The Open Road Bluegrass Band from Lyons, Colorado proudly delivers old-style bluegrass, with heartfelt harmonies, driving rhythms, and youthful energy to spare. Nominated as Emerging Artist of the Year for the International Bluegrass Music Awards in 2001 and 2002, this up-and-coming quintet mixes vintage numbers and original material, charting a path between vibrant innovation and the deep soulfulness and tough, hard edge of traditional bluegrass. Led by Bradford Lee Folk, a guitarist with a truly uncanny high tenor voice, the band also includes Caleb Roberts on mandolin, Eric Thorin on bass, fiddler Robert Britt, and banjo picker Keith Reed. "We would like to promote the idea that bluegrass is a really lively thing," expains Caleb. "It's full of a lot of swagger and excitement . . . we try to put some energy into our performance." And they succeed, both live and on recordings like their new album Cold Wind (Rounder), which is currently making waves on the Bluegrass Unlimited charts.