The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival just released its 2024 lineup, and it is one of the best of all time.

This year is jam-packed with talent, as prominent artists and bands, such as The Rolling Stones, Foo Fighters, Chris Stapleton, HOZIER, and more, all headlining this year’s event. But this year’s talent dives way deeper than those four artists. So, let’s look at the artists you can’t miss at this year’s festival. The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival just released its 2024 lineup, and it is one of the best of all time.

Opening the festival as the first headliner is Widespread Panic, marking the second time they have headlined Jazz Fest. By the looks of it, they are just any other old band; however, they are much more than that.

Panic is one of the greatest jam bands of all time, coming in at number six according to Rolling Stone. Saint Paul’s junior Patrick Darrah believes they are among the best in the jam band industry. “Widespread brings a unique approach to the jam band scene with its southern flair. It’s a truly unique sound that will probably never be replicated.” They are so good for many reasons, but mainly because they can turn a five-minute song in the recording studio into a 20-plus minute-long jam and have it be one of the best things you’ve ever heard. Opening the festival as the first headliner is Widespread Panic, marking the second time they have headlined Jazz Fest. By the looks of it, they are just any other old band; however, they are much more than that.

Panic has also just released two new singles within the last month: Little By Little and We Walk Each Other Home.

Three songs are worth a listen: Pickin’ Up The Pieces, Henry Parsons Died, Diner

They perform on Thursday, April 25.

Next is the closing act every year at Jazz Fest, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue. One can not stress enough how much you need to see this band perform. I had the pleasure of seeing them close out Jazz Fest last year, and it was not only one of the best musical performances I’ve ever seen but, overall, one of the most incredible things I’ve ever witnessed. The amount of skill every musician on that stage possesses is something you will never comprehend.

It’s not just the music that should draw you towards this performance, but the show they put on. The overall energy that everyone in the band exudes while on stage is unbelievably impressive.

Three songs are worth a listen: Hurricane Season, Tripped Out Slim, Backatown

They perform on Sunday, May 5.

On the younger side of things is blues sensation Christone “Kingfish” Ingram. Although a relatively new artist, one would not be able to tell by Kingfish’s musical prowess. The 25-year-old from Clarksdale, Mississippi, is one of the best guitarists out right now. He captivates every one of his audiences with his incredible shredding skills, which many guitarists lack. He performs with a band that only adds to the unreal skill set that Kingfish brings to the stage each night.

Even though he has only released two studio albums since 2019, he has gained a big following, which is paving the way for him to perform at the prestigious Red Rocks Amphitheater and one of the greatest festivals in the world, Jazz Fest.

Three songs are worth a listen: Rock & Roll, She Calls Me Kingfish, Been Here Before

He performs on Friday, May 3.

Moving us to another different genre is Molly Tuttle, one of the best bluegrass artists in the world. She is hot off back-to-back Grammy wins for her albums Crooked Tree (2022) and City of Gold (2023), with both winning Best Bluegrass Album. A live show with Tuttle and her band, Golden Highway, is one that you can not miss. Her picking ability is unbelievably impressive, rivaling other bluegrass artists like Billy Strings.

Speaking of Strings, they collaborated on the song Dooley’s Farm; every second of it is incredible, and that is only one of her major hits. Scrolling through Tuttle’s catalog, finding a song you won’t like would be tough.

Three songs are worth a listen: She’ll Change, Yosemite, Dooley’s Farm

They perform on Saturday, April 27.

Last but certainly not least is Cowboy Mouth, one of the most fun and energetic bands you will find during all eight days of Jazz Fest. They are a local band that has played at Jazz Fest just about every year since their establishment, and every year, they wowed the crowd.

Fred LeBlanc, the drummer and lead singer for the band, continually works to get the crowd involved. Sometimes, he may even bring a fan on the stage and have them play. Overall, the stage presence and energy that Cowboy Moth brings to every show are ones that you would regret missing out on.

Also, Cowboy Mouth’s bassist, Brian Broussard, is from Covington!

Three songs are worth a listen: New Orleans, How Do You Tell Someone, Jenny Says

They perform on Saturday, May 4, 2024.

Ultimately, the list of artists you need to see stems beyond this list. But to ensure the best time at the festival, make sure to see these five unreal artists and bands.