Peter Rowan, Tim O’Brien & AJ Lee Join The String Cheese Incident At Hardly Strictly Bluegrass

Watch the collab on “I’m Blue, I’m Lonesome,” “Sweet Melinda” and “Land’s End”

By Nate Todd Oct 7, 2025 • 3:58 pm PDT

SCI HSB 2025

Photo by Casey Flanigan / @imagespacephoto

The String Cheese Incident delivered a performance during Hardly Strictly Bluegrass at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park over the weekend. SCI welcomed Peter Rowan, Tim O’Brien, AJ Lee and Jan Purat for their Sunday set.

Following their concert at The Fillmore on Saturday night, The String Cheese Incident took the stage at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass on Sunday afternoon. Bassist Keith Moseley led the band through “Sweet Spot” to kick off the set followed by keyboardist Kyle Hollingsworth’s 2024 single, “Carnival.”

Advertisement

The band then brought up AJ Lee and Jan Purat of festival performers AJ Lee & Blue Summit. The musicians collaborated on a cover of ’s “Fishin’ In The Dark.” Bluegrass greats Tim O’Brien and Peter Rowan then joined in for the Bill Monroe/Hank Williams co-write “I’m Blue, I’m Lonesome.”

O’Brien and Purat offered double fiddle on the tune while Rowan, Lee and O’Brien teamed for some stellar harmonies on the bluegrass/country standard. Rowan and O’Brien then stayed on for “Sweet Melinda,” a Peter Rowan song that has long been in the Cheese catalog. Rowan naturally led the tune originally appearing on his 1980 album Texican Badman.

Tim O’Brien then helped Cheese out on “Lands End,” another longtime SCI-covered number. Tim O’Brien included a version of the traditional Irish folk song on his 1984 album Hard Year Blues.

Watch video of “I’m Blue, I’m Lonesome,” “Sweet Melinda” and “Land’s End” below:

00:00:00
00:06:18
00:14:36
WookTown TV
The String Cheese Incident (See 391 videos) , Peter Rowan (See 70 videos) , AJ Lee (See 3 videos) and Tim O’Brien (See 61 videos)

Next, The String Cheese Incident went it alone for the Bill Nershi-penned classic “Restless Wind.” The concert came to a close with a pairing of “Just One Story” and “Hi Ho No Show.”

Setlist (via SCI Facebook)

Set: Sweet Spot, Carnival, Fishin’ In The Dark* (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band), I’m Blue, I’m Lonesome^, Sweet Melinda$, Land’s End#, Restless Wind, Just One Story > Hi Ho No Show

Notes:

  • * w/ AJ Lee, Jan Purat
  • ^ w/ Peter Rowan, AJ Lee, Jan Purat, Tim O’Brien
  • $ w/ Tim O’Brien, Peter Rowan
  • # w/ Tim O’Brien

    • Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Photos

    Loading tour dates

JamBase Collections