For 26 years, Pickathon has built its lineup through instinct, intention, and trust in the long view of music. PICK26 is our artist spotlight series—an inside look at why Pickathon picked these artists for the 2026 lineup. These first spotlights set the tone, honoring the architects who shaped the sounds we love while highlighting a few of the voices carrying them forward.
Steve Earle
The Vibe: The Songwriter’s Songwriter.
Steve Earle is the bridge between the outlaw country of Townes Van Zandt and the modern Americana world. He has lived nine lives—from “Copperhead Road” to the depths of addiction and back again—and he sings with the grit of a survivor. He isn’t just a musician; he is a historian of the American experience.
Why We Picked Them:
We picked Steve because you need a North Star. In a lineup full of new sounds, he grounds the festival in the absolute truth of songwriting. Watching him play in the woods is a bucket-list moment—a master class in how three chords and the truth can still stop the world.
🎧 Listen on Spotify | Apple Music
Shakey Graves
The Vibe: The Prodigal Son Returns.
Alejandro Rose-Garcia (Shakey Graves) started as a one-man band with a suitcase drum and has evolved into a genre-bending rock star. He is the ultimate Pickathon success story—a chaotic, charismatic performer who can shift from a whisper to a scream in a single measure.
Why We Picked Them:
We love a homecoming. Shakey is part of the farm’s DNA. We brought him back as a headliner not for nostalgia, but because he is playing the best music of his life right now. He embodies the “Pickathon Spirit”—wild, unpredictable, and impossible to categorize.
🎧 Listen on Spotify | Apple Music
The Altons
The Vibe: Slow-Burn Soul.
Coming straight out of Southeast L.A., The Altons are the soundtrack to a late-night cruise with the windows down. They blend classic soul with a touch of rocksteady and Latin rhythm. Bryan Ponce’s vocals have that rare, rasping quality that feels like it’s coming from a vintage jukebox.
Why We Picked Them:
We booked The Altons for the “Swoon Factor.” In a lineup full of high-energy shredding, they provide the groove. This is music for holding hands and swaying.
🎧 Listen on Spotify | Apple Music
Hannah Juanita
The Vibe: Hard Country.
This isn’t pop-country; this is the real deal. Hannah Juanita plays honky-tonk music for the heartbreak crowd, channeling the spirit of Loretta Lynn and Patsy Cline. It’s steel guitars, crying fiddles, and stories about loving the wrong people.
Why We Picked Them:
We booked her for the purists. Every year, we look for that one voice that can transport you straight to a 1970s Nashville dive bar, and Hannah is it. She cuts through the noise with pure, unadulterated storytelling.
🎧 Listen on Spotify | Apple Music
