Verve and Universal Music Group 2026 Acoustic Sounds, Newport Folk Festival has come to a close for another year, The Wild Festival in Sussex, Local Shows
Marcus King Just Reclaimed His First Guitar And It Only Gets Better From Here For Acoustic Music
Marcus King’s first guitar, a gift from his father, has been reborn as a collectible piece. Here’s what you should know about Epiphone’s new Marcus King El Dorado and an equally impressive week for acoustic music:
Epiphone has announced the Marcus King El Dorado, a limited edition signature acoustic that pays tribute to one of the brands earliest electric guitars and the deep connection it has to Marcus King himself. King has spoken publicly about the influence the guitar had on him as a young musician and the connection to his El Dorado record, which was named after the guitar and released earlier this year. This new signature model, however, isn’t just a cash grab at King’s fame or an attempt to rehash the past. It’s a genuine love letter to the guitar itself: a square shouldered dreadnought with an all-solid rosewood back, sides and spruce top. Inside you’ll find a mahogany neck with a comfortable modern C shape, a 1970s Japanese headstock style and a compensated bone saddle. The blackpins and custom inlay work on the headstock include an outline of South Carolina and a tri-star graphic representing Tennessee, King’s home state and where the guitar was made. Even the pickguard on this Marcus King El Dorado has been recreated to look like his original vintage guitar. Plug it in and you can hear the L.R. Baggs Element Bronze pickup that has been expertly incorporated into the design, a great feature for gigging musicians who need to get their sound on stage quickly and efficiently. It’s all a great look and feel that represents King’s deep connection to this guitar and the legacy of the El Dorado record. Read the Unplugged Live Substack for the Full Article!
The good news is King is far from the only act to release a new acoustic related record or tour announcement this week. Chris Daughtry has announced a 20 Years Unplugged fall tour that looks to take his band’s early post-grunge catalog and rework it into an acoustic set while celebrating two decades of music making. It’s a tricky way to look back at your catalog but one that I think will be sure to impress given the strength of Daughtry’s material. Details on the tour, including specific song titles and set ideas, can be found at the link below along with our thoughts on the show. Read the Unplugged Live Substack for the Full Article!
Bryan Adams has also announced a new leg of his Bare Bones Acoustic Residency at the Wynn Encore Theatre in Las Vegas beginning October 28 with five dates through November 1. A residency format allows for a deeper connection to fans in ways a standard arena tour simply can’t, not to mention the ability to provide the same show, in the same venue, for fans night after night. It’s the sort of approach that makes perfect sense for a rock icon looking to reconnect with fans and offer a stripped down performance that few can experience outside of in-person.
It’s also a great way to see the city of Las Vegas in a way most people don’t typically see it.
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Tim McGraw has a busy summer planned out with his Pawn Shop Guitar stadium tour, with dates across the country and the new title track already out and available for fans to enjoy. A return to the road in general, particularly the long road trips between shows, is nothing new to McGraw who has had quite a long and storied career that has included tours that have stretched far and wide. The new single, however, is a nice touch that has helped highlight the more acoustic side of the musician while giving fans a different look at his work. Presale information for the tour, as well as more details about the route, can be found at the links below for any fan looking to see a show. Another story about the summer tour can be found at the link below that gives more background on the tour. Read the Unplugged Live Substack for the Full Article!
When it comes to recordings, Molly Tuttle has had a busy year, releasing her Grammy winning bluegrass set and announcing a new acoustic EP to release September 4 on Nonesuch Records. So Long Little Miss Sunshine follows directly after her announcement for the IBMA Guitar Player of the Year and seems almost timed to the week of the announcement. That’s not uncommon when it comes to Tuttle, however, who has had a long and storied career that has seen her recognized and celebrated by many of the genre’s most enduring institutions. Details on the release, as well as the announcement itself, can be found at the link below. Read the Unplugged Live Substack for the Full Article!
For those looking for something a bit more classic, Verve and Universal Music Group have announced a 2026 Acoustic Sounds vinyl reissue campaign, including a number of titles pressed from the original master recordings. These include classic works from John Coltrane, Ella Fitzgerald and Stan Getz among other notable names. Acoustic music, recorded well, has a certain appeal that transcends time. Some of it can even stand the test of time multiple times over, finding new audiences with each new pressing. A full list of the titles announced can be found at the link below. Read the Unplugged Live Substack for the Full Article!
Meanwhile over in England, Into The Wild Festival in Sussex is celebrating its 12th anniversary with an appearance by a number of European acoustic, folk and ambient artists at a unique festival that takes place in the English countryside. The link below has more information on the event and the wide variety of performers that have drawn to this festival that has carved out a unique niche for itself among England’s music festival scene. Read the Unplugged Live Substack for the Full Article!
Back home here in New Jersey, our August highlights start with an incredible Wine and Live Music with Acoustic Soul at Summit City Farms in Glassboro this Friday, August 7 at 7 PM. There’s something special about a winery that offers music as well as wine for the enjoyment of its patrons. In the Pilesgrove area, the Woodstown Rotary Club has a summer concert series that continues its 2026 season at Marlton Recreation Park on Thursday, August 13 at 6:30 PM with a family friendly, acoustic set. Details on the full concert series can be found at the link below for anyone planning to attend. Read the Unplugged Live Substack for the Full Article!
In the Shamong area, the Steve Dee Band has a special solo acoustic performance scheduled at the Pic-A-Lilli Inn on Saturday, August 22 at 6 PM. Details on the show can be found at the link below, but make sure to arrive early if you plan on a meal as well. Also in the lower Shore, Cape May’s Slack Tide Brewing Company has singer songwriter Nicki Sbaffoni scheduled for Sunday, August 9 at 3 PM, performing an interactive, request based acoustic set. Read the Unplugged Live Substack for the Full Article!
Listening room venues continue to provide a number of excellent opportunities to hear acoustic music as well. The Folk Project’s Troubadour series in Morristown has a double billing on Friday, August 7 at 7:30 PM with Carolann Solebello and Kyle Morgan, two folk inspired singer songwriters. They follow up with a similar themed show next Friday, August 14 featuring the acousti-jam country and bluegrass of Ryan Shupe and The RubberBand. The rubberband, in particular, has built a reputation as a bluegrass band that has taken rock and roll and made it their own and provided some of the best bluegrass rock around. Another show not to be missed is guitarist Tal Naccarato’s unplugged solo set at the Springfield Free Public Library on Thursday, August 20 at 6:30 PM. Some of the best listening room shows in the state take place in locations that don’t even sell tickets. Read the Unplugged Live Substack for the Full Article!
The music continues on the Jersey Shore with the Danksters, usually a high energy reggae band, playing an Acoustic Show at Ship Bottom Brewery on Long Beach Island this Friday, August 14 at 5 PM. It’s always a treat to see a band that typically plays at a higher volume turn things down and explore a more acoustic based set. Shore Bet Duo has one of the busiest schedules in this list, playing at the Brielle House Bar and Grill this Sunday, August 9 before heading up to the Mantoloking Road Alehouse in Brick on Saturday, August 29. Read the Unplugged Live Substack for the Full Article!
This trend toward acoustic music shows in New Jersey isn’t likely to slow down anytime soon, and we’ll report on it all tomorrow on the radio. Tomorrow we’ll talk about the Marcus King guitar, the national touring prospects and some of the excellent acoustic shows taking place right here in New Jersey this month Read the Unplugged Live Substack for the Full Article!
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