Rocky Grass Photo by Jennifer Schumacher. Photo from www.bluegrass.com/rockygrass/.

This festival is held at Planet Bluegrass Ranch, 500 W. Main, along the banks of the St. Vrain River, and features top-notch bluegrass acts. Doc Watson, Patty Loveless, and Tony Rice, along with dozens of other acts will hit the stage in this three-day festival.

Along with the music, Rocky Grass features workshops in the Wildflower Pavilion, as well as contests. Grownups spend their weekend listening to music and drinking beer, while the kiddos cool off in the river. Rocky Grass is touted as a festival for the entire family and camping is encouraged. For camping information and tickets, visit www.bluegrass.com/rockygrass.

Want to beat the summertime heat? Head to the mountains for the Winter Park Jazz Festival this Saturday and Sunday, July 24-25, 2010. This is the 28^th year for this famed Colorado festival that brings in regional and national recognized jazz acts.

In addition to such as musical acts as Chaka Khan, Hazel Miller, Craig Chaquico, Boney James and more, Winter Park will be filled to the brim with other festivities. There are merchandise and food vendors, beer garden and lots of fun for the whole family. Go to www.playwinterpark.com for all the details and tickets.

Collegiate Peak Music Festival. Photo from Buena Vista Chamber of Commerce Web site (www.buenavistacolorado.org).

Also located in the mountains is the Collegiate Peaks Music Festival (July 23-24, 2010). This is the 5^th annual year for this growing music festival in scenic Buena Vista, Colorado. Headlining this year’s event is the funk band Fort Knox Five from Washington, D.C.

In the shadow of the Collegiate Peaks, at McPhelemy Park, the entire town gets out for this event featuring funk and reggae, dancing, vendors and more. At only $10 for the two-day festival you can afford to bring the kids and the dog. Learn more at www.collegiatepeaksmusicfestival.com or find them on Facebook and get ready to party Buena Vista style.

If country music is more your thing, than don’t fear, Cheyenne Frontier Days starts Friday. Held annually since 1897, this event claims to be one of the largest festivals of its kind in the world. Featuring a world-class rodeo and outstanding country music artists, if you have a hankering to dust off your cowboy hat, Cheyenne Frontier Days starts Friday (July 23) and last until August 1, 2010.

This year’s musical acts features country music legends Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn and so many more. Although country is king at Frontier Days, this year’s event is being kicked off with an opening day appearance by the legendary rock-n-roll band KISS. For more information about Cheyenne Frontier Days visit www.cfdrodeo.com.

*Article also appearing in the Berthoud Weekly Surveyor.

Stoll Vaughan at Mandolin Cafe in Loveland, Colorado on February 11, 2010. Photo by H.M. Kerr-Schlaefer

I recently discovered Mandolin Cafe at 210 East 4th Street in Loveland, Colorado.  This relatively new addition to downtown, is a funky coffee shop with a musical soul.

Last Thursday evening, Stoll Vaughan, a singer/songwriter and stellar guitarist played a free show at Mandolin Cafe. Vaughan had approached owner Alex Zoll about playing at the coffee shop after Vaughan opened for The Elders at The Rialto Theater in Loveland, back in January.

Vaughan, equipped with a mic, speaker, harmonica and a couple guitars, played songs off his “Love Like a Mule” and “The Weatherman” CDs, as well as a few other tunes.  He also spent time chatting with the audience.

Mandolin Cafe is a great venue for true music lovers because it’s an intimate setting - the audience really feels the music and the musician is able to interact with the audience.

The cafe also has a wide variety of coffee, smoothies and shakes, as well as breakfast items, sandwiches, salads and even a kids menu. Our table ordered the Chicken Pesto Panini ($5.99) and Italian Panini ($5.99). Both were delicious.

We will definitely be back to Mandolin Cafe – for the music and the food.

See Mandolin Cafe’s entire musical line up at www.mandolincafeloveland.com or find them on Facebook.

Listen to Stoll Vaughan at www.StollVaughan.com.

Follow me on Twitter @HeidiTown.com

Troubadour Music Center & Instrument Repair, 521 2nd Street, Corvallis, Oregon. Photo from www.troubadourmusiccenter.com.

So far, 2010 has proven to be a good year for music.  The Mayor is currently in Corvallis, Oregon, and last night I attended a music event at Troubadour Music Center in downtown. Three Pickin’ Chicks took the stage – Mary Flower, Cyd Smith and Jamie Stillway - three of the most amazing guitarists on the West Coast.  The ladies play a mix of acoustic blues, jazz, and original material.

This was only the Three Pickin’ Chicks fourth show together. Each is an accomplished artists in her own right, but together I think they’ve undercovered a magical musical connection. 

“Acoustic Guitar” wrote of Flower, “With her immaculate guitar playing and warm contralto, Mary Flower finds the sweet spot between modern and rootsy in 12 tunes bred of back porches, parlors, street corners, juke joints, and country churches…” Flower has roots in Denver, Colorado, where she spent thirty years raising a family and making music. She now lives in Portland, Oregon. Find out more at www.maryflower.com.

Cyd Smith (Cindy Smith) was a well-known musician during Corvallis, Oregon’s seventies folk music scene, where she played with Highwater String Band. She now lives in Southern Oregon, but continues to contribute to Oregon’s musical soul. Visit her at www.myspace.com/cydsmith.

Jamie Stillway’s classically influenced style literally moved me to tears. The Minnesota native lived in Denver where she worked a Swallow Hill before moving to Portland, Oregon. The young guitarist has been compared to Bill Frisell and Leo Kotke, but she has discovered her own Stillway style. Her Web site is www.jamiestillway.com.