Larry Keel

The WinterWonderGrass Festival had its first ever foray to the east in mid-December. It was a warm welcome to the beautiful Vermont Green Mountains at the Stratton Ski Resort. There’s a saying in New England, and it especially applies to Vermont this time of year. If you don’t like the weather, wait an hour. This adage proved true over all three days of the WinterWonderGrass Vermont festival. Opening day Friday started out mild, mid-40s a bit grey. Everything looked perfect for a fine festival kick-off.

There was a stir of anticipation throughout the festival grounds in South Fork CO as Day Two of Rhythms on the Rio opened. Headliners always get festival-goers hyped, and today we were seeing some of the best of the best.

The big news over the weekend at the 15th installment of Floydfest was the unfortunate hospitalization and subsequent cancellation of headliner Gregg Allman’s Saturday night set.  But in true Floydfest fashion, the excellent talent evaluators of this year’s five-day festival, dubbed “Dreamweavin’,” had just the type of jam-band superheroes onsite to put together a dream replacement set.

But see that you get on. That’s your job in this hard world, to keep your love alive and see that you get on, no matter what. Pull your act together and just go on.” –Stephen King, The Shining

Recently, Dylan Muhlberg of Grateful Web chatted with virtuosic flatpicker, singer/songwriter and bandleader Larry Keel. Two years after the heralded revival of The Larry Keel Experience, Keel and some esteemed collaborators are at it again with his new release Experienced. In a humbling conversation, Dylan and Larry dug deep into Larry’s musical past including his roots as a champion Telluride Bluegrass Award Winning Picker with his foundational band Magraw Gap, and of course all the beautiful music since.  

Flatpicking guitar phenom Larry Keel dazzles music-lovers once more with his 15th self-released album Experienced, out today, February 26, 2016. Del McCoury says, “Larry Keel is a triple threat... songwriter, guitar player, entertainer.

Flatpicking guitar phenom Larry Keel is set to release a his 15th album, Experienced, on February 26, 2016.

In the wake of an awful set of circumstances, faced with the possibility of a non-existent fall music extravaganza, the fabulous folk of Deadhead Productions have again stepped up to the plate with their announcement of Hillberry 2: The Harvest Moon Festival.  Earlier this year we told you all about the 1st Hillberry Music Festival that occurred this August on the Farm outside Eureka Springs, Arkansas… well party people, get ready to do it all over again!

Of all the events that I have covered and shows that I have attended, none sparks or enlightens the soul more than ARISE. Creators and producers Tierro Lee and Paul Bassis have worked extremely hard to craft a festival that has something for everyone. This festival just feels good, like the energy in Maui. The music lineup is extremely diverse, the activities are plentiful, and the vibe is second to none.

ARISE is excited to share this special roster of noteworthy musicians as part of the line-up of Larry Keel's All-Star Tribute to Jerry GarciaDave Watts (The Motet), Chris "C-Bob" Elliot (Springcreek) Joe Lessard (Head for the Hills), Paul Murin (DeadPhish Orchestra) Ted Tilton (DeadPhish Orchestra) & one mor