Steamboat Springs — Steamboat Ski and Resort Corp. on Wednesday afternoon announced the lineup for the 16th annual Bud Light Rocks the Boat Free Concert Series. Continuing on through the spring, the lineup this year includes audience favorites and new acts.

In Gondola Square at the base of Steamboat Ski Area, performances will range in music genres from bluegrass to New Orleans style rhythm and hip-hop. All shows are free and open to the public.

“Every series we do, whether summer or winter, has a different make up to it,” said John Waldman, of Great Knight Productions and co-producer for the Bud Light Rocks the Boat series. “It’s always fun to expose new acts, (including) a few in the lineup this year Steamboat has never seen before.”

Waldman also said the 2015 winter lineup is different from past years with the wider mix of musical styles.

On Jan. 19, the series kicks off with a contemporary country band, the LoCash Cowboys. Chris Lucas and Preston Brust’s eclectic high energy performance is in conjunction with the 41st annual Cowboy Downhill.

During Steamboat’s Mardi Gras celebration Feb. 14, the New Orleans 10-piece group No BS! Brass Band will be in town. Drawing inspiration from funk, jazz, klezmer, calypso and music of Led Zeppelin, the group has performed at the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, the Festival of New Trumpet Music and on National Public Radio’s Tiny Desk Concert.

A group Steamboat has become familiar with from the Free Summer Concert Series will be back in town March 7. Formed in the early 2000s, The Groovetrotters incorporate elements of jazz, reggae, blues and more through a number of covers and originals.

With a Michael Franti, reggae folk sound, Nahko and Medicine for the People will be in Steamboat for the first time March 14. According to Waldman, the group is an up-and-coming act that has created quite a buzz in the music industry. Huffington Post called Nahko’s music “beautiful and stirring.”

On March 21, Six Million Dollar Band — or 6MDB to fans — known for their high-energy, ’80s New Wave music will be in Steamboat. The group comes with five keyboards, a guitar, drum, bass and rhythm section.

Performing March 28, two Southern Californian brothers who make up The Wheeland Brothers grew up in Orange County and have developed a “beach rock reggae” sound.

“I think the resort does a great job trying to bring in bands that really energize the crowd and sit well with the atmosphere we are trying to produce especially in the spring,” said Loryn Kasten, public relations manager for Ski Corp.

To kick off Steamboat’s Springalicious Festival and to wrap up the Bud Light Rocks the Boat Concert Series will be a high-energy performance by a group Waldman said has come into their own to break through the music industry on a national level. Hailing from Colorado, the Motet is a world-class improvisational funk band that has been in Steamboat a few times and will be headlining the April 4 show.

To wrap up the ski season and the concert series will be Steel Pulse on April 12. In the music industry for more than 35 years, Steel Pulse is a Grammy award-winning roots reggae band from Birmingham, England. An act for April 11 also will be announced at the end of February.

“The goal of the series, no what matter season, is to provide a great experience for guests and locals,” Kasten said. “I’m always looking forward to these concerts because they always surpass me. Sometimes bands people haven’t heard of become new favorites.”

To reach Audrey Dwyer, call 970-871-4229, email adwyer@ExploreSteamboat.com or follow her on Twitter @Audrey_Dwyer1