Two Month Reminder: Nominations for the 11th Annual Northern California Bluegrass Awards are due from NCBS Members by October 21, 2017.
Author: Michael Hall
NCBS To Fete Volunteers & Bands At October 14 Annual Thank You Party
The Northern California Bluegrass Society will fete the volunteers and bands of the past year’s events and projects at the NCBS Volunteer Thank You Party, set for Saturday, October 14 at an undisclosed location. The highly coveted invitations will be out soon! Thanks for your support!
Bluegrass Loses Two Friends & Leaders — Pete Kuykendall And Delbert Doty
Bluegrass lost two good friends and two leaders today — Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine publisher Pete Kuykendall of Broad Run, VA, and Delbert Doty of Hollister, CA, the longtime president of the San Benito County Historical Society. While neither was a NCBS member, both contributed to the success of the Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival.
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Pete Kuykendall was a bluegrass musician, songwriter, promoter, DJ, and journalist, who brought essential business skills to bluegrass music at an early time when professionalism was lacking and the development of the music was in doubt. He took over the newsletter of a small non-profit organization in the Washington, DC area and developed it into the national bluegrass magazine of record. He also co-founded the International Bluegrass Music Association and brought the concept of Leadership Bluegrass to the IBMA.
When the NCBS’ fledgling GOF Festival caught Pete’s attention as a source of new west coast bluegrass energy, he and his wife Kitsy Kuykendall came all the way to California as a fully-paid vendor (turning down our offer of a free BU booth) to lend support — and credibility — to the new event. Kitsy saw The Waybacks on the GOF stage and booked them for a slot at the IBMA convention, the band’s first appearance at the national level.
Peter V. Kuykendall was 79 years old. Under the name Pete Roberts, he performed as an early member of the Country Gentlemen, and wrote numerous bluegrass songs, some of which were included in the soundtrack for the movie “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?”
Pete’s funeral will be held on Wednesday August 30 at 10:00 am at the Moser Funeral Home in Warrenton, VA. Visitation will be on Tuesday evening from 3:00-5:00 and 7:00-9:00 p.m. at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations in his name to the Bluegrass Trust Fund or the International Bluegrass Music Museum.
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Delbert Doty played a significant role in building out the historical village at the San Benito County Historical Park, the new home of the Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival. His last major project was the new stage, which has been named in his honor by the SBCHS. He helped with the negotiations that brought the bluegrass festival to the park in 2016.
Delbert Leon Doty’s Celebration Of Life will be held on Friday, September 1 at 2:00pm at the historical park, 8300 Airline Highway, Tres Pinos.
The SFBOT Returns To San Francisco This October — To Follow Huge Hardly Strictly Gathering
The San Francisco Bluegrass & Old Time Festival will return to San Francisco October 11-15, 2017 after a 4-year hiatus. The revival of the small, fun, bluegrass event will take place the week after the huge Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival.
The SFBOT’s Wednesday-Saturday shows will be held in various well-known bluegrass venues around town, while the FREE closing Sunday concert will take place at the Jerry Garcia Amphitheatre in McLaren Park.
The original (2000-2013) festival was organized by a quasi-independent committee of the Northern California Bluegrass Society. The revival is a project of several area bluegrass organizations, including the California Bluegrass Association. NCBS welcomes the 2017 event. Additional support will be provided by the San Francisco Parks & Recreation Department.
Save the dates — a full performance schedule will be announced soon.
Mountain Music Festival Is FREE, October 1 at Emma Prusch Park In San Jose
The Northern California Bluegrass Society welcomes the Mountain Music Festival, set for Sunday, October 1, 2017 at Emma Prusch Farm Park, 647 South King Road in San Jose.
Bands: Bean Creek, The Goat Hills Girls, Sidesaddle & Co, Radio Rail, The Wildcat Mountain Ramblers, Banjo Twins, & The Santa Clara Valley Fiddlers Association.
The FREE, family-oriented festival is presented by the Prusch Farm Park Foundation and the City Of San Jose.
Northern California Bluegrass Awards Nominations Now Accepted & Due By October 21
Nominations for the 11th Annual Northern California Bluegrass Awards are due from NCBS Members by October 21, 2017.
Nominations honoring Northern California’s primarily non-touring bluegrass bands & musicians are being accepted in 9 categories: Band, Male Vocalist, Female Vocalist, Guitar, Mandolin, Banjo, Fiddle, Dobro, and Bass. Paper nomination forms will be available at the NCBS Information Booth at fall events and e-mail nominations can be sent to Michael Hall. Each member may nominate up to 3 in each category.
NCBS members will receive two rounds of ballots over the winter. The awards ceremony will be held on January 27, 2018 as part of the FREE NCBS Bluegrass On Broadway Festival in Redwood City.
The awards show and January 26-28 festival are supported by a base grant from the Redwood City Civic Cultural Commission and by other Redwood City-area businesses, agencies, and organizations.
2018 NCBS 11th Annual Bluegrass On Broadway Festival Is Set For January 26-28 In Redwood City
The 11th Annual FREE Bluegrass On Broadway Festival will be held January 26-28, 2018 at various venues in Redwood City. The festival is presented by the Northern California Bluegrass Society with principal financial support from the Redwood City Civic Cultural Commission.
Official September-October 2017 Northern California Bluegrass Society Events
Here are the official Northern California Bluegrass Society events for September & October, 2017:
SEPTEMBER
26-30 — IBMA World Of Bluegrass, Raleigh Convention Center, Raleigh, NC. (NCBS is a longtime organizational member of IBMA)
OCTOBER
1 — Mountain Music Festival, Emma Prusch Farm Park, San Jose. FREE. (NCBS-welcomed)
11-15 — San Francisco Bluegrass & Old Time Festival, various venues, San Francisco. (NCBS-welcomed)
14 — NCBS Volunteer Thank You Party, undisclosed location.
Annual NCBS Volunteer Thank You Party Will Be Held Saturday October 14
The Northern California Bluegrass Society will honor and entertain the loyal, hard-working volunteers and bands from all of the various events and projects over the past year at the NCBS Volunteer Thank You Party on Saturday, October 14, 2017.
If you volunteered this year, look for your coveted invitation to arrive soon! And…thanks for your support!
Performance Schedule Announced For FREE October 1 Mountain Music Festival At San Jose’s Prusch Park
The performance schedule has been announced for the Sunday, October 1, 2017 Mountain Music Festival at Emma Prusch Farm Park in San Jose.
SUNDAY, October 1
10:00am — The Banjo Twins
11:00 — The Wildcat Mountain Ramblers
Noon — Santa Clara Valley Fiddlers Association
1:00pm — Radio Rail
2:00 — Sidesaddle & Co
3:00 — The Goat Hill Girls
4:00 — Bean Creek
The festival is presented by the Prusch Farm Park Foundation and the City Of San Jose.
The Northern California Bluegrass Society welcomes this FREE family-oriented event to our area.