We reported initial details about the Telluride festival just before Christmas. Now we are able to bring further information about the four-day event. With feet of snow falling on the peaks above Telluride, it’s time to start dreaming about the warm summer days of snowmelt and sun - the music and magic of the 35th Annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival - June 19-22, 2008.

Have a look at the newly released single-day line-up and start planning for the full moon summer solstice in Telluride. Four-day and single-day tickets, camping, and lodging are all available now.

The 35th Annual Telluride Bluegrass coincides with the Summer Solstice and the days surrounding the full moon; the longest day of the year; the beginning of summer. It’s a magical time of sun and light, when the high country of Colorado puts away its skis and grabs hiking boots, kayaks, and a low-back festival chair to take in some bluegrass.

Thursday, June 19: Ryan Adams & The Cardinals, Ani DiFranco Band, Arlo Guthrie, Del McCoury Band, Uncle Earl, Cadillac Sky, Darrell Scott

Friday, June 20: Leftover Salmon, Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby with Kentucky Thunder, Paolo Nutini, Tim O’Brien, Peter Rowan & the Free Mexican Airforce, The Emmitt Nershi Band, Béla Fleck, Duos with Friends, Spring Creek Bluegrass Band

Saturday, June 21 (the summer solstice): The Frames, Sam Bush Band, Brett Dennen, Yonder Mountain String Band, Jerry Douglas Band, Tift Merritt, Steep Canyon Rangers

Sunday, June 22: Telluride House Band featuring Sam, Béla, Jerry, Edgar & Bryan, The Swell Season: Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova from the film Once, Hot Rize with Red Knuckles & the Trailblazers, John Cowan & Darrell Scott Band, Punch Brothers featuring Chris Thile, The Duhks, Solomon Burke

The Telluride website has biographical information for all the acts booked to appear at the festival this year.

Destination festival RockyGrass, in Lyons, CO, has announced it’s daily lineups for the 2008 festival. 2008 marks the 36th year of the RockyGrass festival. Bill Monroe himself is credited with the founding of the festival in 1973. The festival is scheduled for July 25-27, 2008.

As part of the larger Planet Bluegrass network, RockyGrass takes on a more traditional tone than the other events in the family. This year’s festival is no exception. To be sure, there are a few acts on the list that are not in the traditional camp, but overall, the line up is solidly bluegrass in nature. Here are the daily lineups of performers.

Friday, July 25
Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas & Edgar Meyer * Dan Tyminski Band * Béla Fleck & Friends * John Cowan Band * Russ Barenberg & Bryan Sutton * The Steeldrivers * Mike Marshall & Darol Anger * Spring Creek Bluegrass Band

Saturday, July 26
Natalie MacMaster * Punch Brothers featuring Chris Thile * Abigail Washburn & The Sparrow Quartet featuring Béla Fleck * Psychograss * Infamous Stringdusters * Bearfoot * Chatham County Line

Sunday, July 27
Sam Bush Bluegrass Band * Carolina Chocolate Drops * Peter Rowan * JD Crowe & The New South * Adrienne Young & Little Sadie * Stairwell Sisters * Gospel Set featuring Jeremy Garrett

In addition to the music on the main stage, RockyGrass features nationally-recognized instrument and band contests as well as workshops throughout the day in the Wildflower Pavilion. When the official music ends, musicians of all levels and ages head to the campgrounds where dozens of jam circles flourish late into the night.

If this sounds like a festival you’d like to attend, you’d better act quickly. The festival usually sells out in May. Camping passes are already sold out (they were gone in November, before a lineup was even announced).

And don’t forget about the RockyGrass Academy. These four days of instructional workshops are taught by bluegrass luminaries: Bryan Sutton, Russ Barenberg, Mike Marshall, Darol Anger, Tony Trischka, Mike Bub, and band’s-in-residence Infamous Stringdusters, Psychograss, and Bearfoot. The RockyGrass Academy webpage states that most of the slots in the academy are already gone, but there are a few openings left at this time.

Tickets for both evens are available online at Bluegrass.com.

Planet Bluegrass has released the lineups for all three of it’s 2008 festivals, Telluride, Rockygrass, and Folks Fest. These lineups are preliminary, and subject to changes and additions as the dates approach.

Telluride Bluegrass Festival: June 19-22, 2008

• Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby with Kentucky Thunder
• Sam Bush Band
• Ani DiFranco
• Yonder Mountain String Band
• John Cowan & Darrell Scott Band
• Tim O’Brien
• Bela Fleck
• Peter Rowan
• Jerry Douglas
• Edgar Meyer
• Brett Dennen
• Spring Creek Bluegrass Band
• And many more…

RockyGrass: July 25-27, 2008 (more…)

Planet Bluegrass has announced the preliminary artist lineup for it’s 34th annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival. This festival has become a destination festival that people travel from all over the world to attend. After looking at the lineup for next year, one can see why.

Alison Krauss & Union Station * Sam Bush Band * Chick Corea & Bela Fleck * Emmylou Harris * Telluride House Band featuring Béla, Edgar, Jerry, Sam, Bryan * Tony Rice & Alison Krauss & Union Station * Yonder Mountain String Band * Béla Fleck & the Flecktones * Chris Thile & How to Grow a Band featuring Bryan Sutton * Jerry Douglas Band * Edgar Meyer & Chris Thile * John Cowan Band * Peter Rowan & Crucial Country * Dougie MacLean Band * Jackie Green * Mike Marshall & Hamilton de Holanda * Sparrow Quartet * Crooked Still * Infamous Stringdusters * Avett Brothers * Greensky Bluegrass * many more still to be announced…

The festival will run June 21-24, 2007 and is, of course, held in Telluride, CO. Tickets are on sale now.

The sister festival, Rockygrass, held in Lyons, CO is usually more bluegrass in nature and the lineup for the 2007 Rockygrass festival is just as impressive (maybe more so for a hard core bluegrass fan).

Nickel Creek * Sam Bush Bluegrass Band * Del McCoury Band * Marty Stuart & the Fabulous Superlatives * Peter Rowan and Tony Rice Quartet * Chris Thile & the How to Grow a Band * Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver * Claire Lynch Band * Kruger Brothers * Cherryholmes * Biscuit Burners * Bearfoot Bluegrass * Red Molly * Long Road Home * many more…

Once again, tickets are on sale now and available for purchase online.