Martin Gilmore Music - August 2026

Howdy from the Goodland Public Library in Goodland, Kansas!

I don’t think it will be a surprise to folks that I am a big fan of libraries and frequently stop in to work at their tables if I need a place to open my laptop. As I write this, I am on my way to play the Wallace County Fair in Sharon Springs, Kansas.

July was quite busy. I traveled to Montana, Idaho, and Washington to play some solo gigs. I had some great shows including the Gallatin Labor Temple for the Bozeman Folklore Society, The fantastic Longstaff House in Missoula, The Bunkhouse Concerts near Spokane, and at the wonderful One World Cafe in Moscow, Idaho. I missed the forest fires, made a bunch of new friends, saw some old friends, and just had a wonderful time.

The next weekend I was back in Nebraska for a program at Scotts Bluff National Monument. My bluegrass ensemble class at Swallow Hill also started back up in July after taking the month of June off.

Things keep rolling in August.

On August 14th I will be playing a house show at Casa West in Cheyenne, Wyoming. I don’t get to play up there very often so it’s exciting to be back in my home region for a show. My dad will play at least a few (and maybe more) with me. It starts at 7:00pm and you can get tickets here: https://buytickets.at/casawest/2308568

August 21st I will be playing a house show in Denver with my friend Anthony Garcia. He’s a great singer/songwriter and talented multi-instrumentalist from Austin, Texas and I’m very excited to be playing a show with him. If you are interested in attending, reply to this email and I will get you connected with the host. Feel free to spread the word as well!

August 22nd I will be playing at the Beef, Beans, & Bluegrass Festival in Scottsbluff, NE with my trio. We have played this festival for the last couple years and it’s always a good time. This year the lineup includes Jon Chandler, High Plains Tradition, and the Tim O’Brien Band. If you are in the area come see the show and don’t miss Tim O’Brien… (or me, ha!)

August 23rd my trio will be back at the Gold Hill Inn. I have been playing this venue for twenty or so years now and it’s one of my favorites. The food is good, the people are wonderful, the scenery is beautiful, and the atmosphere is classically old-west. You can’t hardly find a better place to spend an evening and they always have great music happening up there. It’s an honor to be part of their tradition every summer.

I'm also excited to be part of the Howlin Dog Music Group  online fundraiser, happening each evening at 6:00 PM (Mountain Time) from August 16–22. I'll be hosting on August 17, featuring grant recipients Alexa Wildish and Junior Vasquez. I'm proud to serve on the board of this wonderful organization, which provides grants to independent musicians creating new music. Making a record is a significant financial undertaking, and I believe music made by real people is more important than ever. If you'd like to help independent artists continue their work, I hope you'll consider making a contribution and tuning in on August 17—or any of the other evenings—to see what we're up to. Feel free to reach out if you have questions or would like to learn more about supporting Howlin Dog.

I am offering a few workshops this month as well, and they are great opportunities to dip your toes in and test the waters before my more in-depth Progressions classes start this fall.

August 3rd I will be teaching a Workshop on Bluegrass Singing at Swallow Hill Music starting at 7pm. We will cover the basics of singing bluegrass lead, and do a dive into some of those classic bluegrass harmony techniques that make bluegrass music so iconic.

On August 11 I'll be teaching an Intro to Songwriting Workshop  at Swallow Hill, beginning at 6:00 PM. This workshop is designed for songwriters of all experience levels. Whether you've never written a song before or you've been writing for years, you'll find ideas to help you get started, break out of a rut, and discover new sources of inspiration. And if you've simply been curious about songwriting but haven't taken the leap, this is a welcoming place to explore that curiosity.

August 13th I will be teaching an Intro to Bluegrass Guitar Workshop at Swallow Hill starting at 7:00pm. This class will cover the basics of playing rhythm guitar and developing basic solos for guitarists who want to jam or even play in a band of some sort. All experience levels are welcome provided you can play your basic chords and keep a decent rhythm. 

Feel free to inquire about any of these classes by responding to this email!A few other things to keep in mind!I will be teaching a Wernick Method Jam Class on September 19th & 20th at Swallow Hill from 9am-5pm each day. These are immersive bluegrass jamming classes where you will learn the rules, culture, and songs that make bluegrass jamming fun! It’s a great place to experiment with a new instrument, meet folks you can make music with, and improve your musical skills in real time. There is still space in the class so sign up now and come play some bluegrass!

My Progressions: Songwriting and Progressions: Bluegrass Guitar classes start up again in September. These are in-depth classes that meet for sixteen weeks, Tuesdays online and Thursdays in person at Swallow Hill. They are a big commitment, but also a big investment in your skills and musical identity. Space is limited so don’t delay in signing up if you are interested. We will have a free online Q&A session on Tuesday August 18th at 7pm.

Lastly, I teach a class called Swallow Hill Bluegrass Band which is an ensemble class that runs for sixteen weeks. It’s an audition group, so we have one person on each instrument. If you are interested in learning a full set of bluegrass music and playing it in a real honest-to-goodness bluegrass band, this is a great opportunity for you. Auditions are open now!

I have new videos posted on my Youtube Channel including a long video about shaping a song as a bluegrass rhythm guitar player. There’s also a lot of new travel blogs and other stuff on my Patreon page, and the Songsmith series (where I write and post a new original song each week) will start up again later this month.

Thanks for all your support and for being here!Happy August!

Martin Gilmore