The finals in the 2015 Telluride Troubadour Competition will take place during the 42nd Telluride Bluegrass Festival, June 18-21. The roots-oriented music festival takes place amid Colorado’s rugged San Juan Mountains and coincides with the Summer Solstice. Ten singer-songwriters will each perform two original songs as they vie for cash and other prizes, recognition, and the opportunity to perform on the festival’s main stage. Each finalist also receives an “in-the-round” workshop spot in Elks Park, a performance coaching session, and a short tweener main stage set over the festival weekend.

Each of the finalists will perform two original songs during a preliminary round at the free Elks Park Stage in downtown Telluride on Thursday, June 17, beginning at noon. Then the top five finalists will each perform two different original songs during a final round the following afternoon. The Troubadour winner performs a 15-minute set on the festival’s main stage on Saturday evening, June 20.

The finalists — recognized on the basis of the quality of their songs’ composition, vocal delivery and the overall performance — are Clint Alphin (Spring Hill, TN), Mary Bragg (Nashville, TN), Maria Brosgol (Albany, NY), Caitlin Canty (Pittsford, VT), Rob Drabkin (Denver, CO), Rachael Kilgour (Duluth, MN), Brennan Mackey (Denver, CO), Ryan Pickop (Fayetteville, AR), Carter Sampson (Oklahoma, OK) and Hadley Kennary (Nashville, TN). Connor Garvey (Portland, ME) and Wyatt Espalin (Hiawassee, GA) were named as first and second alternates, respectively, from among the more than 300 entries received.

Other artists slated to perform during this year’s Telluride Bluegrass Festival include Sam Bush Band, John Butler Trio, Cooder – White – Skaggs, Brett Dennen, Jerry Douglas Band, Robert Ellis, Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn, Rhiannon Giddens, Greensky Bluegrass, Hot Rize, Robert Earl Keen, Lake Street Drive, Leftover Salmon, Kacey Musgroves, Noam Pikelny & Stuart Duncan, Punch Brothers, Peter Rowan’s Twang an’ Groove, Steep Canyon Rangers, Chris Thile & Edgar Meyer, Trampled By Turtles, Trout Steak Revival, Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, and Yonder Mountain String Band, among others. A Telluride Band Contest is also slated. The roots-oriented music festival takes place amid Colorado’s rugged San Juan Mountains and coincides with the Summer Solstice.

Fort Collins, CO-based folk-rock singer-songwriter Michael Kirkpatrick was the winner of the 2014 Telluride Troubadour competition. Previous winners of the competitions, which has been held in conjunction with the Telluride Bluegrass Festival since 1991, include Larry Good (1991), Cosy Sheridan (1992), Dan Sheridan (1993), Catie Curtis (1994), LJ Booth (1995), Michael Lille (1996), Jonathan Kingham (1997), Eugene Ruffolo (1998), Libby Kirkpatrick (1999), Mary Coppin (2000), Kris Delmhorst (2001), Deb Talan (2002), Rachel Davis (2003), Brian Joseph (2004), Keith Greeninger (2005), Nels Andrews (2006), Gregory Alan Isakov (2007), Nathan Moore (2008), Mitch Barrett (2009), Robby Hecht (2010), Matt Harlan (2011), Reed Waddle (2012), and Reed Turner (2013).

More information on the festival and the Telluride Troubadour Competition can be found at www.bluegrass.com/telluride.