June 18 - 21

The countdown to the 36th Annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival has officially begun! David Byrne, Emmylou Harris, and Sam Bush will be there; Elvis Costello is bringing an all-star bluegrass band; YMSB and Railroad Earth are ready to kick up some dust; Bela Fleck and Tim O'Brien return with fire and virtuosity.

Line Up
The 2009 artist lineup promises to be another magical four days of only-in-Telluride performances. Beloved Festival veterans and inspiring new talent. The Telluride royalty of virtuosic bluegrass superpickers, soulful songwriters, and some of the biggest stars in the rootsy Americana landscape.

Jerry Douglas celebrates his 25th year consecutive year at Telluride Bluegrass. To help him celebrate, he's invited Elvis Costello for a set of bluegrass-inspired music with an all-star acoustic band, The Sugarcanes. Several of Elvis's frequent collaborators, including Emmylou Harris and Jenny Lewis bring their own bands. One of the defining artists of American popular music, David Byrne, makes his Telluride debut. The musician named the best songwriter of 2008 by Rolling Stone , Conor Oberst, joins us with his Mystic Valley Band.

Long-time friends of the festival return in 2009 for new collaborations. Three Girls & Their Buddy brings together Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin, Shawn Colvin, and Buddy Miller for a set of songs and stories. The new supergroup Works Progress Administration unites Glen Phillips, Sean Watkins, Sara Watkins, Luke Bulla, Greg Leisz, Benmont Tench, Pete Thomas, and Davey Faragher. Australian roots superstar Kasey Chambers returns to Telluride to collaborate with her husband Shane Nicholson.

Yonder Mountain String Band celebrates their 10th year; Railroad Earth returns for the first time since playing one of their first gigs on the Telluride stage in 2001. Punch Brothers featuring Chris Thile follow-up last year's classically-influenced set with an only-in-Telluride traditional bluegrass set titled "Punch Brothers Play & Sing Bluegrass."

Tim O'Brien & Jerry Douglas open the festival on Thursday morning in a rare duet set; the festival closes with another epic set from the Telluride House Band (Sam Bush, Béla Fleck, Jerry Douglas, Edgar Meyer, Bryan Sutton, Luke Bulla). The weekend is sprinkled with inspired sets from Peter Rowan, John Cowan, Sam Bush, Béla Fleck (with special guest, Malian kora master Toumani Diabate), and many others.

We delve deep into progressive acoustic music (Greensky Bluegrass, The Greencards, Crooked Still) and bluegrass (Steeldrivers, Blue Canyon Boys, Lovell Sisters). And take time to celebrate great songs - both celebratory (Zac Brown Band) and often hilarious (Todd Snider). Saturday night we raise our glasses to the celtic sounds of Gaelic Storm; Sunday morning we come together in spirit and joy for a special gospel set from Mike Farris & the Roseland Rhythm Revue.