Buju Banton: Buju Banton is one of reggae's most riveting figures. A dancehall artist who attracts the conscious crowd, a roots believer who explodes onstage with uncompromising attitude. Buju has become a spokesman for peace and social justice, a performer brimming with energy and style. - More

Michael Franti: In nearly two decades in music-making, Michael Franti has grown from a black-booted voice of youthful rage into a barefoot clarion for social justice. Michael Franti and Spearhead have toured relentlessly.  Michael Franti has never been more relevant and influential than now. - More

The English Beat: Hailing from Birmingham, Dave and The English Beat entered the music scene in the 1979. When The English Beat rushed on to the music scene, it was a time of social, political and musical upheaval. They came into this storm, to calm the waters with a message of unity set to a great dance Beat. - More

Maldita Vecindad: Latin rockers Maldita Vecindad y Los Hijos del Quinto Patio formed in Mexico City in 1985; comprising vocalist Roco, guitarists El Pato and Sax, bassist Aldo and drummer Pacho.  The group debuted in 1988 with a self-titled LP which earned acclaim for its fusion of rock, ska and Mexican folk sounds.  - More

The Mighty Diamonds: The Mighty Diamonds, Donald “Tabby” Shaw, Fitzroy ”Bunny” Simpson and Lloyd “Judge” Ferguson formed in 1969 in the Trenchtown area of Kingston, Jamaica and for the past 35 years have been entertaining and educating the world with their sweet harmonies and conscious lyrics. - More

The Wailing Souls: This consummate roots band may never have gained the international reputation of their compatriots, at least not at the height of the genre's popularity, but they did outlive most of them. Their very survival has been their greatest strength, that and their ability to diversify over time. - More

Midnite: Hailing from the Island of St Croix, Midnite is one of the most promising roots reggae bands of the millennium. Armed with a firm foundation in Jah Rastafari, their natural talents, and a strong and uncompromising musical vision, Midnite champions a unique sound that is on the cutting edge of modern roots music. - More

Morgan Heritage: Many reggae young bloods take up the task of soul guidance, but Morgan Heritage is the widely acknowledged leader of the pack. They deliver the message with a warm, inclusive spirituality that's as tangible as the band's muscular, rope-stretched-taut chops and fresh lyrical inspiration.. - More

Sister Carol: Sister Carol, born Carole East, is one of Jamaica's top entertainers. Having been born and raised in the ghettos of Kingston till the age of 14, her family immigrated to Brooklyn, NY in 1973 to look for work. Music has always been close to Sister Carol's heart. Her father was an engineer that worked in radio at RJR in Jamaica. - More

Tosh Meets Marley: The Tosh Meets Marley Tour features the legendary Fully Fullwood along side of Bob Marley's guitarist Junior Marvin all backed by the Fully Fullwood Band.  This is the closest thing to seeing Bob Marley & the Wailers and Peter Tosh 'Live' (without Bob and Peter of course!). - More

Prezident Brown: Prezident Brown (Fitz Cotterell) was born in the hills of Clarendon, Jamaica. His mother called him Junior Ranking because he would grab the microphone and chant at schoolyard and country dances. He was first known as Slim Brown because of his resemblance to and similar DJ style to his mentor, U Brown. - More

David Rodigan: Rodigan was born of Scott/Irish parentage having a Scottish father and an Irish mother.  At the age of approximately 15, Rodigan began buying records leading up to his first playing out date at age 16 in 1967.  The first arena for Rodigan’s DJ skill was a youth club playing to teenagers like himself.  - More

Stone Love: Stone Love represents the popular street culture of dancehall. When Wee-Pow began spinning in the early '70s, the hot Kingston nights would boom with open-air dances, animated by sound systems. Stone Love soon became a must-hear, drawing long lines and jamming every venue.  - More

Markus James: Markus James is originally from Virginia and the DC area, where his first musical memory, is of an old, blind blues singer he saw playing on a sidewalk. He first encountered West African music at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival when he was mesmerized by the Gambian Kora player and singer, Alhaji Bai Konte.  - More

Stranger Cole: Born in 1945 in Kingston, Jamaica, he received the nickname "Stranger" because he resembled no one else in his family. Cole began his recording career with producer Duke Reid, scoring a hit with his 1962 debut, "Rough & Tough," a full-tilt ska number with a wild harmonica solo. - More

Roy Shirley: Roy Shirley is one of Jamaica’s most original vocalists, his unique approach and peculiar delivery ensuring a place apart.  He often employs a quavering vibrato and is famed for ecstatic performances given in unusual attire.  He has also been credited with recording the first rock steady vocal in the mid-1960s. - More

Pat Kelly: Pat Kelly was one of the island's leading purveyors of the rock steady genre. The Curtis Mayfield sound-alike took Slim Smith's place alongside Bruce Ruffin & Winston Riley in the Techniques around 1966. The group recorded some fine covers of soul music especially Impressions tunes.  - More

The Expanders: Coming out of the Los Angeles roots reggae/ska scene, The Expanders have been playing their vintage style of roots reggae since 1999.  Heavily influenced by The Ethiopians, Gladiators & The Upsetters & featuring 3-part vocal harmonies, The Expanders' goal is to preserve the Jamaican roots music sound. - More

Panjea: The powerful groove & socially conscious message of Panjea has its roots in the ghettos of Zimbabwe, where Berry learned to play the mbira and began commingling hip-hop and dancehall beats with traditional African rhythms. Berry's music was an instant hit in Zimbabwe tough few believed that his music was created by a white man from America.  - More

Asheba: Aseba is an engaging musical storyteller who has specialized in family entertainment since 1998.  Born in Trinidad, he was influenced by its spectacular festival, Carnival and the folkloric oral tradition, calypso.  Today, he is a renowned world musician who playfully blends reggae, calypso, neo-folk and more. - More

Wisdom: Known to his fans as Wisdom, Tevya Jones was born into a family of musicians and poets in Colorado in 1972. He was first exposed to hip hop culture at the Ernest Ingold Boys Club in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco, after moving there with his mother at age six. - More

Alika: Omega vibration, conscious reggae, action and no words; Alika has certainly become the most important woman in latin reggae.  Her story goes back to the hardcore hip-hop band: Actitud Maria Marta which she left a couple of years ago and then turned to rastafari enlightenment.  - More

Quinto Sol: Music can be contagious, inspiring, and poignant. Quinto Sol (QS), or Fifth Sun, caries that type of emotion and sound - deeply rooted in community and roots music - from the Americas, to the Caribbean and Africa. Currenty in progress is Quinto Sol's third and most anticipated album, "Spirits of the Martyrs".  - More

Rebelution: Rebelution first united in Santa Barbara, California, built from a wide array of musical backgrounds. With Reggae as the focus, the group set out to create a fresh and vibrant sound which they dub California Reggae. Their release "Courage to Grow" has became one of iTunes' the most downloaded Reggae albums.  - More

Extra Golden: Extra Golden was formed rather casually in May of 2004 when Ian Eagleson, Alex Minoff and Otieno Jagwasi began fiddling with each other’s compositions in an apartment in the Buru Buru neighborhood of Nairobi. This project that was birthed on a whim, has steadily grown into a fully-realized, musical dynamo.  - More

Taj Weekes & Adowa: Taj Weekes’ music is more than just entertainment. The roots reggae artist’s music stirs thought, provokes discussion and inspires people to think for themselves, free from the constraints of the corporate media. Taj Weekes takes his music to a new level of commitment and universal appeal. - More

Aza: Aza is a musical band that was founded in Santa Cruz, CA by Fattah Abbou and Mohamed Aoualou. Both are from Morocco and played and studied music for over 20 years before moving to the USA. Both are Berbers or Imazighen (preferred term), indigenous people of North Africa whose history date back 3300 years. - More

Elhadji: For over 8 years, Elhadji has been bringing people together around Northern California to dance to uplifting African roots reggae. Lead singer, songwriter, and master drummer Elhadji Niang brings his conscious lyrics, djembe rhythms, and Baay Faal Islam culture from his home in Senegal, West Africa. - More

Youssoupha Sidibe: Youssoupha's music is deeply infused with a longing for the full realization of divine love in this world. His musical career began over twenty years ago in his home of Senegal. His music fuses traditional West African sounds on the Kora, with devotional Sufi chanting of the Baay Faal community.  - More

The Sierra Nevada World Music Festival typically has more than 30 reggae and world beat bands performing each year, and 2008 will be no exception.  Keep checking back as we are constantly adding artists to the line-up.