Although it’s hard to pinpoint the origins of bluegrass music, it’s no great stretch to say the genre has enjoyed somewhat of a revival over the last 50 or so years. Once a form of music relegated to front porch-side gatherings and considered only a hillbilly pastime, bluegrass
has been championed by the California Bluegrass Association, a collective whose main goal to to educate and cultivate interest in the music through its annual gatherings.
This year’s Father’s Day Festival includes three live music stages with the likes of Country Gong Bang, Sister Sadie. Rick Faris Band, Lonesome River Band, Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen, Paul Brown and Terri McMurray, and more. Of course, there will be camping options available as well as a youth program, workshops, square-dancing, myriad craft options, and some of the best food and beverage fare found at an outdoor festival. Topping the bill is Alison Brown, the Grammy-award-winning musician and coveted producer, who released the fabulous ‘On Banjo’ record on Compass Records back in 2023. A veritable headliner all across the US, the 61-year-old picker showcases her skills over the course of her wonderful 10-song album.
You can find Alison’s BandCamp page here: https://alisonbrown.bandcamp.com/album/on-banjo
As evidenced on the lead track, “Wind The Clock,” the mood is both relaxed as it is contemplative. “Foggy Morning Breakfast” is yet another standout which finds her trading banjo licks with comedian / banjo player Steve Martin, an adept player in his own right.
Other favorites include “BanJobim (a tribute to Brazilian artist Antonio Carlos Jobim), “Old Shatterhand,” and the gorgeous “Sun And Water,” which features a bit of The Beatles’ “Here Comes The Sun.”
Accolades have already poured in for Brown, including praise from (but not limited to) CBS Sunday Morning, The Wall Street Journal, and even People magazine. Additionally, she also received the USA Artists Fellowship in Music and the Distinguished Achievement Award from the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) and was the first female to both win an Instrumentalist of the Year award from the IBMA and be inducted into the American Banjo Museum’s Hall of Fame.
The California Bluegrass Association Father’s Day Festival takes place from June 13 to 17 at the Nevada County Fairgrounds located at 11228 McCourtney Road in Grass Valley. Tickets can be purchased at https://californiabluegrass.org/cbaevent/fathers-day-festival in advance or at the door for an extra charge. Single-day adult options are available from Thursday to Sunday. Adult 1-Day tickets start at $55 for a single day (Thursday) and top out at $90 (Saturday). Full festival passes are $260 for Adult non-members, $250 for Senior non-members, and $75 for teens. Children 12 and under are free but must be accompanied by a ticketed adult.
