Denison’s Bluegrass Festival features several renowned performers as well as workshops and rehearsal experiences to showcase the very best of bluegrass.
About the Bluegrass Festival
Each February, members of the American Roots Music ensemble perform with top bluegrass artists, both national and local, during the Denison Bluegrass Festival, one of the university’s best-loved musical traditions. In between two evenings of exhilarating concerts, students, local musicians and guest artists gather to create pop-up bands for rehearsals, jamming and performing during a day of bandmixer style workshops.
Here are just a few notable performers from past years:
- Larry Sparks — Legendary Ohio-born bluegrass singer, guitarist, and IBMA Hall of Famer
- Sam Bush — “Father of Newgrass,” Grammy-winning mandolinist and co-founder of New Grass Revival
- Béla Fleck — Genre-defying banjo virtuoso with more Grammy nominations than any artist in history
- David Grier — Three-time IBMA Guitar Player of the Year and master flatpicker
- Tim O’Brien — Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist; IBMA Hall of Famer
- The Price Sisters — Ohio twin sisters known for their tight harmonies and traditional bluegrass sound
