TVD Live Shots: 50th Annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival, 6/18

TELLURIDE, CO | I began my final day at TBF 50 listening to some finalists for the 30th Annual Troubadour Competition at Elks Park. The contest, as well as the Annual 36th Band Competition, has a knack for discovering talent. Past winners include The Chicks (1990), Greensky Bluegrass (2006), and Gregory Alan Isakov (2007) to name a few. Caitlin Cannon, Jackson Emmer, and Rob Drabkin all showed why they were chosen as finalists this year.

After enjoying their songs and stories, I wandered around town and listened on my headphones to Yasmin Williams playing over at the main stage via the KOTO livestream. A self-taught musical wiz (who developed an interest thanks to Guitar Hero 2), Williams’ guitar style is unique, innovative, and wholly hers. The crowd buzzes about her for the rest of the day.

Known by Festivarians as the Queen of TBF, Emmylou Harris put on a lovely late afternoon set with accompaniment by Watchhouse (formerly Mandolin Orange). During the acoustic set, with highlights including “If I Needed You” and a beautiful Nanci Griffith cover of “Gulf Coast Highway,” I felt the crowd quiet and settle into the harmonies and picturesque backdrop.

Things got a little rowdier once the Telluride House Band hit the stage. Sam Bush, Béla Fleck, Jerry Douglas, Edgar Meyer, Bryan Sutton, and Stuart Duncan gave everyone their bluegrass fix (with an Alison Krauss sighting as well) before indie crooner, Gregory Alan Isakov.

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss have still got their pipes, that’s for sure. And their voices together? Pretty spectacular—especially during the masterful version of Led Zeppelin’s “When the Levee Breaks.” My only complaint is that they ended their set thirty minutes early and with little fanfare, especially given that it was the final show at a festival that’s made it 50 years. But complaint aside, it was, as always, a magical four days in Telluride.

TROUBADOURS AT ELK PARK