty-five years, Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys have delivered electrifying Cajun music from Southwest Louisiana with unmatched skill and heart. From Grammy nominations to collaborations with legends like Eric Clapton and Robert Plant, this powerhouse ensemble brings tradition and innovation to every stage.
FULL ARTIST BIO
Grammy-winning Los Texmaniacs bring their electrifying blend of Tex-Mex conjunto, blues, and rock to Rhythm & Roots 2026. Led by bajo sexto legend Max Baca and accordion virtuoso Josh Baca, this powerhouse band delivers generation-spanning Mexican-American classics with heart, soul, and infectious energy.
FULL ARTIST BIO
Futurebirds bring their expansive blend of rock & roll, electrified folk, and cosmic American roots music to The Rhythm and Roots Festival this Labor Day Weekend. With songs from their acclaimed new album Easy Company and a live show praised for its energy and atmosphere, the Athens, Georgia band promises a set that feels both road-tested and wide open.
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Five-time GRAMMY® Award winner and Country Music Hall of Famer Marty Stuart brings over 50 years of musical mastery to Rhode Island’s Rhythm & Roots Festival. Joined by his legendary band The Fabulous Superlatives, Stuart continues to push boundaries while honoring country music’s rich traditions.
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Ruben Moreno is a musical alchemist who seamlessly blends the timeless spirit of traditional Zydeco with soulful threads of blues, Chicano grooves, and hip-hop. From electrifying massive crowds at Austin City Limits to his Certified Gold collaborations, Moreno brings a boundary-breaking, highly energetic sound that is guaranteed to get you moving.
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The Mallett Brothers Band brings a high-energy blend of rock and roll, Americana, country, and roots music straight from their home state of Maine. Known for powerful songwriting and an electrifying live show, they’ve built a devoted following on stages and at festivals across the country.
FULL ARTIST BIO
Ready to hit the dance floor? Join us for dance lessons at Rhythm & Roots and learn the steps, build your confidence, and have some fun before the music gets going. Whether you’re a beginner or already know your way around the dance floor, our lessons are a fun, welcoming way to get moving.
Introducing our dance instructors for this year’s festival!
Debbie Shaw: Debbie has been teaching zydeco dance at clubs, festivals, dance camps, and on dance cruises, both in the US and abroad, for over 30 years. She strives to not only share the authentic steps, but the joy and spirit of the dance. She has an international reputation for relaxed, fun, and easy-to-follow zydeco dance teaching.
Jim Christensen: Jim has been teaching Cajun and Zydeco dance since 1985. Teaching at large festivals and local dances he has remained a true traditionalist and will teach you the basics of the traditional dance styles, and once you have the basics down you can take it as far as you like. The most important thing is that we all have fun doing it.
Hosted by the Rhode Island Bluegrass Alliance
Tune up and join the circle. Hosted by the Rhode Island Bluegrass Alliance, this open jam roams across acoustic styles — bluegrass, old-time, folk, country, and whatever else the group brings with them. It’s interactive by design, not a lecture: players form a ring, someone calls a tune and a key, and everyone takes it from there, passing breaks around and learning by ear the way this music has always been taught. Acoustic instruments are strongly encouraged — guitars, fiddles, mandolins, banjos, dobros and upright bass all have a place. Beginners are genuinely welcome, and so is anyone who just wants to pull up a chair and listen.
Ruben Moreno is a musical alchemist who seamlessly blends the timeless spirit of traditional Zydeco with soulful threads of blues, Chicano grooves, and hip-hop. From electrifying massive crowds at Austin City Limits to his Certified Gold collaborations, Moreno brings a boundary-breaking, highly energetic sound that is guaranteed to get you moving.
FULL ARTIST BIO
The Alpaca Gnomes are a vibrant, seven-piece rock-folk jam band hailing from Bridgeport, CT, known for their infectious stomp-and-groove energy. With a loyal fanbase affectionately known as “Gnomies,” their eclectic live shows are a must-see experience you won’t want to miss this Labor Day weekend.
FULL ARTIST BIO
Grammy-winning Los Texmaniacs bring their electrifying blend of Tex-Mex conjunto, blues, and rock to Rhythm & Roots 2026. Led by bajo sexto legend Max Baca and accordion virtuoso Josh Baca, this powerhouse band delivers generation-spanning Mexican-American classics with heart, soul, and infectious energy.
FULL ARTIST BIO
Ward Hayden & The Outliers bring their signature blend of country, roots, and heartland rock to The Rhythm and Roots Festival this Labor Day Weekend. With a sound shaped by masterful musicianship, soulful vocals, and a deep reverence for timeless American songwriting, the Massachusetts band delivers songs that feel both classic and unmistakably their own.
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For over five decades, Tower of Power has delivered the very best in dynamic funk and soul music, defining the instantly recognizable “Oakland soul” sound. Get ready to experience their window-rattling grooves and raucous party spirit live this Labor Day Weekend at The Rhythm and Roots Festival!
FULL ARTIST BIO
For thirty-five years, Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys have delivered electrifying Cajun music from Southwest Louisiana with unmatched skill and heart. From Grammy nominations to collaborations with legends like Eric Clapton and Robert Plant, this powerhouse ensemble brings tradition and innovation to every stage.
FULL ARTIST BIO
Ready to hit the dance floor? Join us for dance lessons at Rhythm & Roots and learn the steps, build your confidence, and have some fun before the music gets going. Whether you’re a beginner or already know your way around the dance floor, our lessons are a fun, welcoming way to get moving.
Introducing our dance instructors for this year’s festival!
Debbie Shaw: Debbie has been teaching zydeco dance at clubs, festivals, dance camps, and on dance cruises, both in the US and abroad, for over 30 years. She strives to not only share the authentic steps, but the joy and spirit of the dance. She has an international reputation for relaxed, fun, and easy-to-follow zydeco dance teaching.
Jim Christensen: Jim has been teaching Cajun and Zydeco dance since 1985. Teaching at large festivals and local dances he has remained a true traditionalist and will teach you the basics of the traditional dance styles, and once you have the basics down you can take it as far as you like. The most important thing is that we all have fun doing it.
Join Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez, along with the singular three-part harmonies of the Sin Sisters and acoustic guitar master Frank Viele, for “Sunday School”— and get ready to believe! This Roots-Gospel Sunday morning performance is a long running crowd favorite of Rhythm & Roots that promises to have you shouting “Hallelujah!”
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with Steve Riley
Few instruments carry a culture the way the Cajun accordion does, and few players command it like Steve Riley. A Mamou, Louisiana native and Grammy winner who has led Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys since 1988, Riley takes the diatonic button accordion apart for you — its rows and reeds, the push-and-pull that gives Cajun music its lift, and the ornaments and phrasing that separate a two-step from a waltz from a blues-tinged Creole tune. He’ll touch on zydeco and swamp pop along the way, and on the mentors who handed the tradition down. Accordionists at any level will find plenty here, as will anyone curious about what they’re dancing to.
with the Rhode Island Bluegrass Alliance
Bring an instrument and sit in. The Rhode Island Bluegrass Alliance hosts this hands-on jam built around the blues — the forms, the feel, and the shared language that lets strangers lock into a groove within a few bars. You’ll work through standard progressions at a comfortable tempo, trade verses, and pick up the cues players use to signal changes and hand off solos. Acoustic instruments are encouraged: guitar, fiddle, mandolin, banjo, upright bass, harmonica. All experience levels are welcome, and so are listeners — you can hang back, watch the hands, and jump in whenever you’re ready. Come a few minutes early to tune up.
New England native and singer-songwriter Jason Ingriselli is a passionate musician known for his high-energy, heartfelt live shows. Backed by his powerhouse band, The Miles North, Jason has crafted a signature sound he calls “New England Country Music.” Inspired by the ‘90s country classics he was raised on, his music has been shaped by years of performing everywhere from concert halls and music festivals to dive bars and brewery taprooms.
FULL ARTIST BIO
For thirty-five years, Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys have delivered electrifying Cajun music from Southwest Louisiana with unmatched skill and heart. From Grammy nominations to collaborations with legends like Eric Clapton and Robert Plant, this powerhouse ensemble brings tradition and innovation to every stage.
FULL ARTIST BIO
Matt Lorenz, better known as The Suitcase Junket, is a one-man-band phenomenon who builds his own instruments from scratch and salvage. Armed with a dumpster-rescued guitar, an antique suitcase bass drum, and a voice honed on the streets of Barcelona, he delivers a grand, cinematic sound that defies his solitary stage presence.
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For over 65 years, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band has proudly carried the torch of New Orleans music, blending the city’s rich Afro-Cuban roots with vibrant, modern energy. Catch them this Labor Day Weekend at The Rhythm and Roots Festival to experience a living musical history that has shared the stage with everyone from Stevie Wonder to the Foo Fighters.
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Ruben Moreno is a musical alchemist who seamlessly blends the timeless spirit of traditional Zydeco with soulful threads of blues, Chicano grooves, and hip-hop. From electrifying massive crowds at Austin City Limits to his Certified Gold collaborations, Moreno brings a boundary-breaking, highly energetic sound that is guaranteed to get you moving.
FULL ARTIST BIO
Award-winning guitarist and singer-songwriter Quinn Sullivan brings his powerful blend of blues, rock, and classic influences to Rhythm & Roots 2026. Known for his exceptional musicianship and emotionally charged performances, Sullivan delivers concerts that are both transformative and unforgettable.
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Sponsors
