The International Bluegrass Music Association has announced the 2024 Leadership Bluegrass Class, which includes Helen Lude, a frequent attendee and performer on NCBS stages since she was very young. She grew up in San Francisco and graduated from Tulane University in 2023. She now lives and works in Nashville. Karen Celia Heil of San Francisco is also in the class. She is involved with bluegrass and old time music organizing in the Bay Area.
The Northern California Bluegrass Society is a longtime organizational member of the IBMA. The 2024 class will be held at Belmont University in Nashville, March 4-6. NCBS Members are encouraged to apply this fall for the 2025 class.
The members of the class of 2024 are:
Chelsea Burns
Central Texas Bluegrass Association
Austin, TX
Amanda Cook
Mountain Fever Records
Fancy Gap, VA
Carolyn Eyerly
DC Bluegrass Union
Vienna, VA
Sara Gougeon
Pineworks Creative / Queerfest
Nashville, TN
Karen Celia Heil
California Bluegrass Association / Berkeley Old Time Music Convention
San Francisco, CA
Mike Kaiz
Madison House
Chicago, IL
Kevin Keating
Wind Gap Bluegrass Festival
Nazareth, PA
Anna Kline
International Bluegrass Music Association
Mount Sterling, KY
Jeff Koontz
Planning Stages, Inc.
Brevard, NC
Linda Leavitt
Oregon Bluegrass Association
Sisters, OR
Tashi Litch
Eastsound, WA
Helen Lude
California Bluegrass Association
San Francisco, CA
Rob McCormac
Indiana University / Liam Purcel & Cane Mill Road / Trailhead Touring & Production
Bloomington, IN
Amanda McDowell
WXCY
Quarryville, PA
Mike Mitchell
Floyd Music School / The Mike Mitchell Band
Floyd, VA
Seth Mulder
Seth Mulder & Midnight Run
Sevierville, TN
Kody Norris
The Kody Norris Show / Mountain City Fiddlers’ Convention
Mountain City, TN
Liam Purcell
Trailhead Records
Deep Gap, NC
Ariel Rosemberg
Littleton, CO
Timothy Trudeau
Syntax Creative
Franklin, TN
Amanda Webb
NoraBelle Studio
Sevierville, TN
Lillian Werbin
Elderly Instruments
Lansing, MI
Dan Whitener
Gangstagrass / Man About a Horse
Matawan, NJ
Alissa Wolf
Stillhouse Junkies
Durango, CO
Cassie Wright
Fox Crossing Stringband
Chicago, IL