I'll be doing a livestream concert tonight right here on my channel featuring original music from my Patreon project the Songsmith Series.
Each week I write and post a new original song on my Patreon and tonight I'll be playing some of my favorites from that project. I'll also talk about my creative process and tell stories about each song and where it came from.
There were signs of winter all around here in January, but not much of what we could really call a standard “winter.” To complicate things, I traveled quite a bit this month and had the good fortune to spend much of that time in warmer weather—which definitely didn’t hurt my feelings.
I had a great short run of shows in Texas in January. My friend and talented Instagrammer Traveler Tattooed joined me for the trip. He hosts a travel podcast and has some new projects in the works, so it was fun to have him along for the ride. I played at Kojack’s in Houston for the Houston Songwriter’s Association, and the next day we visited the National Museum of Funeral History and ate barbecue (a very Texas pairing). I also joined my buddy Hudson Mueller at Location Six Brewing in Waller, Texas. From there we made our way to Austin after stopping at the Menil Collection back in Houston. I played a show at Arhaven House Concerts, and then we headed home. It was a really nice weekend run, and it’s always good to be in Texas playing songs for people, especially when it means escaping the cold.
I also attended Folk Alliance International in New Orleans. As a board member of the Southwest Regional Folk Alliance, I spent a lot of time helping with our events, networking, gathering information for future plans, and catching up with friends. It was my first time in New Orleans, and even though I didn’t get to explore as much of the city as I would have liked, what I did see exceeded my expectations. I played two showcases, but just as meaningful was reconnecting with people and sharing ideas with folks who are out on the road making this music business thing work.
I had the opportunity to present a lecture at the Colorado Music Educators Conference in Colorado Springs on starting bluegrass ensembles in the classroom. The talk was geared toward music teachers, and it was encouraging to see a small but growing movement across the state to bring a wider range of musical styles into schools. Many programs are now offering rock band classes, ORFF instrument classes, and other non-traditional ensembles.
As a bluegrass music educator, I think bluegrass ensembles have a lot to offer. They work especially well in small schools, have flexible instrumentation, feature approachable music, and help students develop musical habits that translate across every genre. If you’re a music educator, or know someone who is, feel free to reach out. I have resources that can help get these programs started.
And finally… I released a new song!
It’s always a big deal when a recording actually makes it out into the world, whether it’s a single or a full album. It takes a lot of organization, patience, and follow-through, but it’s incredibly fulfilling to finally hear the music out there on its own.
The new song is called “The Dry & Dusty West,” and it’s streaming everywhere now. It tells the story of a young man who heads west seeking adventure and joins a cattle drive—but after accidentally causing a deadly stampede, he begins to realize that maybe the West isn’t for him after all. I’ve been performing this song with the Colorado Symphony as part of their youth concert programs, and this recorded version features a full bluegrass band with Mollie O’Brien singing harmony. You can listen wherever you stream music, or purchase it directly at martingilmore.bandcamp.com.
February is a little less busy travel-wise, but I still have some good things coming up.
From February 13–15, I’ll be at the Midwinter Bluegrass Festival with my new bluegrass band, The Otherners. This group features some of my favorite people in bluegrass music: Jordan Ramsey on mandolin, Justin Hoffenberg on fiddle, Dave Richey on dobro, Chris Elliott on banjo, Eric Thorin on bass, and me on guitar. I love hanging out with these guys and playing bluegrass with them, and Midwinter is one of my favorite festivals anywhere. If you enjoy bluegrass, or if you’re curious about the genre, come join us over Presidents’ Day weekend for a great community festival.
On February 20, I’ll be in Paonia at the Paradise Theatre for their Troubadour Takeover songwriter series. The night will feature three songwriters: myself, Antonio Lopez, and Mike Finders. If you’ll be on the Western Slope, we’d love to see you there. These guys are some of the best songwriters I know, and I’m always happy to have an excuse to spend time in beautiful Paonia.
On March 1, I’ll be doing an online concert of songs from my Songsmith Series on my YouTube channel at 7:00 pm Denver time. This will be a one-hour concert of new original music. If you’re wondering what the Songsmith Series is, it’s an ongoing project on my Patreon page where I write, record, and post a new song every week. Many of these songs have made their way into my live shows, and others are finding homes in future projects. The series is accessible at the lowest Patreon level ($5 per month) if you’d like to check it out.
If you haven’t subscribed to my YouTube channel yet, there’s a lot of good stuff over there. I regularly post songs, live performances, and guitar lessons. One of my recent lessons on basic bluegrass rhythm guitar, just passed 100,000 views, which was very exciting. I’ve got several more lessons in the works, so take a look if that’s your kind of thing.
I hope 2026 is off to a good start for all of you, and I’m wishing you well this month. Martin
2026 used to seem like the distant future, but here we are. It’s hard to believe, but amazing to experience. I am always so grateful to be doing what I am doing and looking forward to seeing everyone in the new year!
I usually start these letters with a recap of the previous month, but I feel like I should also recount some of my biggest happenings of the year as well!
2025 was a fantastic year for me. I wrote over thirty songs for my Songsmith Series project on Patreon. One of those songs went on to be orchestrated and performed with the Colorado Symphony for their Youth Concert Series (more of those performances coming in February). I was one of the winners at the Kerrville New Folk Competition, and made several new friends through that experience. I enjoyed tours with Jackson Emmer, the New Folk Winners, and as a solo artist. I released a new album (“Thea is a Light Blue”) and a new single (“The Dry & Dusty West” out now on Bandcamp). I taught a host of new and wonderful students, performed at the Rocky Mountain Folk Festival, the Livingston Songwriting Festival, the Beef Beans & Bluegrass Festival, and so much more. I was so busy all year, and so grateful to be that way. Thank you for all your support and for opening your ears to my music throughout the year! It has been a wonderful one.
December was a perfect capper to all of that. I played a nice show with my trio and with my friend John Depew and his Trio at Swallow Hill. It was a fun night, the John Depew Trio was so amazing. I debuted a new song (which is probably going to happen a lot more in 2026) and enjoyed spending time with my musical friends and my Swallow Hill crew. I also went to Nashville to do some co-writing, and I filmed a songwriting interview at the International Bluegrass Music Association headquarters, which was a lot of fun. I also got to play Melody Walker’s Writer’s Kitchen night at the Inglewood Lounge which was a real treat. It was great to catch up with my friends and spend a little time in music city.
On December 20th, I was back at the Dairy Arts Center in Boulder for their songwriter series for the longest night of the year. I did that last year, and it was so much fun to be at that wonderful venue. They have so much cool stuff going on at the Dairy, that it makes me wish I lived closer so I could spend all my time there! The rest of the month was mostly made up of holiday preparations and trying to get some rest before it all starts up again in 2026. I said it before, but I want to reiterate, I am very grateful to get to live this musical life and I always look forward to seeing new and familiar faces at every show. Thanks to you for making 2025 so great!
January gets off to a running start!
I’m heading to Texas from January 8-12 on a short tour to make up for some shows I had to move to make space for the New Folk Tour in November.
January 8th, I will be at Kojacks in Houston at 7pm playing a solo singer-songwriter show. I have played there before with Jackson Emmer and it’s a fun spot with a great audience community.
January 9th I’ll be up the road at Location Six Brewing with my pal Hudson Mueller at 7pm. Hudson is a great songwriter, a super great guy, and I always love jamming with him. He has a great bluesy style with so many great songs.
January 11th I will be in the Austin area playing a show at Arhaven House Concerts. This is an all acoustic show with no PA, which is my kind of scene! I love the feel and intimacy of an all acoustic show and I’m especially excited to be there in January (though it hasn’t been very cold in Colorado).
That’s my quick spin to Texas, come and see me if you can, I would love to say howdy!
I will be at the Folk Alliance International Conference in New Orleans from January 22-25. I will be playing a couple of showcases and helping to run the SWRFA room. If you will be there, come say howdy in the SWRFA room on Jan. 23 at 11:50pm and in the Kerrville Folk Festival Room on Jan. 24 at 11:30pm. Otherwise I’ll be hanging out chatting with folks about the music business!
The next week I will be at the Colorado Music Educators Conference in Colorado Springs presenting on how to start a folk and bluegrass ensemble in a school, and how to incorporate bluegrass music into the music classroom more broadly. If you have experience with an ensemble like this, please send me some anecdotes! I have a lot of experience with leading these classes at a college level, but I’m always trying to collect news and ideas for middle and high schoolers!
My Intermediate Bluegrass Ensemble Class at Swallow Hill will start again on January 7th at 8pm. There are always quite a few people signed up, but it’s a great place to come and learn some ensemble skills, develop a repertoire, try a new instrument, meet other players, etc. It’s a very low pressure place to come and make music with others. I would highly recommend it if you’re looking for a musical outlet.
For a more immersive experience, my Swallow Hill Bluegrass Band class starts up that same night! This is a sixteen week course, where we work on a full set of music and play an actual show! It requires an audition, because we limit it to one person per instrument. These classes are a lot of work, but also a great chance to develop some serious ensemble skills and find some musicians who are interested in doing the work of playing in a band. Feel free to contact me with questions. Auditions are open now, and we always need banjos and basses (hint, hint)!!!
Just as a little heads up for folks who might be interested, my Progressions: Songwriting and Progressions: Bluegrass Guitar classes start up in February. These are 16-week in-depth hybrid classes that meet one day each week online and another day each week in-person. Space is limited in each of them, and they are a big commitment, but they have been some of my most fulfilling teaching experiences and I am always blown away by the students’ progress throughout the course. If you’re interested in more information about those classes, reach out here, or you are welcome to attend our online Q&A session on January 13th at 7pm.
In other news, I have a new single called “The Dry & Dusty West” which is the song I have been playing with the Colorado Symphony for their Youth Concert Series. It is available now on my Bandcamp page, but will be streaming everywhere on January 9th, so please make sure to check that out, and download it from bandcamp if you like it and feel like supporting an independent musician!
My YouTube Channel is going gangbusters, and there’s a lot more music and lesson videos coming in 2026! If you haven’t subscribed, it’s a great place to learn some of my tricks and songs!
Finally, I’m doing a lot of songwriting focused stuff on my Patreon. Subscribers at the lowest tier ($5/month) get access to a weekly original song as part of my Songsmith Series, as well as bonus stuff. Subscribers at the second tire ($10/month) get the lyrics and chords to those songs and other unique bonuses as well as all the stuff from the lower tiers. And subscribers at the highest tier ($25/month) get postcards and souvenirs from the road, and I’ll be starting a travel blog in 2026 for those folks. There’s also a good chance that there will be some podcast episodes with travel tips from musicians, but those will only be available on Patreon, so sign up now and follow me there! It’s a great place to support artists and creators directly, think of it as buying someone a cup of coffee each month to show that you support what they are doing and want to see them continue. Even if it’s not me, come on over and check it out. Maybe you’ll find a new way to engage with your favorite artists!
Here’s wishing you the happiest of new years, and may 2026 be full of light and music.
There are still a few colorful leaves on the trees here in Denver but it’s probably time to get my rake out and make some leaf piles so I can mulch my garden for next year.
October brought a bit of a respite from my travel schedule, but I was still busy. My classes at Swallow Hill are running well. I have a great group of students in the Swallow Hill Bluegrass Band class and they are working on a fun repertoire of songs. My songwriting class is turning out great new songs every week, and my bluegrass guitar class is hammering away at the extensive repertoire I give to them. It’s a great reward to see people learn and make music together. I look forward to every class, and it’s especially great when they are making such great music.
I started my artist “residency” with the Colorado Symphony in October. I am a featured artist for the symphony’s Youth Concert series. The theme of the youth concert this year is “Colorful Colorado” to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Colorado becoming a state. The concert focuses on the landscape and history of Colorado and they chose a song I wrote for my Songsmith Series on Patreon titled “The Dry and Dusty West” to be orchestrated and performed with the symphony for these concerts. I put together a bluegrass band featuring Ian Haegele on bass, Nick Amodeo on mandolin, Chris Elliott on banjo, and Neva Wilder on fiddle to play the song. We stand at the front of the stage with one of the country’s best symphony orchestras behind us and perform for area school children. It's a really amazing opportunity, and what an experience. The shows aren’t specifically open to the public, but there are some opportunities to attend if you are interested. You can visit the webpage for the youth concerts, or contact me and I might be able to help you out.
Oh…In celebration of these concerts, I’m going to be releasing a full band recording of “The Dry and Dusty West” soon, so stay tuned for that, and if you haven’t already, subscribe to my Patreon to hear new original songs each week. You never know where they will end up, and you could be the first to hear it!
I was also grateful and excited to be part of the Livingston Songwriter’s Festival in Livingston, Montana at the beginning of the month. What an amazing group of performers and what a beautiful town. I made so many great new friends and became a fan of so many new artists. It’s always so much fun to make connections with people as a musician. If you like beautiful landscapes, charming small towns, and great music, you should look into attending the Livingston Songwriter’s Festival next year, or its companion festival in Red Lodge, Montana.
I’m back on the road in November!
I will be in Garden City, Kansas on November 6th playing at the High Plains Public Radio station at 7:00pm or so. It will be great to be back there and to see everyone.
On November 7th, I will be in Amarillo Texas at the Chalice Abbey at 7pm. I have family roots in Amarillo and I always love getting back to that Route 66 town.
Because I was one of the winners of the Kerrville New Folk Songwriter’s Competition, I get to go on the curated New Folk Tour in Texas this month with the other winners.
It starts in Dripping Springs, Texas on November 8th at the Sycamore Creek House Concert.
The next day, November 9th, we will be in New Braunfels, Texas at the New Braunfels House Concert Series.
November 11th I will be back in Denver to play with the Colorado Symphony and then will turn around and head back to Texas to play the rest of the tour.
November 12th I will be in Austin, Texas at the 04 Center with the New Folk Tour.
November 14th, I will be with the New Folk Tour in Kerrville, Texas at the Pint and Plow
November 15th, I will be at the Old Folk New Folk Festival in Fischer, Texas with the Kerrville Winners.
November 16th, the final show of the New Folk Tour will be in San Antonio at the Bowman Backyard Concert Series.
I’m really looking forward to hanging out with these super talented songwriters and hanging out with the good people of Texas!
I’m back in Colorado playing the bluegrass music with my pals in The Otherners at the Gold Hill Inn on November 22nd at 8pm. That band features myself, Justin Hoffenberg, Eric Thorin, Jordan Ramsey, Dave Richey, and Chris “Cbob” Elliott. I love playing music with these guys and feel super honored to be part of this group.
November 22nd I will be playing a fundraiser concert for the American Legion in Estes Park, Colorado at 7pm.
What a busy month of travel and playing! I’m very much looking forward to seeing everyone!
Another thing I would like to put on your radar is that I will be playing a concert at Swallow Hill on December 5th, 2025 with my trio. We will be sharing the bill with my good friend John Depew and his amazing trio. He’s on of my favorite up and coming musical artists and is the real-honest-to-goodness deal when it comes to acoustic music. His trio is phenomenal and I’m very excited for this co-bill. Please don’t wit to get your tickets, and spread the word. You won’t want to miss it!
I also want to remind you all that I have a new tier of contributors on my Patreon page. The perks include postcards and stickers from the road, travel blogs and behind the scenes stuff from the tour! If you want to keep up with the Texas tour, there will be lots of special things there for you all. Not only that, but you will also get access to the weekly original songs from my Songsmith Series and much more. Patreon is a great way to support independent artists and keep us going as streaming services diminish earnings from selling music. Plus it’s a great community of fans! Come on over and check it out! New stuff coming soon for the month of November!
It’s getting cold out there. Don’t forget your coat!
In just 15 minutes or so I will be playing a livestream concert here on my YouTube Channel featuring original songs from my first record and from my bluegrass band Long Road Home!
YouTube has finally allowed collaboration posts with other channels and I wanted to take a moment to highlight this interview that I did with Andy Sydow for his podcast "Middle Class Rockstar".
Martin Gilmore
Howdy Friends!
My new single "Last Ride of an Old Cowhand" is out today!
It's streaming everywhere, but check it out on YouTube Music at:
music.youtube.com/playlist?li...
You can also watch the lyric video on my Youtube Channel!
Thanks for listening!
Oh yeah! Check out this fantastic artwork from my friend Neva Wilder!
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Martin Gilmore
Howdy friends!
I'll be doing a livestream concert tonight right here on my channel featuring original music from my Patreon project the Songsmith Series.
Each week I write and post a new original song on my Patreon and tonight I'll be playing some of my favorites from that project. I'll also talk about my creative process and tell stories about each song and where it came from.
Come hang with me!
youtube.com/live/idi_XvAibHo
1 month ago | [YT] | 0
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Martin Gilmore
Martin Gilmore Music - February 2026
Happy February friends!
There were signs of winter all around here in January, but not much of what we could really call a standard “winter.” To complicate things, I traveled quite a bit this month and had the good fortune to spend much of that time in warmer weather—which definitely didn’t hurt my feelings.
I had a great short run of shows in Texas in January. My friend and talented Instagrammer Traveler Tattooed joined me for the trip. He hosts a travel podcast and has some new projects in the works, so it was fun to have him along for the ride. I played at Kojack’s in Houston for the Houston Songwriter’s Association, and the next day we visited the National Museum of Funeral History and ate barbecue (a very Texas pairing). I also joined my buddy Hudson Mueller at Location Six Brewing in Waller, Texas. From there we made our way to Austin after stopping at the Menil Collection back in Houston. I played a show at Arhaven House Concerts, and then we headed home. It was a really nice weekend run, and it’s always good to be in Texas playing songs for people, especially when it means escaping the cold.
I also attended Folk Alliance International in New Orleans. As a board member of the Southwest Regional Folk Alliance, I spent a lot of time helping with our events, networking, gathering information for future plans, and catching up with friends. It was my first time in New Orleans, and even though I didn’t get to explore as much of the city as I would have liked, what I did see exceeded my expectations. I played two showcases, but just as meaningful was reconnecting with people and sharing ideas with folks who are out on the road making this music business thing work.
I had the opportunity to present a lecture at the Colorado Music Educators Conference in Colorado Springs on starting bluegrass ensembles in the classroom. The talk was geared toward music teachers, and it was encouraging to see a small but growing movement across the state to bring a wider range of musical styles into schools. Many programs are now offering rock band classes, ORFF instrument classes, and other non-traditional ensembles.
As a bluegrass music educator, I think bluegrass ensembles have a lot to offer. They work especially well in small schools, have flexible instrumentation, feature approachable music, and help students develop musical habits that translate across every genre. If you’re a music educator, or know someone who is, feel free to reach out. I have resources that can help get these programs started.
And finally… I released a new song!
It’s always a big deal when a recording actually makes it out into the world, whether it’s a single or a full album. It takes a lot of organization, patience, and follow-through, but it’s incredibly fulfilling to finally hear the music out there on its own.
The new song is called “The Dry & Dusty West,” and it’s streaming everywhere now. It tells the story of a young man who heads west seeking adventure and joins a cattle drive—but after accidentally causing a deadly stampede, he begins to realize that maybe the West isn’t for him after all. I’ve been performing this song with the Colorado Symphony as part of their youth concert programs, and this recorded version features a full bluegrass band with Mollie O’Brien singing harmony.
You can listen wherever you stream music, or purchase it directly at martingilmore.bandcamp.com.
February is a little less busy travel-wise, but I still have some good things coming up.
From February 13–15, I’ll be at the Midwinter Bluegrass Festival with my new bluegrass band, The Otherners. This group features some of my favorite people in bluegrass music: Jordan Ramsey on mandolin, Justin Hoffenberg on fiddle, Dave Richey on dobro, Chris Elliott on banjo, Eric Thorin on bass, and me on guitar. I love hanging out with these guys and playing bluegrass with them, and Midwinter is one of my favorite festivals anywhere. If you enjoy bluegrass, or if you’re curious about the genre, come join us over Presidents’ Day weekend for a great community festival.
On February 20, I’ll be in Paonia at the Paradise Theatre for their Troubadour Takeover songwriter series. The night will feature three songwriters: myself, Antonio Lopez, and Mike Finders. If you’ll be on the Western Slope, we’d love to see you there. These guys are some of the best songwriters I know, and I’m always happy to have an excuse to spend time in beautiful Paonia.
On March 1, I’ll be doing an online concert of songs from my Songsmith Series on my YouTube channel at 7:00 pm Denver time. This will be a one-hour concert of new original music. If you’re wondering what the Songsmith Series is, it’s an ongoing project on my Patreon page where I write, record, and post a new song every week. Many of these songs have made their way into my live shows, and others are finding homes in future projects. The series is accessible at the lowest Patreon level ($5 per month) if you’d like to check it out.
If you haven’t subscribed to my YouTube channel yet, there’s a lot of good stuff over there. I regularly post songs, live performances, and guitar lessons. One of my recent lessons on basic bluegrass rhythm guitar, just passed 100,000 views, which was very exciting. I’ve got several more lessons in the works, so take a look if that’s your kind of thing.
I hope 2026 is off to a good start for all of you, and I’m wishing you well this month.
Martin
1 month ago | [YT] | 3
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Martin Gilmore
Howdy everyone,
I have many new videos coming soon, but the holiday, a tour to Texas and now being sick keep getting in the way.
Stay tuned though! Many new lessons in the works!
Thanks for watching!
Martin
3 months ago | [YT] | 2
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Martin Gilmore
Howdy Y'all!
My new song "The Dry & Dusty West" is streaming everywhere now! Go and check it out!
It’s a story of a young man who rides west chasing adventure, only to turn back after a single careless moment leads to loss he can’t undo.
Sometimes the journey doesn’t take you farther...it sends you home.
Bandcamp - martingilmore.bandcamp.com/track/the-dry-dusty-wes…
YouTube Music - https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=B7K...
Spotify - open.spotify.com/album/53pFyVvZG823UOmQp847vr
Itunes - music.apple.com/us/album/the-dry-dusty-west-single…
3 months ago | [YT] | 4
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Martin Gilmore
I have a new single available on all streaming platforms today!
Go listen to "The Dry & Dusty West" anywhere you get your music, or watch my lyric video or solo performance here on YouTube!
Download it at martingilmore.bandcamp.com
Links below!
Lyric Video - https://youtu.be/kNphrdAp_mY
Solo Performance - https://youtu.be/paMcDngGc4Q
Purchase & Download - martingilmore.bandcamp.com/track/the-dry-dusty-wes…
3 months ago | [YT] | 0
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Martin Gilmore
Martin Gilmore Music - January 2026
Happy New Year!!!
2026 used to seem like the distant future, but here we are. It’s hard to believe, but amazing to experience. I am always so grateful to be doing what I am doing and looking forward to seeing everyone in the new year!
I usually start these letters with a recap of the previous month, but I feel like I should also recount some of my biggest happenings of the year as well!
2025 was a fantastic year for me. I wrote over thirty songs for my Songsmith Series project on Patreon. One of those songs went on to be orchestrated and performed with the Colorado Symphony for their Youth Concert Series (more of those performances coming in February). I was one of the winners at the Kerrville New Folk Competition, and made several new friends through that experience. I enjoyed tours with Jackson Emmer, the New Folk Winners, and as a solo artist. I released a new album (“Thea is a Light Blue”) and a new single (“The Dry & Dusty West” out now on Bandcamp). I taught a host of new and wonderful students, performed at the Rocky Mountain Folk Festival, the Livingston Songwriting Festival, the Beef Beans & Bluegrass Festival, and so much more. I was so busy all year, and so grateful to be that way. Thank you for all your support and for opening your ears to my music throughout the year! It has been a wonderful one.
December was a perfect capper to all of that. I played a nice show with my trio and with my friend John Depew and his Trio at Swallow Hill. It was a fun night, the John Depew Trio was so amazing. I debuted a new song (which is probably going to happen a lot more in 2026) and enjoyed spending time with my musical friends and my Swallow Hill crew. I also went to Nashville to do some co-writing, and I filmed a songwriting interview at the International Bluegrass Music Association headquarters, which was a lot of fun. I also got to play Melody Walker’s Writer’s Kitchen night at the Inglewood Lounge which was a real treat. It was great to catch up with my friends and spend a little time in music city.
On December 20th, I was back at the Dairy Arts Center in Boulder for their songwriter series for the longest night of the year. I did that last year, and it was so much fun to be at that wonderful venue. They have so much cool stuff going on at the Dairy, that it makes me wish I lived closer so I could spend all my time there! The rest of the month was mostly made up of holiday preparations and trying to get some rest before it all starts up again in 2026. I said it before, but I want to reiterate, I am very grateful to get to live this musical life and I always look forward to seeing new and familiar faces at every show. Thanks to you for making 2025 so great!
January gets off to a running start!
I’m heading to Texas from January 8-12 on a short tour to make up for some shows I had to move to make space for the New Folk Tour in November.
January 8th, I will be at Kojacks in Houston at 7pm playing a solo singer-songwriter show. I have played there before with Jackson Emmer and it’s a fun spot with a great audience community.
January 9th I’ll be up the road at Location Six Brewing with my pal Hudson Mueller at 7pm. Hudson is a great songwriter, a super great guy, and I always love jamming with him. He has a great bluesy style with so many great songs.
January 11th I will be in the Austin area playing a show at Arhaven House Concerts. This is an all acoustic show with no PA, which is my kind of scene! I love the feel and intimacy of an all acoustic show and I’m especially excited to be there in January (though it hasn’t been very cold in Colorado).
That’s my quick spin to Texas, come and see me if you can, I would love to say howdy!
I will be at the Folk Alliance International Conference in New Orleans from January 22-25. I will be playing a couple of showcases and helping to run the SWRFA room. If you will be there, come say howdy in the SWRFA room on Jan. 23 at 11:50pm and in the Kerrville Folk Festival Room on Jan. 24 at 11:30pm. Otherwise I’ll be hanging out chatting with folks about the music business!
The next week I will be at the Colorado Music Educators Conference in Colorado Springs presenting on how to start a folk and bluegrass ensemble in a school, and how to incorporate bluegrass music into the music classroom more broadly. If you have experience with an ensemble like this, please send me some anecdotes! I have a lot of experience with leading these classes at a college level, but I’m always trying to collect news and ideas for middle and high schoolers!
My Intermediate Bluegrass Ensemble Class at Swallow Hill will start again on January 7th at 8pm. There are always quite a few people signed up, but it’s a great place to come and learn some ensemble skills, develop a repertoire, try a new instrument, meet other players, etc. It’s a very low pressure place to come and make music with others. I would highly recommend it if you’re looking for a musical outlet.
For a more immersive experience, my Swallow Hill Bluegrass Band class starts up that same night! This is a sixteen week course, where we work on a full set of music and play an actual show! It requires an audition, because we limit it to one person per instrument. These classes are a lot of work, but also a great chance to develop some serious ensemble skills and find some musicians who are interested in doing the work of playing in a band. Feel free to contact me with questions. Auditions are open now, and we always need banjos and basses (hint, hint)!!!
Just as a little heads up for folks who might be interested, my Progressions: Songwriting and Progressions: Bluegrass Guitar classes start up in February. These are 16-week in-depth hybrid classes that meet one day each week online and another day each week in-person. Space is limited in each of them, and they are a big commitment, but they have been some of my most fulfilling teaching experiences and I am always blown away by the students’ progress throughout the course. If you’re interested in more information about those classes, reach out here, or you are welcome to attend our online Q&A session on January 13th at 7pm.
In other news, I have a new single called “The Dry & Dusty West” which is the song I have been playing with the Colorado Symphony for their Youth Concert Series. It is available now on my Bandcamp page, but will be streaming everywhere on January 9th, so please make sure to check that out, and download it from bandcamp if you like it and feel like supporting an independent musician!
My YouTube Channel is going gangbusters, and there’s a lot more music and lesson videos coming in 2026! If you haven’t subscribed, it’s a great place to learn some of my tricks and songs!
Finally, I’m doing a lot of songwriting focused stuff on my Patreon. Subscribers at the lowest tier ($5/month) get access to a weekly original song as part of my Songsmith Series, as well as bonus stuff. Subscribers at the second tire ($10/month) get the lyrics and chords to those songs and other unique bonuses as well as all the stuff from the lower tiers. And subscribers at the highest tier ($25/month) get postcards and souvenirs from the road, and I’ll be starting a travel blog in 2026 for those folks. There’s also a good chance that there will be some podcast episodes with travel tips from musicians, but those will only be available on Patreon, so sign up now and follow me there! It’s a great place to support artists and creators directly, think of it as buying someone a cup of coffee each month to show that you support what they are doing and want to see them continue. Even if it’s not me, come on over and check it out. Maybe you’ll find a new way to engage with your favorite artists!
Here’s wishing you the happiest of new years, and may 2026 be full of light and music.
Thanks again for being here!
Martin
3 months ago | [YT] | 3
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Martin Gilmore
Martin Gilmore Music - November 2025
Happy autumn!
There are still a few colorful leaves on the trees here in Denver but it’s probably time to get my rake out and make some leaf piles so I can mulch my garden for next year.
October brought a bit of a respite from my travel schedule, but I was still busy. My classes at Swallow Hill are running well. I have a great group of students in the Swallow Hill Bluegrass Band class and they are working on a fun repertoire of songs. My songwriting class is turning out great new songs every week, and my bluegrass guitar class is hammering away at the extensive repertoire I give to them. It’s a great reward to see people learn and make music together. I look forward to every class, and it’s especially great when they are making such great music.
I started my artist “residency” with the Colorado Symphony in October. I am a featured artist for the symphony’s Youth Concert series. The theme of the youth concert this year is “Colorful Colorado” to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Colorado becoming a state. The concert focuses on the landscape and history of Colorado and they chose a song I wrote for my Songsmith Series on Patreon titled “The Dry and Dusty West” to be orchestrated and performed with the symphony for these concerts. I put together a bluegrass band featuring Ian Haegele on bass, Nick Amodeo on mandolin, Chris Elliott on banjo, and Neva Wilder on fiddle to play the song. We stand at the front of the stage with one of the country’s best symphony orchestras behind us and perform for area school children. It's a really amazing opportunity, and what an experience. The shows aren’t specifically open to the public, but there are some opportunities to attend if you are interested. You can visit the webpage for the youth concerts, or contact me and I might be able to help you out.
Oh…In celebration of these concerts, I’m going to be releasing a full band recording of “The Dry and Dusty West” soon, so stay tuned for that, and if you haven’t already, subscribe to my Patreon to hear new original songs each week. You never know where they will end up, and you could be the first to hear it!
I was also grateful and excited to be part of the Livingston Songwriter’s Festival in Livingston, Montana at the beginning of the month. What an amazing group of performers and what a beautiful town. I made so many great new friends and became a fan of so many new artists. It’s always so much fun to make connections with people as a musician. If you like beautiful landscapes, charming small towns, and great music, you should look into attending the Livingston Songwriter’s Festival next year, or its companion festival in Red Lodge, Montana.
I’m back on the road in November!
I will be in Garden City, Kansas on November 6th playing at the High Plains Public Radio station at 7:00pm or so. It will be great to be back there and to see everyone.
On November 7th, I will be in Amarillo Texas at the Chalice Abbey at 7pm. I have family roots in Amarillo and I always love getting back to that Route 66 town.
Because I was one of the winners of the Kerrville New Folk Songwriter’s Competition, I get to go on the curated New Folk Tour in Texas this month with the other winners.
It starts in Dripping Springs, Texas on November 8th at the Sycamore Creek House Concert.
The next day, November 9th, we will be in New Braunfels, Texas at the New Braunfels House Concert Series.
November 11th I will be back in Denver to play with the Colorado Symphony and then will turn around and head back to Texas to play the rest of the tour.
November 12th I will be in Austin, Texas at the 04 Center with the New Folk Tour.
November 14th, I will be with the New Folk Tour in Kerrville, Texas at the Pint and Plow
November 15th, I will be at the Old Folk New Folk Festival in Fischer, Texas with the Kerrville Winners.
November 16th, the final show of the New Folk Tour will be in San Antonio at the Bowman Backyard Concert Series.
I’m really looking forward to hanging out with these super talented songwriters and hanging out with the good people of Texas!
I’m back in Colorado playing the bluegrass music with my pals in The Otherners at the Gold Hill Inn on November 22nd at 8pm. That band features myself, Justin Hoffenberg, Eric Thorin, Jordan Ramsey, Dave Richey, and Chris “Cbob” Elliott. I love playing music with these guys and feel super honored to be part of this group.
November 22nd I will be playing a fundraiser concert for the American Legion in Estes Park, Colorado at 7pm.
What a busy month of travel and playing! I’m very much looking forward to seeing everyone!
Another thing I would like to put on your radar is that I will be playing a concert at Swallow Hill on December 5th, 2025 with my trio. We will be sharing the bill with my good friend John Depew and his amazing trio. He’s on of my favorite up and coming musical artists and is the real-honest-to-goodness deal when it comes to acoustic music. His trio is phenomenal and I’m very excited for this co-bill. Please don’t wit to get your tickets, and spread the word. You won’t want to miss it!
I also want to remind you all that I have a new tier of contributors on my Patreon page. The perks include postcards and stickers from the road, travel blogs and behind the scenes stuff from the tour! If you want to keep up with the Texas tour, there will be lots of special things there for you all. Not only that, but you will also get access to the weekly original songs from my Songsmith Series and much more. Patreon is a great way to support independent artists and keep us going as streaming services diminish earnings from selling music. Plus it’s a great community of fans! Come on over and check it out! New stuff coming soon for the month of November!
It’s getting cold out there. Don’t forget your coat!
Happy November all y’all!
Martin
5 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 2
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Martin Gilmore
Hi everyone!
In just 15 minutes or so I will be playing a livestream concert here on my YouTube Channel featuring original songs from my first record and from my bluegrass band Long Road Home!
Come join me!
6 months ago | [YT] | 0
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Martin Gilmore
YouTube has finally allowed collaboration posts with other channels and I wanted to take a moment to highlight this interview that I did with Andy Sydow for his podcast "Middle Class Rockstar".
Check it out if you get a chance!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nT1fC...
6 months ago | [YT] | 1
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