Roy Carter, one of the original founders of the High Sierra Music Festival and DelFest, died of congestive heart failure Monday, April 29, 2024, at age 68.
Carter founded the High Sierra Music Festival in 1991 at a time when camping music festivals were single-genre events. There were bluegrass, rock, folk and jazz festivals, but High Sierra Music Festival was a pioneer in the concept of combining different genres at one event. Subsequently, the festival nurtured the burgeoning jam scene, helping boost the careers of acts such as String Cheese Incident, Leftover Salmon, Yonder Mountain String Band, the Slip, Sound Tribe Sector 9, Umphrey’s McGee and many others. Carter had a keen eye for talent and was known for booking bands very early in their careers; examples include Billy Strings, the Revivalists, Avett Brothers and the Lumineers.
He got his start in the business doing publicity for clubs and venues as well as creating recycling programs for festivals and music events. In 1991, along with three other partners, he started the High Sierra Music Festival in Leland Meadows, California. The festival moved to Bear Valley in 1994, then to Quincy in 1998 and back again in 2000. It has been held in Quincy ever since. The festival pioneered featuring rock, acoustic, bluegrass, jazz and folk all together in one weekend to the delight of fans of world-class music. It also spawned a community whose members reunite each year to enjoy their favorite event with family and friends. Fans have met, married, created families and raised children who go to the High Sierra Music Festival, and some of those kids are having kids of their own and bringing them to the festival.
The 33rd annual High Sierra Music Festival will take place July 4 to July 7 in Quincy, and will feature Primus, Ziggy Marley, Greensky Bluegrass with Holly Bowling, Jerry Harrison and Adrian Belew Remain in Light, the California Honeydrops and many more.
Roy Carter is survived by his wife Carla and daughter; sister Anne; and brother Bob. In lieu of flowers, Carter has requested donations to the American Heart Association or a local food bank.
Information provided by High Sierra Music Inc.
