Rockygrass Band Contest
Rockygrass Band Contest
Rockygrass Band Contest
Bands compete around a single microphone for fame and glory, as well as cash and a spot on next year’s Main Stage lineup!
Congratulations to our newly crowned 2026 band contest winner Ms. W’s Flower Hour!
2026 Band Contest Results
Congratulations to the winners of the 2026 RockyGrass band contest: Ms. W’s Flower Hour from Denver, CO! They’ll be performing a full main stage set at the 55th Annual RockyGrass in 2027.
A huge congratulations to all 3 of the finalists who competed in the finals on Sunday in the Wildflower Pavilion:
- Ms. W’s Flower Hour (Denver, CO)
- The High Road Home (Boulder, CO)
- Bashed Potatoes (Cologne, Germany)
This was such an incredibly difficult decision for our judges. Go see all of these bands live and show your support! They each have such a bright future.
2026 Contest Bands
These bands will perform around a single mic in the Wildflower Pavilion in the 2026 RockyGrass Band Contest (listed in alphabetical order):
- Across The Way (Austin, TX)
- Annie Rye & Wildflour (Santa Cruz, CA)
- Bashed Potatoes (Cologne, Germany)
- Forest Thurman & Breakline (Phoenix, AZ)
- Hickabee (Palmer Lake, CO)
- The High Road Home (Boulder, CO)
- Ms. W’s Flower Hour (Denver, CO)
- Penelope Jane & Friends (Boston, MA)
- Risky Strings (Eagle, CO)
- Scratchin’ Gravel (Bozeman, MT)
- Smoke Signal (Boulder, CO)
Rules & Guidelines
- Please note: Contestants are required to use just a single, omni directional stage microphone for the preliminary and final rounds of the band contest. No monitors are provided. Bass players may plug in if they wish.
- No more than (12) bands will be registered for the band contest.
- The band contest is held inside the festival grounds, so all band members must have tickets for the festival for the days of the contest (Saturday for the preliminary round, Sunday for the finals).
- Bands may consist of 3-6 members. The music should be “Bluegrass,” “Old Time,” “Western Swing,” or “New Acoustic/Newgrass.”
- Recommended time limit: (3) minutes per song. The judges mark you down if a selection significantly exceeds (3) minutes.
- No electric instruments or pickups allowed, with exception of electric bass and steel guitar (or lap steel). Only one mic will be provided for each band.
- Each band plays (3) songs in the preliminaries and (3) songs in the finals. The (3) band selections must be the following types:
- A slow vocal song
- An instrumental song
- A fast vocal song (Tempos are relative)
- Songs played in the preliminary round are not allowed to be repeated in the finals.
- Bands entering the contest may have no common members.
- No drum sets or fixed/mounted percussion allowed. (Musicians should be able to stand and move with their instruments. Washboards, shakers, and tambourines are examples of accepted percussion.)
- Band winners in previous years are not eligible to enter the Band competitions.
- The contestant order will be randomly assigned at the contest site prior to the start of the competition.
- Scores are not cumulative from the prelims to the finals. The finals are a new contest; everyone starts on a fresh and equal footing.
- Prizes are awarded directly after the final round! Stay nearby if you want to reap the rewards you richly deserve.
- Contestants should not talk to the judges or the clerks concerning their scores during or after the contest. The decision of the judges is final. Completed judging forms are not available to the contestants or the public. If you have a formal protest, bring it to the head clerk first. They will forward it to the right person.
Scoring
- 30% Material Selection (taste, difficulty, authenticity/originality…)
- 30% Instrumental Performance (includes ability of soloists and overall instrumental blend)
- 30% Vocal Performance (lead and harmony)
- 10% Stage Presence
Prizes
$750 and a 2027 RockyGrass Main Stage Performance
$500
$300
- Prizes awarded immediately following final rounds
Past Winners
Past winners of the RockyGrass band contest include Steep Canyon Rangers, Chatham County Line, Town Mountain, Blue Canyon Boys, Front Country, The Railsplitters, RapidGrass, The Wooks, Meadow Mountain, Never Come Down, The Wildmans, The Fretliners, Off the Rails, and Slay & Stinson.
Questions?
Please reach out to us at [email protected].