Voters in the 2025 Best of Summit contest say no one does live music better in the county than Breckenridge’s Moonstone Quill. 

Originally founded by Dan Shukis and Nate Spencer in 2020, Moonstone Quill seamlessly blends bluegrass, rock and country into a plugged-in American sound. 

Shukis and Spencer turned the unexpected stillness of the COVID-19 pandemic into a chance to chase their passions. Having both been musicians since childhood, the two soon found themselves playing side by side during those quiet months of the pandemic. Out of shared rhythm and connection, the formed Moonstone Quill.

“In the summer of 2020 I reconnected with Nate when I wasn’t working at the time and neither was he,” Shukis said. “Everything was partially locked down, but there were still open mics going. That summer we were just kind of like carpooling and going to open mics and stuff like that. … We were really born in that weird time when everything was locked down or sort of locked down.”

After coming together to play music in open mics across Summit County, Shukis and Spencer eventually recruited more musicians to be part of the band.

The current version of Moonstone Quill includes Shukis, Spencer, Nick Beato and Ian Hunt. Together, the four musicians form a band that includes guitars, a harmonica, a mandolin, a bass, a pedal-steel guitar and vocals.

“It is a really flexible sound and bluegrass is probably the easiest genre to pin on us,” Shukis said. “Every time that we play it is really the combined efforts of everybody that is in the band doing their thing. That is why it is kind of hard to pin a genre on us.”

While the four-piece band each plays their own instrument, the group of musicians all lend their voices to the band. The mix in voices creates a layered and unique sound that can be hard to find in other bands in the area.

Since officially becoming a band five years ago, Moonstone Quill has gradually gained notoriety within Summit County and in the region. The band is now a mainstay throughout the High Country and is commonly booked for weddings, festivals and other gigs all year round.

After being named the Best Local Band/Musician around Summit County in 2023 and 2024 in the Best of Summit contest, Moonstone Quill was once again named the Best Local Band in this year’s awards. 

After five years of honing their craft, the honor carries deep meaning for Shukis and Moonstone Quill. The award not only reflects the community’s love for the band, but also validates the countless hours of practice and personal sacrifices its members have made.

“I am super appreciative of it,” Shukis said. “We are coming up on being five years old, and it is cool to be … locally known in a small town where locals sort of stand apart from tourists and there is more of tight-knit, local community.”

To view Moonstone Quill’s schedule, visit MoonstoneQuill.com.

This story originally published in the Best Of Summit 2025 magazine.