The Atwood Music Festival was founded in 1975 by several bluegrass loving locals of Lawrence County, Mississippi who had the dream of creating a festival for locals to come and enjoy on Memorial Day weekend. This group of Lawrence County residence pulled together their funds, connections, and worked together to hold the first ever Lawrence County Bluegrass Festival.
The first ever festival was held at the Atwood Water Park on Memorial Day weekend featuring Doc Watson and Lester Flatt and the Nashville Grass. This event created a great environment for residents all over the county and some from surrounding counties a place to enjoy time with family and friends and also getting to enjoy all the beautiful park located adjacent to the Pearl River had to offer.
Once Donald Vince and his friends saw what this festival could become they quickly started planning for the following year. What started as a local residence concert and camping weekend quickly became and event that people from all over would come to see. The festival as time went on starting exploring music options that reached a larger audience by introducing country music artist, Christian bands, rock bands, and more.
Thanks to the hard work of the residence of Lawrence County who started this festival it has been thriving ever since offering the people of southwest Mississippi a place to come enjoy a relaxed weekend with nature and great music right out your tent or camper door. The festival has even become a long, standing tradition for families with some coming as long as 40 years without missing a year.
We in Lawrence County are so proud of this festival and the opportunities it offers for our community and our residents. We hope you all enjoy this event as much as we do and look forward to seeing you all at the festival year to year.
Below is a list of the artist who have played on our stage in years past up to the current artist:
1975 – Lester Flatt and the Nashville Grass, Doc Watson
1976 – Grandpa Jones, Jim Jesse and the Virginia Boys
1977 – Minnie Pearl, Paul Ott Carruth
1978 – Dave and Sugar, Kurt Kilpatrick
1979 – The Hagar Twins, Jimmy Martin
1980 – Stella Parton, The Carter Family
1981 – Dave and Sugar, Rattlesnake Annie McGowan
1982 – Helen Cornelius, Razzy Bailey, Paul Ott Carruth
1983 – David Frizell and Shelley West, Jimmy C. Newman, Elmer Fudpucker, Eddie Rabbit
1984 – Charly McClain, Vern Gosdin, Lorrie Morgan, Linda Nail, Kent Westberry
1985 – Justin Tubb and the Texas Troubadors, Jacky Ward, Helen Cornelius, Kathy Twitty
1986 – Dan Seals, Robin Killen
1987 – Tom T Hall, Mark Gray,
1988 – Jim Ed Brown, Shelley Mangrum
1989 – Billy Crash Craddock, Mike Snider, Vicki Bird
1990 – Baillie and the Boys, Irlene Mandrell, Jimmy C. Newman and the Cajun Country.
1991 – Connie Smith, Scott McQuaig
1992 – Gene Watson,
1993 – Ronnie McDowell, Mac McAnally
1994 – Jimmy C. Newman, John Conlee, Pearl River
1995 – Terry McBride and the Ride, James Dixon, Dave and Sugar
1996 – Paul Overstreet, Lee Roy Parnell
1997 – Ronnie McDowell, Confederate Railroad
1998 – Wade Hayes, Doug Supernaw
1999 – Suzy Bogguss, Aaron Tippin
2000 – Ricky Van Shelton, Cletus T. Judd, Tracy Byrd
2001 – Tracy Lawrence, The Bellamy Brothers, The Kinleys
2002 – Highway 101,Trace Adkins, John Anderson,
2003 – Neal McCoy, Doug Stone, Ricochet
2004 – Sammy Kershaw, Jeff Bates, Honky Tonk Tailgate Tour
(Chad Brock, Rhett Akins, David Kersh, and Daryle Singletary)
2005 – Joe Diffie, Pam Tillis, Andy Griggs
2006 – Marty Stuart, Exile, Little Texas, Billy Dean, Kelsey
2007 – Emerson Drive, Keith Anderson, Shane Prather,
2008 – Charlie Daniels Band 2009 – Jamey Johnson, LoCash Cowboys, Honky Tonk Tailgate Tour ( Mark Wills, Trent Willmon, Jeff Bates), The Lost Trailers
2010 – LoCash Cowboys, Colt Ford, Chris Young
2011 – Easton Corbin, Jake Owens
2012 – Brett Eldridge, Craig Campbell, Randy Houser
2013 – Frank Foster, LoCash Cowboys, Earl Thomas Conley, Chris Cagle
2014 – Chris Jansen, Craig Morgan
2015 – Chase Bryant, Travis Tritt
2016 – Jeff Bates, Brother Osbourne, The Bellamy Brothers, LoCash
2017 – William Michael Morgan, Little Texas, Drake White and the Big Fire
2018 – Ben Haggard, Muscadine Bloodline,(rainout) Steel Wood, Oakridge Boys, Colt Barron
2019 – David Lee Murphy, Steel Woods, Sweet Tea Trio, Matt Mason
2020- Zach Bridges, Sullivan’s Hollow, Sweet Tea Trio
2021- Lainey Wilson, Larry Fleet, Royal Horses, Fordie Hayes
2022- Jerrod Niemann, LANCO, Zach Top, Dr. Zarr
Atwood Music Festival 