Richard Thompson’s acoustic barrage and the beautiful twang of Emmylou and Rodney

8;52 p.m. June 20, Telluride Town Park –  Two sorts of soul alternatively moved and soothed the audience this first evening of the 40th Telluride. First there was British singer/songwriter Richard Thompson who strode onstage with a mild swagger proceeded to tear through his catalog of darkly lit songs from “I Misunderstood” to

“Valerie.” Toting a single acoustic guitar he gave a graduate seminar in fingerpicking to the hoard of fretboard geeks hanging on his every note. Many in the crowd know Thompson’s iconic robber ballad “Vincent Black Lightning 1952” as performed by Del McCoury but never heard the edgy, propulsive original held together by Thompson’s resonant voice. Lots of music gets casually described as “spine-tingling.” This really was.

As the sun set Telluride veterans Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell took us back to the 1970s birth of country rock with glove-fit harmonies and pedal steel guitar. After a day of pickin’, grinnin’ and bluegrass fusion, it was a honkytonk pleasure – full speed twang on great tunes like “Pancho and Lefty,” “Til I gain Control Again,” and “Luxury Liner.”  Emmylou is at her best when she has someone great to harmonize with and Rodney brings it out. This is called “Americana” now but there was a time when it would’ve been labeled “country.” Whatever it’s called, it’s got undeniable soul.

Next up: A wild and crazy guy.