Sam Morrow at NokeFest

Five albums into an acclaimed career, Sam Morrow has carved out a sound that exists somewhere outside of genre and geography. It’s his own version of modern-day American roots music: a mix of roadhouse rock & roll, bluesy R&B, and country-fried funky-tonk, driven forward by groove, grease, and guitars. It’s also a sound that owes as much to the road — where Morrow spent most of the past decade on tour, supporting albums like Concrete & Mud and Gettin’ By On Gettin’ Down — as the various places he’s called home. This is music for the fast lane. Music for empty highways. Music for people who, like Morrow, always seem to find themselves in transit. “I feel like I’m searching for something,” he says. “I’ve been on some kind of journey. Maybe I don’t know what I’m looking for, exactly, but I’m keeping my eyes open.” NokeFest is a three-day weekend celebration where Roanoke shines. Born from a love for the region, NokeFest’s mission is to create a space where people can connect with music, art, and the great outdoors.