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 also 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