As a recurring partner of the FloydFest music festival, Farm To Feet was honored to sponsor FloydFest ’15’s On The Rise contest, a special event showcasing some of the best up-and-coming local artists in roots, bluegrass, and folk. Over a dozen talented bands competed for the crowd’s-choice award which granted the winner a guaranteed slot in the main lineup of FloydFest ’16—and after a weekend of great music from many artists, there was a clear favorite. Look Homeward lit up the crowds with their uniquely soulful sound, juxtaposing brass with banjos in a delightfully genre-bending blend of styles that delighted everyone lucky enough to hear.

With a massive list of influences including many types of folk, roots and rock music as well as a hearty helping of soul, Look Homeward is comprised of four friends brought together by music: Lee Anderson (guitar and vocals), Alex Bingham (upright bass), Evan Ringel (trombone and fiddle) and Wilson Greene IV (banjo). They released their first EP, “The Hunger and the Ghost”, in fall of 2013, and followed up with a full-length, self-titled album during summer 2015—including many of the tracks that won the FloydFest crowd’s ears, hearts, and dancin’ feet. To celebrate their On The Rise victory, we’re individually featuring all four members of Look Homeward on the packaging for our official music-festival sock, the Floyd.

Since taking top honors in last year’s contest and punching their ticket for this summer’s FloydFest lineup, Look Homeward has stayed busy playing shows everywhere from Knoxville to North Carolina. When they’re not delighting concertgoers with their soulfully Southern tunes (or skinny-dipping in the Mississippi River between tour gigs—true story) they’re working on more new music and getting geared up for FloydFest ’16, where they’ll be playing as a full-on featured artist.

Be sure to catch Look Homeward at FloydFest ’16, and keep an eye out for the winner of this year’s On The Rise contest—we plan to continue our tradition of supporting up-and-coming musicians by featuring the winning artist on next year’s Floyd packaging.

Buy Look Homeward’s self-titled debut studio album on iTunes.

Get more information about FloydFest ’16 and buy tickets here.

Stay comfy in style during festival season—shop our Men’s and Women’s Floyd socks.