Next Steps for the Connecticut Bluegrass Association

“The Connecticut Bluegrass Association — or CTBA — is dedicated to bringing together the bluegrass community in CT, promoting Bluegrass Bands, Education, Jams, festivals, and event Venues.”

Thanks to your support, CTBA is up and running. Thriving Bluegrass Associations exist all around us – the Hudson Valley Bluegrass Association, Boston Bluegrass Union, Rhode Island Bluegrass Association, Bluegrass Association of Maine, the Bluegrass and Old Time Music Association of New Jersey. We decided it was time for Connecticut to have a Bluegrass Association of its own. We are excited to serve the Bluegrass Community and build on the great foundations that Bluegrass lovers like you have already created.

NEXT STEPS FOR CTBA

Booth at Podunk

The folks at Podunk Bluegrass Festival have graciously offered us a booth. Our plan is to have info, mailing list, and stickers/bumper stickers available and be a friendly face as often as we can. We would also like to create and maintain a “Learner Loaner Program” (Read below for more info) If anyone would like to represent the Association and has a bit of time, we are looking for some support here. Do you think there is anything else we should have at the booth? Let me know your feedback!

Share the Website and Facebook Page

Both the Facebook Page and Website are ready to go! Please like, share, and tell your friends! If you’d like to post something in the Blog, let us know! Have feedback for the website or Facebook page? We’d love to hear it.

Bluegrass Kids Jam/Class

Podunk has a great kids academy with 20-40 kids every year. Grey Fox has a kids academy of 50-70! What do these kids do in between festivals? After speaking with Sal Sauco, (Founder of the Rhode Island Bluegrass Association) who leads the Kids Academy at Podunk, we found that there has not been much follow up with families after the academy. We would love to offer classes for kids if we can drum up more interest. We are hoping to get the parents info at Podunk and start a special CTBA Sponsored kids group/email list. What are your thoughts here? Do you know kids that might be interested in a class now? 

Learner Loaner Program

RIBA has a great program where folks can loan out bluegrass instruments to try them out for 6 months at a time. We would love to get this going in CT! Myrna Requier, who runs the Voice of Podunk Kids Vocal Talent Show and Podunk Songwriter’s Competition told us this existed once but fizzled. Would you be willing to donate a bluegrass instrument for a program like this? We intend to share the idea at our booth at Podunk Bluegrass Festival in August.

Bluegrass in Schools

We would love to initiate a movement to bring more young people into this music. In the past, Myrna Requier reported there were mixed results with visiting Middle Schools. I think it might be better to aim for booster programs or just to target our energy towards creating a compelling young COMMUNITY. We would like to delineate two age groups to target: Middle-High School and College/young adults. The plan for Middle/High school would be starting some mid-year classes and getting those kids out in public. The plan for College/young adult would be to offer clinics on campus, hosting jams/performing on campus, and building a presence in popular cities like Norwalk, Stamford, and New Haven. We have a good lead on hosting a Jam in Norwalk. Let us know if you are interested. Would love to hear your thoughts here.

A Taste of Bluegrass

The Podunk sponsored event “A Taste of Bluegrass” (Which featured Grammy award winning Michael Cleveland) received GREAT feedback. CTBA hopes to one day sponsor and host events like this. Help make this happen by liking, sharing, and commenting here and on the Facebook Page!

Logo Created by Gerry O’Hara