Bluegrass is a genre of music made for the great outdoors, with bright sun and blue skies a perfect complement for the uplifting nature of this American acoustic artistry.

Whether Mountain Heart brought the sun out from behind the clouds Sunday, or perhaps the sun brought out the best of Mountain Heart, this magic blend had several thousand onlookers at Railroad Stage alternately clapping, dancing and stomping their feet – and always enjoying themselves.

The six-member band, with roots in the Carolinas and Tennessee, brought an innovative brand of bluegrass, incorporating traces of traditional country, rockabilly, gospel and even a touch of doo-wop.

The instrumental expertise of Jim Van Cleve (fiddle), Barry Abernathy (banjo), Adam Steffey (mandolin), Clay Jones (lead guitar) and Jason Moore (bass) was on full display, both in tandem and in extended solos during a 45-minute set.

Front man Steve Tulley proved a versatile tenor, jumping in full throttle on up-tempo offerings while pulling back to do the legendary George Jones justice on his cover of Jones’ 1974 ballad “The Grand Tour.”

But the biggest cheer for the group came late in the last of its three weekend performances, when they promised they’d be back in 2004.

– Ernie Clark