by Cory Bryars, KCBS Board Member
Well, maybe you were there and enjoyed the two great days of music that I got to hear. If not, I hope this article spurs some memories of favorite KC-area musicians and inspires you to mark your calendar for the 2026 Paola Roots Festival on August 21 & 22. It’s just an hour or less from anywhere in KC, and there is plenty of parking, shade, friends, and BYOB!
The Paola Roots Festival was started in 1990 by a group of friends wanting to re-create old-style family and community potlucks/picnics. They thought having music could get more people to come, and of course by choosing music they liked, they were assured a good time regardless of who showed up.
Thankfully, they chose blues and roots and over the last 36 years, hundreds of thousands of loyal attendees have proven that community and music are one and the same.
Through those 36 years, Roots Fest organizers have featured local, regional, and national acts such as Shemekia Copeland and Mr. Sipp, and many more. This year, the Roots Festival focused on local bands with a theme of “Getting back to our Roots.”
Luckily, “local” in KC means we get fantastic music that other cities only hope for, and pay dearly for! Prior years have featured locals who are now national, like Danielle and Samantha. This year’s local star-studded lineup has raised the bar to new levels–this festival would have been a winner anywhere.
Below is the whole schedule – sure—you can see most of these bands somewhere in KC at a club several times a year, but it’s just not the same as an outdoor festival with a huge stage, great sound, and tons of friends, old and new.
And the bands ramp it up for festivals. A festival performance can be completely different than a club performance. Seeing several acts in a row develops a sense of immersion and you can get away from the busy-ness of life even though you are still close to home and all those chores that are waiting for you 😊
Friday, August 22, 2025
Noon Heartland Revival
5:30 Jason Gordo Gordon
6:50 Howard Mahan Band
8:10 The Bel Airs
9:30 The Nace Brothers
Saturday, August 23, 2025
Noon Blue Moon Allstars
1:00 Blake Broockerd
2:10 John Paul Drum & the HouseRockers
3:30 PopSkull Rebels
4:50 Stone Cutter’s Union
6:10 Brody Buster & The Redemption
7:30 Brandon Miller Band
9:00 Kelley Hunt and The 5
All of that for $25 TOTAL for the weekend pass — throw in BYOB and even coolers for food if you don’t want to sample delicious food trucks, and you can’t beat the price or the music at any club.
My favorites were many, but top of the list was Brody Buster — talk about back with a vengeance! Brody’s mostly-originals set was hard-drivin’ while smooth as silk. His poignant lyrics highlight his journey and struggles as a musician, and inspire and empower listeners to be the best they can be. Brody was at his best at Paola Roots 2025, and few if any can equal that. Thank you, Brody Buster and Band!!!
Right up there with Brody are John Paul Drim & The Houserockers. John Paul brought guitar savant Bill Dye and more to deliver a rousing combination of covers and originals and really re-centered the Paola Roots Festival as a full-on BLUES festival as well.
Howard Mahan is a skilled musician and songwriter as well as a great stage performer. Note that he will be at Fort Scott FortFest closing Saturday Sept 27th with Randy McAllister.
Long-time favorites the Nace Brothers and Bel Airs delivered their usual reliable performances and then some, proving that things do get better with age.
There was not a bad performance in the bunch, and while I’ve listed a few favorites, they all were top-notch and made for a fantast weekend of music. I have driven many more hours and spent a lot more money to have way less enjoyment.
Be sure to put Paola 2026 on your calendars! And for a warmup, come on down to Fort Scott Fort Fest September 26th & 27th, especially if you missed Paola 2025—get that does of Blues you’ve been needin’