Remembering Mikayla
... and music to move us and move to

Greetings, dear readers. I met Mikayla Wright my first year teaching at what then was a scrappy, local educational start-up, Animas High School. Mikayla was a ninth-grader. She was incredibly kind, generous, patient, selfless and wise beyond her years even as a first year student – a model Osprey. Her mother, Sara Price, and I would go on to be teaching partners for the next eight years, weathering the highs and lows of under-resourced, fiery, progressive education reform. During the early stages of my divorce, Sara and Mikayla made space for me in their home to begin the next chapter of my journey building a new life on my own. It’s no accident Mikayla grew up to be the incredible, enlightened being she is, given the joy, dedication and immeasurable oceans of love Sara poured into her daughter’s life.

Earlier this July, Mikayla died in a boating accident, just weeks short of her 26th birthday, on Lake Navajo. Even after two memorial services, it’s impossibly hard to fathom her earthly departure. The pain and unfathomable grief silently screams through every tendril and connection of her community. This column is not long enough for me to do justice to the life that Mikayla lived – a life lived with boundless smiles, boldness and incredible perseverance. Rest in peace, Mikayla. May you find your deepest and highest self. May you know how loved you are. We love you, Sara, and Mikayla’s partner, Ben. We are with you on your journeys.

Alas, one way to move through heartbreak and heal is through music. It’s now peak summer in Durango, and many of us continue to glean it like plums and apricots from the corner speakeasies and festival stages alike. May we honor the life of Mikayla and the other precious souls we’ve said goodbye to recently. May music be medicine, a rallying call for us to share the joy and grief of life together. To exercise our deep human need for connection and community.

With that said, here are five not-to-miss events this August. Be sure to keep your eye on the calendars for Union Social House, 11th St Station and other local venues. And, though not mentioned, Music in the Mountains is unleashing a late-summer flood of epic classical music this month. As always, see you on the dancefloor, my friends. Tell your people you love them.

• Rhythms on the Rio, Del Norte, Fri.-Sun., Aug. 2-4 – The California Honeydrops, Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country, ALO, Lil’ Smokies, Shadowgrass, Diggin Dirt, The Fretliners, Armchair Boogie and Cousin Curtiss descend on Del Norte for this family friendly local festival just over Wolf Creek Pass. Be sure to bring your bathing suit to dip in the river. Single-day and three-day tickets are priced to move and are available at www.rhythmsontherio.com.

• Ray Wylie Hubbard, Animas City Theatre, Thurs., Aug. 8, 7 p.m. – One of the few Texas license plates that “locals” (we all know you just moved here from the Front Range, easy there, Sprinter Van guy) would be wise to not curse will be that of Texas music royalty Ray Wiley Hubbard. Oklahoman by birth, Texan by the grace of God, Hubbard has penned incendiary tunes over the last several decades for Lucinda Williams, Jerry Jeff Walker, Waylon and Willie, just to name a few. Expect the secret Texans you know as your friends, neighbors and, dare we say, “gangly, yet sexy” Telegraph columnists to show up with significant Lone Star State energy at this red dirt revival.

• Suzy Bogguss, La Plata County Fairgrounds, Fri., Aug. 9, 6:30 p.m. – Country music legend Suzy Bogguss comes to play under the big lights at the annual La Plata County Fair this month with local legend Tim Sullivan opening the show. With an illustrious career spanning several decades, Bogguss’ vocals and songwriting on her latest album have been described by the revered American music rag No Depression as “radiant and transportive.”

• Carter Sampson and Amelia White, The Lightbox at Stillwater Music, Fri., Aug. 16, 7:30 p.m. – Self-described as “Nashville’s finest funeral singer,” Carter Sampson is set to cast musical last rites at The Lightbox alongside her touring partner and musical yin to her yang, Amelia White. Americana UK gave a rave review of a 2023 performance, calling the duo’s musical odyssey “a moveable feast” complete with the musicians adding harmonies and accompaniment to each other’s songs throughout the evening. Expect intimate listening-room vibes at this beautiful venue.

• Pussyfoot, Subterrain, Sat., Aug. 24, 8 p.m. – The Subterrain is gaining steam as the de facto DIY-esque venue in town in the absence of venues like The Hive (which will be back soon!), booking screaming rock bands like The Crooked Rugs and local punk heavy-hitters Pussyfoot. The latter are set to return to the small, eclectically designed Subterrain for a late August throwdown.