Harris, M. Ward join Hardly Strictly Bluegrass

This was the fourth round of artists announced for the fest, which will be held at Golden Gate Park from Sept. 29-Oct. 1. The three-day, multi-stage free music festival also added Bombino, Syd Straw, Hermanos Gutierrez, The Third Mind, Eilen Jewell and The SticklerPhonics.

This year's festival pays homage to Doc Watson's 100th birthday with a tribute featuring Mitch Greenhill and Jack Lawrence, Nora Brown and Stephanie Coleman, with special guests.

The Third Mind will be making its live debut with its appearance. An improvisational music collective dedicated to experimenting with new, unorthodox and unrehearsed sounds while paying tribute to groundbreaking 1960s artists like Michael Bloomfield and Fred Neil. The brainchild of Grammy winning guitarist Dave Alvin and veteran alternative music bassist Victor Krummenacher, (Camper Van Beethoven, Monks of Doom, Eyelids), the band also features guitarist David Immergluck, (Counting Crows, Monks of Doom, Camper Van Beethoven), drummer Michael Jerome, (Richard Thompson, Better Than Ezra, John Cale) and vocalist Jesse Sykes from her group, Jesse Sykes And The Sweet Hereeafter.

"Keeping with their attitude of fearless, seat-of-their-pants aesthetics," Alvin said, "The Third Mind feel honored and ready (if more than a little nervous) for the challenge of playing their first live show in front of several thousand people at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass. The band believes that the always open minded, eclectic Hardly Strictly audience will become a member of the ensemble that will inspire and guide the band's spontaneous performance."

Krummenacher said, "We're beyond stoked and a little nervous to make our live debut at HSB. It's way overdue that we see what we can do on stage, and I can't imagine a better, more supportive vibe for."

The acts revealed today will join the previously announced groups at this year's festival. The first announcement included Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Leyla McCalla, The Church, John Doe Folk Trio, Valerie June, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, John Craigie, Neal Francis, Bahamas, and Gaby Moreno.

The second announcement had Kurt Vile & The Violators, Lilly Hiatt, Nora Brown with Stephanie Coleman, Lucero, The Travelin' McCourys, Chuck Prophet & The Mission Express, Buffalo Nichols, Beth Orton and Carrie Rodriguez.

Last week's added Rufus Wainwright, Say She She, Sierra Hull, Steve Earle, Margo Cilker, Mighty Poplar, Brennen Leigh, Thee Sacred Souls, Rickie Lee Jones, Irma Thomas and City Lights Poetry with Tongo Eisen-Martin, Kim Addonizio and Evan Kennedy. The Lone Bellow also were announced last week.