You have once again arrived at the center of the bluegrass universe, where acoustic instruments reign supreme and late night pickin’ is non-negotiable. Whatever your journey here may have looked like (be it a swift tube down the St Vrain river, a bop across town on your bike, or a cross-country flight), we are delighted to welcome you to our very own bluegrass oasis. It’s a pleasure to have you!
As you may remember, last year’s 50th celebration was a commemoration of the past, an honoring of years worth of gathered stories and shared admiration. While these focuses remain constant into our 51st year, there is a palpable energy shift as we present this year’s Fest and look beyond.
Our eyes are eagerly turned towards the future of bluegrass, interested in honoring both historic reverence, and highlighting some newfangled friends fresh to the scene. We’re so glad you are joining us for this musical adventure! There is no shortage of fun to be had.
While you’re having it (fun, that is) be sure to wear sunscreen! That Colorado sun is no joke, even if it’s been a soggy summer so far. The majority of sunburns happen between 10am and 4pm, even when it’s cloudy… best for all if we just avoid those, yeah? We agree. Now, hop on over to the river and have yourself a dip. Or pop into the Wild ower for a workshop? Make a ower crown at the Family Tent? The opportunities are endless!
Alright, let’s do this thing!
The Folks on Planet Bluegrass
Festival Partners
First thing’s rst, feel free to sit on any open tarp (especially up front) until its owners return. Make a few friends and do some dancing, that’s what we’re all here for!
Some reminders while we have you here:
Tarps may be no larger than 10’ x 10’. We will be checking!
Climbing the hillsides and cliffs is STRICTLY prohibited.
There is no lifeguard watching your kids in the river. Be sure to monitor your children carefully!
Sunshades and high-back chairs are only allowed in designated areas. All high-back chairs must be behind the sound booth. If we can roll a basketball under your chair, we will ask you to move it behind the sound booth.
Umbrellas, shade tents, and other view-obstructing items are allowed only along the river and back perimeter of the festival grounds.
PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL OF OTHERS—do not stand in the festival seating areas, and do not smoke in the audience! Instead, wander over to the smoking tent near the river, and deposit your butts in the proper receptacles. Sustainable Festivation, ya know?
Lost and Found is located at the Main Festival Box Of ce.
Tarp Line Policy
Festivarians may begin assembling for the next day’s line numbers no earlier than 11pm, along the pedestrian walkway outside of the Main Box Of ce.
At around midnight, the number line will be led through the customs gate, where we will distribute random numbers and mark wristbands to show receipt of a number. These numbers will be shuf ed randomly. Each person may receive no more than one number.
The next morning, Festivarians should re-assemble in line number order beginning one hour before gates. Festivarians will be admitted into the festival in this randomlyassigned order, followed by all Festivarians without line numbers.
PLANETARY carbon footprint
If you are reading this, you have arrived at Planet Bluegrass, a destination that in and of itself is otherworldly. Where Bluegrass is the native tongue, tie-dye and river shoes are the customary dress code, The Festivarian Bill of Rights is the law of the land, and the banjo rules (or at least is the loudest). Nestled within these river encased cliffs, it’s sometimes hard to imagine our blissful bluegrass Planet is connected to the larger one, the one that is currently suffering from the release of too much carbon dioxide into its atmosphere.
That being said, we wholeheartedly believe that gathering together as we do is not only good for our souls, but in many ways, it’s also good for the environment. For example, while Festivating the typical RockyGrass Festivarian emits less carbon than they would during their normal daily activities. While it’s true that in Festivation we may overindulge in banjo rolls,
campground shenanigans, tarp hangs, and Festivale (have you tried it?), it also means that we forgo our normal daily commutes, use less energy while camping, conserve water (yeah we smell ya), and, thanks to the efforts of our compost crew and buy-in from our food vendors, collectively divert more waste into recycle and compost streams.
TOTAL 2023 FESTIVAL FOOTPRINT
telluride + rockygrass + folks festival
CONTRIBUTION % BY FESTIVAL
1,112.5 MT Co2e
So what is the carbon impact of Festivating?
It’s a complex problem to analyze and one that we’ve been contemplating and refining over the past 15 years using a massive in-house spreadsheet created with the help of expert consultants in the eld. Last year we not only estimated and purchased carbon offsets for the Telluride Bluegrass Festival footprint (a voluntary commitment that we’ve made and kept since 2007!), but also RockyGrass and Folks Festival.
This means that we track all of the carbon released by the Festivals which includes YOUR unique Festivarian Footprints. Dip your feet in the water and let that soak in. Yes, you heard right: your Festivarian travel to and from Lyons creates “Scope 3 Emissions” which, along with
the travel of artists, vendors, and staff, are included in the overall Festival calculations.
Check out our 2022 Festival Footprint (Telluride, RockyGrass, & Folks Festival) to see how it all adds up. Can you see what’s at the heart of the issue. Or should we say “sole”...? If you said Festivarian Travel, you nailed it!
Festivarian Footprint Survey
This year, to help us better track emissions, we’ve partnered up with Aclymate, a coloradobased company that offers an all-in-one platform that helps small businesses track emissions, set goals, report, and purchase carbon offsets through their easy and affordable software. With their expertise, we have already felt a huge number-crunching burden lifted off of our plates (which are reusable of course!).
In conjunction with Aclymate, we’ve developed the rst-in-the-nation Festivarian survey that allows you to calculate your individual Festivarian Footprint taking into account your travel, lodging, and potential avoided emissions from camping, adjusting your thermostat, and not driving daily. It also gives you the opportunity to offset your own emissions by investing in one of the four carbon offset projects that we’ve selected.
Carbon Offset Projects
Last year Planet Bluegrass invested in two different carbon offset projects: Nepal HighEf ciency Cookstoves & China Hebei Province Wind Farm. Both projects are classified as emission avoidance projects and are third party verified. The Nepal High-Efficiency Cookstoves project, in particular, spoke to us
Call to Action
because it promotes women empowerment through the increased adoption of fuelef cient cookstoves.
Although there are many, many projects to invest in, Aclymate has hand-picked four great projects for you to choose from when you purchase offsets.
We hope you answer our call to action to submit your Festivarian Footprint survey. Many of you already have and we thank you for participating! It allows us to see where we have work to do and where we can engage our community. It makes us all part of the climate solution!
Be entered for a chance to WIN A PAIR OF 3-DAY PASSES with camping to the 2024 ROCKYGRASS FESTIVAL when you calculate your Festivarian Footprint and purchase offsets!
COME FIND THE FAMILY AREA ALONG THE RIVER BEHIND THE WILDFLOWER PAVILION!
There will be jewelry making, boat building, ower crown designing, face painting and arts and crafts! While you’re over there, check out the Instrument Petting Zoo (courtesy of HB Woodsongs). This is a place for kids and their parents to discover, strum, and play a variety of instruments. HB Woodsongs’ knowledgeable staff of instrument zookeepers provide the instruments, you provide the curiosity. Open 11-4.
We ask that parents please accompany their kids at all times while in the Family Area.
EACH MORNING NEAR THE SILO
7:30am
8:30am
Composting has always been a critical part of Sustainable Festivation. That’s because it’s the only way to keep certain parts of our waste stream out of the landfill-namely food scraps and the certified compostable products used in places where reusable alternatives aren’t an option. But just when we had our dedicated Sustainable Festivarians fully trained, Boulder County and others began to encounter a composting conundrum.
We’ve been lucky in Lyons and Telluride to have access to composters willing to accept post-consumer food scraps and packaging. Most composters in the US only accept yard trimmings, though that is starting to change as the awareness of the food in land ll and climate connection grows. One reason so many composters only accept yard trimmings is because accepting food scraps and compostable packaging comes with a signi cant risk–contamination from non-compostable materials.
There are a lot of similarities between composting and recycling, but there is one really important difference. While most recycling systems are speci cally designed to separate materials like plastics, aluminum, glass, paper and nonrecyclable items, sorting technology for composting is still in its infancy. To make matters worse, contamination from non-compostable materials constitutes a much bigger risk for composters than non-recyclable material does for recyclers.
This spring, the primary composter serving the Denver-Boulder area was forced to temporarily suspend the acceptance of certi ed compostable products, citing contamination from non-compostable items like conventional plastic and glass.
Since April, we’ve been working with our longtime partner, Eco-Products, on a solution that would enable the events in Lyons to continue collecting compostable products as we’ve done in the past. We were able to nd a site in Colorado Springs that will accept our compost based on our (and your) excellent track record of creating a clean compost stream. It is not an ideal solution because of the extra miles to haul it and the extra money and time that it will take, however, after our analysis it was still the least carbon intensive solution.
There is a lot to learn here for all of us. Access to composting can be taken away if we don’t educate ourselves and do everything we can to keep noncompostable materials out of compost bins.
Did you know?
the U.S. puts more food in landfills than any other single material? And when that food breaks down in landfills it creates methane–a greenhouse gas more than 80 times worse than CO2 on a short term basis?
As much as it pains us to say it, there is truth to the phrase “When in doubt, throw it out” for composting. If you are unsure if your item is compostable or not, please don’t put it in the compost bin. Please note that all serving items from our vendors are certi ed compostable! For this year, to ensure that our compost stream is uncontaminated we will not be placing compost bins in the campgrounds. Campers can bring their compost into the festival grounds where the bins are monitored and our staff will assist you in composting them. Thank you for your continued Sustainable Festivation efforts!
As we entered our second year working with Upslope Brewery, we got to thinking about what we could do to make this year’s Festival experience extra spectacular for everyone involved. The answer seemed obvious and came to us immediatelya collaborative beer, duh!
Something crisp, light, and highly sippable–perfect for long sunny days chock-full of dancing. And thus FestivAle was born (or technically reborn, since we made a batch once in the early nineties)!
So, on a gray afternoon in early spring, Planet Bluegrass team piled in Planet BlueVan (if you know you know), and headed to Upslope’s North Boulder location to brew a gosh darn beer!
Needless to say, none of us knew what we were doing and felt entirely out of our depths but luckily the experts at Upslope were at our side. We brought the one thing we know a lot about (instruments), and let the Upslope team guide the way. Thank goodness for them!
We donned protective eyewear (OSHA is that you?) and got to measuring. Barley, wheat, hops, honey, and orange peels… Stir it all together with a banjo or mandolin for added spice and heightened harmony. Sprinkle in a few guitar picks to get that twang just right.
We can’t wait for you to try the fruits of our labor! Grab your own FestivAle at the bar, and stop by the Upslope booth in our sponsor area each afternoon for small batch samplings and tap-side hangs.
With more than 2,000 campers in Lyons this weekend, (doubling the size of our town!), it’s critical that we respect these beautiful Festival grounds that we get to call home for a few days. In collaboration with Mountainsmith, we will be rewarding campsites that excel in creative, clean and sustainable camping.
To nominate your campsite or one of your neighbors, pick up an entry form at the Mountainsmith Booth and tell us your secrets to keeping your campsite clean. And while you are there, pick up free compostable bags (supplied by Eco-Products) for your campground compost.
We will announce a random winner each day from the stage and reward them with goodies from our partners including OZO, Zeal, Mountainsmith, and Puf n (so get your forms in early!).
One grand prize winner will be selected Sunday afternoon. This grand prize winner will receive a pair of FREE 3-day passes and camping for next year’s Festival!
Since the first Rocky Mountain Bluegrass Festival, the band and instrument contests have been a beloved part of the festival experience. Last year’s instrument contest was one for the books–Congrats to Liam Purcell of Deep Gap, North Carolina who pulled off a bluegrass instrument hat trick winning 1st place in Banjo, Flatpick Guitar, and Mandolin! Discover the next generation of musicians as they vie for new instruments, cash prizes, spots on the Main Stage, and of course the clout that comes with winning one of these prestigious contests.
INSTRUMENT COMPETITIONS
Each instrument contestant performs two tunes in the preliminary round. The top three on each instrument advance to the nal round where they perform two different songs. Musicians are judged “in the blind” using the following criteria:
prizes
1st Prize: Instrument
banjo
2nd Prize: $100
3rd Prize: $50
1st Prize: Deering John Hartford Banjo
Prelims: Friday, 11:30am, Wild ower
Finals: Saturday, 9:15am, Main Stage
flatpick guitar
1st Prize: Preston Thompson D-MA Guitar
Prelims: Friday, 1:00pm, Wild ower
Finals: Saturday, 9:40am, Main Stage
BAND COMPETITION
50% OVERALL ABILITY
25% RHYTHM
25% TONE
mandolin
1st Prize: Collings MT2 Mandolin
Prelims: Friday, 2:30pm, Wild ower
Finals: Saturday, 10:05am, Main Stage
fiddle
1st Prize: Thomas Verdot Paragon Fiddle
Prelims: Friday, 4:00pm, Wild ower
Finals: Saturday, 10:30am, Main Stage
dobro
1st Prize: $1,000
Prelims: Friday, 5:30pm, Wild ower
Finals: Saturday, 10:55am, Main Stage
Cheer on these aspiring young bands while they gather in traditional bluegrass style around a single microphone and compete for a spot on the 2024 RockyGrass lineup.
schedule
Prelims: Saturday, 1:30pm, Wild ower
Finals: Sunday, 1:00pm, Wild ower
2023 Contest Bands
ALBAND Denver, CO
Blue Flame Spencer, IN Blue Gamma Fort Collins, CO Haven Longmont, CO
band competition prizes
1st Prize: $750 & 2024 RockyGrass main stage performance
2nd Prize: $500 • 3rd Prize: $300
Matt and Madeline Shugert (with Dave Shugert) Fort Collins, CO
Pretend Friend Wichita, KS
Salty Strings Boulder, CO
The Fretliners Lyons, CO
2022 Band Contest Winner Pick and Howl
friday JULY 28 TH
10:00am Gates Open
11:00 - Noon Béla Fleck
12:15 - 1:30
Larry & Joe
1:45 - 3:00 Danny Paisley
3:30 - 4:45 The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
5:15 - 6:30 Bush, Marshall, Meyer, Meyer
7:00 - 8:30 Sierra Hull
9:00 - 10:30 The Lil Smokies
saturday JULY 29 TH
9:00am Gates Open
9:15 - 11:15 Instrument Contest Finals
11:30 - 12:30 Pick & Howl
12:45 - 1:45 The Slocan Ramblers
2:00 - 3:15 Hawktail
3:45 - 5:00 Laurie Lewis
5:30 - 6:45 Mighty Poplar
7:15 - 8:30 Big Richard
sunday JULY 30 TH
10:00am Gates Open
10:30 - 11:30 The Solar Sisters Featuring The Cody Sisters Noon - 1:15 Stillhouse Junkies
Hello party people! Welcome to the first day of the rest of our lives. RockyGrass day one, that is. The sun is shining and energy is high as ever (we certainly hope it is, there’s no way to know when writing these, okay?!). Anyways, let’s talk about Béla Fleck. We all know Béla to be the Paganini of banjo, regularly delivering the impossible: lightningfast picking, intricate melodic lines, and a mesmerizing blend of precision and fluidity. Béla has always been
Enough about When Harry Met Sally, let’s talk about When Larry Met Joe! No matter which way you break it down, these two were destined to make music together. When GRAMMY-nominated Joe Troop’s highly-acclaimed “latingrass’ band Che Apalache was forced into hiatus, he shifted his focus and began to work with asylum seeking migrants in North Carolina. Enter Larry Bellorín, Venezuela native, legend of Llanera music, and asylum seeker living
and continues to be relentless in his pursuitofmusicalexcellence.Andboy do we get to benefit from it! His most recent collaboration As We Speak brings together multiple perception shattering musicians including Zakir Hussain, Edgar Meyer, and Rakesh Chaurasia.It’samasterpiecethrough and through. We couldn’t think of a better person to kick off our 51st Annual. Here’s to Béla, may he bless us all one day soon with a return of his magnificent mullet!
in North Carolina. Their musical connection was instant. Both talented multi-instrumentalists and singersongwriters, they perform on harp, banjo, cuatro, fiddle, guitar, maracas, and quite literally “whatever else they decide to throw in the van.” Their album Nuevo South Train, released in March of this year, couples Venezuelan andAppalachianfolkandrootsmusic. They are on a mission to prove that music has no borders, and we are on a mission to support their mission.
Friday
1:45 - 3:00
If you like your bluegrass from the diaphragm, Danny Paisley is your man. His powerful delivery is a hallmark for the three-time IBMA Vocalist of the Year. So too is a deep familiarity with traditional bluegrass music, yet for Paisley it’s also a launching pad for modern songs that share an older sensibility. Since original bandleader and singer Bob Paisley passed away in 2004, Danny Paisley and The Southern Grass have made their niche in the bluegrass world, producing consecutive chart-topping albums. The good-hearted family connection continues with Danny’s son Ryan now on mandolin. Brothers TJ and Bob Lundy, on fiddle and bass respectively, are the offspring of original band member Ted Lundy. Really, the best way to hear this group is through the dashboard of a 1957 Chevy. Next to that, it would have to be a lawn chair right here at Rockygrass!
Danny Paisley
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A rt i sts ROCKYGRASS
The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys push neotraditional bluegrass to the maximum. Formed in the Smoky Mountains, the band is at once exactly what you would anticipate and not at all what you would expect from a tattooed East Tennessee bluegrass outfit. If harddriving is your jam, then get out of the way because these Boys will lap the field. And they’re not even all Boys! The group features the stellar fiddling and singing of Laura Orshaw who’s quickly making her mark in the biz.
In its simplest form, an equation is a statement that shows that two mathematical expressions are equal. Now, it’s been a while since my last math class, but let’s take BM³ for example. In their simplest form, Sam Bush, Mike Marshall, George Meyer, and Edgar Meyer are four men holding devices created to make musical sounds. In principle, they are much more than that. In this case, we have a meritorious mandolinist, a gallant guitarist, a flawless fiddler, and the
Taken together, the whole is clearly greater than the sum of the parts: CJ Lewandowski on vocals and mandolin, Jereme Brown on banjo, Josh Rinkel on guitar, Jasper Lorentzen on bass and Orshaw’s fiddling are a take-noprisoners combination. With a heavy touring schedule across the United States and Europe and recent Grammy nomination with Rounder Records, the Boys are well on their way to becoming the quintessential bluegrass band of their generation.
Avogadro of all stand up bassmen. When paired together, they become more than the sum of their parts; the equivalent to four cosmically talented moonbeams making musematical dreams come true. I wish someone had told me about this phenomenon when I was a young’n struggling through algebraic MathGrass. You’re telling me there’s a universal equation that, no matter what, equals divine bliss, tuneful melodies, & a rockin’ good time? Color me Y=MX+B!
Sierra Hull
Friday
7:00 - 8:30
What a day, Sierra Hull on the Main Stage! Sierra’s first RockyGrass performance was in 2007. She was just sixteen years old, but somehow we were left feeling like we ourselves were the youngsters and she was our magnificent maestro, instructing us on the nuances of mandolinism with a cheerful smile and energetic gait. The echoes of her melodies reverberated long after her last note faded. In the time since, Sierra has continued to grow into her sound, her ability to stir
emotions, and transport audiences to a place of pure connection. She is joined on stage by Avery Merritt on fiddle, Shaun Richardson on guitar, Mark Raudabaugh on drums, and Erik Coveney on bass. We could spend all day singing Sierra’s accolades, but it probably makes the most sense to let her handle the singing… also the chopping probably. Yes, that’s definitely best for everyone. Have at it, lady, you have our undivided attention.
Ar ROCKYGRASS
The Lil Smokies
Friday
9:00 - 10:30
Pick & Howl
saturday
11:30 - 12:30
Is it a little smokey out here? All of a sudden we got a whiff of something very specific: is that… kielbasa sausages? No no, those Lil’ Smokies are the ones my dad likes so much. This is obviously The Lil Smokies, epically talented Montana formed quintet made up of Andy Dunnigan (dobro), Jean Luc Davis (bass), Jake Simpson (fiddle), Matt “Rev” Rieger (guitar), and Sam Zickefoose on banjo! Yes, that makes much more sense than
The RockyGrass band contest is one of our favorite aspects of this Festival. The plethora of talent and genuine enthusiasm we see each year never ceases to amaze us. Last year, homegrown(andDenverbased)Pick&Howl delivered two spectacular contest sets, emerging victorious with that coveted blue ribbon. They are here on this glorious Saturday morning to wow you with their first Main Stage performance! Lead vocalist Jeremy Richard is backed by a string
The Slocan Ramblers
saturday
12:45 - 1:45
The Slocans take their name from the mountainous region of the Slocan Valley in British Columbia. Some say that the word “Slocan” itself originated from Native American Pidgin English “slocan-go,” referring to the difficult trek to the valley. But as any fan of this young bluegrass band can tell you, The Slocan Ramblers’ rise in the bluegrass scene has been anything but slow. The band has been racking up awards, including
fiddle. With inspiration coming from all sides–Flatt & Scruggs to Dead & Company, Billy Strings to Townes Van Zandt, Pick & Howl is sure to impress with their frenetic, authentic sound. They are currently working with Travis McNamara on their second studio album. Give ‘em a solid Festivarian welcome!
2020 IBMA “Momentum Band of the Year,” and the 2020 Canadian Folk Music Awards “Traditional Album of the Year.” Their playing is equally energetic. BBC Radio calls it “smokin’ bluegrass,” and The Fretboard Journal boasts it as “blistering.” We welcome Frank Evans on Banjo, Adrian Gross on Mandolin, Darryl Poulsen on Guitar, and Charles James on Bass back to RockyGrass! We hope our feet can keep up with their chops.
Art i sts ROCKYGRASS
Hawktail
saturday 2:00 - 3:15
Laurie Lewis
saturday 3:45 - 5:00
Friends for ten years before they formed a band, Brittany Haas (fiddler and newest Punch Brother), Paul Kowert (bass), Jordan Tice (guitar), and Dominick Leslie (mandolin) were inspired to use the name Hawktail because of its similarity to the acronym of their last names (HKTL). They joined us on the RockyGrass Main Stage last year, and boy are we glad they’re back so soon! Their gorgeous 2018 debut Unless features artfully developed old-
Where to even begin? Laurie Lewis is a fixture on the bluegrass, folk and Americana scenes. As a singer, songwriter, fiddler and band leader, she has brought a Left-Coast sensibility to her music. But it’s the essential sweetness of her worldview that lands somewhere between your shoulder blades and rests there like the hand of an old friend. She has traversed landscapes of tradition and innovation, crafting melodies that resonate deeply within the human
timey melodies with Scandinavian twists gracefully passed between instruments. 2020’s Formations was a polished masterpiece, with musical compilations that conveyed more without words than many do with. Their Junior album Place of Growth came out last year. It’s their most conceptual album yet, best listened to in one setting whilst in a glorious outdoor setting. Oh, kinda like here on the Ranch during their RockyGrass set! How fitting!
spirit. Although Laurie has played roots music since her teen years and performed in various bands from her early20s,itwasn’tuntilshewasinher mid 30s that she decided to venture out on her own. Her solo recording, Restless Rambling Heart, introduced the national music audience to her talents and versatility. In the ensuing years, she’s broken musical barriers and built bridges to replace them. Whatever music Laurie makes, we love. We know you will too.
Mighty Poplar
saturday 5:30 - 6:45
Mighty is certainly a fitting descriptor for this new bluegrass super-group including members of Punch Brothers, Leftover Salmon, Watchhouse, and Billy Strings’ very own backing band. Our thesaurus tells us that, in exchange for mighty we could also refer to them as fearsome, ferocious and tough, but those feel a little too aggro for the occasion. How about strapping… Herculean? Energetic and vigorous? Take your pick, they’re all highly relevant. Mighty Poplar
blossomed (do you see what we did there?) onto the scene in March of this year with their self-titled debut album. Americana Highways calls it “a loose tour of the life story of bluegrass music, along with a few wonderful sidequests,allbackedbynote-perfect musicianship.” With Noam Pikelny on banjo, Chris “Critter” Eldridge on guitar, Alex Hargreaves on fiddle, Andrew Marlin on mandolin, and Greg Garrison on bass, this ensemble is nothing short of a slam dunk.
A rt i sts ROCKYGRASS
Big Richard saturday
7:15 - 8:30
Sam Bush Bluegrass Band saturday
9:00 - 10:30
Since blowing our minds at last year’s Telluride and Rockygrass with their charismaticstagepresenceandvocal/ instrumental prowess, Big Richard has been hard at work. After a year on the road and weeks in the studio, it is safe to say that Big Richard’s energetic drive is paying off. If you are a Big Richard Head, you already know that they are making sizable waves, and in their wake are sold out venues and new fans eagerly awaiting their debut studio album that will drop in early
There’s not much we can say about our ol’ friend Sammy B that we haven’t already said before. We truly believe that he is joy personified, carrying himself with grace and poise, whether on the Planet Bluegrass stage or in the backstage catering line. Eyes closed and jersey finely pressed, Sam seamlessly combines elements of jazz, rock, reggae, and folk. But nobody loves, appreciates and respects traditional bluegrass more than
2024. What started as a lighthearted festival collaboration with Joy Adams on cello, Eve Panning on fiddle, Emma Rose on bass, and Bonnie Sims on mandolin, has morphed into a band that is a force to be reckoned with. The Denver Post heralds them to have a sound that is “...at once traditional and fresh, ramming through decades of male-dominated songwriting with aggression and an urgency to smash the patriarchy.” Name one thing better. We’ll wait.
he does! Surprisingly, the Bowling Green born prodigy ended up being more of a baseball guy. Who woulda thunk! Sam’s pocket-defining chop and cascading single-note improvisations incorporate all that came before with an ear (and eye) for what is to come. He is joined by Stephen Mougin on guitar (who brings the “mojo” as always), Wes Corbett on banjo, Todd Parks on bass, and Chris Brown on percussion.
the Solar Sisters Featuring The Cody Sisters
sunday
10:30 - 11:30
Couldn’t we all use a dash of hope, a pinch of promise and a sprinkle of sunshine? The Solar Sisters are ready to bring just that to the stage for the traditional Sunday morning gospel set. The nebula of The Solar Sisters (or should we say “Soul” Sisters) formed when mandolinist, KC Groves (Uncle Earl), and banjo player, Kyra Holt (Sugar Moon), bonded over their love of hard-driving, harmony-laden traditional bluegrass. Fiddler Bevin Foley (Trout Steak Revival), bassist
Erin Youngberg (FY5), and guitarist Amy Scher (Amy & Hailey) were quickly pulled into the orbit. And why not add the bright rays and musical prowess of the sensational Cody Sisters to the mix? And just when you thought the stage couldn’t be any sunnier, we are hoping we may see Uncle Earl’s Abigail Washburn and Kristin Andreassen join in the fun. There ain’t no party like a Solar Sisters party, cuz a Solar Sister’s party don’t quit!
ShaunRichardson withhisCollingsD2H
See Shaun perform at RockyGrass 2023 with Sierra Hull on Friday July 28th!
Art i sts ROCKYGRASS
Stillhouse Junkies
sunday
Noon - 1:15
Jeremy Garrett & River Wild
sunday
1:30 - 2:45
Winner of IBMA’s 2021 Momentum Band of the Year, Stillhouse Junkies have an easy chemistry that elevates their on-stage performances, effortlessly drawing all eyes to them. With genre blurring songs that range from Texas swing to classical and blues, the Durango grown trio, formed in 2017, has Alissa Wolf on fiddle, Cody Tinnin on upright bass, and Fred Cosak on guitar and mandolin. Their newest album, 2022’s Small Towns, was produced by
You know him, you love him, we personally kinda wish we could be him (how could you not?!). Jeremy Garrett is best known for his strong, bluesy fiddle work with The Infamous Stringdusters. That plus a soul-searing singing style that gets in your ear and stays there. But you’ll see a different side of Jeremy with River Wild. With Shawn Lane on mandolin and vocals, Ryan Cavanaugh on banjo, Kyser George on guitar, and Eric Thorin on bass
Stephen Mougin (yes, the very same one!) of Dark Shadow Recording. They sing to their Colorado connection frequently in tunes like “Evergreen,” “Moonrise over Ridgway,” and “Five Doors Down in Leadville.” Bluegrass Today applauds them for their “sound that rings with resilience and resolve.” We applaud them for their undeniably groovy aesthetic, nuanced songwriting craft, and stopin-your-tracks harmonies. Consider us junkies.
andvocals,it’satadmoretraditional and a whole lot more songwriterly –giving Jeremy a chance to stretch out on his own compositions. The group gets its name from Garrett’s 2022 album River Wild which is a departure from his work with the Stringdusters and features some of Nashville’s best players. “I had it in my heart to do a bluegrass record this time around,” he says, “while trying to be true to being original.” Mission accomplished!
Fireside Collective
sunday
3:15 - 4:30
Hailing from Asheville, North Carolina, Fireside Collective blends the traditional bluegrass roots we all love with elements of folk, americana, and progressive acoustic music. Characterized by tight harmonies and intricate instrumental arrangements, these boys have honed a modern approach to bluegrass. If they look a littlefamiliartoyou,wellthat’sbecause they are! Fireside Collective first brought their passion to RockyGrass in 2021. Their most recent album
Across the Divide came out in 2022. No Depression applauds them for “[exploring] beyond genre boundaries, bringing in influences from outside traditional bluegrass,” while also leaving “...no doubt in what camp they belong.” We know that camp. We love that camp! With Joe Cicero on guitar, Alex Genova on banjo, Jesse Iaquinto on mandolin, Tommy Maher on resonator guitar,andCarsonWhiteonuprightbass, onethingisclear:Ifyoucan’tstandthe heat,betterstepawayfromtheFireside!
Art i sts ROCKYGRASS
AJ Lee and Blue Summit
sunday
5:00 - 6:15
Rowan
sunday
6:45 - 8:00
AJ’s melodies and vocals are like whispers in the breeze. They twine and soar, unveiling truth like the changing color of autumn leaves. The maturity of her songwriting and her comfort on the stage is telling of the dues she’s already paid while playing stages starting at a young age. And there is no question that the band has done its homework. With the ability to draw from the depths of the traditional bluegrass catalog yet also the virtuosity to
He wails, he yodels, he howls – and always delivers. Peter Rowan joined the Bluegrass Boys in 1963 and the two formed a unique musical bond that birthed The Walls of Time, an enduring bluegrass classic. The late 1960s saw Rowan with the psychedelic band Earth Opera and in 1973 he co-founded Old and in the Way with Jerry Garcia, David Grisman, Vassar Clements and John Kahn. The group’s 1975 eponymous album became an instant classic
weave in modern influences such as country, soul, swing, rock, and jam music, there is never a dull moment. AJ Lee and Blue Summit play sans banjo, keeping their configuration unique–Sullivan Tuttle and Scott Gates dominate on steel stringed acoustic guitars, AJ shreds on mandolin, Jan Purat fiddles with force, and Forrest Marowitz holds it all together on upright bass. The overall effect is ethereal with a resplendent allure to the past and present.
among deadheads and introduced a new generation to bluegrass. Peter’s hallmark is a keening delivery fused with a preternatural bluesiness. Now in his eighth decade, Rowan rides the winds of Tex Mex, Reggae and folk while staying true to his singer-songwriter roots. Where would the music be without Midnight Moonlight, Thirsty in the Rain, and Free Mexican Airforce? We’re thrilled to have Panama Red himself here at the 51st annual Rockygrass!
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
sunday
8:30 - 10:00
If we were to write a poem about Molly Tuttle, it would go something like this: in the realm of music’s embrace, where melodies dance with gentle grace, there dwells a spirit, a soul untamed… Molly Tuttle, her name proclaimed! A Golden Highway she did tread, through landscapes vast, both heart and head. Her voice, a vessel, carries a tale of love’s sweet joys and sorrows’ gale. To say Molly is a flatpicking guitar virtuoso really doesn’t give her enough credit. Her
playing is beyond anything we’ve seen, and it’s truly an honor to have her on this stage. Golden Highway’s new album City of Gold dropped just last week, (check it out at the Country Store!), and is already getting rave reviews. Molly is joined by Dominick Leslie (our very own Kid’s Academy instructor!) on mandolin, and banjo commando Kyle Tuttle. Bronwyn Keith-Hines soars on the fiddle, and Shelby Means business, making that bass work for her.
Peter
Bluegrass Band
Tucker Group Real Estate
Proudly supports the Planet Bluegrass Family! Thanks for always putting Lyons first and providing so many of us with fabulous “festival” memories, work and volunteer opportunities, and lifelong friendships!
Jonelle Tucker, Broker Owner 303-902-6250
Levi Nagy, Associate Broker 729-839-0123
Kari Basey, Licensed TC & Marketing
In Loving In Memory
exactly where we needed to be: with the community that raised him.
On May 26th, 2022 Griffin Charles Ferguson, fondly referred to as “Griff,” was killed in a motorcycle accident in Lyons. The son of Planet Bluegrass’ PresidentCraigFergusonandSallyTruitt,Griffinwas a beloved brother, friend, protector, and professional firefighter dedicated to serving this community. Griffin loved fiercely, intensely, and without question.
After his accident, the Planet Bluegrass family gathered for RockyGrass and Folks Festival, in shock and utterly heartbroken. We were held in our tremendous grief by the buoyancy of the Festivarian spirits surrounding us, supported by our found festival family. We were cradled by these glorious grounds; the very same Griffin was born and grew up on. All the while through our pain we knew we were
It’s been one year, and we don’t miss Griffin any less. We don’t think we ever will, but we are finding joy in the moments we are able to be close to him, remembering his effortless vibrancy, anima, humor, and sass. Oh, the sass! We were lucky to have him and love him. Thank you for seeing our grief and loving us through it. Planet Bluegrass will always be Griffin’s home before anything else.
Take a moment to thank the amazing firefighters and EMTs that work daily to make our home safe. They are vital to this community. And, in Griffin fashion, better go ahead and give your dog a squeeze and a big kiss as well.
Elephant Revival
with Fruit Bats (solo)
Saturday, August 19th
FallGrass:
A Pavilion Pickin’ Party on Planet Bluegrass September 15th & 16th, 2023
Wildflower Pavilion Concert Series:
East Nash Grass
Wednesday September 20th, 2023
2024 tickets
The Last Revel
Wednesday October 11th, 2023
Visit Bluegrass.com beginning in October for details on our upcoming events. Tickets for 2024 will go on sale between December and February.
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