Sam Bush, Del McCoury & more at bluegrass festival
Music sounds better in the mountains—but don’t take our word for it! Find out at the 11th annual Big Sky Big Grass music festival, set for Thursday, February 9th through Sunday, February 12th at Big Sky Resort’s Mountain Village.
The 2017 music lineup includes headline acts such as Grammy Award-winner Sam Bush and the Del McCoury Band, along with Drew Emmitt Band, Jeff Austin Band, The Travelin’ McCourys, Billy Strings, Darol Anger and the Furies, Sierra Hull, Two Bit Franks, Gallatin Grass Project, and Tyler Grant. Tickets are on sale now at www.bigskyresort.com/BigGrass/.
The four-day festival will include a mix of small-stage and large-venue shows at the Montana Jack, Chet’s Lounge, the Carabiner, and the Missouri Ballroom, with most of the shows on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Spend the day on the slopes making first tracks before spending the evening tracking up the dance floor. It’s a perfect mix of all the best things Montana has to offer. Mandolin-extraordinaire Bush is often credited as the father of “Newgrass,” a bluegrass style that uses electronic versions of common bluegrass instruments. In June of this year, Bush released his most recent album, Storyman, his first solo studio project since 2009. Critics say Bush’s new album “gives fans a reason to get excited.” Billy Strings brings two genres together often thought impossible: punk and bluegrass. Take his popular song, “Dust in a Baggie,” a cleverly written mountain song about a destructive substance that he translates into bluegrass vernacular. Revered as one of the most energetic and innovative mandolin players on the jamband/newgrass scene today, Drew Emmitt’s talents don’t end with the instruments that he picks. His storytelling and versatile vocal abilities are incomparable. Sierra Hull has been recognized from age 11 as a virtuoso mandolin player, astonishing audiences and fellow musicians alike.
Now a seasoned touring musician nearing her mid-20s, Hull has delivered her most inspired, accomplished, and mature record of work to date. The Travelin’ McCourys can’t stand still. They are on the road—and online—entertaining audiences with live shows that include some of the best musicians and singers from all genres. The Colorado-based Jeff Austin Band have played the stages of the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco and Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado. But with the launch of his solo career in 2014, Austin is now building on the foundation of previous ventures while honing his own sound. If banjo-toe tapping and swing dancing is your idea of a good time, then kick up your heels at Big Sky Big Grass! Purchase a Live Big package and receive the biggest discounts on lodging and tickets. Stay three nights in the Huntley Lodge and receive two 3-day ballroom passes for two adults, two free t-shirts, and a free Big Grass poster.
Availability is limited, so call for pricing and complete details at (800) 548-4486. For tickets, a detailed schedule, and more information, please visit bigskyresort.com/BigGrass/ now. See you on the mountain! •
