Roots Festival at Johnny Cash boyhood home planned for April 12

The annual Arkansas Roots Music Festival will be held at the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home on April 12.

The theme of the event is “Arkansas Roots of Johnny Cash” and will feature an afternoon of live music from Arkansas musicians. There are four performers who will be showcased at this event including Erin Enderlin, duo Cliff & Susan, Adam Hambrick, and Sofie Smithson.

“With our theme, I can’t think of a better way to celebrate than by having other Arkansas natives perform,” said Penny Toombs, assistant director of the Arkansas State University Heritage Sites, host of the festival. “From Johnny’s roots that impacted his music to the other artists that have been influenced by Arkansas, it seems like the perfect combination.”

Each of the artists will perform songs made famous by Cash as well as their own original compositions.

Enderlin, a native of Conway, has won 14 Arkansas Country Music Awards (ACMAs), more than any other artist in the history of the awards. She has been named Entertainer of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, and Country Artist of the Year. She has also won the Songwriter of the Year honor seven years in a row.

In addition to having an acclaimed career as a live performer and recording artist, Enderlin has written songs that have been recorded by country artists Alan Jackson, Luke Bryan, Reba McEntire, Randy Travis, Lee Ann Womack, and Terri Clark.

The duo Cliff & Susan is the husband-and-wife team of Cliff Prowse and Susan Erwin Prowse. They are nominated for five 2025 ACMAs, more than any other act this year. This Little Rock-based duo is known for their energetic performances blending country, rock, blues, and soul music, drawing from a repertoire of over 2,000 cover songs and dozens of original compositions.

They have opened for ZZ Top and Sawyer Brown, and they maintain a residency at Oaklawn Casino as part of a performing schedule of over 200 shows per year.

Adam Hambrick is a graduate of the University of Central Arkansas. His most recent album, “Free Country,” won the 2024 Arkansas Country Music Award for Album of the Year. Songs written by Hambrick have been No. 1 country music hits for Dan + Shay and Justin Moore.

Other country artists who have recorded Hambrick compositions include Lindsey Ell, the Eli Young Band, Trent Harmon, and Catherine McGrath. He also appeared on an episode of the ABC program “The Bachelorette” performing one of his songs.

Sofie Smithson is part of the band Sofie and the New Relics, which won the 2024 ACMA for Young Artist of the Year. The Greenbrier native is among the most-talked-about artists in Arkansas music.

Her musical influences include Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, and Emmylou Harris. With her band, she has performed at numerous venues across the state.