By JOHN LEHNDORFF (Published in the Aug. 19, 2020 Redstone Review, Lyons CO) It was a perfect summer day for a bluegrass festival by the creek under the cliff. It seemed to me there ought to be picking, grinning and greetings going on by people shoulder to shoulder on blue tarps. I should be enjoying … Continue reading
By John Lehndorff (This feature originally appeared in the 8/8/19 Boulder Weekly) It can be confusing for former Christians — your card-carrying liberal agnostics — when they have to admit that they really miss gospel music. They secretly love singing in the congregation, the power of the choirs, hymns and chants. They feel a little sheepish … Continue reading
By JOHN LEHNDORFF Last weekend’s Folks festival in Lyons CO (bluegrass.com/folks/lineup.html provided dozens of examples of how folk/songwriter-driven music has evolved but it made no attempt to define it. I couldn’t be there for the entire weekend but I was lucky to hear some songs and performances that have stuck with me and my brain since. … Continue reading
By JOHN LEHNDORFF This year’s Folks Festival is Aug. 19–21 in Lyons has sets set for Mavis Staples and a host of singer-songwriters (bluegrass.com/folks). I love talking to songwriters about how they came to write songs. The following is from the printed program from the 23rd Annual Rocky Mountain Folks Festival, August 16-18, 2013, in Lyons, CO. … Continue reading
By JOHN LEHNDORFF (8/12/16) As a writer, this is my favorite musical event of the year. The Folks Festival is a great gathering of like-minded people who really care about lyrics, the beauty of words and the human voice and the power of words to address the human connection, to make us feel something. As … Continue reading
By JOHN LEHNDORFF Pondering the glut of must-go summer gatherings this summer across the state and trying to schedule a calendar and itinerary could require an app, not mention a calculator. From music festivals that include paddleboarding to barbecue competitions and Shakespeare under the stars, there seems to be a destination right for hipsters, families, … Continue reading
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