On Saturday, November 2, community-minded music fans from all across Southern California gathered at the Palace Theatre in Los Angeles for Back 2 School. The variety show, presented by Kensington Presents, the D’Addario Foundation, and BGS, benefited the D’Addario Foundation’s important work supporting music programs in underserved schools and communities. John C. Reilly, Jim James, Mandy Moore, Garfunkel & Oates, and many others took to the stage with our five-star house band — helmed by the Watkins Family Hour and Mike Viola — to share music, songs, and laughter to bolster the cause.
If you didn’t have the good fortune to be in attendance on Saturday night, check out the magic of Back 2 School (thanks in no small part to our stellar drum line) right here onĀ BGS. Good news, too: You can give to the D’Addario Foundation at any time, wherever you are. Donate here.
A great night, a great cause.
Photo by Ellie Lauren Photography
All smiles -- and oh so much fun -- during pre-show run throughs.
Photo by Ellie Lauren Photography
(L to R:) Ted Poor, Blake Mills, and Mike Viola.
Photo by Ellie Lauren Photography
A simply stunning room.
Photo by Harrison Pearl Photography
Suzanne D'Addario Brouder of D'Addario and the D'Addario Foundation speaks about the important work of funding music programs in schools and communities.
Photo by Ellie Lauren Photography
LP takes the stage!
Photo by Harrison Pearl Photography
These two. The best house band leaders anywhere. Sean and Sara Watkins.
Photo by Ellie Lauren Photography
Blake Mills (foreground), Mike Viola.
Photo by Ellie Lauren Photography
John C. Reilly takes a quiet moment backstage.
Photo by Ellie Lauren Photography
Jim James himself.
Photo by Ellie Lauren Photography
Alan Hampton on bass,
Photo by Harrison Pearl Photography
Langhorne Slim serenades the Palace Theatre crowd.
Photo by Ellie Lauren Photography
LP brings it to a rapt crowd.
Photo by Ellie Lauren Photography
The ever hilarious Garfunkel & Oates!
Photo by Ellie Lauren Photography
THE Mandy Moore, y'all.
Photo by Ellie Lauren Photography
Every show needs a surprise guest. For Back 2 School, that was David Garza!
Photo by Harrison Pearl Photography
Langhorne Slim in his dressing room.
Photo by Ellie Lauren Photography
Jim James bringing a number home.
Photo by Ellie Lauren Photography
A soon-to-be hug we'd like to make a group hug, for sure.
Photo by Ellie Lauren Photography
What a group!
Photo by Ellie Lauren Photography
The hang backstage was 10/10.
Photo by Ellie Lauren Photography
Garfunkel & Oates.
Photo by Harrison Pearl Photography
It is "Back 2 School," after all. The evening would not have been complete without a drum line.
Photo by Ellie Lauren Photography
David Garza shows everyone how it's done. ("It" being guitar solo acrobatics, of course!)
Photo by Ellie Lauren Photography
Our valiant drum line warms up backstage.
Photo by Harrison Pearl Photography
Only YOU can help fund music programs in schools and communities. - John C. Reilly, in this photo probably.
Photo by Harrison Pearl Photography
Mandy Moore, once again.
Photo by Harrison Pearl Photography
Pinch us, we must have been dreaming of the best band ever.
Photo by Harrison Pearl Photography
What a night. On behalf of Kensington Presents, the D'Addario Foundation, and BGS we'd like to thank everyone who made it possible!
Photo by Harrison Pearl Photography
Photos by Elli Lauren Photography and Harrison Pearl Photography as noted. Lead photo: Harrison Pearl Photography
Newport Folk Festival has always played host to singular, incomparable, once-in-a-lifetime musical moments. As you read this you can almost certainly think of at least a handful of examples, right off the top of your head. This year carried on that tradition and then some, displaying absolute magic across the festival’s four stages over the course of the weekend. Too many headline-worthy moments were sprinkled throughout, butĀ BGSĀ photographer Daniel Jackson was on hand to capture this folk and roots lightning in a bottle — from the performance debut of super supergroup The Highwomen to celebrating 80 years of Mavis Staples to surprise guests that make being green and looking cheap seem easy and effortless.
Perhaps the most meaningful take away from the festival, though, was not its star-studded stages, but its mantra — a timely reminder in this particular global moment: Be present. Be kind. Be open. Be together. Folk music, in all of its forms, carves out just such a space to allow for this togetherness. See it for yourself in these photographs from Newport Folk Fest 2019.
Black Belt Eagle Scout (aka Katherine Paul)
Parker Millsap
Devon Gilfillian rocks out.
Courtney Marie Andrews
British singer/songwriter Yola's first Newport Folk Festival.
Mountain Man
Kacey Musgraves and the best dressed band in roots music.
Erin Rae performed as part of the set, The Future is Female.
Amy Ray (of the Indigo Girls)
The debut appearance of supergroup The Highwomen with guest Yola, singing their original, eponymous song.
Hozier
J.S. Ondara
The Highwomen and special guest, Sheryl Crow.
Maggie Rogers dancing it out.
An adoring crowd -- and if couldn't be among them, you certainly wished you were!
Lukas Nelson
Molly Tuttle and Bonnie Paine
Judy Collins joins Brandi Carlile during The Collaboration.
Adia Victoria wowed with her "Southern Gothic" blues.
The well-deserved headline of Newport's Saturday night -- a surprise appearance by Dolly Parton herself.
Madison Cunningham
Linda Perry joined The Collaboration as well. Can you guess what she sang?
Mavis Staples, 80 years and still going strong, with Hozier.
The Newport Folk Fest mood, right here.
Trey Anastasio
The festivals best-known banjo player -- and perhaps the only surprise guest to rival Dolly -- Kermit the Frog made an appearance Sunday night.
(L to R:) Allison Russell, Rhiannon Giddens, Leyla McCalla, and Amythyst Kiah are Our Native Daughters.
The cutting edge of flatpicking's future: Billy Strings and Molly Tuttle played a duo set on Sunday.
Amanda Shires brings in the next generation of performers with her daughter, Mercy.
Another Newport Folk Festival in the books for the legendary Ramblin' Jack Elliott.
Alynda Segarra (of Hurray for the Riff Raff) with Brandi Carlile
Dolly Parton and Brandi Carlile share a smile.
Robin Pecknold (Fleet Foxes)
Jim James and Kermit the Frog duet on "The Rainbow Connection" -- 40 years since its release.
Dolly leads the all-female, all-badass grand finale for The Collaboration in a jaw-dropping rendition of "9 to 5."
We’ve loved Texas’ Old Settler’s Music Festival for years now, with their carefully curated lineups steeped in roots and peppered with bluegrass, folk, and Americana. We even filmed a handful of Sitch Sessions (with Earls of Leicester, Sierra Hull, the Hillbenders, and David Ramirez) on site a few years back. This year, BGS photographer Daniel Jackson was on hand to capture all of the Old Settler’s magic so that you can relive last week’s festival in photographs.
By all accounts, Luck Reunion may be the single best day of SXSW and this year they outdid themselves once again. BGS photographer Daniel Jackson was on hand through the seas of western wear and clouds of pot smoke, in the pit and behind the scenes, shooting stage photos and portraits, capturing the one-of-a-kind vibe and stellar lineup of Luck.
Brandy Zdan
Sunny War
Courtney Marie Andrews
Angie McMahon
Cedric Burnside and a captivated crowd.
Dylan LeBlanc et. al.
Mountain Man on stage.
Chawaband's rowdy Second Line.
Yola, Britain's country-soul goddess.
The Cactus Blossoms photobombed by Willie's iconic bus.
Steve Earle
Mountain Man
Shakey Graves works the crowd.
Lola Kirke
Low Cut Connie
Jade Jackson
Illuminatti Hotties
Daddy Long Legs
An angel among us, Mavis Staples.
Lukas Nelson
The man himself, Willie Nelson.
Mavis Staples & Friends bringing down the house.
All photos by Daniel Jackson
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