Dylan McCarthy

Dylan McCarthy grew up with music. Some of his earliest memories include listening to "Breakfast with The Beatles" with his dad on Sunday mornings and making up songs for his grandmother. The passion grabbed him early and never let go. 

With over 20 years experience playing and performing, his musical background is deep and diverse. Beginning with classical piano at the age of 7, he has explored a breadth of musical genres and instruments. His high school years were steeped in classic rock and roll, cutting his teeth in Denver dive bars at 14. He hit a turning point at 18 with his decision to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA in 2012 for electric bass, while simultaneously discovering his love for mandolin and bluegrass music. He eventually made the decision to return to Denver and pursue his music career in the bluegrass music scene. 

Since then, Dylan has relocated to Lyons and established himself in Colorado as a hard-working professional in the bluegrass and acoustic music scene. In 2016, he brought home a Heartland Emmy award for Musical Composition, and in 2017 his live performances started shifting from breweries and bars to festivals and international tours including India and the UK. Recent notable achievements include playing at the 2018 Rockygrass Festival with The Lyons Bluegrass Collective, sharing the stage with Hot Rize at the 2018 Charles Sawtelle Memorial Mountain Jam and taking first place in the 2019 Rockygrass Mandolin Championship. In 2020, he released his debut album of original instrumentals, Lost & Found, and one of the tracks was awarded 2nd place in the Mike Auldridge Instrumental Contest. His finesse on the mandolin, fierce guitar playing and strong vocal presence have made him a notable member of the Colorado bluegrass community.