It’s only a little over 2 months since we left Telluride, and I’ve already got the itch for next year.
Here’s a list of acts I’d love to see return, or make a first appearance (in case the powers that be are listening):
Big Smith
Henhouse Prowlers
Split Lip Rayfield
Billy Strings (two sets, one being a Doc Watson set)
YoYo Ma, Edgar Meyer, and Thile doing Bach
Chris Lee Becker and Friends
Joe Jack Talcum
Gillian Welch
Travis Linville
Jeffrey Lewis and Peter Stampfel (of Holy Modal Rounders, and The Fugs)
non folk, bluegrass, country acts:
Jeffrey Lewis and Los Bolts
John Fulbright
Wilco
Beck
Ween (could be a country show with the Shit Creek Boys backing them)
David Byrne
Randy Crouch
Mojo Nixon
Stephen Malkmus
Modest Mouse
Phish
My-Tea Kind (this was Bonnie Paine’s band before Elephant, they still play a few hometown gigs every year)
We Dream Dawn (Sage Cooks band post Elephant Revival)
I’d also like to see more collaboration sets, as thats where a lot of spontaneous magic happens.
I’m sure I could think of many many more but right off the top of my head these are bands I’d like to see, and some I think all of you should be exposed to if you haven’t already.
yeah I forgot about anything Grisman, but especially with Danny Barnes, did I already mention anything with Danny Barnes oh I would die and go to bluegrass heaven if there was a Bad Livers reunion, mmmm Livers makes me think of cat fishing, and cat fishing makes me think of Taj Mahal!
in 2017 Parker Milsap played with a band of Tulsa musicians that also play with Fulbright, Crouch and Linville. This year Peter Rowans band featured a few Okies that are also regular players in that circle. I may be a bit prejudiced but we have a fine collection of superb players here in the Okie music scene. Bonnie Paine is from my home town, and Sage Cook is an Okie too. Grismans wife is an Okie. Woody Guthrie said we are all Okies. Funny thing is, many folks from CO are either original Okies or descendants. My family was brought to Oklahoma through the removal of the Cherokees in 1830’s and I have a lot of pride in my tribe, and the people of Oklahoma whom many are native. But beyond that the history of music in and from Oklahoma from jazz, rock and roll, and obviously country and roots music is amazing. I hope the powers that be look into these undiscovered (at least on a national level) Okies.
Here’s a taste, hope yall enjoy. And maybe share some of the stuff coming from your regions that needs to be heard!
I used to watch Travis when he played with Stoney for a while. I tried selling Cody Canada on coming to the bluegrass festival this year I was eating dinner w him and Mike McClure and was praising all of the festivarians. They’re aware of the magic
Seems I read that David Grisman won’t do Telluride due to the elevation. I’d love to see Marcus King Band on the main stage. He’s not bluegrass at all but man that kid can play.
Man, that bums me out to hear that. Totally understandable though. It’s tough that high up. Peter Rowan looked pretty rough this year out there. Planet Bluegrass has david at Rockygrass a lot so maybe thats the compromise.
I would love to see marcus out there too! I saw him 2 years ago in New Orleans, man that cat can play!
I’m sure there’s no way this would ever happen but I spend a lot of my day dreaming time thinking of stuff like this, if I wasn’t attempting to stick to the tried and true traditions of TBF I’d add a few more rock and roll bands, but this is pretty close to my dreams.
My dream TBF schedule:
Thursday:
Chris Thile, Yo Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer
My-Tea Kind w/ Randy Crouch
Randy Crouch, Vince Herman and Dan Rose
Danny Barnes
Todd Snider
Tim O’Brien
Billy Strings
House Band
Friday:
Billy Strings and Brian Sutton play Doc Watson
John Fulbright w/ Paul Benjamin Band
Jeffrey Lewis and Los Bolts
Bonnie Paine Friends, and Family
Byron Berline
Infamous String Dusters
Leftover Salmon
Ween w/ Shit Creek Boys
Saturday:
Band Contest
Jerry Douglas Band
The Cleverlys
David Rawlings
Live From Here
Yonder MTN
Sam Bush
Wilco
Sunday:
Gillian Welch
Hot Rize
Lil Smokies
Drew Emmitt Band
Punch Brothers
Elvis Costello
Greensky
Oh where have all the flowers gone. Long time passing.
Tradition. We need some old time traditional to the core Bluegrass and Country. Lets not forget our heros while they are still around.
Generations of music lovers and the evolution of bluegrass always important. Kinfolk sort of. History it means so much to feel connected and know why. :lol :flower
Who in traditional Bluegrass is left?
I HAVE GOT IT! Anyone in Bluegrass over the age of 70 is invited for a pick off. I bet it would be epic. :lol That is my injection for a sunday set.
How many over 70 professional bluegrass players are still performing (outside of their home areas). Just off the top of my head I can only think of a few Grisman, Rowan, Byron Berline, Del, that would get you fiddle guitars and mando. Theres a bit more country players over 70 still doing it, but again not many. Glad I caught one more Willie Nelson show this year. He’s still a great performer though his voice isn’t nearly as strong as it used to be, his family band is still tight as ever!
How old is Jerry Douglas? I know he’s not 70 but he’s surely mid 60’s. Just looked it up, he’s 62 this year, thought he was a bit older. Guess he must have been pretty young on some of those old Peter Rowan records I have.
An ole Sam Bush is inching closer to 70. All the good ole goodens are getting up there in years or sadly have already gone.
Are any of the Dillards still playing/alive?
I still think of the YMSB boys as a young band, but they are all my age which is mid 40’s. And now they’re going on over 20 years as a band, man time flys. Ain’t nobody getting any younger these days.
Landshark I would LOVE to have more traditional style bluegrass bands. Larry Sparks is fantastic, The Seldom Scene, Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, Hot Rize, Blue Highway, the list goes on and on. I love a solid 3-4 min bluegrass song. Tight harmony, sharp instrumentation, I don’t have to hear who can play the most notes in a break or who can get the farthest away from the melody. With that being said, I still enjoy the jam bands too. I think that’s why I love Billy Strings so much. He’s versatile. He can play the perfect Doc Watson and cover Jerry Garcia like a champ.
I was eating dinner w him and Mike McClure and was praising all of the festivarians. They’re aware of the magic