Like many, I found my way to early country music through rock n' roll music of the 60s. Bands like The Stones, the Dead, The Byrds, The Lovin' Spoonful and many of the classic garage bands like The 13th Floor Elevators, The Seeds, and Sam the Sham served as a guide, inspiring me to dig deeper into the recordings of America’s past. It was clear to me that if these guys were finding inspiration from early blues and country music, there must be something there that I needed to discover.

Picture it: The most beautiful outdoor festival grounds at Planet Bluegrass in stunning Lyons, Colorado. Three days full of world-class musicians from around the globe. 5,000 of your new best friends. For music lovers, this is a dream come true.

The epic music extravaganza this past weekend was beyond stellar. I loved all the music, and the following were my favorites:

Arise Music Festival’s eighth year was nothing short of passionate, creative and completely unified. There was no service on Sunrise Ranch, but a way deeper connection was found throughout attendees.

The fields began filling early Friday morning with a line of anticipated festival goers waiting to Arise to their fullest potential not only as music fans, but to thrive as a collective throughout the grounds.

Due to the severe flooding that occurred in Schuyler County over the past week, the local water treatment plant that services water to the Village of Watkins Glen, including the Curveball site has been contaminated and the water supply is not safe for human consumption. The New York State Department of Health has issued a statement here.

Sadly, Curveball has been cancelled.