Country music is having a moment. Western wear is back in fashion, country artists dominate streaming charts, and Denver seems increasingly smitten with boots, snap shirts, and twang. “There is a definitely a big country resurgence happening, a vibe in downtown Denver,” says Alisha Sweeney, DJ and local music director at Colorado Public Radio’s Indie 102.3. “I love seeing more people in Western snap shirts, and the other day my friend gave me a guitar-shaped bottle of Dolly Parton maple syrup. It’s such a phenomenon.”

Below, Sweeney recommends seven Colorado bands that are part of the trend.

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1. N3ptune

N3ptune
N3ptune. Photo courtesy of Kori Hazel
  • What Sweeney says: “I call N3ptune Denver’s answer to Beyoncé. He released an album called Renaissance in 2021, a year before Beyoncé announced hers. He’s a musical polymath with an amazing voice and such range: R&B, hip-hop, hyper-pop, gospel. N3ptune just performed at the Outside Days festival, and he will be announcing new music soon.”
  • Queue up: “Black Horse,” which blends soulful vocals with lyrical musings about race and religion

2. Graveyard Choir

Graveyard Choir
Graveyard Choir. Photo courtesy of George Blosser
  • What Sweeney says: “Graveyard Choir is an up-and-coming supergroup including members of INTHEWHALE and Musuji. Frontman Nate Valdez has an Americana kind of voice, and he’s been a Colorado mortuary clerk since he was a teenager. Nate has a really interesting perspective on life.”
  • Queue up: “Dirt Floor,” a foot-stomper that reflects on mortality

3. Slim Cessna’s Auto Club

  • What Sweeney says: “For 33 years, Slim Cessna’s Auto Club was one of the defining bands of the ‘Denver sound’—this gothic Americana vibe that got national and international press. I love their 2000 album, Always Say Please and Thank You. Slim’s son, George, keeps the family legacy going, releasing sweet country songs under his own name as well as with the bands El Welk and Lucky Rider.”
  • Queue up: “No Doubt About It,” a beloved, twangy hit about partying through the pain

4. Marfa

  • What Sweeney says: “This Americana duo evokes cool, old-school country vibes, like a Rockmount Ranch Wear ad from the 1970s. Their sound matches that—think: ’70s-inspired vintage warmth. They also have a bit of the Laurel Canyon folk-rock vibe from California in that era. They’re having a lot of success on social media and just moved to Nashville, but were based in Denver for a long time, so we can still celebrate them.”
  • Queue up: “Daisy,” a catchy tune about a girl chasing the L.A. dream

5. Gasoline Lollipops

  • What Sweeney says: “This band is six albums in, and their latest is Kill the Architect. Their font man, Clay Rose, has this deep, gothic, Americana voice. He sings lived-in tales about strife and struggle, a bit like Johnny Cash or Waylon Jennings, and has an emotional depth and grit to his songwriting that I find really interesting. Clay also wrote a ballet and has collaborated with Wonderbound [a Denver dance company] to make his songs come to life.”
  • Queue up: “Blood on the Bluegrass,” a thumper that pairs well with whiskey

6. Big Richard

 

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  • What Sweeney says: “This is a really joyful, playful, all-female band that took off on Instagram not too long ago. They have an adored following across Colorado, play a ton of bluegrass shows, and their style is super fun. Girl Dinner is their album that came out last year.”
  • Queue up: “The Missing Stair,” which showcases the singers’ dazzling vocal harmonies

7. Jaguar Stevens

Jaguar Stevens
Jaguar Stevens. Photo by Hali Webb, courtesy of Caleb Wohlust
  • What Sweeney says: “In May, this band released a new album titled Dead Man’s Daughter, maybe as a riff on ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’ by Loretta Lynn. The frontman, Caleb Wohlust, is this tall queer gentleman who is just so wonderful. They describe themselves as ‘formed when two high school English teachers began to purge their workday anxieties through rock n’ roll,’ and their sound is a little bit of country, garage rock, and punk. They’re playing at Blucifer’s First Rodeo in July.”
  • Queue up: “Paradise Creek,” a danceable track whose references to the novel Trout Fishing in America will lead you down a fun rabbit hole

Read More: 17 Must-See Concerts Around Denver in 2026