Review by Darren Lowe.
HARDLY STRICTLY BLUEGRASS: TRIBUTE TO EMMYLOU HARRIS
Masonic Centre, San Francisco, October 2, 2025
As far as tributes go this star studded concert will be hard to top. Emmylou Harris has played all 25 Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festivals since the event’s inception. In fact, she started when it was Strictly Bluegrass, not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Walking up the three extreme San Francisco hills no less with my wife Susan, I contemplated that this was exactly the type of gig I have harboured an extreme longing and envy toward after listening to ‘Off The Record’ and reading Rhythms for all those years. This was a ‘pinch yourself I’m actually here’ gig.
A California crowd guaranteed a packed venue as a Thursday evening prelude to the opening day of HSB 2025 on Friday. It was also a fundraiser for Emmylou’s charity of choice, Bonapartes Retreat, an organisation looking after abandoned dogs.
So, a classic tribute show with a house band – but what a house band! With an array of guest artists, band members stepping out themselves to take the spotlight and stepping back into the ensemble. Lead by Buddy Miller, the band – including both Sam Bush and Albert Lee – would have been a drawcard itself.
The best way to capture the evening is possibly to go through the setlist and performers at this two set (70 and 80 minute with 30 minute interval) celebration. For the most part most of the guests sat side stage, including Harris, as she was lauded with praise and personal anecdotes. Steve Earle described how he’s been a little in love with her all these years. Rosanne Cash recalled how she heard Emmylou sing at a party at Waylon Jennings house as small child, thinking this was the best thing shed ever heard.
ACT 1
Margo Price and Logan Ledger ‘Ooh Las Vegas”
Buddy Miller stepped to the front to join for ‘One Of These Days’
War and Treaty with ‘Boulder to Birmingham’
Steve Earle and Buddy Miller, ‘Sin City’
Albert Lee, ‘Luxury Liner’
Patty Griffin, ‘Prayer In Open D’
Sam Bush. ‘Walls of time’(Bill Monroe)
Rodney Crowell, ‘Pancho and Lefty’
Shawn Colvin and Rodney Crowell, ‘Return of the Grievous Angel’
Joan Baez and Buddy Miller, ‘Hickory Wind’
Margo Price and Logan Ledger, ‘Wheels’
ACT 2
Emmy Lou Harris with Buddy Miller ’Love Hurts’, then joined by Patty Griffin and Shawn Colvin ‘Love and Happiness’, ‘Mary’.
Albert Lee and Sam Bush, ‘Born To Run’
Alison Russel, ‘Red Dirt Girl’
Bonnie Raitt, ‘I Don’t Want To Talk About It Now’, joined by War and Treaty’ for ‘Wayfaring Stranger’
Lucinda Williams, ‘Sweet Old World’
Rosanne Cash, ‘Leaving Louisiana In The Broad Daylight’, then joined by Steve Earle for ‘Goodbye’.
Alison Russell and Margo Price for ‘Hallelujah’
Whole ensemble finale: ‘Save The Last Dance For Me’
A celebration of 25 years of HSB, a celebration of 25 consecutive years of performances by Emmylou Harris. A perfect introduction to a newcomer to the festival, which is another story, what an astonishing festival with a jaw-dropping array of artists.
Enough to have us skipping home down those San Francisco hills (not literally, I’m not trying that in a hurry).