Cowbell Artists

Talented creators and performers who bring their magic to Cowbell Collective events

Showing 76 artists

AJ Knight

musician

AJ Knight is a Fort Collins drummer and backing vocalist who anchors Colorado honky-tonk outfit Sugar Britches, the witty country and Americana band he has powered since 2017. He also plays with several other Northern Colorado acts.

Alex Root

musician

Alex Root is the banjo player for Friendly Reminders, adding bluegrass-inspired textures to the band's sound.

Alysia Kraft

musician

Alysia Kraft is a singer-songwriter, producer, and frontwoman best known for leading Fort Collins rock-roots band The Patti Fiasco. She also fronts Whippoorwill, produces her own music, and teaches songwriting from her home studio.

Andrew Kort

musician

Andrew Kort is a Broomfield, Colorado musician with a Berklee music degree who has played the state's blues, jazz, and funk circuits since the early 1990s with groups including The Atomic Brass Project and The Lewis and Floorwax GrooveHawgs.

Ansel Foxley

musician

Ansel Foxley is a Colorado multi-instrumentalist and songwriter who leads bluegrass-leaning acoustic trio Ansel and the Brain Tattoos. He's also a longtime member of Fort Collins alt-country group the Matt Skinner Band, contributing dobro, electric guitar, and vocals.

Aubrey Dale

musician

Aubrey Dale is a Colorado singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who spent much of her life in South Dakota. Her sound draws on large-church music, her dad's old country, and her mom's 70s folk and rock.

Ben Hockett

musician

Ben Hockett is a founding member and bass player for Musketeer Gripweed, with 19 years in the band. Outside music, he keeps family, the great outdoors, and Hoosier basketball close.

Ben Myers

musician

Ben Myers is a Fort Collins trumpet player, guitarist, mandolinist, vocalist, and songwriter. He's a founding member of Crescent City Connection and also collaborates with The Catcalls, Luna Shade, and Los Cheesies.

Ben Oconnor

musician

Ben O’Connor is a Colorado bassist who performs upright and electric bass with honky tonk, western swing, and Americana bands across the Mountain West.

Boots Jaffee

musician

Boots Jaffee is a harp player and former pyrotechnician for the Grateful Dead, where he worked for eight years. He was also road and personal manager for Merl Saunders and has played with roughly 40 national acts.

Brendon Poor

musician

Brendan Poor is a Fort Collins guitarist and vocalist active in several northern Colorado jam and funk bands, including Pipin’ Hot and Frogboat.

Brian Johanson

musician

Brian Johanson is the founding lead vocalist, acoustic guitarist, and primary songwriter behind Fort Collins honky-tonk outfit Sugar Britches, which he has fronted since 2017 across multiple albums and opening slots for major touring country acts.

Brian Keller

musician

Brian Keller is a Northern Colorado multi-instrumentalist currently touring with Denver progressive rock band Squeaky Feet. He holds a Bachelor of Music in saxophone performance from Fort Hays State University and plays frequently around Fort Collins.

Brian Scott Adams

musician

Brian Scott Adams has played in Colorado for nearly two decades and is a longtime core member of Colony Funk, Torn & Frayed, and the recently reunited The Holler! His first show was at Riverport Amphitheater in 1994.

Caleb D'Aleo

musician

Caleb D'Aleo is a Baltimore, Maryland native who has spent the last decade-plus in Colorado.

Charlie Humphreys

musician

Charlie Humphreys has been guitarist and vocalist for Dead Floyd since 2009. He moved to Colorado in 2003 playing with Holy Moses and the High Rollers and has since played with The Grippe and The Velvet Rope.

Charlie Stevens

musician

Charlie Stevens is a Fort Collins guitarist and music instructor with a music performance degree from the University of Northern Colorado, with a dual emphasis in classical and bluegrass guitar. He hails originally from New Haven, Connecticut.

Chris Bell

musician

Chris Bell is a Fort Collins keyboardist whose six years on the Front Range began the same evening he moved to town, when Dead Jam at Hodi's pulled him onstage to sit in.

Chris Leonard

musician

Chris Leonard plays sousaphone and tuba with the Bourbon Brass Band and the Fort Collins Wind Symphony, and teaches music at Poudre High School in Fort Collins.

Christine Alice

musician

Christine Alice is a Fort Collins singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from the mountains west of town, celebrated for her vocal range and award-winning songwriting; she performs solo and with The Canyon Echoes.

Chuck Grewe

musician

Chuck Grewe is a Colorado bass player whose run spans Ben Wah in the 1990s through today's Switchman Sleepin', anchoring the low end for a long string of Northern Colorado bands.

Cragon Sims

musician

Cragon Sims is the bass player for Tumbledown Shack, a Southeast transplant who moved to Fort Collins in 2015 and is active in the region's Grateful Dead community.

Dan Kozlowski

musician

Dan Kozlowski has played the Fort Collins scene since moving from New York in 1996, currently with EQC, StreatBeets, and the Jared Lydon Band; earlier projects included Brakeman Junction and Zonky Tonk.

Dana Giove

musician

Dana Giove is a bassist who relocated from Massachusetts to Fort Collins in 2017 and added upright bass to his repertoire. He plays in many Front Range bands and has been a fixture at The Last Waltz Again.

Dani Bell

musician

Dani Bell is a Colorado singer, guitarist, and songwriter and co-founding frontwoman of the indie-folk/Americana band The Unwieldies, known for her expressive vocals and harmony-driven sound.

Darren Radach

musician

Darren Radach is a Northern Colorado drummer and mandolin player with The Matt Skinner Band and Crescent City Connection, and an alum of Motorhome and Colony Funk. He owns and operates Stout Studio in Fort Collins.

Dave Dardine

musician

A blues guy from NYC. First show Wall of Sound.

Dave Jensen

musician

Dave Jensen is a Fort Collins guitarist and music educator with a BA in guitar performance and over 15 years of teaching experience, blending bluegrass, roots, and acoustic and electric guitar work across Northern Colorado stages.

Dave Wisbon

musician

Musician, collaborator, and longtime thread in the fabric of Fort Collins music.

David Levy

musician

Dave Levy is a Colorado drummer and longtime member of Switchman Sleepin', the Front Range Grateful Dead tribute and roots-jam band founded in 2012, and is active across Fort Collins' wider music community.

David Vacek

musician

David Vacek is a Fort Collins music promoter and broadcaster with deep ties to community radio, where he helped build KRFC 88.9 FM and hosted shows like NoCo Flow and Live@Lunch. He performs as Monkey Paw Finger.

Elise Wunder

musician

Elise Wunder is a Colorado-born singer-songwriter based in Fort Collins, known for warm, soulful vocals and roots-infused songwriting that draws on Americana, folk, and soul. She performs solo and with her band across Northern Colorado.

Eric Straumanis

musician

Eric Straumanis is a Fort Collins guitarist and singer-songwriter from Iowa City with more than 30 years writing and performing roots rock and Americana; his releases include Thunder and the Plains and The Weight of Nothing to Lose.

Erik Lunde

musician

Erik Lunde is a Fort Collins folk-rock and Americana singer-songwriter who fronted Lunde Station from 2012 to 2017 and returned solo in 2020. His 2022 album Water From The Stone was voted Colorado Playlist's Album of the Year.

Ethan Leaming

musician

Ethan Leaming is a New Orleans-born guitarist, trombonist, and vocalist based in Colorado. He fronts Mountain Duo for over 100 shows a year and plays trombone with the Bourbon Brass Band, returning to New Orleans for Mardi Gras.

Eva Jentzsch

musician

Eva Jentzsch is a Fort Collins singer-songwriter and pop artist known for expressive vocals and emotionally honest performances. In 2024 she opened Fight The Stigma Colorado, a Fort Collins mental health awareness event.

Evan Neal

musician

Professional Upright Bassist. ~based out of Fort Collins, and now plays with the super, sexy, sextet~Sideyard Sanctuary, the all original, cosmic-funk-meets-americana outfit behind 2021's *Time for a Spacewalk*, and the 2025 release *American Classics vol-2*. Holds down low end alongside vocals, keys, guitars, mandolin, cajon, and trumpet.

Graham Good

musician

Graham Good is a Fort Collins singer-songwriter and guitarist working at the intersection of folk, roots, and upbeat acoustic pop, writing songs about resilience, connection, and simple joy.

Greg Leistikow

musician

Greg Leistikow is a Chicago-raised pianist who came to Colorado in 2010 and landed in Fort Collins, playing New Orleans funk and second line with Crescent City Connection and space jams with Freak the Cat and Sophie West.

Ian Foster

musician

Lead vocalist and guitarist for Friendly Reminders, a Fort Collins-based band known for engaging live performances and heartfelt songwriting.

Jared Lydon

musician

Northern Colorado singer-guitarist mixing folky-funk grooves with covers and originals, drawing on Neil Young and CSNY. He is most often seen playing the Rick Danko and Neil Young parts at Last Waltz Again.

Jason "Jay" Russell

musician

Bass player for Crescent City Connection, StreatBeets, and Last Walstarz.

Jason Downing

musician

Harmonica player and singer who performs songs about peace and justice, drawing the audience into the message with humor and heart.

Jeremy Dubin

musician

Doctor by day, rocker by night; the Philly-rooted singer-songwriter played Alice Cooper in "The Happening: A Tribute to Laurel Canyon" and has spent the last decade with Northern Colorado original band SideYard Sanctuary.

Jesse Struckhoff

musician

Jesse Struckhoff is a Northern Colorado guitarist and vocalist known for Uncle Jesse’s Blues Skillet, odd covers, and yacht rock with the Colorado Coast Guard.

Joe Schicke

musician

Memphis-raised guitarist who cut his teeth with Blues Rock Queen Russell, led the Minivan Blues Band, and worked with producer Willie Mitchell. Now Fort Collins-based, he leads West Side Joe & The Men of Soul.

Jon Snodgrass

musician

Colorado singer-songwriter who first drew national attention fronting Fort Collins punk band Armchair Martian, then co-founded alt-country act Drag The River. He continues with solo work and collaborative projects like SCORPIOS and BUDDIES.

Kendall Wren

musician

Percussionist who arrived in Fort Collins playing congas with Brakeman Junction; he now plays congas with Uncle Jesse's Blues Skillet, EQC, and Delicious Hot Dogs, and drums for the trio StreatBeets.

Lance Ruby

musician

Songwriter and performer drawing on two studio albums of original material.

Laniece Schleicher

musician

Vocalist active in the Colorado and Wyoming scenes since 2011. She fronts soul-funk ensemble Mama Lenny and the Remedy and also performs with Ten Cent Stranger, Dead Floyd, and Rumours.

Louann DeCoursey

musician

Chief Chaos Coordinator & Idea Wrangler

Luke Hahn-Zollo

musician

Founding member and frontman of Tumbledown Shack, a Grateful Dead tribute band based in Northern Colorado. Originally from upstate New York, he has lived in Colorado since 2016.

Luke Hunter

musician

Bassist of twenty years who has shared stages with Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Hazel Miller, Magic Beans, and Dogs In A Pile. He played with Cary Morin & Ghost Dog for five and a half years and currently anchors The Bramblers.

Luke Siddens

musician

Guitarist and vocalist for Friendly Reminders, contributing intricate guitar work and vocal harmonies.

Matthew Goldberg

musician

Keyboard player who started piano at age five and landed in Fort Collins via CSU. He has spent the last fifteen-plus years in DeadFloyd and Musketeer Gripweed, working across blues, jam, prog rock, and psychedelia.

Max Mackey

musician

Singer and guitarist whose voice and stage presence have drawn praise from KRFC 88.9 for genuine appreciation of audiences, fellow musicians, and the craft of sharing music.

Meg Rice

musician

Meg Rice is the bassist and vocalist for Friendly Reminders, contributing soulful harmonies and steady low end to the band.

Michael Kirkpatrick

musician

Michael Kirkpatrick is a Colorado vocalist and songwriter blending acoustic fingerstyle and folk rock across 30+ years on stage. He has won the Telluride Troubadour award and toured extensively.

Peter Hale

musician

Pete Hale is a longtime Deadhead and guitarist who has played in Colorado bands for decades, including the Meadow Creek Band, The Delilah West Band, and August Jones.

Phil Donaldson

musician

Phil Donaldson is a Fort Collins singer, keyboardist, and composer who fuses R&B, funk, rock, and pop into performances that center groove, heart, and human connection.

Quinn O'Keefe

musician

Quinn O'Keefe is the singer and songwriter for the country/americana band Kansas Dawson.

Riley Williams

musician

Riley Williams is a Fort Collins drummer, composer, and educator whose credits span bluegrass to jazz fusion. He is best known for his tenure with Head For The Hills.

Robin Lewis

musician

Robin Lewis is a Colorado-raised folk and bluegrass singer-songwriter and Telluride Bluegrass Troubadour finalist. She performs solo and with The Robin Lewis Band, a psychedelic/americana jam project.

Ryan Lennartson

musician

Ryan Lennartson sings and plays drums with Erik Lunde and Elise Wunder, and also performs guitar and vocals in the John Denver tribute band Take Me Home.

Sasha Moon Stone

musician

Sasha Stone is the singer, songwriter, electric guitarist, and frontwoman of Sasha Stone Band, an electric folk project drawing on '80s rock and folk roots with vulnerable, image-rich lyrics.

Scott Kwiatek

musician

Scott Kwiatek is a Fort Collins bassist, vocalist, guitarist, and sound engineer who studied at Eastman and Manhattan School of Music. He teaches, performs, and produces privately.

Scott Von

musician

Scott Von writes at the crossroads of groove, Americana, and soul. He has performed from festival stages to house concerts and is forming Scott Von & The Portable Groove for 2026.

Sean Macaulay

musician

Sean Macaulay is a Colorado multi-instrumentalist and session drummer known for work with Grant Farm, Violet Pilot, Madeline Hawthorne, and Donovan Frankenreiter across bluegrass, americana, jam, rock, and jazz.

Sharon Glassman

musician

Sharon Glassman is a fiddler, guitarist, singer/songwriter, stage performer and the creative force behind 5-Foot Betty. She writes songs that combine humor and heart—sometimes a little off-center, often a little bold, and always rooted in real emotions.

Steven Wayne Cobb

musician

Steven Wayne Cobb is a Fort Collins vocalist and multi-instrumentalist rooted in classic rock, guitar, and keys. He performs in The Last Waltz Again series and with Switchman Sleepin'.

Stu Crair

musician

Stu Crair is a Northern Colorado drummer with 20 years in the NoCo scene, including nationally touring acts Dead Floyd and Musketeer Gripweed.

Sweet Virginia

musician

Sweet Virginia's southern roots remain deeply woven into her songs, blending Indie--Rock and Classic Country influences with ease.

Taylor Tessler

musician

Taylor Tessler is a Fort Collins multi-instrumentalist on upright bass, electric bass, guitar, and vocals. He anchors Ansel and the Brain Tattoos and West Side Joe and the Men of Soul.

Timmy Zann

musician

Timmy Zann is a Houston-born Fort Collins musician of forty years who has played in many area bands. He bartends at the Rio and is an avid hiker and golfer.

Wendy Woo

musician

Wendy Woo is the Music Director and Live Talent Coordinator for KRFC 88.9 FM, where she books the station's Live at Lunch program.

Wesley Watkins

musician

Wes Watkins is a Colorado musician, former teacher, and community builder who has collaborated with Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, iZCALLi, and Air Dubai. He leads The Other Black and the Wes Watkins Choir.

Join the Collective

Are you a musician, artist, or performer in Northern Colorado? We'd love to connect with you for future Cowbell Collective events.

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