PHOTO: The Lil’ Smokies.
By Stasia Lanier, KSUT
After laying dormant the past two summers due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Pagosa Folk N’ Bluegrass returns for its 15th year June 10-12, 2022 on Reservoir Hill in Pagosa Springs. Virtuoso guitarist Tommy Emmanuel, rising Americana/bluegrass band The Lil’ Smokies, and alt-country powerhouse Sarah Shook & the Disarmers headline the three-day event.
“We are excited to welcome back festivarians to Reservoir Hill for our June bluegrass and folk festival,” said KSUT Executive Director Tami Graham. “We’ve been working on this lineup since October 2019 when we acquired Pagosa Folk N’ Bluegrass and the Four Corners Folk Festival from Dan Appenzeller and Crista Munro of FolkWest.”
While still maintaining deep, acoustic music traditions, the 2022 Pagosa Folk N’ Bluegrass lineup reflects the music heard on the KSUT Music Blend by including blues, rock, and Native American artists in addition to folk and bluegrass. “Part of KSUT’s mission is music discovery,” said KSUT Development Director Chris Aaland, who serves as the talent buyer for the festival. “Our lineup includes old favorites like Tony Furtado and FY5 alongside up-and-coming artists like Jackie Venson and Tray Wellington.
“We are also proud of our roots as one of the nation’s oldest tribal radio stations, and we’re committed to presenting award-winning indigenous performers in a variety of genres,” he said. Cary Morin, a blues guitarist who is a member of the Crow tribe and past performer at Telluride Blues & Brews, will play sets on Friday and Saturday at Pagosa Folk N’ Bluegrass.
Single-day, weekend, and patron passes are on sale at www.ksutpresents.org, as are camping passes and a very limited quantity of vehicle passes.
Other artists who will appear at Pagosa Folk N’ Bluegrass include Shinyribs, The Jon Stickley Trio, Town Mountain, Eilen Jewell, Songs from the Road Band, The Bonnie & Taylor Sims Band (formerly known as Bonnie & The Clydes), and the popular Durango-based bluegrass outfit, High Country Hustle.
Other festival amenities include a late-night stage, workshops, children’s tent, campground picks, food and crafts vendors, and a beer garden featuring Breckenridge and Riff Raff beers and Talbott’s ciders and wines. As has become tradition, Saturday and Sunday mornings will kick off with Bubbles & Bluegrass, which pairs acoustic performances by FY5 (Saturday) and Bonnie & Taylor Sims (Sunday) with complimentary beverages in the Breckenridge beer garden.
Preceding the festival is the Jam Camp and Junior Jam Camp, held June 7-9, 2022 on Reservoir Hill with professional instructors including members of FY5 and the Bonnie & Taylor Sims Band. A limited number of spaces remain for the two jam camps. The adult Jam Camp is generously sponsored by Wagon Wheel Liquors.
At this time, KSUT does not anticipate any specific COVID-19 entry requirements.