When K.C. Groves was a young musician she was mentored by bluegrass and acoustic music greats such as Sally Van Meter, Charles Sawtelle and Laurie Lewis. She has since become a driving force in her own right, passing on that spark and pure joy of playing music. A multi-faceted musician, spirited bandleader and inspiring mentor, K.C.’s energy, tenacity, and creativity seem to be boundless. But she’s simply, “paying it forward,” as she puts it, answering the call to keep the music she loves a living experience.

An accomplished instrumentalist (mandolin, guitar, bass), vocalist and songwriter, K.C. Groves has been at the heart of many celebrated projects. As the creative center and bandleader of Uncle Earl for over a decade, K.C. helped bring old time music to a wider audience. The "g’Earls" played major festival stages in the United States and toured extensively abroad, gaining fans and musical cohorts such as Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones, who produced their 2007 album Waterloo, Tennessee. In addition to Uncle Earl, K.C. has released two solo albums of original material, and was a Telluride Troubadour contest finalist and a Detroit Music Award winner. She has teamed up with countless notable musicians, including old time musician and craftsman Riley Baugus and Leftover Salmon’s Vince Herman.

K.C.’s home base in the seemingly sleepy town of Lyons in the foothills of the Colorado Rockies is home to Planet Bluegrass, the hallowed grounds that play host to RockyGrass and Folks Fest, and serves as a creative nexus for Front Range bluegrass and acoustic musicians. Along with founding the successful High Street Concert series in Lyons, K.C. has spearheaded the weekly bluegrass jam at Oskar Blues, one of the largest and longest running weekly jams in Colorado.