Sheryl Crow, The String Cheese Incident, Warren Haynes Band, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Ave. and The Blind Boys of Alabama are among the acts slated to appear at Warren Haynes’ 24th annual Christmas Jam. The holiday celebration will return to The U.S. Cellular Center Asheville (formerly The Asheville Civic Center) on Saturday December 15, 2012. All net proceeds from the event and all Xmas Jam weekend event will benefit Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity.

Haynes will perform with his eponymous Warren Haynes Band and also offer a very special set along with the legendary Blind Boys of Alabama. The guitarist recently collaborated with the Blind Boys during this August’s Peach Music Festival.

Sheryl Crow—who toured with The Allman Brothers Band in the ’90s—will make her first Xmas Jam appearance. She will perform with her current band, which includes three Xmas Jam regulars: former Black Crowes guitarist Audley Freed, former Lynyrd Skynyrd bassist Robert Kearns and k.d. Lang/Dixie Chicks drummer Fred Eltringham. Though this is the first time The String Cheese Incident have performed at Christmas Jam, the band’s mandolin player Michael Kang appeared at the event as a special guest in 2003.

The Christmas Jam will feature a number of special guests too, including Kevn Kinney, Mike Barnes and Anders Osborne. Additional Christmas Jam acts and other weekend events will be confirmed in the coming days.

Pre-Sale Tickets and a limited number of discounted four-packs will be available through Christmas Jam Ticketing starting Thursday October 11 at Noon and running through Friday October 12 at 5pm, or as supplies last. A limited number of VIP tickets will also be made available.

The public on-sale will be through Ticketmaster & The Civic Center Box Office at Noon ET on Friday October 19.

Here’s a look at Christmas Jam’s initial lineup

The Blind Boys of Alabama
Sheryl Crow
The String Cheese Incident
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
Warren Haynes band

With special guests
Mike Barnes
Kevn Kinney
Anders Osborne