Payton McMichael stepped to the microphone and cracked a joke as Sage Grouse patrons played pool and drank, seemingly unaware of the mess of guitars and speakers across from the bar. It wasn’t until Elliot Johnson, Stefan Bodevin and McMichael started playing that heads began to turn.
Sugar Bush has quickly made a name for themselves in the valley. The country western and southern rock influenced band officially formed just before Halloween, and have already played many venues in Gunnison including the Whammy Bar and Crested Bucha, and they’ve become a regular act at the Sage Grouse.
Outside before the gig, the three traded jokes, laughing about their list of rejected band names and reminiscing on how their drummer, Tim Edmonson, had come up with the name after seeing it plastered on the front of a liquor store, blissfully unaware of the Vermont ski area of the same name.
Johnson and McMichael started playing together at open mics after crossing paths on many occasions. When Bodevin, formerly the guitarist for the local band the Supply Band, joined the mix, the jam sessions started to feel a little heavier.
“We all jammed at my house in September, then we talked about actually doing it and getting a drummer, Tim,” McMichael said. “And then that kind of just kick started that into signing gigs.”
Johnson and McMichael share the roles of guitar and vocals, while Bodevin plays bass.
“I do a lot of songwriting as a guitarist, but I wanted to hang back and be a bass player for this project,” Bodevin said as Johnson nudged him to mention his solo music.
“People have just been hanging out and showing up, it’s been fun.” Johnson said.
“I notice some of the same faces.” McMichael added.
“The scene in Gunnison is growing exponentially,” Bodevin said. “People passing through don’t expect to see that there’s a [music] scene here, but there is.”
When asked what was on the set list for the night the three chuckled as if to say, ‘What set list?’ They play the night by ear, reading their audience.
“It’s kind of a mix between country, folk, and classic rock. And we put a Katy Perry song in there sometimes.” McMichael said as the other two laughed.
“Do these guys have a Spotify?” One bar patron yelled out as others began to dance inches from the band.
Sugar Bush floated between classics, playing songs by The Rolling Stones, Glen Campbell, Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings, even throwing in a few tracks by the Beatles. The hit of the night, however, was Toby Keith’s “I Should’ve Been A Cowboy.”
Johnson, a Kentucky native, is a freshman at Western Colorado University studying Music Industries. He picked up a guitar four years ago and hasn’t been able to put it down.
Bodevin is an electrician and graphic designer and has been living in the valley on and off for five years playing in various bands and performing solo.
“Every time I leave I come back,” he said. “I’ve been unofficially adopted by a few [friends] out here.”
McMichael moved to Gunnison in 2022 after a game of pool with two Gunnison locals in Georgia who convinced him it was the place to be. He now builds concrete sculptures for parks and has been a face in the open mic scene for quite a while.
The band teased some original music they plan on playing and releasing.
“We were jamming the other night and starting to put together some original songs,” Bodevin said. “Payton’s got an original and so does Elliot.”
Keep an eye out in the near future for Sugar Bush at Butte 66, Zuni West Brewing, Whammy Bar, and of course, the Sage Grouse.
Olivia Wilson can be reached at owilson@orourkemediagroup.com.
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