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AJ Montana Keyser has been writing songs since the age of 11 and playing open mikes since the age of 15. They’ve embraced music throughout their entire life, performing professionally for over eight years.

When Keyser first started releasing songs, they did so under their birth name. Their personal and musical journey changed in July 2022 during a trip to Bozeman, Montana, where they completely embraced their identity and came out as non-binary.

Keyser now performs under their chosen name, including with their band Montana Sand. The band, formed shortly after (and named as a tribute to) that Bozeman trip, features Keyser on vocals, guitar, and banjo; Beth Kammersgard on bass; Chris Wright on drums; and Phil Broste on pedal steel.

The group draws from a diverse range of musical influences, including country, folk, rock, bluegrass, and roots music. In addition to Colorado, the band has performed in Texas, Montana, California, Florida, and New Mexico.

Keyser has always loved collaborating with others, frequently gathering other musicians and book authors together to write songs. For them, performing in a group allows them to bounce energy off each other, creating an environment that can’t be recreated playing solo.

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Organizer Stephanie Andelman joins The Mountain-Ear Podcast to talk about the upcoming 2025 celebration of the Nederland Jazz and Wine Festival!

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Guitarist Brian Blaser jokes that five years ago, he didn’t even know how to spell the word “bluegrass.” His music tastes focused primarily on alternative and electric rock, playing in a group that performed songs from artists like the Allman Brothers, Phish, the Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd, the Rolling Stones, Radiohead, and Pearl Jam.

One night, at a local bluegrass pick, Blaser met a young banjo player, Sean McFarland, and the two discussed their live performances. The two talked about McFarland sitting in for a gig from Blaser’s band, and while Blaser felt unsure if a banjo would fit in that particular band, he invited McFarland to the gig.

Within the week, Blaser’s band broke up due to internal forces unknown to him. Instead of telling McFarland that the band no longer existed, Blaser assembled a new group of people. From this collection of musicians came the foundations of Smörgåsgrass. To this day, Blaser and McFarland agree to disagree on who asked who about McFarland jumping in.

The name came from the band’s original bass player, Franziska Zenhäusern, who often brought in a smörgåsbord of food during practices. Not only does the band name apply for that personal reason, but it has also become representative of the band’s ever-changing and always flexible lineup. Blaser, McFarland, and harmonica (or “mouth fiddle”) player Alex Medler have been consistent members since its foundation.

Thank you for listening to The Mountain-Ear Podcast, featuring news and culture from peak to peak! Additional pages are linked below!

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The Peak to Peak's very own Scott Harrison recently sat down with Steve Hartman in a segment for his program on CBS Evening News, On the Road. In celebration of the man and his passion project, The Carousel of Happiness, today's Audio Library segment focuses on articles written by or about Harrison and the carousel that has brought joy to thousands.

Thank you for listening to The Mountain-Ear Podcast, featuring news and culture from peak to peak! Additional pages are linked below!

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George Blevins has called Colorado’s Front Range his home for over half his life, moving in the early 1980s. He says the time in his adult life before then “hardly seems to count, especially since I’m 85 and I don’t remember all that stuff very well.”

Before Colorado, Blevins grew up in rural Louisiana. As a child, he and his parents lay in bed together every Sunday morning to read The Sunday Funnies from The Sunday Times. Those comics, particularly Pogo, instilled a lifelong passion for Blevins. From then on, all he wanted to do was find opportunities as a cartoonist for comic strips.

Thank you for listening to The Mountain-Ear Podcast, featuring news and culture from peak to peak! Additional pages are linked below!

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Join us on an artistic journey as correspondent Maryann Rosen discusses local art and artists across the Peak to Peak!

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Having grown up in New Jersey, Matthew “Matt” McCloskey moved to Fort Collins in 2020. After five years, he now considers Colorado his home.

McCloskey first started playing in his pre-teens, performing in open mics at around 13 years old. His parents, who were also musicians, frequently took him to a local coffee shop for the open mic there, and he’s never stopped playing gigs.

McCloskey started writing songs by the time he reached his late teens, collaborating with his high school band and writing his own material. Before moving to Colorado, he played in a rock band called The Punch Bowl with Ryan Harford, Chris “Softy” Pertain, and Chris Amato. They released a self-titled album in 2018 before taking an indefinite break, reuniting in 2024 for a three-night local tour.

McCloskey changes the balance of originals and covers in his shows depending on how long they last. For much longer gigs that last at least three hours, he’ll typically perform more covers, but for gigs that are fewer than or around two hours, he’ll balance originals and covers as much as he can.

Thank you for listening to The Mountain-Ear Podcast, featuring news and culture from peak to peak! Additional pages are linked below!

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Sit back and tune in to Some Words for the Week, written by Alexander Shalom Joseph for the July 3, 2025 edition of The Mountain-Ear!

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