RockyGrass: For many, it is the bluegrass new year. The sacred family pilgrimage to Lyons. A chance for that special mandolin or guitar to return to its native home on the Planet Bluegrass Ranch. A weekend of tubing, camping, and dancing along the St. Vrain. Three days to celebrate at the tree of Bill Monroe and its many generations of roots and branches.

Half the tickets for the 38th Annual RockyGrass (July 23-25) were sold before January - before the news of Patty Loveless and The Horse Flies, Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band and Alison Brown. For those far-sighted festivarians, the magic of RockyGrass is July's other national holiday. Now with the announcement of the complete single-day lineup, the time has come to stake your place among the tarps of the 2010 RockyGrass...


We complete the RockyGrass single-day lineup with four more artists: SPBGMA 2010 Album of the Year winners Junior Sisk & Rambler's Choice; Lyons' own KC Groves delivers the Sunday morning gospel set with the help of Long Road Home; two of the great bluegrass guitar stylists Tony Rice & Bryan Sutton share an intimate set of duets; and one of our all-time favorite musicians, Tim O'Brien returns to RockyGrass with his band.

Throughout the weekend we honor the legends of bluegrass (Doc Watson, Bobby Osborne); discover the new young voices (Frank Solivan, Sierra Hull, The Farewell Drifters); let the Sam Bush Bluegrass Band, Tony Rice Unit, Seldom Scene, and Greensky Bluegrass gently nudge traditional bluegrass in different directions; and so much more.

Single-day tickets (as well as 3-day passes) are available now at shop.bluegrass.com or 800-624-2422. As always, Planet Bluegrass charges no handling fees on any tickets, and RockyGrass tickets are fully refundable prior to June 25.

From the instrument and band contests to the workshops and renowned campground jams this is bluegrass heaven along the St. Vrain River. But bluegrass heaven will sell-out. Typically before June. Don't miss out, order your tickets now.


Twenty-five years ago Peter Rowan & Crucial Country made their debut at Telluride Bluegrass. Over the years this all-star collaboration of Peter Rowan, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, and friends has given us some of the festival's defining sets, including their legendary 1994 set, released as a live CD. This June, 10 years since their last Telluride performance, Peter Rowan convenes Crucial Country again on the Telluride Bluegrass stage for another unforgettable set of music.

This summer solstice weekend also marks the 20th anniversary of the Telluride Troubadour Contest. This prestigious showcase welcomes gifted songwriters from around the world to share songs with us in Telluride, as they vie for the handcrafted Shanti Troubadour guitar and the title of Telluride Troubadour (an honor shared by Catie Curtis, Deb Talan, Gregory Alan Isakov, and others). Only two weeks remain to submit songs to be considered for the 2010 Troubadour contest - all submissions must be received by April 16.

Tickets (4-day festival passes and single-day tickets), camping, and lodging are all now available to join Alison Krauss, Lyle Lovett, Yonder Mountain String Band, Brandi Carlile, Sam Bush, Leftover Salmon, Béla Fleck, Edward Sharpe, Dave Rawlings Machine, The Telluride House Band, and many more at the 37th Annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival (June 17-20). Our trusted lodging partners in Telluride and Mountain Village (see links at right) are eager to help you plan your trip to Telluride, whatever your specific lodging needs or budget.

As we approach just 75 days til festivaaaaal, take a few minutes this weekend to begin your musical preparation. Watch live videos from Court Yard Hounds debut at SXSW (or these reviews) and Cadillac Sky in the studio with producer Dan Auerbach; read Paste Magazine's glowing 91/100 review of Mumford & Sons' debut; and stream a complete Josh Ritter live concert at NPR. Then share your excitement in the Festivarian Forum or on Facebook - there's an entire nation of festivarians at least as excited as you.

Summer solstice in Telluride: music, mountains, magic. Round-up your festivarian family and make your plans now to join us for Number 37. (And watch for NightGrass announcements in the next few weeks.)


Last Saturday's season-opening Wildflower Concert with Chatham County Line (video) felt like a declaration of Spring: music, community, and jubilation had returned to Planet Bluegrass. We continue to revel in this springtime energy next Friday (April 9) as we welcome Pete Wernick & Flexigrass and Long Road Home to the Wildflower Pavilion in Lyons.

Béla Fleck praises the fundamentally futuristic acoustic sextet Pete Wernick & Flexigrass (video): "I love the way [Flexigrass] blends bluegrass banjo into an early jazz band. A very appealing combination." Meanwhile, the traditional bluegrass of Long Road Home, brings together five of Colorado's finest musicians - RockyGrass band contest winners Martin Gilmore & Justin Hoffenberg, RockyGrass mandolin contest champion Jordan Ramsey, Grammy winning bassist Gene Libbea, and Dr. Banjo Pete Wernick (video).

We'll open the doors and light the bonfire along the St. Vrain River at 7pm. Arrive early, grab a New Belgium beer at the bar, gather with fellow festivarians around the bonfire, then settle into our "cathedral of bluegrass" for a rich evening of music beginning at 8pm. Tickets ($15) are available now at shop.bluegrass.com or 800-624-2422. The season continues thru May, including the recent addition of Martha Scanlan (of Reeltime Travelers) to the Anne & Pete Sibley show on May 14.


"Nothing beats a day at Planet Bluegrass' Lyons ranch." So writes the Colorado Daily as they recognize the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival with the "Best Music Festival" award in their CU and Boulder's Best 2010.

But this isn't just an average year for the Folks Fest - this is the historic 20th anniversary! And we've invited Ani DiFranco, John Prine, The Swell Season, Richard Thompson, Greg Brown, Jenny Lewis, Marc Cohn, and many others to help us celebrate.

We're excited to welcome new, young artists to the Folks Festival community, including our latest addition: Joy Kills Sorrow. This Boston-based stringband has released a beautiful album of songs - led by a stunning young singer and virtuosic musicians who love melody and texture.

Tickets and camping are available now to spend a mid-August weekend with us along the St. Vrain River - shop.bluegrass.com or 800-624-2422. Bring your family, bring your tent, bring your guitar, or just bring yourself. New friendships will be surrounding you on tarps in all directions.

It's going to be a rewarding summer of music and festivatiaon on Planet Bluegrass. We can't wait to share it with you.

Best,
The Folks on Planet Bluegrass