IF YOU THINK you need to drive to Nashville, Tennessee, to experience the cutting edge of country music, Justin Jett begs you to think again. Pickin’ in the Backwoods, the music festival he started last year in Indiana’s own Nashville, brings people together for a weekend of intimate performances that defy genre. Is it a bluegrass festival? Alternative-country? Roots? If it twangs, lilts, or rings with the truth, you might hear it there.
Before his gig as a festival organizer, Justin “Coyote” Jett hosted the Coyote Radio Show, a YouTube-based podcast featuring performances and conversations with artists in the bluegrass, folk, and Americana scenes. While the show focuses on musical underdogs, not all artists Jett interviews stay small. When Jett recorded an episode with West Virginian songwriter Sierra Ferrell in the early days of the pandemic, her talent was evident—even over Zoom. Just a few years later, she took home four awards at the 2024 Grammys.
Jett’s eye—or rather ear—for undiscovered talent often leads him to Duke’s Indy, the honky-tonk where you can often find him toe-tapping along at small concerts packed with big sound. Duke’s was a natural partner when Jett created Pickin’ in the Backwoods, bringing some of those same artists and the laid-back vibes of his radio show to a four-day weekend at a Brown County campground.
While it’s certainly a festival centered on music, Pickin’ in the Backwoods is no typical music festival. Tickets are highly limited to ensure a cozy, close-knit atmosphere. Classes are offered in traditional dance styles like the country-western two-step and Appalachian flat-footing. Food trucks are present, but the weekend is BYOB. And just like a typical camping trip, the festival happens rain or shine. “If a little rain falls,” Jett jokes, “we’ll just dance in it!”
Another unique element to the festival is its interactive, grassroots feel. “The big corporate festivals just feel like they’re all about the money. Pickin’ in the Backwoods is really about bringing people and the music community together,” Jett explains. In the true spirit of bluegrass and folk music traditions, attendees are encouraged to bring their instruments and join performers and fellow guests for nightly jam sessions around the campfire. Even beginners are welcome, says Jett. “It’s all about having fun and learning at the same time.”
Those brave enough to join a jam session may even find themselves pickin’ next to a headliner. Over 35 groups will perform at this year’s festival, and Jett makes an effort to make each one of them feel welcome. “We feed the bands, house them, and do everything we can to make them feel at home,” he explains. “I think that kind of hospitality carries over. … The artists are more likely to hang out in the crowd or join in on the campfire jams at night.”
That kind of hospitality made the inaugural 2024 festival a hit. “The prep was more work than I could’ve ever imagined, and finally seeing it all come together last year felt so surreal,” Jett reflects. “Hearing how much people enjoyed it made it all worth it though.” As one online review of last year’s festival read, “Y’all got my whole heart thumpin’!”
Hearts will be thumpin’ again this year as the festival returns August 7–10, featuring plenty of new artists as well as some familiar faces (and fan-favorite food trucks) from last year. If all goes to plan, Jett hopes the festival will become an annual tradition. And if so, he’ll be there to make it happen.
Here are three songs Jett suggests to give Indianapolis Monthly readers a taste of the music at Pickin’ in the Backwoods:
The Deslondes – Less Honkin’ More Tonkin’
The Local Honeys – Dying to Make A Living
Matt Heckler – Blue Eyes Dancing
