It’s no secret that Boulder is a hotbed for bluegrass music. The area has spawned popular bands like Leftover Salmon and Yonder Mountain String Band, who might not be considered bluegrass in the traditional sense but certainly share an appreciation and admiration for the genre that undoubtedly influenced them.

As Tim O’Brien and Friends kicked off the final set of RockyGrass 2012, I planted my feet a couple of yards behind the elevated stage. The canopy of treetops overhead, awash in color from the stage lights, absorbed a light drizzle. To my right, the deity of all double bassists, Edgar Meyer, calmly warmed up next to the main stage staircase.

Jeff Austin is a shoo-in for the Most Animated Mandolin Player of the year award. There’s no doubt he’d win, if and when such an award came to be.

As I was walking on the hill in Boulder to get some Chinese food and a beer before the show, I passed by a very animated and excited Jeff Austin (mandolin player from Yonder Mountain String Band) talking to a friend.