A Special Film Presentation honoring the late Al Hawkes will open the 2019 Northern California Bluegrass Awards Show & Concert on Saturday, January 26 at the Veterans Memorial Senior Center Theatre, 1455 Madison Avenue, Redwood City. The full weekend at the Northern California Bluegrass Society’s Bluegrass On Broadway Festival is FREE.
Special Film Presentation: The Eventful Life Of Al Hawkes (Andrew Jawitz, Rockhouse Mountain Productions, NH), is shown in memory of Allerton Hawkes (1930-2018). The film will be shown at 10:00am, with the concert to follow at 11:00am.
Al Hawkes was a bluegrass pioneer who made many exciting contributions to the advancement of the music by organizing the bluegrass community in New England and by performing in one of the earliest integrated bluegrass duos. He recorded many of the important bluegrass artists from outside of the south on his label, Event Records. This film was well-received at the 2010 NCBS film festival. The filmmakers have given special permission for its return this year.
The 12th Annual Bluegrass On Broadway Festival will include a FREE bluegrass show on Sunday, January 27 at The Hub, 2650 Broadway, Redwood City. Performers will include 27strings, The Wildcat Mountain Ramblers, Bear Grass Creek, & The Open Heartstrings.
The evening will kick-off The Hub as the newest regular venue for our music in Redwood City, the Peninsula’s Home of Bluegrass Music. Bluegrass On Broadway is presented by the Northern California Bluegrass Society, with principal financial support from the Redwood City Civic Cultural Commission.
The Stoney Mountain Ramblers will perform at the Freewheel Brewing Company, 3736 Florence Street, Redwood City, on Saturday, January 26, 2019, 8:00-11:00pm, as part of the FREE NCBS Bluegrass On Broadway Festival.
The festival will be held at various venues throughout Redwood City, the Peninsula’s home of bluegrass music. The weekend of music will run January 26-27.
Bluegrass On Broadway receives principal financial support from the Redwood City Civic Cultural Commission, the Redwood City Department of Parks Recreation & Community Services, and other Redwood City area businesses, organizations and individuals.
The 26th Annual Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival, a benefit for the Northern California Bluegrass Society, is set for Thursday-Sunday, August 8-11, 2019. The fun, friendly showcase of top California bluegrass bands will be held at the San Benito County Historical Park in Tres Pinos.
Three Day Reminder:Final Ballots for the 2019 Northern California Bluegrass Awards are due on Monday, January 14 from the members of the Northern California Bluegrass Society.
The FREE 12th annual awards show and concert will be held on Saturday, January 26 in Redwood City, as part of the FREE NCBS Bluegrass On Broadway Festival.
The FREE Bluegrass On Broadway Festival, presented by the Northern California Bluegrass Society with principal financial support from the Redwood City Civic Cultural Commission, will come to Redwood City the weekend of January 26-27, 2019.
The 12th Annual festival will include the Northern California Bluegrass Awards Show at the Veterans Memorial Senior Center Theatre on Saturday, January 26, 2019, plus evening shows at the Freewheel Brewing Company and The Hub.
Five Day Reminder:Final Ballots for the 2019 Northern California Bluegrass Awards are due on Monday, January 14 from the members of the Northern California Bluegrass Society.
The FREE 12th annual awards show and concert will be held on Saturday, January 26 in Redwood City, as part of the FREE NCBS Bluegrass On Broadway Festival.
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.
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 believes this is an important way to help our fellow musicians in a time of need and encourages your support.
One Week Reminder:Final Ballots in the 2019 Northern California Bluegrass Awards are due on January 14 from the members of the Northern California Bluegrass Society.
The FREE 12th annual awards show and concert will be held on Saturday, January 26 in Redwood City, as part of the FREE NCBS Bluegrass On Broadway Festival.
