Newport Folk lineup headed by Linda Ronstadt

In more than four decades of a career spanning multiple musical genres, pop icon Linda Ronstadt has never appeared at the legendary Newport Folk Festival. But she will open the 2007 festival in a special "Evening with Linda Ronstadt" full-length concert on Friday, August 3.

Ronstadt is a 10-time Grammy winner, and has recorded three #1 albums, a chart-topping single, ten Top 10 albums and ten Top 10 singles. Her performance at Newport opens a folk festival that will stretch the boundaries by embracing roots rock, electric and acoustic blues, alt-country, and bluegrass, adding to its traditional strength in presenting singer-songwriters.

Notable acts include the Allman Brothers Band, Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Ralph Stanley's Clinch Mountain Boys, Alejandro Escovedo, and the North Mississippi Allstars. Krauss is a long-time festival favorite after having first appeared at Newport more than 20 years ago at age 14.

The festival's trademark "song circle" sessions feature two members of the musical Wainwright clan, Martha and Sloan (with another to be announced), and a pairing of Appalachian singers, the great Hazel Dickens and up-and-comer Diana Jones.

Also on the bill: Amos Lee, Cheryl Wheeler, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, John Butler Trio, Assembly of Dust and many more.

“This is a landmark year for us because we’re able to explore so many different styles of music,” said Associate Producer Nalini Jones. The festival runs August 3-5 on four stages at the Tennis Hall of Fame and Fort Adams State Park in Newport RI.