Martin Gilmore Music - November 2026
Happy November, friends!
The leaves are covering my yard, and it’s about time to plant my garlic for next year’s garden. The year is sort of winding down, though there are still plenty of things coming up worth talking about.
October was such an amazing month of shows!
I had a wonderful tour through Pennsylvania and New York and really enjoyed playing at the Delaware Valley Opera in Lake Huntington, NY, and at The Store in Hop Bottom, PA. It’s always so much fun to see new places, but it’s especially nice to get to play for new crowds and share a little bit of the American West with the American East. Thanks to everyone who came out and took a chance on a Colorado songwriter.
I enjoyed playing shows with Jackson Emmer and Megan Burtt at Swallow Hill in Denver and at TACAW in Basalt, CO. It was so great to see old friends and meet some new Colorado folks as well. I’m always grateful to see students in the crowd, and Swallow Hill is always flush with those folks. TACAW was particularly wonderful, and we had a great jam session afterward in the hotel gym after I ran into my friend Ted in the lobby. He was there for his kid’s hockey tournament. Great times on the road!
Other highlights included an amazing tour of the Martin Guitar Factory, which you can read about on my Patreon page if you are a subscriber. I got to hold and play the very first Martin guitar ever built, and that was just the start of things there. Subscribe and check it out!
Coming Up in November
November is a lot less busy overall. The main event is that I am teaching at Songwriting Santa Fe in Santa Fe, New Mexico, November 13–15, 2026. This is an immersive weekend songwriting camp at the beautiful Audubon Society in Santa Fe, sponsored by Queen Bee Music Association. If you want a weekend getaway and a chance to hang out with other songwriting enthusiasts, come to the city of adobe and get inspired. I am always inspired in Santa Fe. Its culture, history, and ambiance always get me going.
That weekend kicks off with a faculty concert on Friday, November 13, at 7:30 p.m. at the Marigold Room in Santa Fe. It will be Jules Hoffman, Jono Manson, and me sharing songs in the round, and it should be a merry time for all. The concert is open to the public, but tickets are also included for students at Songwriting Santa Fe.
November 9th I will be hosting an online Q&A / music hang on my Youtube Channel. It starts at 7:30pm Mountain Time.
That’s the main things for November, but I have some things to announce for December!
December Concerts
December 5 – The Martin Gilmore Band at The Gold Hill Inn
December 5th, I will be at the Gold Hill Inn with the Martin Gilmore Band, playing traditional and original bluegrass music. The band will feature Ian Haegele on bass, Justin Hoffenberg on fiddle, Chris “Cbob” Elliott on banjo, and me on guitar and vocals. It’s always a big party on Saturday night in Gold Hill, and I don’t play that many bluegrass shows these days. I’m really excited, and I hope you all can come up to see it!
December 17 – Fall Student Showcase at Swallow Hill – 6:30 p.m.
December 17th at 6:30 p.m., I will be hosting my fall semester student showcase at Swallow Hill, featuring students from my Progressions classes and the Swallow Hill Bluegrass Band. This year’s band is playing the music of bluegrass legend Red Allen, and they are sounding great! Don’t miss it. It’s free and open to the public.
December 21 – Songs for the Longest Night at the Dairy Arts Center
December 21st, I will be at the Dairy Arts Center for their Songs for the Longest Night concert series. This will be my third year playing this wonderful concert series, and it’s always a pleasure to share the stage with these amazing writers. This year, the show will feature Mike Finders, Emma Rose, Liz Barnez, and me. What a crew! It’s gonna sell out. Don’t wait to get your tickets!
Upcoming Classes and Workshops
I have some great opportunities for classes coming up as well.
December 12–13 – Wernick Method Bluegrass Jam Camp at Swallow Hill
I will be hosting a Wernick Method jam camp at Swallow Hill from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (or so). This is a great opportunity for new pickers to come learn the ropes of bluegrass jamming, try a new instrument, or just play some music with new folks. All skill levels are welcome as long as you can play your basic chords.
November and December Workshops
I will be offering a smattering of small workshops this fall as well, including these:
November 18 – 8 p.m. – Basic Bluegrass Guitar: Rhythm and Simple Solos
December 2 – 8 p.m. – Accompanying Your Songs on Guitar
December 9 – 8 p.m. – Songwriting: The Songwriting Process
Inquire with me or at Swallow Hill if you need help signing up.
Spring 2027 Semester Classes
It’s also time to start thinking about the spring semester! I will be offering three in-depth classes for students who really want to make the leap into more serious playing and musicianship.
Swallow Hill Bluegrass Band
Auditions will open for the Swallow Hill Bluegrass Band in December. This is an auditioned group that features one of each bluegrass instrument (so you get the real band experience) and learns a full set of twelve bluegrass songs over the course of a 16-week semester. The class culminates in a student showcase (like the one happening on December 17th, if you want to check it out).
I will also be offering my in-depth Progressions: Bluegrass Guitar class starting in February 2027. This class is a very deep dive into all things bluegrass guitar. From rhythm playing to developing solos, improvising, and ensemble skills, we really cover the gamut of bluegrass guitar.
It’s always a great group of folks, and it’s so rewarding as a teacher to see students progress over the course of the class. It’s a big investment (both of time and money), but you will learn dozens of songs, develop skills to work on for years to come, and meet some wonderful folks who want to pick tunes. Check it out and sign up! Space is limited to keep the class sizes intimate.
The class meets online on Tuesday evenings and in person on Thursday evenings.
Finally, I will also be offering my Progressions: Songwriting class, which is a similar deep dive into the craft of songwriting. It features weekly discussions and presentations, as well as a weekly work-shopping session for your songs.
We hold each other accountable to get something written each week, explore new creative ideas, and always learn so much from each other. I limit this class to five people so everyone has a chance to share something each week.
Again, it’s a big investment, but I have seen so many folks write some wonderful songs in this class. It’s so inspiring (even for me!). We meet online on Tuesdays and in person on Thursdays.
Thea Is a Light Blue – Limited Edition Vinyl
My vinyl records of my newest album, Thea Is a Light Blue, are selling well. The first 100 records include numbered limited-edition stickers, and once they are gone, they are gone, so get yours while you can!
They are sapphire blue and really gorgeous. Even if you don’t listen to the album, you could hang the record in your window to pretty up the sunrise. HA! (Just kidding… check out John Hartford’s song “Don’t Leave Your Records in the Sun” as a cautionary note!)
Thanks for being here and supporting independent musicians like me! I’m very grateful in this season of Thanksgiving.
Martin
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