Bluegrouse!
A bird, a band, or a genre? You decide!
Bluegrouse emerged from the Durango music scene in 2015. This popular four-piece band is known for their outstanding vocal harmonies, with wide ranging musical tastes that dip into bluegrass, folk, swing and even the occasional Celtic tune. Comprised of veteran local musicians they have become a mainstay in and around the desert Southwest. There is an undeniable natural chemistry that brings these birds-of-a-feather together and you can’t miss their fun-loving, playful energy on stage. So buckle up for an unforgettable performance. Tap your feet, sing along, or get up and dance. Bluegrouse invites you to be part of their musical journey.
Bluegrouse is:
Carol Calkin, Fiddle & Vocals
Jonti Fox, Bass & Vocals
Laurie Swisher, Guitar & Vocals
Jess Wilton, Mandolin & Vocals
Song Medley 2023
Graveyard Shift
Schedule
2024
February 23rd, 5 - 8 pm ~ Mancos Brewery, Mancos, CO
March 30th, 6:30 - 8:30 pm ~ Wild Edge Brewing Collective, Cortez, CO
April 17th, 12 - 1 pm ~ Animas High School, Durango, CO
(Bluegrass-in-the-Schools program)
April 20th, 12 - 1 pm ~ Durango Bluegrass Meltdown, Durango, CO
May 30th, 6 - 9 pm ~ Durango Hot Springs, Durango, CO
May 31st, 5 - 8 pm ~ Neighborhood Backyard Concert, Durango, CO
June 2nd, 5 - 8 pm ~ Weminuche Woodfire Grill, Vallecito, CO
June 26th, 5 - 9 pm ~ Animas Night Bazaar (Pirate night!), Durango, CO
June 27th, 5:30 - 8 pm ~ James Ranch, Durango, CO
August 23rd, 6 - 10 pm ~ Balcony Bar & Grill, Durango, CO
September 28th, 4 - 7 pm ~ Mancos Brewing Company, Mancos, CO
October 2nd, 5 - 8 pm ~ Private Backyard Concert, Durango, CO
October 4th 7 - 10 pm ~ High Side Bar & Grill, Salida, CO
October 5th, 5 - 8 pm ~ Columbine Cafe, Golden, CO
December 7th 6 - 9 pm ~ The Tangled Horn, Durango, CO
Meet the Band
Carol
Carol grew up in a small town in Illinois and began playing the violin at a very young age; as a younger sister to five musical brothers and a daughter to a seasoned classical violinist, she simply wanted to emulate those closest to her at the time. Under the instruction of her mother, she continued to play long after her brothers abandoned their instruments, and by her teen years she was playing in regional string quartets, symphony orchestras, and pit orchestras for community theater groups.
While attending NAU in Flagstaff, she set aside her Rogers and Hammerstein scores along with her Vivaldi concertos and pursued other interests. After 30 years, Carol realized that music was a part of her DNA that she couldn’t continue to ignore. It wasn’t long before she called her violin a fiddle and made music a part of her life again. For 15 years, she has been active in local bluegrass groups. For several years she was the coordinator for the Bluegrass in the Schools program for the Durango Bluegrass meltdown. She currently plays and sings with Sweet Cicely, formerly San Juan String Band, and has been a founding member of Bluegrouse since 2015.
Jonti
Originally from the UK, Jonti has lived in Colorado since 1986. Growing up in England in the 1960’s he was weaned on a background of folk, blues and rock n’ roll that was the staple diet on the other side of the pond. He played a little piano and guitar during high school. After coming to the USA his musical interests expanded to include bluegrass and other genres. Singing in a barbershop quartet gave him an appreciation for the joys of 4-part harmony. He has been performing with Bluegrouse since their inception in 2015. He also plays bass in another Durango band, Under the Radar who, as the name suggests, are seldom seen! He currently works as a physician assistant in a small family practice clinic. When not working or playing music you can probably find him out on local trails or deep in the wilderness enjoying the mountains and rivers of the great American West.
Laurie
Laurie grew up in a large family of musicians, where singing was a mainstay. She gained an ear for vocal harmonizing at a young age, something she would say she picked up through osmosis. After singing in choirs most of her adult life, including a 15-year stint with the Durango Choral Society, she added guitar to her repertoire. She was a founding member of the San Juan String Band, a US Forest Service band dedicated to teaching conservation education through music that reached thousands of children and adults in and around the Four Corners region. She also played with another local band, Loose Change, before landing with Bluegrouse in 2015.
Jess
Growing up in Denver as a child of two performing parents, Jess gained an appreciation for vocals and various musical instruments early on and has been an appreciator of many genres of recorded and especially live music performance throughout his life. He has been active on the local music scene for over 20 years, first getting involved as a volunteer with the Durango Meltdown Bluegrass Festival in 1999 and has played with many local bands including OuttaHand String Band, Big’ns, Clods and the Durango Street Band – An Organized Noise Society. He continues to be involved in the local live music scene as a contributing member of Bluegrouse, joining the group in 2020, as well as an active Meltdown Board of Directors member since 2016.
