Artist playshops at High Sierra are unique, one-of-a-kind performances that fans and musicians always look forward to. Whether it's a collaboration, a tribute set celebrating a legendary musician or a theme based set, High Sierra Playshops offer fans an opportunity to see musicians in an uncommon setting, allowing artists to shine some light on an artistic side that's not often seen by the public. Artist playshops have become an integral and memorable part of the High Sierra experience.

All playshops take place in the High Sierra Music Hall unless otherwise noted.

FRIDAY

Friday 10:30 - 11:30AM (AT THE COMMUNITY STAGE)

Do Re Mi 101 with Pamela Parker and Sean Leahy (Participation playshop) Bring your guitar as Sean and Pamela teach you the basic workings of the major scale and the chord theory behind it. Learn the tools to create your own chord progressions and melodies in all 12 keys.

11:30AM - 12:45PM THE WALKAWAYS: The Phish Covers Cover Band - The Walkaways are the world’s preeminent Phish Covers Cover Band. Yes, you read that right - they don’t play Phish songs, they only play the songs Phish has covered, which totals over 700 of the greatest songs in rock history. Come see The Walkaways count down their top 10 Phish covers of all time!

1:30 - 2:45PM A BLUEGRASS JOURNEY with Hot Buttered Rum: From Bill Monroe to Billy Strings LonstandingBay Area favorites Hot Buttered Rum plant their songs with roots in Appalachia and branches in California. Join them for a ride down the bluegrass highway as they trace the music's evolution from Bill Monroe to Billy Strings. Along the way, they'll share songs, stories, and the sounds that have shaped generations of bluegrass musicians. A guaranteed good time. All Aboard!

3:30 - 4:45PM THE MOTHERSHIP LANDS AT HIGH SIERRA - A P-Funk tribute by The Rumble w special guest RonKat Spearman. The Rumble comes out of the New Orleans Mardi Gras Indian funk tradition, where deep rhythms and grooves, rule the day—making them the perfect band to celebrate the legacy of George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic. This special set connects two of America's richest musical cultures, both of which know how to turn a crowd into a party, tracing the funky thread that runs from the streets of New Orleans to the Mothership and beyond.

5:30 - 6:45PM LOVE'S IN NEED OF LOVE TODAY - A Stevie Wonder Tribute by The Heeters and Friends. The Heeters dive deep into the music of Stevie Wonder, a feel-good celebration of one of the greatest songwriters of all time. From irresistible grooves to soul-stirring melodies, they'll put their own fresh take on the songs that have populated personal playlists, rode shotgun on countless road trips, and made for some great late-night singalongs. Come ready to smile, move, and soak up the joy, because Stevie's music just has a way of bringing people together.

SATURDAY

Saturday 10:30 - 11:30AM (AT THE COMMUNITY STAGE)
Songs on the spot with Pamela Parker and Sean Leahy (Participation Playshop) Bring your instrument and join Sean Leahy and Pamela Parker for songs on the spot. Use the basics of major key chord theory, common chord structures, cadences as well as lyric development as we all create some songs on the spot!   

12:00 - 1:00PM GOOD VIBRATIONS - ANNA MOSS & FRIENDS celebrate the music of The Beach Boys  Comecelebrate the timeless songs of The Beach Boys, As Anna Moss and friends bring sunshine-soaked harmonies and West Coast vibes to the playshop stage. From carefree classics to the beautifully crafted gems of Brian Wilson's songbook, this special set pays tribute to a band whose music continues to capture the joy, longing, and wonder of summer. Expect plenty of singalongs, warm feelings, and maybe even a little California dreaming. 

1:45 - 2:45PM FAMILY COMPANY - FOR THE LOVE OF THE SONG Family Company presents a journey through the golden era of soul music, drawing inspiration from the late ’60s and early ’70s. From deep album cuts to timeless grooves, the band reimagines the sounds, songs, and spirit that shaped their own musical DNA. Expect soul, funk, rhythm & blues, and a few surprises along the way. Come dig into the roots that spawned this great band.

3:30 - 4:45PM LEBO'S 50 YEARS IN THE REARVIEW - Join Lebo and his ever growing group of Friends on a musical trip back to 1976. Lebo's 50 Years In The Rearview has become one of High Sierra's most anticipated sets. Lebo always puts so much thought and effort into choosing an incredible set of songs from the chosen year (1976) with an amazing cast of musicians. This set's always chock full of good times and surprises! 

5:30 - 6:30PM THE ROYAL SCAM - Steely Dead, the band that morphs Grateful Dead songs into Steely Dan songs and vice versa, focuses here on Steely Dan as they celebrate the 50-year anniversary of the release of the classic Steely Dan album The Royal Scam with a cover-to-cover recreation of the band's 5th studio record. 

SUNDAY

10:30 -11:30AM (AT THE COMMUNITY STAGE) 
UNPLUGGED GOSPEL SOUL SINGALONG with Pamela Parker and Sean Leahy (Participation Playshop) There’s nothing like an unplugged, gospel soul song to get your day started! Bring your instruments and voices to join in the sing along with Pamela Parker and Sean Leahy and other guests! Let the music bring us all together!

12:00 - 1:00PM ZACH TENORIO'S PLANET ELSEWHERE - Join Grammy-nominated Zach Tenorio, keyboardist for Taper's Choice and Arc Iris as he embarks on an evolving improv journey with an assortment of musical guests. Zach and friends will dig into territories Miles Davis explored during his radical electric era where he fused jazz with rock, funk, and psychedelic music.

1:45 - 2:45 PM  CAUTIONARY TALE - Shreveport Louisiana-born singer-songwriter Dylan LeBlanc celebrates the 10th Anniversary of his third album, Cautionary Tale and will perform the record in its entirety. LeBlanc's hushed smoky vocals carry his alluring songs, with a sound that blends Americana, indie rock and an outlaw country vibe.

3:30 - 4:45PM WORKINGMAN'S DEAD  -  Songs, Stories and Improvisation featuring Bay Area photographer Jay Blakesberg and the one and only Steve Poltz. Honoring the legacy of the Grateful Dead. Join these two brothers from another mother in an interactive slide show featuring stills and stories from photographer Jay Blakesberg with impromptu interstitials by songsmith Steve Poltz.

5:30 - 7:00PM  GUITARMAGEDDON - Guitarmageddon is back again to pay tribute to the guitar gods of the San Francisco and Bay Area scene. Ride the shred express through the '60s to the present day as the gang winds through the Bay Area's rich history of psychedelic, metal and punk rock. Expect lots of guests and rip-roaring rock and roll! 

Josh Clark and Sean Leahy, the founding fathers of our annual Playshop tradition, will be this year's musical directors.