For over 30 years, MerleFest’s Late Night Jam has been the after-hours festival gathering space for some of the best pickers in the world mingling alongside new generations of talent. This annual tradition was initially led by festival founder Doc Watson, his family, and his peers. In 2025, the Late Night Jam hosting torch was passed to the equally legendary Sam Bush, who held court alongside Peter Rowan, Casey Driessen, Jerry Douglas, and countless other musical friends. Over the years, BGS has had the pleasure of partnering with MerleFest in Wilkesboro, North Carolina to present the Late Night Jam on the Saturday night of the festival. As in 2025, we’ll be back this year in 2026 to enjoy the fun with Ketch Secor and Old Crow Medicine Show stepping in as hosts. Tickets for the Late Night Jam are still available.
In the run up to this year’s festival, set for April 23 through 26, BGS is partnering with MerleFest and our videographer friends at I Know We Should to share exclusive video clips from 2025’s Late Night Jam. Today marks the conclusion of our series, and what a great video to go out on! For our final clip, the 2025 Late Night Jam host Sam Bush returns to the stage, this time in just a simple duet. His duo partner? A young and spritely firebrand picker, then 13-year-old Myles Gee. Gee is a prodigious guitarist phenomenon who’s gone viral across social media on multiple occasions, especially for his appearances and informal jams with Billy Strings. Perhaps the youngest performer on the MerleFest lineup last year, Gee certainly holds his own alongside Bluegrass Hall of Famer Bush as the two play through “Red Rocking Chair.”
Gee’s voice – his vocals as well as on the guitar – is remarkably mature for his young age. You can certainly hear the influence of modern stylists like Strings on his style. Bush and Gee swap solos with ease, showcasing yet again the special cross-generational community that appear at MerleFest and on the Late Night Jam. The crowd hangs on for every note, yet again entranced by the talent on display. You never know what you’ll see at the festival, but you do know it will be top notch.
We’ve so enjoyed partnering with MerleFest to bring you these clips from last year’s Late Night Jam and festival. You can watch all of the videos in our series here. Make your plans now to experience it all live, in person, at the 2026 Late Night Jam at MerleFest, hosted by Ketch Secor & Old Crow Medicine Show. Buy your tickets here – and get more information on the Late Night Jam here.
Video Credits: I Know We Should, Brad Wagner and Juan Soria.
