CMT Blog: Archive

"To hell you ride." That they say, or someone said, is the origin of Telluride's name; and quite a ride it truly was. Not a conventional bluegrass festival by any stretch, Telluride Bluegrass Festival draws a wide circle around acoustic music and invites everybody in for a great time. As an indication of the quality involved here, the ‘house band' was none other than Sam Bush, Bela Fleck, Edgar Meyer, Jerry Douglas, Bryan Sutton and Luke Bulla. This group played some of the most amazing music I've ever heard. At the other end of the spectrum, the King of Soul Solomon Burke and his band performed a Sunday morning set and it was church; there may have been a few dry eyes out in Town Park that morning, but they weren't mine.

Telluride had always been a goal for the Steep Canyon Rangers, the chance to stand in front of those mountains and let it fly. To go and see Hot Rize on that stage, to watch Sam Bush playing to the faithful, and to stand up there and play our music, there's really nothing any better. Some more highlights include: Darrell Scott and John Cowan, Del McCoury Band, Emmitt-Nershi Band, The Duhks, and who could forget the great marshmallow toss during the Swell Season, with approximately 8,000 marshmallows flying through the air, though I feel sorry for the stomach ache the squirrels and the birds will have to suffer through. - Graham Sharp