Fair’s Free Stage features bands both Friday and Saturday nights
Post Independent
John Stroud/Post Independent
Friday’s Trace Adkins show in the main arena might be the musical highlight of the 2019 Garfield County Fair, but several other bands will keep the good vibrations going on the Fair’s Free Stage, both Friday and Saturday nights.
On Friday at 5:15 p.m., Ragland, an Americana/Red Dirt act based out of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, will take the stage. Ragland formed in 2015 when lead singer and songwriter Autumn Ragland and singer/guitarist Sam Cox, who were both pursuing solo projects, decided to team up. The collaboration proved fruitful as their first single, “Grey as Grey Can Get” hit No.1 on the Music City Top 40 chart.
Ragland’s style is a product of their musical backgrounds in both rock ’n’ roll and country music. Their third studio album, “Murphy’s Law,” was released this past September, and Autumn Ragland is currently competing in the top 12, out of over 150 contestants, of the Texas Music Pickers fifth annual Songwriting Contest.
A Band Called Alexis, a rock band from Roaring Fork Valley, will hit the stage at 10 p.m. on Friday. The band specializes on performing Country and Blues with a bit of Rock and Roll.
The band, which consists of lead vocalist Alexis States, bass guitarist and vocalist Billy Conn, drummer Corey Spagnolo, rhythm guitarist and vocalist David Reynolds, lead guitarist and vocalist Mark Chenoweth, and backup vocalist Julie Maniscalchi.
Fresh off their encore performance at the Carbondale Mountain Fair, Ponder the Albatross will hit the GarCo Fair’s Free Stage at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.
The self-described gypsy punk/new grass/jam band was formed on Colorado’s Front Range and plays several different genres of original.
Ponder The Albatross features Roaring Fork Valley native “Josh Bower’s ecstatic mandolin, guitar and vocals, Luke Lindholm’s searing fiddle, Eric Vrtis’ whisking wave of bass and vocals, and Will Schiesser’s symphonic symmetry on the drums,” according to the band’s website.
As evidenced by their Mountain Fair performance, Ponder the Albatross is a high-energy band that gets and keeps its audiences up and dancing with songs that range from reggae to trippy instrumental to folk/rock to bluegrass, and covers of songs from bands including Queens of the Stone Age and Reggae Shark.
Since the band’s formation in 2015, Ponder the Albatross has “lived for the road,” playing mountain bars and festivals throughout the Rocky Mountains.
Fifty50 needs no introduction as the Roaring Fork Valley-based band has played practically every venue, festival and fair in the area over the past few years, and won “Best Band” in the Locals’ Choice Awards in both 2012 and 2013.
The band, which hits the fair’s Free Stage at 9:30 p.m. Saturday, is composed of singer/rhythm guitarist Dave Stoltzfus, singer Beth Getzen Stoltzfus, lead guitarist Jeff Andrews, drummer Jerry Larsen and bassist Frank Botti.
Fifty50 plays classic, modern and original rock ’n’ roll featuring “a unique blend of vocal harmonies and instrumental energy that empowers their ability to project their love of the music and the fans that they play for,” according to the band’s website.
Audiences at the band’s shows are assured to have a rockin’ good time.
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