The Infamous Stringdusters are six musicians poised at the point where youthful energy is balanced with maturity, inspiration with discipline, and creativity with experience. Their Sugar Hill debut Fork in the Road earned broad acclaim at the 2007 IBMA Awards. 2010's follow up, Things That Fly, continues to highlight their original and inventive compositions that engage live audiences with energetic improvisation and dynamic control. The Infamous Stringdusters have cemented their position within the next generation of young bluegrass bands with an extensive and growing fanbase.

In 2011 Lonesome River Band celebrates 29 years in Bluegrass as one of the most popular and influential acts on the bluegrass festival and concert circuit. They have not looked back since the release of their breakout CD, Carrying The Tradition, in 1991, which included current LRB band leader Sammy Shelor, as well as Dan Tyminski, Ronnie Bowman and Lonesome River Band founder, Tim Austin. They recorded a project for Sugar Hill Records, Old Country Town, before Tyminski accepted a gig with Alison Krauss & Union Station, and Austin decided to leave the road to focus on his recording studio, Doobie Shea.

Like any band whose success has endured for over 25 years, Lonesome River Band has seen some very talented musicians come and go. One readily thinks of acts like The Country Gentlemen, Seldom Scene, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, or JD Crowe & the New South as examples of successful bluegrass bands whose lineup has undergone a number of complete changes over the years, while still retaining the distinctive sound that brought them their success. Joining Shelor in LRB are Mike Hartgrove on fiddle (newly returned to the band), Brandon Rickman doing Lead Guitar and Vocals, Randy Jones playing Mandolin and Lead Vocals, Mike Anglin playing the Bass. These outstanding players bring a wealth of talent and energy to the quarter century year old Lonesome River Band.

The Mantras' music is a high-energy collaborative of jam-fusion and funk-rock that shakes your knees and rattles your toes. These guys have been playing to ever-increasing and sold out crowds in their home state, as well as expanding to new markets in the South and Northeast. Comprised of guitarist Keith Allen, guitarist Marcus Horth, drummer Justin Loew, bassist Brian Tyndall, keyboard player Justin W. Powell, and percussionist Brent Vaughn, The Mantras unified their musical vision in 2005 and have continued to hone their sonic directions and win new fans over with every show!

Jesse Chong is a rock and roll savant hailing from Virginia Beach, where his dedication and unfaltering work ethic make him the most sought after artist in the region. The four-piece Jesse Chong Band will perform a range of genres at RW3, including blues, reggae and funk. Jesse’s eclectic sound draws comparisons to artists such as Ben Harper, Dave Matthews, John Mayer, and Keller Williams.

Jesse has opened for classic rockers such as Steely Dan, John Fogerty, Leon Russell and The Neville Brothers, country stars such as Willie Nelson and Brad Paisley, reggae greats such as Steel Pulse, Israel Vibration, and the Wailers and jambands such as Dark Star Orchestra, Perpetual Groove, and RAQ.

Featuring Martinsville natives Jay Franck and Win Webster, this progressive five-piece bluegrass band has exploded in popularity since forming little more than two years ago. They’re also one of just two bands that’s played each of the first two Rooster Walks. Readers of The Mountain XPress voted Sanctum Sully one of Western North Carolina's three best bluegrass bands of 2010. They’ve opened for the likes of Larry Keel and Blueground Undergrass, and they absolutely rocked the house at RW2 despite a steady rain throughout their set. These guys are a helluva lot of fun, there's no other way to put it.

If you saw them late Saturday night at Rooster Walk 2, you probably don’t need to read this bio. In fact, you’ve probably already bought your tickets! Gunchux is an indie-country-rock band that, between Rob Cheatham's perfectly crafted verses, likes to melt your face off with sick-nasty jams. Forming in the fall of 2008, Gunchux has been "taking the town by storm," according to the C-Ville Weekly. Band members are: Robert Cheatham of the Nice Jenkins on guitar and vocals, Martinsville's own Chad Bassett on bass, and Tucker Titus on drums.

Bringing a fresh, new attitude with original tunes that hearken back to the era of rock and roll, the Lizzy Ross Band fuses rock and soul music with dirty blues and folk. Ross’ commanding, versatile and expressive voice has been compared to Grace Slick, Janis Joplin, Joni Mitchell, and Grace Potter. The band’s tight arrangements are tasteful and unique, ranging from subtly complimentary to virtuosically explosive. Lizzy’s powerful voice and the folky textures of the songs themselves make the band’s musical style intelligent, danceable and unique.

The Kings of Belmont have been holding it down at Rooster Walk since Day 1. These boys help put us on the map as headliners at the first Walk, and their Friday night set at RW2 only raised the bar. The KOB thrives off performing live, and their unpredictable shows harness an energy that permeates the crowd. Whether its rock or country or hip-hop or jams, you will find it woven into the sound of The Kings of Belmont. Get ready to get hype!!!

Big Fat Gap is more of a family than a band. Considered "professors emeritus of bluegrass" at UNC-Chapel Hill, the BFG has the chops to crush Nashville but the preference to pick on the back porch instead. The Gap has performed at countless venues and festivals across the southeast and opened for the likes of Ralph Stanley and Robert Earl Keen. Members of BFG have gone on to play full-time in bands like Leftover Salmon, Town Mountain, The Emmitt-Nershi Band, Larry Keel and Natural Bridge, the Biscuit Burners and many more. Rooster Walk is an yearly reunion for these guys. You never know who's going to show up, but one thing's for sure: you don't want to miss it!

You might remember Jamal Millner's smoking guitar solos from RW2, when he performed with the Eames Coleman Trio on Saturday night. This year, Millner and his Comrades will bring the funk, jam it out and then rock you into submission as only they know how. Millner has toured extensively throughout North America, Australia, Africa and Europe. He's played with countless touring pros, including the Dave Matthews Band, and performed at outdoor events like the Chicago Blues Festival, Bonnaroo and the New Orleans Jazz Festival.

Travis Elliott has taken on songwriting subjects from love to spaceships, both badly in need of repair. He throws in unforgettable melodic hooks that keep you singing long after his performance has ended. His first EP, released in 2003, was hailed as “a modern rock epic” and sent him out on the road performing east coast shows with national acts. Travis has since expanded his catalog to over 500 songs while honing his live show. From weekly gigs in his hometown of Charlottesville, Va., to national summer tours, Elliott is fast becoming an artist who deserves attention.

The Australian-born, Virginia-raised Mariana Bell began singing at age 6. As an alto in the Virginia Consort YC, she honed her flair for melody and harmony, performing in the National Cathedral and the White House. In the past year, the recent college graduate has been touring across the country from Nashville to Los Angeles, winning audiences over with her rhythmic, soulful and unique live performances. Mariana has developed her style with the likes of Shawn Colvin, Bruce Cockburn, and Ani Difranco in mind. However, she’s also been likened to Joni Mitchell, and John Mayer. Mariana will perform with a full band at Rooster Walk 3.

Relacksachian's sound is a mirror image of its name. In creating and combining a relaxing atmosphere with Appalachian-inspired improvisational music, the quintet has managed to generate a sound that consistently stirs audiences into dancing mashes of country girls, city boys, young folk, old folk and most of what may be there between. The band's music resonates among so many listeners because it transforms the traditional to new, and the new to traditional. Showcasing a fiddle, a mandolin, spoons, a washboard, an upright bass, an acoustic guitar and a drum set, Relacksachian reinvents traditional fiddle and bluegrass tunes and reworks songs from the likes of Bob Dylan and the Grateful Dead, all while maintaining an impressive library of original music.

Poverty Level is an original acoustic rock quartet based out of the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwestern Virginia. With an eclectic mix of musical styles, Poverty Level brings a fresh take on roots rock. Formed in early 2008 as an acoustic trio, the band has been impressing audiences with its originals and interpretations of well known cover songs from the get go. Poverty Level’s become one of the Martinsville area’s most popular bands in the last year, and recently they've been performing with banjo legend Sammy Shelor as part of the group.

Based on a tradition of over four decades of great music and performances by the Martinsville High School Jazz (Stage) Bands, this talented group delivers the big band goods. The Martinsville Community Jazz Ensemble, comprised of 20-plus members, will be making its second appearance at Rooster Walk.

Levi's Gene Pool is a talented young three-piece band of siblings who write, record and perform original music. Levi, 13, is the lead singer and plays guitar; Phillip, 15, plays bass; and Holly, 10, plays drums. They have been playing music together as long as they can remember. LBP is influenced by both classic and modern rock, including the Beatles, Pink Floyd, Cage the Elephant and Billy Talent. Performing together publicly for more than two years, Levi's Gene Pool is a truly impressive band that seems to get better with every show. Check them out on Friday.

This steel-drum band is made up of students from the Boys and Girls Club of the Blue Ridge, which serves the Martinsville area. Under the direction of steel-drum master Shawn Thwaites, students have been impressing audiences since the group was founded roughly one year ago. Check them out on Saturday.

The son of Chip and Stephanie Roberson, Riggs lends his deft guitar work and lead vocals to create an authentic southern rock sound. A current student at Hampden-Sydney College, Roberson will perform at RW3 with a full band on Friday.