Category: Uncategorized

Alan Munde Wins 2021 Steve Martin Banjo Prize

Alan Munde has been named the winner of the 2021 Steve Martin Banjo Prize. His long career included performing with Country Gazette, Jimmy Martin & The Sunny Mountain Boys, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Poor Richard’s Almanac, and his current unit, The Alan Munde Gazette. He taught banjo and bluegrass music for many years at South Plains College in Texas. He performed in an early Santa Cruz Bluegrass Society concert with Country Gazette.

Poor Richard’s Almanac circa 1969 (Photo: Bill Koon).

Blue Summit Tour Ends Early With Van-Truck Accident In Navajo Nation– No Serious Injury To Band Members

The AJ Lee & Blue Summit band touring van was rear-ended by a large Ford F250 pick-up truck while traveling on Highway 160 in the Navajo Nation, AZ on Wednesday evening, September 8, ending the band’s first extended national tour early.

The accident, which caused significant damage to the rented van, apparently did not cause serious injury to band members. The San Jose-based band was enroute to a Friday, September 10 performance in Ahwahnee, CA after their weekend shows at the Four Corners Folk Festival in Pagosa Springs, CO.

Two band members, AJ Lee and Jesse Fichman, are members of the NCBS Board of Directors.

 

Jerry Johnston, King’s River Bluegrass Festival Promoter & Association Leader, NCBS Volunteer

Jerry Johnston, the longtime president of the King’s River Bluegrass Association and the organizer of the King’s River Bluegrass Festival during its prime, died on January 8, 2019 in Fresno, following complications from surgery. He was 83 years old.

Jerry and his companion Rose Marie Dick were volunteers at the NCBS Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival and helped run the NCBS Information Booth at various Central Valley festivals.

Jerry Johnston

Johnston was born in East Liverpool, Ohio, and served as an aerial photographer in the US Air Force. He came to California when he was stationed at Castle Air Force Base in the Central Valley area. After he left military service, he studied business and accounting at Arizona State University. After practicing as an accountant, he enjoyed a long career on the accounting faculty at Fresno State University.

As a young man, he loved classic fast cars, competitive roller skating, and photography. In later life he added a big love for bluegrass music and Fresno State football.

Johnston took over a small street-based bluegrass festival in downtown Sanger, southeast of Fresno, and moved it to nearby Hobb’s Grove on the banks of the King’s River. There, the King’s River Bluegrass Association event grew to a full 3-day festival held each September. It was an important driver of bluegrass music in the southern Central Valley and strongly backed area bluegrass groups and musicians. This festival later became the California Bluegrass Association Hobb’s Grove Bluegrass Festival.

Jerry also took great, public pride as a leader of the Friends of Bill W. in the Fresno area and in organizing area meetings over the years.

One of the joys during the last 5 years of his life was reconnecting with Rose Marie, who grew up near Jerry’s boyhood home, and later met him for the first time at a roller skate rink near Castle Air Force Base. After 55 years, the couple remet on Facebook.

Gerald Johnston is survived by two sons and a daughter. His ashes will be scattered in a beautiful area of West Virginia across the river from his Ohio hometown.

Memorial Service Information (1/19/19)

Jerry Johnston & Rose Marie Dick

 

 

 

 

 

The Northern California Bluegrass Society Supports The CBA’s Wildfire Instrument Replacement Fund

Our sister organization, the California Bluegrass Association, has created a fund to help bluegrass musicians who are wildfire victims and need our help replacing lost instruments.

The Northern California Bluegrass Society supports this important effort and encourages your support. Here are the details:

CBA Bluegrass Fire Victims Instrument Fund