50th Annual RockyGrass Program

Festivarians!

howdy Festivarians! howdy

Welcome to the center of the bluegrass universe. We can barely believe it’s been 50 years since Bill Monroe’s dream of a bluegrass festival in Colorado was realized. What began as a small gathering in Brighton at the Adams County Fairground has shifted, morphed, and grown into something historic. Somewhere core memories are made, acoustic instruments are larger than life, and ancient tones reverberate alongside the swift current of the St. Vrain River.

Generations of pickers from around the world plan their year around this magnificent bluegrass homecoming. And yet, a festival with 50 years of history is only able to achieve such a milestone because of the community surrounding it. Through flood, fire, and pandemic, we became rooted, together, in RockyGrass. Like honey bees returning to the hive, we’ve been buzzing with anticipation for the opportunity to celebrate what we’ve built together.

So settle in, sweet honey bees. We’re so glad you chose to be here. Begin your days with

early morning yoga, stop by the contests and workshops in the Wildflower Pavilion, fill your bottle with free filtered water, and harmonize with your fellow Festivarians. Take some photos at the 50th anniversary tent photo booth while you’re at it, you’ll want to remember this.

To the next 50 years, t he Folks on Planet Bluegrass To the next 50 years,

he Folks on Planet Bluegrass

Festival Partners

t

rules & gui D elines rules & gui D elines

First thing’s first, 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. We really will! Theo brings a basketball for this exact purpose. He really looks forward to it every year.

• 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 Office.

tarP line Policy

Festivarians may begin assembling for the next day’s line numbers along the pedestrian walkway outside of the Main Box Office no earlier than 11pm. 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 shuffled 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 randomly-assigned order, followed by all Festivarians without line numbers.

RockyGrass RockyGrass t hrough t he y ears

In 1972, while Woodward and Bernstein chased the Watergate scandal, Big Mon himself had been plotting. A bluegrass festival in Colorado – why not? A perfect place to stop while heading west. As “The Princess Bride” hit shelves in local bookstores, Bill Monroe was soliciting assistance from members of the newly formed Colorado Bluegrass Music Society. If they could cover the production and local talent, he would handle the headliner spot. A deal was struck. They put Lynn Morris, Texas native and banjo wiz, to work. It’s likely the number one song of the year, “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown,” played in her head as she put the finishing touches on the drawing that would become the poster for the First Annual Rocky Mountain Bluegrass Festival. All the while, they had no idea the seed they were planting would travel and grow until, in 1992, it landed at home and settled on the Planet Bluegrass Ranch.

li B ations li B ations

Beers

craFt lager

4.8% ABV

rocky Mountain kolsch

5% ABV

SELTZERS

sPikeD snoWMelt: tangerine & hoPs

Gluten free. 100 calories.

5% ABV

sPikeD snoWMelt

electrolyte series:

COCKTAILS

voDka leMonaDe

citrus tonic with Spirit Hound Gin or Vodka

ginger liMe shruB

Good news, Festivarians! With over 70 primary care, specialty, and urgent care physicians, we offer top-quality, head-to-toe health care in 5 Boulder County locations. Meet our new doctors:

Find a Physician that’s right for you.

bouldermedicalcenter.com/planet

Felicia Longenecker, MD Internal Medicine

Emily Reznicek, MD Family Medicine

Teuta Shemshedini, MD OB-GYN

Allen Ruan, MD Pediatrics

F a M ily tent F a M i ly t e n t

Most activities are free, but we ask that parents please accompany their kids at all times.

Come find the Family Tent along the river behind the Wildflower Pavilion!

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.

join us for an hour of yoga each morning!

Friday at 8:30am, Saturday at 7:30am, and Sunday at 7:30am

Beer Food Music

Thursday Friday

MainGrass

Curated Live Bluegrass - Different Lineup Every Week 6-9pm

Ryan Dart Duo

Americana Songwriter - 4-7pm

Saturday

Lucy Moore

With Josh Elioseff & Friends | 6-8pm

Sunday

Sugar Moon

All Female Original & Traditional Bluegrass | 4-7pm

MainStage Brewing is located at 450 Main Street in Lyons, just a few steps from Planet Bluegrass. Open since May of 2021, MainStage is known for its large outdoor patio, fantastic selection of craft beers, phenomenal pizza, and of course, tons of Live Music including our Thursday Night MainGrass shows.

The creation of Emma Rose (big richard, sound of honey) and MainStage, each week MainGrass brings together a fresh lineup of the best local bluegrass musicians to play, improvise, and have fun. Learn more at MainStageBrewing.com/MainGrass

The kitchen at MainStage is open for breakfast just for the festival! Since we specialize in New York thn crust pizza by the slice, we have added breakfast pizza rolls to our menu for the festival weekend. Swing on in and grab one to-go, or stay for a pint or two!

MainStage Festival Weekend Hours: Thursday 12-10pm | Friday - Sunday 9am - 10pm

All Events All Ages & Open To Public

450 Main St. Lyons, CO 80540

c a MP site c hallenge c a MP site c hallenge Clean

With more than 2,000 campers in Lyons this weekend, (doubling the size of our town!), it’s critical that we remain mindful of our camping footprint. In collaboration with Leave No Trace, Mountainsmith, and Eco-Products (the supplier of the free compostable bags for your campground compost), we will be rewarding campsites that excel in creative, sustainable camping.

To nominate your campsite or one of your neighbors, submit an entry form at the Mountainsmith Booth explaining how the campsite exhibits cleanliness, sustainability, and creativity. Stop by the Mountainsmith booth each day to view the campsite entries and vote for your favorites!

We will select 2 winners per day–one random, and one staff choice. Prize packages will include gear from Mountainsmith, Klean Kanteen, Upslope, Canyon, and other goodies from our partners.

After the pack-out on Monday we will select grand prize winners to receive a pair of 3-day passes and camping for the 2023 RockyGrass. Typically we stop there, but this year we really wanted to do it up, so Mountainsmith tossed in a surprise camping package. They assured us they would go wild. Those winners are gonna be lucky ducks, no question.

M usic co MP etitions M usic co MP etitions

Since the first Rocky Mountain Bluegrass Festival, the band and instrument contests have been a beloved part of the festival experience. Past finalists have included Mark O’Connor (1974), and Tim O’Brien (1975). You can catch 2001 band winners Steep Canyon Rangers on the Main Stage on Saturday! 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 final round where they perform two different songs. Musicians are judged “in the blind” using the following criteria:

prizes

1st Prize: Instrument 2nd Prize: $100 3rd Prize: $50

B anjo

1st Prize: Deering John Hartford Banjo

Prelims: Friday, 11:30am, Wildflower

Finals: Saturday, 9:45am, Main Stage

F lat P ick guitar

1st Prize: Preston Thompson D-MA Guitar

Prelims: Friday, 1:00pm, Wildflower

Finals: Saturday, 9:45am, Main Stage

Band Competition

M an D olin

1st Prize: $1,000

50% OVERALL ABILITY

25% RHYTHM

25% TONE

Prelims: Friday, 2:30pm, Wildflower

Finals: Saturday, 9:45am, Main Stage

F i DD le

1st Prize: Thomas Verdot Paragon Fiddle

Prelims: Friday, 4:00pm, Wildflower

Finals: Saturday, 9:45am, Main Stage

D o B ro

1st Prize: $1,000

Prelims: Friday, 5:30pm, Wildflower

Finals: Saturday, 9:45am, Main Stage

Cheer on these aspiring young bands while they gather (as the Blue Grass Boys intended) around a single microphone and compete for a spot on the 2023 RockyGrass lineup.

sche D ule

Prelims: Saturday, 1:30pm, Wildflower

Finals: Sunday, 1:30pm, Wildflower

B an D co MP etition P rizes

1st Prize: $750 & 2023 RockyGrass main stage performance

2nd Prize: $500

3rd Prize: $300

2021 Band Contest Winners

The Wildmans

MUSIC BY DECHEN HAWK FOOD BY FARM EATS DIRECT

main stage schedule

F ri D ay july 29th

10:00am

Gates Open

11:00 - Noon

The Wildmans

12:15 - 1:30

Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley

1:45 - 3:00

Hawktail

3:30 - 4:45

Becky Buller Band

5:15 - 6:30

Darrell Scott

Bluegrass Band

7:00 - 8:30

Punch Brothers

9:00 - 10:30

Yonder Mountain

String Band

satur D ay

july 30th

9:00am

Gates Open

9:45 - 11:15

Instrument Contest Finals

11:30 - 12:30

Big Richard

12:45 - 1:45

Tray Wellington Band

2:00 - 3:15

Claire Lynch Band

3:45 - 5:00

Kruger Brothers

5:30 - 6:45

Steep Canyon Rangers

7:15 - 8:30

Del McCoury Band

9:00 - 10:30

Sam Bush

Bluegrass Band

sun D ay july 31st

9:00am

Gates Open

9:30 - 10:30

The Old Gospel Ship Featuring Greg Blake & KC Groves

10:45 - 11:45

Jake Blount & Tatiana Hargreaves

Noon - 1:15

We Banjo 3

1:30 - 2:45

Uncommon Ritual

3:15 - 4:30

Peter Rowan

Bluegrass Band

5:00 - 6:15

Uncle Earl

6:45 - 8:00

The Earls of Leicester

8:30 - 10:00

Hot Rize

wildflower pavilion

satur D ay

july 29th

11:30am

Banjo Contest

Preliminary Round

1:00pm

Guitar Contest

Preliminary Round

2:30pm

Mandolin Contest

Preliminary Round

4:00pm

Fiddle Contest

Preliminary Round

5:30pm

Dobro Contest

Preliminary Round

july 30th

Noon TBD

1:30pm

Band Contest

Preliminary Round

3:15pm Panel: Rockygrass

A 50 Year

Retrospective

5:00pm

Banjo Workshop with Ned Luberecki, Tray Wellington, Wes Corbett

july 31st

Noon

Jam with Pete & Joan Wernick

Bring Your Instrument! (Slow tempos, only G, C, D & A chords)

1:30pm

Band Contest Finals

2:45pm

We Banjo 3

Connecting Celtic and Bluegrass

4:15pm

Jake Leg

r ocky g rass

It’s pretty prestigious to be the first band booked for the 50th annual RockyGrass, don’t you think? We’re so pleased that we were able to offer this spot to The Wildmans, who blew us away during the Band Competition last year. The trio of Berklee College of Music students from Floyd, VA, consisting of Eli Wildman, Aila Wildman, and Victor Furtado (no relation to Tony) has been sweeping band and instrument contests across the US, leaving a

They slide, they shred, they rock and swing and – jeez – there’s only two of them?! Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley are so far beyond the sum of their parts that physicists remain confounded. The duo brings together the talents of 15-time IBMA Dobro Player of the Year Ikes with prodigy singer and acoustic guitar demi-god Hensley in a matchup that blends bluegrass, country, blues, and Americana. Hensley debuted on the Grand Ole Opry at age 11 with Earl

Friends for ten years before they formed a band, Brittany Haas (fiddle), 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. They last joined us on the Main Stage in September of 2021, and boy are we glad they’re back so soon! Their gorgeous 2018 debut Unless features artfully developed old-timey melodies with Scandinavian twists gracefully passed between

path of first place ribbons and enthusiastic fans in their wake. And you’ll understand why as soon as they start up their first song. The band pays homage to the musical roots of their region while simultaneously focusing on the future with inspiring modern covers and well-crafted original songwriting. Settle in, Festivarians. The 50th Annual RockyGrass is about to begin. There’s certainly no turning back now!

Scruggs and Marty Stuart. As he grew into adulthood, his voice settled into a smooth, chart-ready baritone. Elder partner Ikes arrived in Nashville in the early 90s and quickly established himself as a studio session player for heavies like Merle Haggard, Alan Jackson, Reba McEntire and Alison Krauss. On top of that, he co-founded the influential group Blue Highway. Talk about an overachiever! Stabilize your lawn chair folks, this will be quite a ride.

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 is available to pre-order now. After hearing the first two, it’s hard to imagine it will be anything short of phenomenal. “I’d be lying,” says Paul, “if I said I didn’t imagine this music coruscating over these grounds and bouncing off that rock cliff as we wrote it.”

NO PARABENS NO PHTHALATES NO PETROCHEMICALS NO DANGEROUS ADDITIVES JUST PLANTS

PUNCH BROTHERS

r ocky g rass

This fiery-haired Minnesotan exudes enthusiasm. Whether fiddling, singing or songwriting, Becky’s having a blast. We first heard her as the hot fiddler with Valerie Smith and Liberty Pike but in the ensuing years Buller has taken her place on the vanguard of millennial bluegrassers. She walked away in 2016 with both the IBMA Fiddler of the Year and Female Vocalist awards – the first time anyone had won in two categories. Becky has burned up

Music pours out of Darrell Scott. A whole-hearted songwriter and jaw dropping multi instrumentalist, he moves fluidly from piano to plucking or sliding on anything with strings. A frequent staple at the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival, the Kentucky native debuted at the ‘99 RockyGrass sharing duets with Tim O’Brien. Since then, he has released 13 albums worthy to be one of the 10 belongings you’d bring with you as a contestant on Alone (did you

Is it blasphemy if we don’t begin this bio with a cheerful and boisterous ahoy? It certainly is. AHOY festivarians! It’s punch time, which is arguably our favorite time. The group’s new album, Hell on Church Street , is a mind-boggling reimagining of Tony Rice’s landmark solo album Church Street Blues Punch generates a heady mix of temporal and harmonic extensions. Huddled around one mic, Chris Thile wrestles his mandolin as if it

the miles touring with her band, but she knows how to keep it light. If you haven’t seen her spoof “We Will Grass You” with Brian May, this is your sign to look it up right now. Buller’s songwriting skills have captured the industry’s attention. Her compositions have been covered by Ricky Skaggs, the Infamous Stringdusters, Rhonda Vincent, and Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver. If you have a chance, be sure to ask her why she collects broken accordions.

binge the most recent season like we did?). Scott has penned celebratory anthems like “It’s a Great Day to Be Alive,” “Long Time Gone,” and Lyons-referencing “Colorado.” We are so pleased to welcome him back to RockyGrass with his bluegrass bandmates: the gifted Matt Flinner on mandolin and banjo, fan favorite Shad Cobb on fiddle, and the lovely Bryn Davies rounding them all out on bass. Darrell’s wife Angela is also here. She’s the best. Hi Angela!

were the tail of a giant serpent; banjoist Noam Pikelny looks into the middle-distance dashing off 16th notes; fiddler Gabe Witcher leans in and out at precisely the right moments; guitarist Critter Eldridge strums complex rhythms with ease, and bassist Paul Kowert keeps the proceedings ticking along. Sit back and take it all in. Punch Brothers might play traditional bluegrass instruments but they’re working at a transcendent musical level. Ahoy, indeed!

11:30-12:30

For nearly a quarter century, Yonder Mountain String Band has been redefining bluegrass music. From Mabon shows in the Wildflower Pavilion to surprise RockyGrass sets, Kinfolk celebrations to chilly SpringGrass evening jams, they have reserved a special place in our hearts and found a lifelong home on Planet Bluegrass. With Adam Aijala on guitar, Ben Kaufmann on bass, Dave Johnston on banjo, and Allie Kral on fiddle, they released their 9th studio

What exactly is Bluegrass with a side of lady rage? We had the same question, and we were pleasantly surprised by how many three-part harmonies were involved (also jokes about a certain appendage, but we’ll let them fill you in on that front). Front Range-based Big Richard is riding the high off of an explosive Telluride debut, and they’re just finding their pace. What started as a lighthearted festival collaboration with Bonnie Sims on mandolin, Eve Panning on

Winner of the 2019 IBMA Momentum Band of the Year (with Cane Mill Road), and Momentum Instrumentalist of the year, you’d think Tray Wellington was ready for a break. On the contrary, he’s just getting started. Growing up in North Carolina, it seems he was destined to fall in love with music. He began his musical career with an electric guitar at age 13 and followed the path towards flatpicking, which led him to the banjo. His full length debut, Black Banjo, which shines a

album, Get Yourself Outside this past February. It is their first to feature multi instrumentalist and all-around really cool guy Nick Piccininni. Not only does he play the mandolin like his life depends on it, but he’s also been known to bust out and shred on the banjo, fiddle, and, now that we think about it, pretty much anything else with strings. This quintessential ensemble has been working hard, honing their craft, and is sounding better than ever.

fiddle, Joy Adams on cello, and Emma Rose on bass, has morphed into a full on passion project with no end in sight. Whether singing a cover or belting an original, these four imbue everything they do with a sense of wonder and exuberance that is refreshing to watch. Big Richard has plans for a national tour on the horizon. Count yourself as lucky that you got to see them way back when... but don’t take our word for it- come experience it for yourself! We know you want to.

spotlight on his own compositions, was released just over two months ago to soaring praise. He says in the album’s liner notes, “Thank you to the black artists in roots music and beyond that have laid the groundwork so people like me can know that the possibilities are endless; I can achieve my dreams in any music I perceive and push my boundaries to where I want to be.” We are so grateful he’s bringing his expertise and energy for his first RockyGrass performance!

We first heard Claire’s angelic voice with the Front Porch String Band. Her inspired version of “Wabash Cannonball” caused one to sit down forthwith and tell everyone nearby to shut up and listen. And so began a storied musical career that put Claire at the forefront of modern bluegrass as a singer, band leader and songwriter. Claire is a three-time IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year and she’s collaborated on recordings with Jesse Winchester, Jonathan Edwards, John

“You have to play your music. Play it clean, play it powerful, play it with commitment.” Such was Bill Monroe’s advice for Swiss-born banjo virtuoso Jens Kruger. After years spent mastering bluegrass music while busking around Europe with his brother Uwe (“Oo’-vay”), Jens began the discovery of his own music: a natural born fusion between American bluegrass and European classical. Their body of work ever expanding, they are led

Can you imagine these professionals as a gang of hopeful undergraduates, bespectacled, bucket-hatted, and shell-necklaced to the nines? We remember it like it was yesterday. It’s with great pride that we reflect on the meteoric rise of the Rangers: beginning with their 2001 RockyGrass band contest win, followed by IBMA awards, Grammys, and even a collaboration with Boyz II Men along the road. Today, they stand before you an accomplished

Starling, Donna the Buffalo, Infamous Stringdusters and the Gibson Brothers. Her song, “Little Sister,” co-written with Louisa Branscomb, won the 2013 IBMA Song of the Year. But Claire is about much more than laurels. There’s a soulfulness and surety about her music that’s stayed consistent through the years. Her lyrics and melodies will transport you to the past, the future, and somewhere in-between that always lands right in your solar plexus.

by Uwe’s guitar and baritone voice, Jen’s remarkable banjo, and rooted by Joel Landsberg’s powerful bass. It is with remarkable discipline and creativity that they are able to infuse classical into folk. The results are a unique sound that has made them a fixture within the world of acoustic music. Together, the trio creates delightfully fresh music which continues to inspire and enlighten audiences and musicians around the world.

group of bluegrass veterans: guitarist and lead vocalist Woody Platt, mandolinist Mike Guggino, banjoist Graham Sharp, fiddler Nicky Sanders, bassist Barrett Smith, and drummer Mike Ashworth. International tours? Check. Prestigious awards? You betcha. Three albums in 2020? Somehow, they’ve pulled it off. All the while managing to proliferate the traditional bluegrass repertoire while turning it on its head and pushing the envelope. Talk about talent.

In Loving Memory

In Loving Memory

Griffin Charles Ferguson, fondly referred to as “Griff,” passed away on May 26th, 2022 in a motorcycle accident. Griffin was a beloved son, brother, friend, protector, and professional firefighter dedicated to serving his community.

Griffin had a special affinity and love for animals of all kinds. As a child he could often be found cuddling and caring for cats, dogs, chickens, and any critter that seemed in need of a helping hand. Griffin worked at the Planet Bluegrass Farm, caring for the horses, alpaca, and ducks that made their home there. He was inseparable from his hunting dog and best friend Ranger, whom he trained diligently. Through his passion for hunting and dedication to conservation, Griffin sought the silence and tranquility of places people seldom traveled: the

remote Bush of Alaska, the idyllic Sandhills of Nebraska, and the peaceful blue waters of Dome Lake in Wyoming. These landscapes shaped him from boyhood, and left a lasting impact that he carried with him through his life.

Griffin loved fiercely, intensely, and without question. He was quick with a quip, swift to support his family and friends, and even faster with his request that you please rub his back since you’re already sitting right there. We were lucky to have him and love him. We miss him every day.

Artists r ocky g rass

The hair, the suit, the voice – and most of all, the smile. Del has been grinning at audiences for more than 60 years. And why not? He’s a bluegrass legend still delivering his signature high-octane sound to fans far and wide. The Del McCoury Band is really a family thing, with sons Ronnie on mandolin and Robbie on banjo. Add the incomparable Jason Carter on fiddle and the eversteady Alan Bartram on bass and you’ve got perfection. But Del is

If joy was a person, they would carry themselves with the grace of Sam Bush on the Planet Bluegrass stage. Eyes closed, wire-rim glasses in place, and mandolin pushed against his ribs, the Kentucky born prodigy has been bringing joy to stages and stereos alike for over four decades.

“The joy of the music comes to me and overtakes me sometimes,” says Sam.

“I just become part of the music.” As the co-founder of seminal progressive bluegrass outfit New Grass Revival,

We’ve gathered along the St. Vrain this morning to rejoice in the RockyGrass gospel. For decades these musical sermons have taken inspiration from pages of our good book. We are pleased to welcome The Old Gospel Ship, a locally sourced sextet of heavy-hitting bluegrass lovers, as they invite us to their gospel sanctuary to celebrate our common human spirit. “Gathering at the river is really our theme this year… simply joining hearts and lifting each other’s

a humble guy. He takes constant requests from the crowd and laughs at himself while singing favorites in his piercing tenor. You’ll be sure to hear Vincent Black Lightning, a fan favorite. Bill Monroe taught Del bluegrass. Over the years, Del’s open ear has led him to collaborations with David Grisman, Steve Earle, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Phish, Dierks Bentley and Vince Gill. Along the way he’s won two Grammys, and our everlasting gratitude.

and an in-demand collaborator with everyone from Emmylou Harris to Lyle Lovett, his pocket-defining chomp, shimmering full-arm tremolo, and cascading single-note improvisations incorporate all that came before even as they keep a keen ear toward what is yet to come. Sam is joined by Stephen Mougin on guitar, Wes Corbett on banjo, Todd Parks on bass, and Chris Brown on percussion. They’re the real pros here, so we’ll let them take it from here.

spirits,” says KC. And lift our spirits they will. While Bill Monroe famously told us not to dance to the gospel, we feel confident even Big Mon himself might make an exception when KC Groves (guitar), Greg Blake (guitar), Dylan McCarthy (mandolin), Erin & Aaron Youngberg (bass, banjo), and Natalie Padilla (fiddle) take the stage. Be sure to tune in (to the KGNU stream if you can’t make it in person!), and find your place within the harmony of their strings and voices.

For constantly exploring ways to run an earth-friendly, sustainable, large group festival.

For contributing directly and indirectly to enhancing our local economy. For positively impacting the social and cultural fabric of the Lyons community. For enduring, persevering, and keeping Planet Bluegrass alive despite being totally inundated by a historic flood in 2013.

For welcoming us and so many others to be part of the Planet Bluegrass Family. For making it possible for so many “festivarians,” artists, staff, and volunteers to create amazing and lifelong friendships, experiences, and memories.

May you find strength and contentment knowing that no matter what life throws your way, that you and your many partners have and continue to bring great joy to our little world.

With love,

Jonelle and Dean Tucker

Artists r ocky g rass

After years of playing together at festivals and camps, Jake Blount and Tatiana Hargreaves finally collaborated on Blount’s 2020 debut album Spider Tales. The pairing itself makes perfect sense. Hargreaves, a fiddler who has toured with musicians such as Dave Rawlings, Gillian Welch, and Laurie Lewis, has been on the forefront of an up and coming generation of old time, bluegrass, and new acoustic musicians. Blount, 2020 recipient of the Steve Martin

A band for more than ten years now, Galway-based We Banjo 3 are brothers at heart. Like biologically, though! Made up of brothers David & Martin Howley and Enda & Fergal Scahill, We Banjo 3 is a propulsive blend of Irish and Americana that you can’t help but hop up and move to. This is a straddling act that few dare attempt and even fewer accomplish successfully. Seamlessly blending the best of both genres, “[We Banjo 3] is much bigger than the sum of its parts,” says Enda. “The familiarity,

Wait, what year is it again? By the power of Saint Festivaria, have we been sucked back to the nineties?! That wily gal, she’s always up to something. She must have known it’s not a proper RockyGrass celebration without Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer, and Mike Marshall. More than twenty years after its release, these visceral virtuosos are here to beguile you with tunes from their 1997 collaborative album, Uncommon Ritual . It’s not quite bluegrass, but you also couldn’t

Banjo Prize and proficient performer (in multiple styles) has studied with modern masters of old-time music including Bruce Molsky, Rhiannon Giddens, and Hubby Jenkins. Put the two together and you have an impressively decorated duo with a youthful spin, perfect timing, and the combined talent to blow the watermelon hat right off that one guy. You know, the guy you see always wearing a watermelon hat? Yeah, that guy.

ease, and respect we have for each other is embodied in our music, and so communicated to the audience.” And Enda hits the nail right on the head, as the mutual admiration they share is easily recognizable by anyone watching the quartet perform. Their new album Open The Road, written and conceptualized during lockdown, dropped on July 15th. Grab your own copy at the Country Store. If you catch them there after their set they might even sign it for you!

consider it jazz, folk, or classical either. Typical of these musical masters, it’s better than all the above combined. Béla is the Paganini of banjo, regularly delivering the impossible. Edgar is much the same, but his violin is six feet tall, an instrument he plays effortlessly with bow or finger. Mike Marshall’s hands are so huge they make a mandolin look like a toy but somehow he glides through every register with aplomb. How do they do it?! Best not to even ask, just listen.

Artists r ocky g rass

Few carry the mantle of Bill Monroe like Peter Rowan. He 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

It’s Sunday afternoon. The sun is out (is it out? When we wrote this the sun was out). Anyways, we’ll bet anything that the g’Earls on stage are lookin’ sharp as broken glass. This all-woman group consists of KC Groves on mandolin, Rayna Gellert on fiddle, Abigail Washburn on banjo, and Kristin Andreassen on guitar. A pair of striking releases on Rounder Records brought their take on stringband music to the pages of such influential outlets as Rolling Stone and the New

Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs and the Foggy Mt. Boys were the second Big Bang of the bluegrass universe. Both alumni of Monroe, Flatt and Scruggs shared an indelible chemistry and set out on their own in 1948. They refined Monroe’s sound and added dobro to the music. The playing of Josh Graves later helped turn Jerry Douglas into a dobroist. Wanting to pay tribute, Douglas founded the Earls of Leicester in 2014 to recreate the magic of the original sextet. What transpired is a

among deadheads and introduced a new generation to bluegrass. Peter’s hallmark is a keening delivery fused with a preternatural bluesiness. He also 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 50th anniversary of Rockygrass!

York Times. Joining the quartet on bass is honorary g’Earlfriend Erin Youngberg, who recorded on 2007’s Waterloo, Tennessee. They last graced the RockyGrass stage in 2014, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to have them back again. With the help of their stellar discography and melodious vocals, they easily won over the hearts, voices, and feet of their adopted hometown of Lyons. And now they’re back to remind us exactly why they became such an immediate favorite.

group that not only delivers the sound, but also the spirit of the classic Flatt and Scruggs recordings of the 1950s and 60s. For those who weren’t around to hear the original band live, the Earl’s is as close as you’ll ever get. Along with Jerry, these are the specialists: Charlie Cushman (banjo), Johnny Warren (fiddle), Shawn Camp (lead vocal, guitar), Jeff White (mandolin) and Barry Bales (bass). Not only that, but they wear string ties and cool homburg hats! Sit. Stay. Listen.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away. But in 1978 Dr. Banjo put together a bluegrass quartet and it turned out we needed to spend a lot more time in treatment. Hot Rize created a repertoire and sound so distinctive it has captured imaginations for two generations. Tim O’Brien’s effortless tenor and spring-loaded mandolin playing meshes perfectly with Nick Forster’s silky electric bass runs. Their unmistakable groove gave banjoist Pete Wernick and guitarist Charles

Sawtelle ample room to stretch boundaries. The true mark of Hot Rize’s musical revolution is heard at festival jam sessions across America, where “Nellie Kane,” “Just Like You,” and “Ninety-Nine Years” have become standards. Now with Bryan Sutton on guitar (the most accomplished and awarded acoustic guitarist of his generation), Hot Rize continues to break musical ground. They’re here to close out the 50th annual RockyGrass and for that, we are glad.

D ates to re M e MB er D ates to re M e MB er

32n D a nnual rocky mountain folks festival

August 12-14, 2022

FriDay Passes still availaBle!

the song school

August 8-11, 2022

2 023 tickets

Elephant Revival with special guest Covenhoven

Saturday, August 20th A Mabon Celebration on Planet Bluegrass

September 16th,17th & 18th, 2022

Visit Bluegrass.com beginning in October for details on our upcoming events. Tickets for 2023 will go on sale between December and February.

50th a nnual Telluride Bluegrass Festival

June 15-18, 2023

RockyGrass Academy

July 24-27, 2023

51st a nnual RockyGrass

July 28-30, 2023

The Song School

August 7-10, 2023

33r D a nnual Rocky Mountain Folks Festival

August 11-13, 2023