Carie Canterbury
The Daily RecordWestcliffe’s two-day Wet Mountain Western Jubilee proved to be the success organizers had hoped for when they took it over for the first time this year.
“Our vision for this festival is we want this to be the friendliest, warmest — we want this to feel less like a production and more like a family reunion,” said Aaron Wolking, Sons and Brothers representative and event organizer.
Formerly called the Wet Mountain Western Days, the event was on the verge of being discontinued until the Sons and Brothers band stepped in.
“This festival existed for probably about 10 or 12 years,” Wolking said. “When we got the call the festival was potentially going away, we jumped in as Sons and Brothers Events, LLC — we wanted to do whatever we could to save this thing.
“It’s important culturally, and it’s important for the arts to keep these styles of music — we have western and cowboy and Americana — it’s all kind of roots based.”
Wolking said the Wet Mountain Valley has developed into a hot spot for great, kind of off-beat genre music, and the band didn’t want to see one of the cornerstone events of that reputation go away.
“We’ve been so fortunate, so blessed, to get to have Don Edwards and Waddie Mitchell here with us this weekend,” he said. “They’re great friends. We work through the same artist representative in Colorado Springs, and so that’s how we got to know Don and Waddie.”
Wolking said music lovers packed into the 8,000 square foot tent, and they loved the Category Stompers, as well as “local heroes,” Sugarfoot.
“The Haunted Windchimes from Pueblo have come in and stole the show,” he said. “They’re building a huge buzz in the southwestern United States, playing all the time. They came in here and just leveled the place.”
Sons and Brothers played host for the two-day event.
“We’ve been real honored and people continue to come see us and like what we’re doing,” Wolking said. “We’re real honored to get to be the host of this deal.”
Band members gathered for a jam session/concert Saturday night at Cliff Lanes in Westcliffe, Wolking said.
“It had the exact feel we want to represent in this festival,” he said. “We had triple fiddles and swing numbers; it was this really awesome time. People were dancing…it was just way to much fun. We came to the conclusion that this should be illegal; or they should at least tax this much fun — this isn’t hardly even right.”
“It’s just been outstanding,” he said. “I was giddy last night because it has just been phenomenal, this is just one of the most beautiful valleys in the entire state and the weather has been perfect. The tent has been jammed all day yesterday, and we’ve got a nice big turn out today. We couldn’t be happier with how the festival has gone.”
Cañon City resident Sharon Whitney attended Sunday’s show. She said she comes every year for the music, the atmosphere and the beautiful scenery.
“It’s been absolutely marvelous,” she said. “Every time, it’s been pure joy.”
She said she was especially touched by the Sons and Brothers Sunday morning performance.
“They definitely had me in tears this morning,” she said, “when they sang the song their dad wrote; the emotion on their faces just touches your heart.”
Whitney looked forward to hearing Waddie Mitchell.
“I’ve heard him before,” she said. “He’s fabulous. And Don Edwards, I have heard his music for years and years and years, and I’ve never seen him live before so I am so excited about that.”
Wolking said he had heard rumors that Michael Martin Murphey might show up but certainly was excited to see him join Mitchell and Edwards on stage.
“The fact that you get Don, Waddie and Murphey together is just awesome,” he said.
Since the weekend was such a big hit, Wolking said Sons and Brothers hopes to continue and develop the festival in the future.
“We’re really excited,” he said. “We’re definitely going to do it again next year.”
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