Derek Dames Ohl took home the 2026 UllrGrass Troubadour Contest crown with a warm, folksy, affable style—somewhere between Todd Snider and John Prine—delivering musical storytelling that instantly won over judges Bill Nershi of the String Cheese Incident, Adam Kinghorn, of Head For The Hills and Chris Thompson of .CORAL CREEK.

Set against the twinkly, welcoming ambience of the Golden Hotel in downtown Golden, Colorado, the evening felt like a true community gathering. Locals, festival-goers, and longtime UllrGrass friends packed the room in support of a lineup that was as heartfelt as it was wildly talented.

This year’s contest featured 11 outstanding troubadours, each bringing their own voice, story, and spark:

• Dan Harris

• Violet Wild

• Henry Artemis

• Dave Willis

• Joy Iwansio

• Jake Livingston

• Sue Schnitzer

• Derek Dames Ohl

• Scooter James

• Nadine Sekeres

• Melodious Gang

The night was a reminder of why UllrGrass remains one of Colorado’s most beloved winter festivals: community, creativity, and the kind of music that makes you feel at home.

Congratulations to all of our past UllrGrass Troubador winners!

2025 Ullr Troubador, David Lawrence

2024 Ullr Troubadour, Benjamin Sproul
2023 Ullr Troubadour, Benjie West
2020 Ullr Troubadour, John Truschelli
2019 Ullr Troubadour, Jobi Riccio
2015 Ullr Troubadour - Josh Vogeler.