The Lil' Smokies are like the little engine that could.  They keep chugging along creating a new landscape for themselves at each bend in the road. After critical acclaim including winning both the Northwest String Summit and Telluride’s band contests, they also received the International Bluegrass Music Association's Momentum Band of the Year in 2016.  Andy Dunnigan, songwriter, vocals, and dobro player for the Lil Smokies took some time out to talk to Grateful Web.

One of the most important live recordings of the last fifty years, “Friday Night In San Francisco” (1982) brought together three prodigious guitarists of different legacies to one stage. John McLaughlin, one of the three guitarists, recognized the tour with progressive flamenco master Paco De Lucia and fusion marvel Al Di Meola as an essential collective performance. San Francisco’s Warfield Theatre had many legendary musical performances prior, but after that Friday night of acoustical transcendence on December 5th, 1980, McLaughlin further mystified the storied venue.

It’s one thing to create an understanding of an artist by visiting Spotify, and another entirely to hear them play. Trout Steak Revival is the perfect example. I didn’t have the highest hopes for Trout Steak Revival after visiting Spotify. But by the end of the first song, I could confidently say I am enamored by them. Mixing and mastering all of their talent into an audio file is a job I’d avoid at all costs. Something so authentic as an acoustic show never reflects the true richness that comes from having so much raw talent and mastery on one stage.

The KAABOO music festival opened Friday, September 14th with an estimated 40,000 fans selling out the event for the first time in its 4-year history. The event, which takes place at the upscale Del Mar Racetrack just north of San Diego, took advantage of the last beautifully sunny weekend of summer. The festival grounds back up to the edge of the Pacific Ocean and surfers were actually visible, catching waves on nearby Del Mar beach.

Today,

Spafford are among the most dynamic and sophisticated young jammers. They stretch the boundaries of improvisation. Spafford will bring a massive crowd of “Spaffnerds” along for the ride in Boulder, and likely make some new ones before the night is over.

Today, noted bluegrass group Town Mountain unveils “Down Low” featuring Tyler Childers, the third single from their forthcoming record. Late last year, banjo player Jesse Langlais and Childers teamed up to write what would become the closing cut for their forthcoming record, New Freedom Blues . "To me 'Down Low' has a Waylon vibe, which is a damn good vibe to have," Langlais says.

Colter Wall’s new song “Thinkin’ On A Woman” is premiering today. Listen/share HERE. The song comes from Wall’s highly anticipated new album, Songs of the Plains, which will be released October 12 on Young Mary’s Record Co. via Thirty Tigers and is now available for pre-order.

Funk powerhouse Orgone is getting ready to release a new album, 'Reasons,' and touring in support of the it. One stop for this California band will be on the hill in Boulder, CO at the Fox Theater, and Grateful Web is going to be on hand to help celebrate.

As a committed Cycles fan, it felt like a long wait to see them headline the Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom, especially because they have played quite a few large shows/venues in the past. For those of you who don’t know Cycles, they are a three-piece jam band that incorporates rock, jazz, hip-hop, soul, funk, and more. They have three albums available to listen to on Spotify; each one is amazing in its own way.