Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country, one of the hottest touring acts in the nation, is atop the initial band lineup for the 15th annual Rooster Walk Music & Arts Festival, set for May 22-25, 2025, at Pop’s Farm in Martinsville, Va.
Making their fourth consecutive appearance at Rooster Walk, DDCC is led by electric guitar virtuoso Daniel Donato. The band’s combination of mind-altering musicianship, outer space jam voyages and outlaw country influences has put them on a trajectory toward international stardom.
Also joining the first band announcement is Andy Frasco & The U.N., a rock’n’roll act of seemingly limitless energy that delivers a can-this-possibly-get-any-crazier live show each and every time. Frasco & Co., who themselves headline numerous venues and festivals across the country, will be making a return to Rooster Walk following their late-night set in 2022, at RW12.
Other bands announced Tuesday include: Little Stranger (Charleston, S.C.), an indie hip-hop duo whose beats demand dancing; Yarn (NC/NY), roots rockers who will once again perform an original set and a festival-finishing tribute set; Hogslop String Band (Nashville, TN), an old-time influenced, high-octane string band; ShadowGrass (VA/NC), a rapidly rising progressive bluegrass band with insane musical chops; the Rooster Walk House Band (various cities), which comes together at RW every year for three stellar sets of contrasting genres; and Cool, Cool, Cool (various) a funk/house/R&B creation that causes instantaneous dance parties wherever they appear.
“This is just the start of the full band lineup, and it’s been directly shaped by the wishes and wants of our fanbase,” said Johnny Buck, executive director or Rooster Walk Inc. “We wouldn’t be here without our supporters, so it seems only logical to give them as much of what they ask for as humanly possible. Luckily for us, our fans have excellent taste.”
More than 35 additional bands will be added to the lineup, including the top two overall headliners, in the coming months.
Tickets and camping passes for Rooster Walk 15 are now on sale at Early Bird prices at www.roosterwalk.com, which also features all the information needed to plan for an amazing experience.
The 4-day festival celebrating music, art, and the great outdoors will take place Thursday-Sunday of Memorial Day weekend at the idyllic Pop’s Farm venue, Martinsville.
A portion of proceeds from the festival will be donated to local and regional charities, including Rooster Walk’s own Penn-Shank Memorial Endowment Scholarship Fund for students at Martinsville High School, and the Rooster Walk Music Instrument Program for public band programs in the local city and county school systems. In addition, a portion of every admission ticket sold before January 1, will be donated to United Way’s efforts to support Hurricane Helene victims in the mid-Atlantic region.
Rooster Walk Inc., which produces the festival, is a 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to promoting music, arts and education in its home of Martinsville-Henry County. Since 2009, Rooster Walk Inc. has donated more than $330,000 to local and regional charities.
