Martin Gilmore Music - April 2026
- Martin Gilmore
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
Happy spring, all y’all!
April is here, and things are starting to pick up again.
March was a little slower for performances, but still full of teaching, some recording projects, and a bit of life. I had a low-key birthday, got a few things done around the house, and we managed to sneak away to the mountains during spring break. It was a nice reset after a busy January and February.
Now things are getting moving again, and I’ve got some exciting news.
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New Single – April 15
The biggest highlight this month is a new song coming out on April 15:
“The Last Ride of an Old Cowhand”
This one’s been a surprise favorite at shows lately, and I’ve had a number of people ask about it. I headed up to Fort Collins to record it with my friend Aaron Youngberg at Swingfingers Studios. It’s got a different, more spacious and atmospheric feel than some of my other recordings, and I think it really suits the song.
You can pre-save it on Spotify or download it on Bandcamp starting April 15. Hope you’ll give it a listen.
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Santa Fe – April 18 & 19
I’ll be in Santa Fe, NM for a couple of events:
April 18 – House Concert I’ll be playing a house concert with my friends Glorieta Pines. If you’d like to attend, just reply to this email and I’ll send along the details.
April 19 – New Mexico Roots Music Summit I’ll be producing the first New Mexico Roots Music Summit at Queen Bee Music Association and El Rey Court.
The day starts at 9am and includes panels and discussions on the DIY music business, community building, an open mic, and lunch.
Cost: $35 If you know someone in the New Mexico area who might be interested, feel free to pass it along—or reach out to me for more info.
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Alaska Tour – April 30–May 10
From April 30 through May 10, I’ll be touring in Alaska with Jackson Emmer.
You can find dates and locations here:www.jacksonemmer.comIf you know anyone up that way, send them out, we’d love to see them. These shows are always a lot of fun, and Jackson is a fantastic songwriter.
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Looking Ahead to May
A couple things to put on your radar:
May 26 – Kerrville Folk Festival
May 30 – Stone Cottage Studios (Boulder) with Abbie Gardner
I’ll share more details next month, but feel free to mark your calendars.
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I’ll be offering a series of workshops this summer at Swallow Hill:
May 17 (3–6pm) Intro to Bluegrass Guitar We’ll cover rhythm fundamentals, basic soloing, and ideas for improvisation.
June 13 (10am–12pm) Intro to Fiddle Tunes for Guitar We’ll work on style, improvisation, and play together. Suggested tunes: “Red Haired Boy,” “St. Anne’s Reel,” and “Angeline the Baker.”
July 28 (7–9pm) Bluegrass Singing Workshop We’ll cover lead singing, harmony, and learn a bluegrass gospel standard.
More workshops may be added in August I’ll keep you posted.
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I’ve also been posting new lesson videos on YouTube, with more on the way throughout the spring and summer.
If you’re interested in folk and bluegrass guitar, I think you’ll find something useful there. There are also a lot of performances and songs I may never record elsewhere.
Happy spring! I hope it’s off to a great start!
Martin
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