ROMP 2026 is in the books! Despite a busy schedule that kept us tethered to Nashville, making the trek to Owensboro, Kentucky for the ROMP Music Festival and the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum proved to be a great decision. The catalyst for this trip? Witnessing a phenomenal live performance by roots powerhouse Michael Daves.

Like many musicians, my tour came to a grinding halt during the COVID-19 shutdown. To pass the late-night hours, I surfed social media, eventually stumbling upon raw, real, soulful, and driven performances by Michael Daves and Chris Thile. Those sessions became the driving force that completely changed how I approach my own music.

Fast forward to the weeks leading up to this year’s ROMP Fest, when I realized Daves was on the lineup. I immediately rearranged my schedule and counted the days. Catching him in the hallway on the day of the performance, I arranged for a backstage interview at 4:30 PM.

His festival set was at 11:30 AM, so my dad and I took our seats in the third row. My dad hadn’t heard of Daves prior to this weekend, but by the end of the show, he was completely enthralled. Sitting on the edge of his seat with pure excitement, he was in absolute awe of Daves’ talent. Taking the stage with all the drive and enthusiasm I’ve grown accustomed to over the years, every word and note embodied heart and soul, perfectly weaving the story of the past with the here and now.

Jacob Jolliff was an unexpected added bonus. His performance on the mandolin was second to none. From the hard-driving, fast picking to the slow, soulful inflections, his technical skill was matched only by his spot-on vocal abilities.

After the performance, we wandered around the Museum to pass the time until we could head backstage. As the time drew near, we headed back for the interview, only to learn that Michael had been scheduled to do a workshop across town at the main festival grounds. Because we didn't have the necessary passes to get in there, the interview couldn't happen.

Looks like we will have to do that another time! Still, getting to witness that performance with my dad made the whole juggle entirely worth it. Dad is still talking about the experience.