Image via YouTube

Following its triumphant return on March 3, WinterWonderGrass Steamboat has released a video of the bluegrass supergroup WinterWonderWomen covering the Band’s beloved “The Weight” against the elements in Steamboat Springs, Colo. This year, the all-women supergroup reunited at the site of its inception for a cinematic performance of the 1968 Robbie Robertson-penned standard in the middle of a snowstorm. This marked the supergroup’s fifth presentation since its debut at WinterWonderGrass Steamboat 2019. 

The video, shot by Sawyer Gieseke and Tobin Voggesser, shows the band members decked out in colorful winter gear, with mics and keyboard partially covered in tarps and towels. In the footage, a rhythm section composed of bassist Emma Rose and Banshee Tree drummer Michelle “MiLo” Pietrafitta lays the foundation for shimmering strings from AJ Lee’s mandolin and Bridget Law of Elephant Revival’s lilting fiddle, which offers a soul-stirring solo in the middle of the song. Megan Letts of Mama Magnolia, Lindsay Lou and Isa Burke trade verses as leading vocalist throughout the rendition, while Shelby Means of Golden Highway leads a soaring chorus of backing vocals from all the artists. This cover, teeming with more funk and soul influence than the original, honors the Band’s collaborative, harmonious sound with richly layered vocals at the hook, as the entire ensemble joins in the call to “put the load right on me.”

Fans of WinterWonderWomen have much to look forward to in the next month, as the supergroup will reunite for two appearances at WinterWonderGrass Tahoe in Olympic Valley, Calif. on April 6 and 7, then again at BajaWonderGrass in Baja California Sur, Mexico between April 24-26. For more information about the upcoming festivals, visit winterwondergrass.com. 

Watch WinterWonderWomen performing “The Weight” at WinterWonderGrass Steamboat below.