I have been attending CBA events since 1977. This is an organization that fosters an incredible sense of community and support for everyone, but especially for aspiring young musicians. There is no better place and environment to bring in kids and let them make friendships and musical connections across all ages and generations.
CBA is a staple of the international bluegrass community. They are leading the way in music participation on an active- and not just consumer level. Paving a way for music educators/aficionados/fans at all levels of proficiency to learn from and through jamming- actively participate in. Viva la musica!!! Viva CBA!!
It’s not an exaggeration to say the CBA and it’s many flavors of youth music programs completely changed the trajectory of our family life. Both my teen daughter and my husband have their own bluegrass bands— fostered, supported and loved by the CBA. Our band families , in addition to the many CBA folks who have been so supportive of these ventures, have been some of the most rewarding and genuine relationships of our lives. I’m crying just thinking about it, lol. I ❤️CBA.
Our oldest is going on 18 and our youngest is 12. So, imagine how many years CBA has invested in them through their youth programs. My two oldest are now semi-professional musicians and the CBA has supported them through their musical journey every step of the way, from offering us free tickets to our very first bluegrass festival, to offering a free Kids on Bluegrass program to every kid attending their festival, to lending my second son his instruments which have helped him progress as a musician. The community is supportive and responsive to one’s concerns and needs. They are willing to be innovative and change with the times while preserving the traditions of bluegrass and the tradition of passing on music aurally and orally.
The CBA is more than a music organization, it is a community made up of a multigenerational cross section of people living mostly in California. We are a thee generation family of members. The all volunteer organization strives for inclusiveness and is very proud of the youth programs. We have been members since the 1980's and our grown children are members as are our grandchildren. The community has enriched our lives
LOVE THE CBA!!!! Been going to the Father's Day Bluegrass Festival and been a member since 1981. Would never miss this festival and camping at the fairgrounds. HEAVEN!!
I am not a musician (well, except in my own head), but have attended some of the events held by the CBA over the years. I never paid much attention to bluegrass growing up, but then started to appreciate it more as I was around it here in CA. Some of my neighbors and friends play, and are part of the CBA. It has been a complete joy to hear them play with their friends, other CBA musicians, and it actually inspired me to appreciate I had some bluegrass roots on my Mother's side of the family, going back to West Virginia.
i've seen how the bluegrass community is engaged with each other, so supportive, and dedicated to sharing the music, the history, and they are inclusive in the process. There is a teaching element that seems natural and cultural. It is a wonderful thing to see and be around.
I value the CBA and my friends who are part of it! I think the CBA should be promoted and rewarded for the great contribution to community!
This is an amazing organization! My daughter's high school boyfriend was performing at the main annual event, the Father's Day Festival, and I drove her up one day to see him. It looked so fun and I thought - I could do this kind of camping! My husband and I later ended up attending some local bluegrass jams (I am a musician and singer/songwriter, but at the time I was playing piano and singing in French and my husband is a music teacher/ classical and jazz guitarist).
We finally made it up to camp at the Father's Day Festival , welcomed by new friends we met at the local bluegrass jam. The festival eventually became a yearly must-do event, and after a few years of attending excellent bluegrass music camps and volunteering, it is now our priority annual vacation! Oh...and I now play accordion, plus beginning fiddle and banjo. I am always impressed by the wonderful friendly people. I always feel safe and would be comfortable camping alone with this group. I have never seen a drunk angry aggressive person in the campgrounds (important to me as a sober person!) and you will see people leave expensive instruments unattended with no fear of anything being stolen. It's a delight to see families with kids, although a little intimidating to see the music chops some of the youngsters have! I love how the group is so intergenerational-- you make instant friends with folks your kids' or your parent's age.
One of my personal lasting memories included witnessing a "flash" square-dance, complete with a spontaneous old time band at 2am on a cold evening during the week before the festival that included music camp attendees and early arrivals. I carried that memory with me for months! Where else do strangers just convene and do something delightful? Participating in open mics with bluegrass stars (many are the camp teachers) or performing with you fellow music camp students is always a joy and a thrill.
Don't like camping? Go to the Great 48 in Bakersfield (in a hotel!) with folks from other area bluegrass associations - that's right...more friends!
After nearly ten years with this organization, I now have a whole community I enjoy reconnecting with, at least once, if not two to three times per year. We all share a love of music and enjoy witnessing each other's progress on our instruments. My greatest joy has been introducing new people to the organization and to the music camps. One friend I encouraged to attend music camp started playing mandolin and said it changed his life! I now peform in a Western Swing/country band with my husband and I love to tell everyone about the CBA at my performances.
There are plenty of great acts and quality vendors including instrument sellers and builders. You don't need to go for the campside jamming. There's so much music to enjoy as a spectator and so many new friends to make and hang out with. Fun is guaranteed and personal enrichment is always an option!
CBA has produced a friendly and educational community that has grown many many musicians of professional caliber. Even more so, it has provided a fire beside which thousands have warmed themselves with music and conviviality for decades. I support this community in many many indirect ways. I will continue to until I am gone.
Thanks to Chuck & Jeannie Poling & their Picking Picnic in GG Park years ago, I joined the CBA & went to the Fathers Day Festival in Grass Valley. Then came Bluegrass Pride with Ted Kuster & Kara Kendrick, & the SF Gay Pride Parade. I am a 67 yr. old gay man that loves bluegrass music & this non-profit, thanks to these folks, & many more have made me feel welcomed & joyful. The outdoor dances at the Fathers Day Festival are wonderful as well & I am so grateful to the bands & organizers that make that happen. So many joyful memories there, too. I feel very fortunate to have experienced all of this. Kudos to all of you that make this happen. With Heartfelt Gratitude, from George Gibbs
The CBA has been a unique and outstanding force for decades, only bluegrass organization quite like it. It is large and democratically run and represents people all over the state with a friendly informative publication and website. CBA sponsors events that bring people of all ages together -- to play and enjoy bluegrass music.
The international bluegrass community gets together once a year, lately in Raleigh NC, and the CBA has long sponsored a large hotel suite where bluegrass bands perform, people jam, and there's ample opportunity for people to get acquainted and visit. I've been to the suite many a time, to perform or just visit and listen. Since I live in Colorado, I get to see my California friends only occasionally, and the suite really helps make that possible. They've been there year in, year out.
Long live the CBA! Bringing people together for good music.
A very welcoming and inclusive group united around the love of making music together. I was an aging, mediocre guitar player looking for inspiration when I attended my first jam. With much support and encouragement from many great players, I’m now obsessed. In the CBA , people of all political persuasions, ages and abilities have a great time making music together.
While I don't always agree with their thinking, they are a well run non-profit with a working board that actually works. They continue to broaden their scope and make waves to the acoustic music arena. They cover bluegrass, old-timey & occasionally other forms of acoustic music, including but not limited to swing, gypsy jazz & other off-beat genres. They are particularly successful with young musicians (kids) with their camps. Many of the young players have gone on to become professional musicians and CBA continues to support them.
The CBA has a massive and ambition mission - preserve the legacy of bluegrass, old-time and gospel - in a modern, noisy, media-saturated, digital world. But the mission taps into the earnest wishes and hopes for thousands of fan of these genres and music and all it represents. They embrace the oldest examples and the most modern iterations of it. The association appeals to the old guard and newcomers alike. The world changes all around us and the CBA helps us use what's old to help us appreciate today, and what tomorrow will bring. It's a vital and awesome undertaking.
Our children grew up in the CBA's youth programs and music camp at the annual Father's Day Festival held in Grass Valley, CA. The kids academy has music instruction and introduces the joy of playing and performing music with other youth by simply doing it. These musical friendships continued well beyond the program. We could not have asked for a better organization to support kids to explore and inspire their love of making music.