Congratulations to all the finalists in our 2026 contests!

Contest Results

2026 Telluride Troubadour

For the 33rd year, the Telluride Troubadour Competition celebrates the world’s finest independent songwriters in the stunning mountains of Telluride, with the chance to perform before 10,000 Festivarians at the 53rd Telluride Bluegrass Festival (June 18-21). An expert panel of judges selects ten finalists based on their song’s composition, vocals, and overall delivery. Finalists perform in two contest rounds on stage, as well as an in-the-round session with fellow Troubadours and an interview on KOTO radio. Finalists receive festival tickets with camping, cash, and other prizes; the winning Troubadour earns a new guitar and a featured Main Stage performance. Past winners include Gregory Alan Isakov, Anna Tivel, Robby Hecht, and Deb Talan. View the Contest Rules and Scoring Criteria for more details.

Congratulations to the following songwriters:

Songwriters listed in alphabetical order

Finalists

These finalists will perform live in the contest finals at the Festival

Ben Suchy
“1 man parade”
Bismarck, ND
Joel Van Horne
“Where There Used To Be Flames”
Denver, CO
Kat Lane
“Waco”
Boulder, CO
Michelle Raybourn
“Coming of Age”
Nashville, TN
Nathan K.
“Kitty”
Nashville, TN
Sara Beth Go
“Better”
Nashville, TN
Sarah Morris
“Between Here and There”
Shoreview, MN
Stephanie Sammons
“Marathon”
Dallas, TX
Taylor Sims
“Old Fences”
Longmont, CO
Will Breman
“Tupelo”
Santa Barbara, CA

Alternates

1st Alternate:
David Tiller — “Good Apple”
2nd Alternate:
Allison Strong — “Human Years”

Honorable Mentions

Cindy Kalmenson — “Midlife Chrysler”
Heather Lloyd — “It Could've Been Worse”
J.M. Clifford — “When You Dream”
Mark Shiiba — “Gone with the Wind”
Mike Ward — “Somebody's Home”
Paul Russell — “Queen of The Concrete Jungle”
Philip Bowen — “Sticks on Me”
Remi Goode — “Don't Drive Me Home”
Stefan Weiner — “Grandma's House”
Travis Ehrenstrom — “Arrival”
Zoe Berman — “Microscope”
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