2023 marks the 50th year of the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. And what a wonderful year it is panning out to be! Taking place June 15-18 in Telluride, Colorado, the Telluride Bluegrass Festival lineup is nothing short of exceptional. I just received the latest announcement on the lineup and had to share it with you all as soon as I could. I was fortunate enough to see Robert Plant and Alison Krauss together in concert a few years ago and man was it a great show. If you can make it to this festival, I highly recommend you add it to your summer plans.
The 2023 Telluride Bluegrass Festival Lineup Includes Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Emmylou Harris, Nickel Creek & More
Every June—for the past five decades—music fans known as Festivarians have made their annual pilgrimage to the box canyon town of Telluride, Colorado, for the legendary Telluride Bluegrass Festival. Inspired by the beauty of the natural landscape and the skillfully played music from a multitude of genres, this legendary gathering has long been a bucket list destination for musicians and music fans alike. Produced by Planet Bluegrass, this year’s Telluride Bluegrass is set to be one for the record books, and it should be—seeing that 2023 is the 50th annual edition!
For their 50th, Telluride Bluegrass is happy to announce a laundry list of festival-veteran performers and only-at-Telluride collaborations fit for such a celebration. The full lineup announcement includes genre-crossing legends Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, long-time friends of the festival, The String Cheese Incident, another matchup of Emmylou Harris featuring Watchhouse, the grand return of now-supergroup Nickel Creek, the ever-venerable Sam Bush, and the original Béla Fleck & The Flecktones lineup—the last two, Bush and Fleck, have stepped foot on the Telluride Bluegrass main stage many times as part of a little band called New Grass Revival. A complete list of Telluride Bluegrass performers can be found below and at bluegrass.com.
“Fifty years is an incredible accomplishment in the music industry; one you don’t see often. We are thrilled to have made it to this milestone,” says Grace Barrett, Director of Communication and Partnerships for Planet Bluegrass. “There is such plentiful history in Telluride, from the rich age of mining to the plethora of exceptional musicians that have serenaded the valley floor over the years, and we couldn’t have made it here without the devotion of each and every one of our Festivarians. Here’s to the next 50!”
Fans lucky enough to have obtained tickets can still purchase camping passes or enter a song in the Troubadour Contest by following this link. For those still trying to obtain tickets, Planet Bluegrass will be putting all refunded tickets back on sale in the coming weeks. You can find all information about the refunded ticket re- sale and other ticketing policies here.
Today’s full Telluride Bluegrass lineup announcement includes:
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss
The String Cheese Incident
Sam Bush Band
Béla Fleck and The Flecktones
Emmylou Harris with Watchhouse
Gregory Alan Isakov
Mary Chapin Carpenter
Punch Brothers
Del McCoury Band
Greensky Bluegrass
The Infamous Stringdusters
Leftover Salmon
Nickel Creek
Yonder Mountain String Band
Telluride House Band
Sarah Jarosz
Tim O’Brien Band
The Peter Rowan Band
The Earls of Leicester
Chris Thile
Sierra Ferrell
Charles Wesley Godwin
Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy
Bella White
Yasmin Williams
Town Mountain
Two Runner
Bassekou Kouyate and Ngoni Ba
Full Cord (winners of the 2022 Telluride Band Competition)
About Telluride Bluegrass Festival: Founded in 1974 and occurring annually during the summer solstice, Telluride Bluegrass has been inviting music fans to the historic mining town in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado for 4 days of adventurous acoustic music in the stunning Telluride box canyon for 50 years.
Since its early years, the unique genre of “Telluride Bluegrass” has embraced a diverse family of artists including Sam Bush, Robert Plant, Mumford & Sons, Brandi Carlile, Norah Jones, Jason Mraz, Greensky Bluegrass, Emmylou Harris, and many of the world’s most virtuosic acoustic instrumentalists – the majority of whom have returned to the festival for 25+ years. With music on the main stage, intimate workshop performances at Elks Park, late-night indoor NightGrass concerts, and pickin’ in campgrounds and condos ‘til dawn, Telluride Bluegrass is the “granddaddy of the modern festival circuit” (Relix). Telluride Bluegrass is presented and produced by Planet Bluegrass.
About Planet Bluegrass: For over 30 years, Planet Bluegrass has been redefining the musical festival by creating exceptional experiences that protect the planet through environmental leadership and a strong community.
Fiercely and decidedly independent, their three festivals make a unique musical mark: each takes place in breathtaking natural Colorado environments, each features the world’s finest musicians and songwriters, and each embraces a “Leave No Trace” ethic that defines Planet Bluegrass as a leader in Sustainable Festivation. Planet Bluegrass presents Telluride Bluegrass, Rockygrass, and Rocky Mountain Folks Festival, bucket list musical gatherings for artists and fans alike. Planet Bluegrass is invested in the next generation of songwriters and musicians as evidenced by Rockygrass Academy and Song School.
