Daniel Donato ascended the mountains of Alta, WY on Saturday for a guest-fueled set at Grand Targhee Bluegrass Festival featuring sit-ins by guitarist Duane Betts, keyboardist Holly Bowling, and rising bluegrass guitarists Luke Black (Mountain Grass Unit), and Kyser George (Shadowgrass).

Donato and his Cosmic Country bandmates served as the penultimate act of Saturday’s main programming, teeing audiences up for a headlining performance by Greensky Bluegrass featuring Holly Bowling in their beloved 6reensky configuration. Ahead of the bluegrass mainstay, Donato and his bandmates delivered locomotive energy with an opening one-two of “Blame the Train” and Ralph Stanley‘s “Riding the Midnight Train”. The Nashville guitarist previewed his upcoming album Horizons, out August 22nd, with “Broadside Ballad” and stuffed the set with additional originals “Fortunate Sparrow” and “Guilty Jubilee” before starting the parade of special guests.

Duane Betts was the first and perhaps most surprising onstage addition, as the son of Allman Brothers Band co-founder Dickey Betts was not on the already-stacked Grand Targhee lineup. With the interminable engine that is drummer Will “Bronco” Clark powering them, the ensemble answered the age-old question of “What if Waylon Jennings was into The Disco Biscuits?” on their interpretation of “Ain’t Living Long Like This” as they dialed up the four-on-the-floor backbeat with Daniel and Duane trading leads throughout. While “Ain’t Living Long Like This” was a mad dash to the dance floor, the following “Ride Me High”—with Betts still on board—was a slow-burning jam that inched toward the ten-minute mark and served as a highlight of the set.

“The very singular, sophisticated, and beautifully talented” Holly Bowling, as Donato glowingly introduced her, was up next. The former Ghost Light keyboardist warmed up for her impending performance with Greensky via a sprawling take on Grateful Dead Biblical staple “Samson and Delilah”. Bowling meshed with Cosmic Country keyboardist/guitarist Nathan “Sugar Leg” Aronowitz, vacillating between barrelhouse piano and funky clavinet, as Donato snuck in a quick tease of Phish‘s “Simple” on guitar.

To close out the set with one final sit-in, Donato looked to the next generation of musicians by calling out Luke Black and Kyser George. The guitarists from respective jamgrass outfits Mountain Grass Unit and Shadowgrass joined Donato for a quick raft down Johnny Cash‘s “Big River”.

Though Black has garnered something of a viral reputation for his acoustic guitar videos on Instagram (currently boasting over 60k followers, 15k more than his band’s official page), Donato put Luke’s particular set of skills to the test by swapping guitars with him mid-song and putting Black to work on an electric Fender Telecaster. In case that wasn’t enough of a challenge, Donato at one point started playing the high strings on the Tele while Black handled the lower notes—all while it was still slung around Luke’s shoulders.

Check out the guest-filled Daniel Donato set featuring Duane Betts, Holly Bowling, Luke Black, and Kyser George from Grand Targhee Bluegrass Festival. Up next for DDCC is its highly anticipated headlining debut at Ryman Auditorium on August 22nd—coinciding with the release of Horizons. Find tickets and tour dates on Donato’s website.

Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country, Luke Black, Kyser George — “Big River” (Johnny Cash) — 8/9/25

[Video: Eric Pirwitz]

Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country — Grand Targhee Bluegrass Festival — Alta, WY — 8/9/25 — Full Audio

[Audio: mgonnella]

Setlist: Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country | Grand Targhee Bluegrass Festival | Alta, WY | 8/9/25

Set One: Blame The Train, Riding That Midnight Train (Ralph Stanley), Broadside Ballad > Hangman’s Reel (Traditional), Fortunate Sparrow, Guilty Jubilee, Ain’t Living Long Like This (Rodney Crowell) [1], Ride Me High (J.J. Cale) [1], Samson And Delilah (Traditional) [2], Luck Of The Draw > Sugar Leg Rag, Big River (Johnny Cash) [3]

[1] w/ Duane Betts on guitar
[2] w/ Holly Bowling on keys
[3] w/ Kyser George (Shadowgrass) on guitar & Luke Black (Mountain Grass Unit) on guitar