The Crown of the Continent Guitar Festival in Bigfork, Montana (Videos & Gallery)

By: Debra Devi

Julian Lage teaching afternoon clinic at the Crown of the Continent Guitar Festival – photo credit: Steven Pickel

The nightly concerts at the Crown of the Continent Guitar Festival in Bigfork, Montana, Aug. 24 – Sep 1, 2012, were sold-out knockouts, featuring some of the finest guitarists in the world in every genre.

The big white tent set up on green pasture at Flathead Lake Lodge hosted a super-enthusiastic crowd of international guitar students.

Under the tent were proud area residents and music fans, like two cowboy brothers I met at the Garden Bar honky-tonk in downtown Bigfork. They’d driven six hours from their family’s prairie ranch to catch Sonny Landreth.

One lifted his shirt to show me a black-and-gray tattoo of a shovel and a shotgun over his ribs. “That’s our band. Shovels and Shotguns.”

Highlights included a brilliant, joyous performance by jazz’s newest star Julian Lage and his sparkling trio that brought the crowd repeatedly to its feet.

Standing ovations erupted, as well, during American flamenco master Dennis Koster‘s tour-de-force and during a fun and fiery jam session between Cajun slide player Landreth and Grammy-winning jazz great Lee Ritenour.

Each artist also taught up-close-and-personal afternoon clinics for the daily Crown of the Continent Guitar Workshop.

The audience also embraced young talents from around the world at the Yamaha International Six String Theory Competition Finals, won by Quebecois classical guitarist Karl Marino with a rippling performance of “Juggler’s Etude.”

First runner up was another Canadian, Jamie Dupuis of New Liskeard, Ontario, performing an original acoustic/country-style composition, “Clear Blue Sky.”

“The quality of the applicants was even better this year than last,” commented Ritenour. “I think that is because our global reach was further this year and we were able to get the word out internationally.”

This year’s competition drew inquiries from 150 countries.

The COC videos can be found at the  Crown of the Continent Guitar Foundation YouTube channel, where performances are being uploaded daily.

For more photos from concerts, clinics and classes, visit the COC Guitar Foundation Facebook Page.

 VIDEOS

Karl Marino -“Juggler’s Etude” (by Ralph Towner) – 2012 Six String Theory Winner

Sonny Landreth and Lee Ritenour – “All About You” (Solos) – LIVE FROM THE CROWN: 2012

Dennis Koster – “Homage to Carmen Amaya” – LIVE FROM THE CROWN: 2012

Chris Hillman & Herb Pedersen – “If I Could Only Win Your Love” – LIVE FROM THE CROWN: 2012

Photo Gallery

The Julian Lage Trio – photo credit: Steven Pickel

Lee Ritenour and Karl Marino, winner of the 6 String Theory Competition – photo credit: Steven Pickel

Cowboy hats ruled the day – photo credit: Debra Devi

Julian Lage and Lee Ritenour – photo credit: Steven Pickel

Crown of the Continent Concert Grounds – photo credit: Connie Cermak