A Different Kind of Music Fest: Park City Song Summit Labs featured Jim James with Danny Clinch and Steve Poltz with Jay Blakesberg

Last weekend musicians, music industry members and fans gathered at Canyons Village in Park City for the fifth edition of the Park City Song Summit which took place August 15-17. The small capacity festival provided an intimate and gorgeous setting for fans to engage in Summit Labs sessions that included performing artists discussing various aspects of music as it relates to mental health and wellness. Programming included a presentation by Canadian singer-songwriter, Steve Poltz and photographer Jay Blakesberg as well as a session that included, My Morning Jacket band leader, Jim James and longtime MMJ photographer, Danny Clinch. The festival offered daytime performances by various acts with headlining shows in the amphitheater situated on the adjacent Canyons Village ski slope which provided top-tier sound and lighting throughout the weekend. It was evident that this was a different kind of music fest than most fans are accustomed to.

Friday early afternoon saw the Labs sessions we mentioned take place. Numerous fans encouraged us to see Steve Poltz, the now legendary, Gandalf-haired song wizard perform so it was the first thing The Cosmic Clash did after arriving at the Pendry Hotel adjacent to the festival grounds where the sessions were held. Mid-talk, we caught famous Grateful Dead photographer Jay Blakesberg and Poltz. Blakesberg would show images of a particular artist he’d photographed and related stories about how the images came to be that were often funny or a bit shocking. Then Poltz would improvise a song about the tale on the spot. The results were magical, making the audience deeply appreciate the Canadian singer’s talents and Blakesberg’s talent for telling a good story. They also got to see some amazing music photography Blakesberg shared in the process.

Blakesberg related tales of photographing a wide range of performers from John Mayer to Dr. Dre to Robert Plant. The bulk of the stories were humorous but the tale told around photographing Dr. Dre for an album cover was astounding. Apparently Dre and Death Row Records owner, Suge Knight had a beef over royalty rights for a track they’d both worked on that inflamed to the point where Knight had a hit out on Dre. After the studio shoot Blakesberg suggested they get shots of Dre with the classic limousine he’d used to get to the studio they did the session in. Dre replied he was down, but they’d need to move quickly as there was threat of violent attack on the street. So the photographer was shooting with around 15 or so guys behind him, all armed with guns. “I’m just a hippie photogrpaher from San Francisco. No way I wanted to get caught in crossfire during an attack on Dre! What the fuck am I doing here?”

Shortly after, Jim James and longtime MMJ photogrpaher Danny Clinch took the stage for a discussion that ranged from James talking about his sobriety and it’s positive effects on his songwriting to Clinch’s awe at the power of My Morning Jacket’s art to lead hearts and minds down a gentler, kinder, more introspective path for their listeners and fans. The scope of the interview was broad and the tone refreshing as audience members listened to two old friends talking about music and mental health, even taking questions from the packed ballroom at the conclusion of the Lab Session. Park City Song Summit goes deep and meaningful in a way not many music festivals do, y’all.

Not long after, the Trombone Shorty Academy performers played on an outdoor stage situated in the small village complex festival organizers set up to for vendors and the Park City Song Summit Foundation which helps area musicians obtain mental health and recovery services much like Austin’s SIMS Foundation. It’s valuable work that is vital to keep artists healthy and working amid an often stressful and less lucrative than you’d think career in music. As the Academy players approached the end of their set, band members stepped off the stage in a parade line that lead fans into the hillside amphitheater for the headlining portion of the evening. It seemed as though PCSS staff had thought of every last detail for a successful weekend for performers and fans alike. The stage was set for two evenings of show stopping headlining performances.

Featured photo by Brian Lima for Park City Song Summit

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