JACKSON, Wyo. — For connoisseurs of modern bluegrass and soulful roots country, it’s a dream bill at the Teton County Fair that’ll surely get the dust flying. Ditch the glossy veneer of manufactured country; this will be staggering musicianship and authentic songcraft. The downhome double-bill features West Virginia’s Charles Wesley Godwin with bluegrass virtuoso Molly Tuttle. The Teton County Fair concert is on the soil of the Rodeo arena this Wednesday.
Godwin has become an Appalachian force. With a smooth, cinematic baritone, Godwin’s rise in the independent country scene is a breakout slow-burn, earned through honest songwriting, powerful vocals and high-energy performances. He has a quiet dignity that has also amplified his reputation as a deeply personal songwriter that can interpret what is around him with communal grit, grief and joy.
Flatpicking phenomenon, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway have graced Targhee and Music on Main stages in recent years. She was the first woman ever to win the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Guitar Player of the Year award — an honor she has taken home multiple times. She’s a master of her craft, honoring bluegrass and traditional forms, yet extending it into vibrant, psychedelic and modern-edged infusions. She has two Grammy winning albums — Crooked Tree and City of Gold.
Don’t skimp on arriving early to this show; it’s a full bill with much to offer.
Charles Welsey Godwin with Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 22, at the Teton County Rodeo Arena. $43. TetonCountyFair.com.
