We’d like to congratulate and thank the top 10 finalists for making their way to the 50th Telluride Bluegrass Festival to compete in the Troubadour Contests Finals. Once again we were inspired by the nearly 200 entries we received from around the world. These 10 finalists performed in contest rounds on Telluride’s Elks Park stage, in Troubadour-In-The-Round sets at Elks Park throughout the festival, during the festival broadcast, and the winner played Saturday at 6:30pm on the Festival Main Stage.

• Winner: Jackson Emmer (Carbondale, CO)
• Caitlin Cannon (Nashville, TN)
• Lyle de Vitry (Ashville, NC)
• Rob Drabkin (Denver, CO)
• Daphne Gale (New York, NY)
• Amy Keeler (Pugwash Junction, Nova Scotia, CA)
• Gabrielle Louise (Paonia CO)
• Sean Magwire (Oxford, MA)
• Halley Neal (Nashville, TN)
• Eliza Thorp (Petoskey, MI)
• Lalo Hart (Evergreen, CO)

The top (10) songwriters will be selected to attend the Troubadour Contest Finals held live in Telluride, CO during the Telluride Bluegrass Festival

• Top (10) Finalists will receive the following:
  • 4-day pass (w/camping) to the Telluride Bluegrass Festival
  • Live radio interview and performance with KOTO radio in Telluride
  • Performance slot at the Elks Park Workshop Stage in addition to contest performances
• Contest Format
  • Preliminary Round - Elks Park - All 10 Finalists perform (2) original songs, top 5 selected to move to Final Round
  • Final Round - Elks Park - Each contestant to perform (2) Original Songs, winner selected
  • Winner - Saturday Mainstage Performance
• Rules for Live Performances
  • No backup musicians allowed. This is a solo competition.
  • Finalists may not repeat songs from preliminaries in the finals.
  • Recommended time limit: 5 minutes per song. Points will be deducted for significantly exceeding this limit.
  • Acoustic instruments with pickups are permitted as well as EQ devices but no effects.
  • Instruments allowed are those that can be carried out to the mics with the performer. A keyboard will be provided if necessary.

Top (10) Finalists will receive the following:

• 4-day pass (w/camping) to the 50th Annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival
• Live radio interview and performance with KOTO radio in Telluride
• Performance slot at the Elks Park Workshop Stage in addition to contest performances

1st Place:

• Guitar
• Saturday Main Stage Performance
• Saturday Backstage Pass
• Cash

2nd Place: Cash & Prizes
3rd Place: Cash & Prizes
4th Place: Cash & Prizes
5th Place: Cash & Prizes
6th - 10th Place: Cash & Prizes

The Telluride Troubadour Competition has been held in conjunction with the Telluride Bluegrass Festival since 1991.