By Ken Paulson
Bonnaroo just published its 2011 schedule and as usual, the line-up is deep and diverse. Eminem, Lil Wayne and Arcade Fire are the biggest names, but there’s another tier of cool and intriguing acts. Here are 10 can’t-miss sets of 2011:
Buffalo Springfield: Without this band, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Poco and Loggins and Messina would not exist, and Neil Young would be in a Canadian retirement home. Buffalo Springfield launched its career in 1967 with “For What It’s Worth,” a quasi-protest song about riots on the Sunset Strip and went on to release three albums that drew on rock, folk and country. The band never enjoyed great commercial success, but it carved out a path in American popular music that many – most notably the Eagles – would follow. Original members Neil Young, Stephen Stills and Richie Furay are on hand for this remarkable reunion, 43 years after the band’s break-up. (Saturday, 9:30 p.m.)
Dr. John and the Original Meters: It’s pure poetry to have Dr. John on hand, reunited with the original members of the Meters, to play “Desitively Bonnaroo” in its entirety. The 1974 LP inspired the name of the festival and arguably inspired its spirit. The irony is that the record was a failure, falling far short of the commercial breakthrough Dr. John enjoyed a year earlier with “Right Place Wrong Time.” 37 years later, we can celebrate this lost gem with the men who created it. (Early Sunday, 12:30 a.m.)
SuperJam with Dan Auerbach and Dr. John: Operating under the scientifically sound theory that there’s no such thing as too much Dr, John, this SuperJam” teams “Dr. “ Mac Rebennack with one of his disciples, Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys. (Sunday, 7 p.m.)
My Morning Jacket: Their past Bonnaroo performances, including a nearly four-hour set in the rain and mud in 2008, have burnished their reputation as a great live band. (Friday, 8 p.m.)
Dennis Coffey: This great guitarist may be the biggest surprise of the festival. He’s played on many of the great Temptations and Jackson 5 sessions, but most didn’t know his name until “Scorpio,” a 1971 instrumental that soared into the Top 10. A year later, “Taurus” broke into the Top 20. Forty years later, here’s a rare chance to hear a funk pioneer. (Sunday, 1:35 p.m.)
Robert Plant and Band of Joy: Combine the legendary frontman for Led Zeppelin with Americana standouts Buddy Miller, Patty Griffin and Darrell Scott, and you’re in for a musically adventurous set, including some striking acoustic renditions of Zep classics. (Sunday, 6 p.m.)
Mumford and Sons: They’re played Bonnaroo before, but they’re coming back as stars. Their “Sigh No More” debut topped multiple charts, fueled by a brand of indie-folk that owes something to Lindisfarne and the Strawbs. They’ve also paid tribute to their elders, with a duet with Ray Davies on his new recording of “Days/This Time Tomorrow “ and a Grammy Awards appearance with Bob Dylan. (Saturday, 6:15 p.m.)
Old Crow Medicine Show: If Mumford and Sons had American cousins, they’d be the Old Crow Medicine Show. Their live shows rocket through a mix of alt-country, folk and bluegrass. Building on a foundation of traditional music, they inject it with a contemporary sound and attitude. Their performance at the Grammy Awards Block Party this month was pure fun and energy. (Saturday, 6:15 p.m.)
Hayes Carll: He had a number one album on the Americana charts with “KMAG YOYO, ” a smart and irreverent set of songs that brought comparisons to John Prine. (Thursday at 4:15, Friday at 1:30)
Wanda Jackson: Her latest album was produced by Jack White and that will be enough of an endorsement to draw a curious Bonnaroo crowd. Of course, there’s always the hope that White will show up on stage, particularly because his wife Karen Elson is also playing the festival. But Jackson is reason alone to catch this show. Her growling take on “Shakin’ All Over” at the Americana Music Awards last fall sent notice that the rockabilly queen was back in action. Her golden era was almost fifty years ago, but when the band cranks up “Let’s Have A Party,” it’s 1960 all over again. (Friday, 5:45 p.m.)
(Ken Paulson is the editor of Sun209: The Americana Music Journalism and the former editor of USA TODAY. )