AJ Lee & Blue Summit, along with The Fretliners, come to Wheeler

A night of bluegrass and beyond, featuring two energetic bands and a shared encore, comes to Wheeler Opera House on April 9.

For the first time, AJ Lee & Blue Summit and The Fretliners tour together. Though they’ve played festivals together, they’ve never actually shared a bill. Aspen’s show will be the first time the Santa Cruz- and Lyons, Colorado-based bands, respectively, tour together.

Both deliver high-voltage bluegrass, while also extending the genre, infusing it with a modern twist.

Award-winning AJ Lee & Blue Summit headlines the show. The band started nine years ago, when a group of friends began casually playing gigs around town. Initially rooted in bluegrass, their sound has evolved through their signature arrangements.

“We became more and more coordinated. We got more in synch over time,” said guitarist and founding member Sully Tuttle. “We’ve strayed a little bit out of bluegrass … (into) a blend of contemporary folk or sometimes a little bit of pop influence, old time, and country.”

In addition to its signature sound, one thing that sets the ensemble apart is its lack of banjo in favor of two guitars, a mandolin, and a fiddle.

“The many years of playing has turned into our own sound. We have a type of bluegrass that’s not quite jam grass, and it’s not quite traditional; it’s sort of somewhere else out there,” he said.

The band’s latest release, “City of Glass,” includes its newest member, guitarist Scott Gates, with his solid harmonies.

“He’s one of the best musicians I know,” Tuttle said.

It also marks the first time he sang lead on one of his originals. Lech Wierzynski produced the album, adding his jazzy and soulful influences, including a cover of “He Called Me Baby” and a fast-waltz, bluegrassy tune Wierzynski wrote: “Bedside Window.”

“It’s a slightly different sound than our previous ones — maybe not quite as much fast bluegrass — it’s a little bit more slow, a little bit more groovy,” Tuttle said.

The Fretliners, who, in 2023, won both band competitions at Telluride Bluegrass and Rockygrass Festivals — something accomplished only once before — have been creating a buzz within the roots music scene. With powerful solos, tight harmonies and captivating stage presence, the musicians often stretch tunes into jams, playing their heart out and connecting with fans.

Their self-titled, debut album, released in 2023, garnered rave reviews for its virtuosic playing and sincere lyrics. In fact, critics have compared The Fretliners to bands like The Infamous Stringdusters and Nickel Creek.

“They’re full of high energy. They’re great players and are going to put on a really fun show. And, we’re gonna play with a lot of dynamics, a lot of arrangements, and just have a lot of fun up there,” Tuttle said, noting that Colorado’s audiences are some of the best. “People really come out, and they really get into the music. It’s a high-energy crowd, and it’s really fun for us because of that.”