Category: Events

The 13th Annual Northern California Bluegrass Awards were held in Redwood City on January 25, 2020. The popular young band A J Lee & Blue Summit (San Jose) took four of the nine categories, including Best Bluegrass Band.

The awards show, part of the weekend’s Bluegrass On Broadway Festival, is presented by the Northern California Bluegrass Society.

Other award winners included Billy Pitrone (Santa Cruz), Best Male Vocalist, and one current and one former member of the iconic High Country band — Larry Cohea (Best Banjo Player, El Cerrito) and the recently-retired Jim Mintun (Best Dobro Player, Capitola).

Suzanne Suwanda of Los Gatos won for Best Bass Player. Lee Anne Welch (Saratoga) was voted Best Fiddle Player.

A J Lee (San Jose) was named Best Female Vocalist and Best Mandolin Player, while Sullivan Tuttle (A J Lee & Blue Summit, San Jose) won Best Guitar Player.

The Redwood City Arts Commission supports the free festival, along with other agencies, businesses, and individuals in the Redwood City area.

FREE All-Day Bluegrass Fun in Redwood City!

SATURDAY, January 25

Veterans Memorial Senior Center Theatre, 1455 Madison Avenue, Redwood City.

10:30am – Special Bluegrass Film Presentation: Life of Bill Monroe

Noon – The Open Heart Strings

1:00pm – The Wildcat Mountain Ramblers

2:00 – Bean Creek

3:00-5:00pm – Northern California Bluegrass Awards Show (with additional musical performances). Award Finalists

The Northern California Bluegrass Society’s FREE 13th Annual Bluegrass On Broadway Festival runs January 24-25, 2020 in Redwood City. Thanks to the Redwood City Arts Commission and other Redwood City agencies, businesses and individuals for their support!

Festival Fun: The Northern California Bluegrass Society’s FREE Bluegrass On Broadway Festival is this weekend, January 24 & 25, 2020, at various venues in Redwood City. Here is All You Need To Know to enjoy the 13th Annual event:

The Festival: Bluegrass On Broadway includes the Northern California Bluegrass Awards Show & Concert (Saturday) as well as other shows.

Tickets: NO tickets are needed. All shows are FREE and held in Redwood City.

Festival Schedule:

FRIDAY, January 24

Freewheel Brewing Company, 3737 Florence Street, Redwood City.

8:00-10:00pm – The Stoney Mountain Ramblers

SATURDAY, January 25

Veterans Memorial Senior Center Theatre, 1455 Madison Avenue, Redwood City.

10:30am – Special Bluegrass Film Presentation: Life of Bill Monroe

Noon – The Open Heart Strings

1:00pm – The Wildcat Mountain Ramblers

2:00 – Bean Creek

3:00-5:00pm – Northern California Bluegrass Awards Show (with additional musical performances). Award Finalists.

Directions:

Bluegrass On Broadway is held at various venues in Redwood City (mid-Peninsula in the middle of the Bay Area), easily accessible from Freeways 101 and 280, via the Woodside Road exit.

The Veterans Memorial Senior Center, 1455 Madison Avenue, is about 2 miles west of downtown off of Jefferson Avenue. Turn left on St. Francis, which leads directly into the VMSC parking lot.

To reach the VMSC from I-280, exit at Farm Hill Blvd. and go east, Farm Hill becomes Jefferson Avenue. Go past the Alameda de Las Plugas, then right on St. Francis, which leads directly into the VMSC parking lot.

To reach the VMSC from Woodside Road, go north on Alameda de Las Plugas then right (east) on Jefferson Avenue. Turn right on St. Francis, which leads directly into the VMSC parking lot.

The Freewheel Brewing Company, 3736 Florence Street, is located in the Marsh Manor Shopping Center, not far from the Marsh Road exit off Highway 101 at the southern edge of Redwood City. From 101 go west a short distance, then right on Florence Street. The shopping center is on the left.

Redwood City Weather:

All festival events are INDOORS with close-in parking. High 72, Low 72.

Outdoors: FRI: Partly Cloudy, High 61, Low 50. SAT: Partly Sunny, High 62 Low 53.

Community & Fun: Remember, All Of Your Friends Will Be There!

Since the very first festival in 2008, the Redwood City Civic Cultural Commission, now newly-named the Redwood City Arts Commission has provided a base grant that enables the festival to be presented without charge to old and new bluegrass fans. Enjoy!

The 13th Annual Northern California Bluegrass Awards will be held on Saturday, January 25, 2020, 3:00-5:00pm as part of a FREE day-long concert at the Veterans Memorial Senior Center Theatre, 1455 Madison Avenue, Redwood City. The weekend Bluegrass On Broadway Festival is presented by the Northern California Bluegrass Society. Here are the finalists for Best Bluegrass Band:

AJ Lee and Blue Summit (San Jose):

 

 

Bean Creek (Santa Cruz):

 

 

 

Goat Hill Girls (Saratoga):

The Goat Hill Girls in Los Gatos.

Sidesaddle & Co (Hollister):

 

 

 

Snap Jackson and The Knock On Wood Players (Stockton):

 

The Northern California Bluegrass Society has announced the band line-up for the FREE Northern California Bluegrass Awards Show & Concert this Saturday  in Redwood City.

SATURDAY, January 25

10:00am — Historic Bluegrass Film

11:00am — Open Heart Strings (Ben Lomond)

Noon — Wildcat Mountain Ramblers (Los Gatos)

1:00pm — Bean Creek (Santa Cruz)

2:00pm — AJ Lee & Sully Tuttle (San Jose)

3:00-5:00pm — Northern California Bluegrass Awards Show (with additional musical performances)

The 13th annual program will be held at the Veterans Memorial Senior Center Theatre, 1455 Madison Avenue, Redwood City.

The Bluegrass On Broadway Festival, including the concert, is made possible by a base grant from the Redwood City Arts Commission.

 

The 13th Annual Northern California Bluegrass Awards Show & Concert will be held on Saturday, January 25, 2020 at the Veterans Memorial Senior Center Theatre, 1455 Madison Avenue in Redwood City. The event is presented by the Northern California Bluegrass Society.

The special historic film presentation will begin the program at 10:00am, with the concert running 11:00am-3:00pm and the awards show proper set for 3:00-5:00pm. The Redwood City Arts Commission provides principal financial support, making it possible for the day-long concert to be FREE and open to the public.

2020 Award Finalists

 

1. Bluegrass Band

AJ Lee & Blue Summit

Bean Creek

Goat Hill Girls

Sidesaddle & Co

Snap Jackson & The Knock On Wood Players

2. Male Vocalist

Jesse Fichman

Snap Jackson

John Kornhauser

Billy Pitrone

Yoseff Tucker

3. Female Vocalist

Sarah Eblen

Kim Elking

AJ  Lee

Hailey Pexton

Suzanne Suwanda

4. Guitar

Kathy Barwick

Jesse Fichman

Linda Maki

Yoseff Tucker

Sullivan Tuttle

5. Mandolin

Kim Elking

Pete Hicks

AJ Lee

Teo Quale

Butch Waller 

6. Banjo

Larry Cohea

Robert Cornelius

Rob Horgan

Snap Jackson

Jesse Personeni

7. Fiddle

Pete Hicks

Ed Neff

Miles Quale

Paul Shelasky

Lee Anne Welch

8. Dobro

Leslie Abbott

Kathy Barwick

Tomas Enguidanos

Will Fourt

Jim Mintun

Charlie Wallace

9. Bass

Lisa Burns

Sarah Eblen

Dave Gooding

Paul Knight

Suzanne Suwanda

There are 6 finalists in one category due to a tie. The Northern California Bluegrass Society will present the FREE Northern California Bluegrass Awards Show on January 25, 2020 at 3:00pm at the Veterans Memorial Senior Center Theatre in Redwood City.