Sacramento Area Bluegrass Newsletter
This newsletter can also be read on the CBA website: http://www.cbaontheweb.org.
April 2014 
CBA Spring Campout, April 21 – 27, Turlock
The CBA spring campout will be held at the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds in Turlock April 21 – 27. The heart of the campout is April
25 – 27, but many people come early. This is a great campground with plenty of level ground & RV hookups & shade for tents. Our campouts are a bluegrass picker’s dream, & grinners can just sit back or cruise jams & soak up the music we all love. CBA campouts are a great opportunity to taste several jams & pick with people you don’t see often enough. There are no band performances scheduled, just lotsa jamming. A dinner will be served on Saturday evening; purchase your tickets ($7) when you check in for camping ($25 per night for RVs, $10 per night for tents). No charge for non-campers. If you can volunteer to help out, call David Brace at 209-534-9284.
CBA Father’s Day Festival, June 12 – 15, Grass Valley
This is the crown jewel of the CBA; our 39th annual Father’s Day Festival will be held at the Nevada County Fairgrounds in Grass Valley on June 12 – 15. All the bluegrass fans in northern CA will be there. Featured at the 2014 festival will be a special tribute to Vern & Ray and an old-time music gathering. There will be jamming everywhere, especially in the campground. After the stage shows end, the campground really comes alive with jamming. Come for a day, or better yet for all four days of the festival. Invite your friends, & turn them into bluegrass fans if they aren’t already. The bands this year are Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band, Deadly Gentlemen, Junior Sisk (2013 IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year) & Ramblers’ Choice, Lonesome River Band, Bucking Mules, Kathy & Laurie’s Vern & Ray Tribute, Roland White Band, Laurie Lewis & the Right Hands, Kathy Kallick Band, Foghorn Stringband, & Town Mountain plus Kids on Bluegrass, & lots of workshops. In addition there will be five California showcase bands — Bean Creek, High Country, Matt & George & Their Pleasant Valley Boys, The Sisters Grimm, & Ragged But Right — playing one set each on the main stage. Advance CBA member 4-day tickets are $125; $150 at the gate. Single day tickets are $35 to $55 plus parking. Order yours via www.cbaontheweb.org.
CBA Music Camp, June 8 – 11, Grass Valley
Immediately preceding the festival, the CBA will hold its 14th summer music camp for about 200 camper students. I’ve been to several camps, & I can tell you that they’re a LOT of fun. Featured this year is a class on old-time stringband music & another on bluegrass harmony singing. Details are in the Bluegrass Breakdown or on-line at www.cbaontheweb.org.
CBA Youth Academy, June 11 – 14, Grass Valley
New this year, the CBA will produce a Youth Academy June 11 – 14, mostly concurrent with the Father’s Day Festival at the Nevada County Fairgrounds in Grass Valley. It is basically a day camp program for kids ages 8 – 16 who want to enjoy the company of other kids during the daytime part of the festival. Of course, parents will appreciate the respite from monitoring their kids all day as well. There will be a multitude of activities for beginning to advanced musical kids. Each participant will be introduced to at least three bluegrass instruments. A parent or guardian of each kid must purchase a 4-day ticket to the festival & be responsible for dropping the enrollee off for camp, providing a bag lunch, & picking up the enrollee after camp. All beverages & snacks will be provided by the camp. The registration fee for the 4-day camp is $300; some partial scholarships may be available. Registration information is available at www.bluegrasscampsforkids.com. Direct any other questions to Darby Brandli at darbycba@gmail.com or 510-735-6364.
Walker Creek Music Camp, April 11 – 14, Marin County
You still have time to sign up for the Walker Creek music camp held in rural Marin County at the Walker Creek Ranch April 11 – 14. There is still room left in many of the classes, even in the ever-popular vocal bluegrass harmony with Jack & Molly Tuttle. New this year are playing by ear with Luke Abbott, songwriting with Chris Stuart, & vocal style with Don Rigsby. For more info, seewww.walkercreekmusiccamp.org or call Ingrid Noyes at 415-663-1342 (after 900 AM).
Laurie Lewis & Tom Rozum + Melody Walker & Jacob Groopman, April 19, Auburn
A collaboration of the above artists called Dos Duos will be presented April 19 at 730 PM at the Auburn Placer Performing Arts Center, 985 Lincoln Way, Auburn, 530-885-0156,www.livefromauburn.com. Grammy nominees Laurie & Tom are widely regarded as among the leading lights of modern bluegrass. Their latest CD One Evening in May was recorded live at Freight & Salvage. Singer-songwriter Melody & Jacob’s first duet CD We Made It Home was released to critical acclaim last year. Tickets for this show are $27.
Palms Playhouse, multiple dates, Winters
The Palms Playhouse, 13 Main St, Winters, 530-795-1825, www.palmsplayhouse.com, produces a variety of shows of interest to bluegrassers.
John Reischman & the Jaybirds: April 5, 800 PM, $20
Tom Rigney & Flambeau: April 18, 830 PM, $20
I See Hawks in LA: April 19, 800 PM, $20
Zoe Muth & the Lost High Rollers: April 25, 800 PM, $15
Save the Dates
Rita Hosking + The Stray Birds: May 8, Center for the Arts, Grass Valley, $22
Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn: May 15, Center for the Arts, Grass Valley, $75
Blackberry Bushes: May 22, Folsom Opry House, $15 – $20
Other 2014 Festivals & Music Camps
Cloverdale Fiddle Festival: April 5, Cloverdale, www.cloverdalefiddles.com
A Day of Bluegrass: April 12, St Helena, www.scbs.org
Parkfield Bluegrass Festival: May 8 – 11, Parkfield, www.parkfieldbluegrass.com.
Jim Nunally & Keith Little vocal & instrumental workshop: May 15 – 18, Kowana Valley Folk School & Lodge (just outside Yosemite), www.kowanavalley.com, 209-768-8651, lynn@kowanavalley.com.
Banjo Festival: June 14, Amador City, www.pfrotary.org, affordjr@yahoo.com
Susanville Music Camp & Bluegrass Festival: June 16 – 22, Susanville, www.susanvillebluegrass.com
San Francisco Free Folk Festival: June 21 – 22, Presidio Middle School, 30th Ave & Geary, San Francisco, www.sffolkfest.org
Kate Wolf Memorial Festival: June 27 – 29, Laytonville, www.katewolfmusicfestival.com.
California Coast Music Camps: July 6 – 12 & July 13 – 19, Sierra Nevada gold country, www.musiccamp.org/cba
Good Old-Fashioned Bluegrass Festival: August 7 – 10, Bolado Park, Tres Pinos, www.ncbs.us.
Bowers Mansion Bluegrass Festival: August 15 – 17, Bower’s Mansion Regional Park (between Reno & Carson City, NV), www.bowersbluegrassfestival.org.
Summergrass: August 15 – 17, Vista, CA, www.summergrass.net
Strings & Threads Bluegrass Festival: August 24 – 31, Yreka, www.siskiyoustringsandthreads.com.
Berkeley Old Time Music Convention: September 17 – 21, Berkeley, www.berkeleyoldtimemusic.org
Bluegrassin’ in the Foothills: September 19 – 21, Plymouth, www.landspromotions.com.
KVMR Celtic Festival: September 26 – 28, Grass Valley, www.kvmrcelticfestival.org.
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival: October 3 – 5, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, www.hardlystrictlybluegrass.com
Other Events
Unless otherwise indicated, these events are without charge as far as I know, but patronage of the venue is expected.
Banner Mountain Boys: April 4, 700 – 1100 PM, Holbrooke Hotel, 212 Main St, Grass Valley, 530-273-1353, www.holbrooke.com
Spillit Quikkers: April 6, 1100 AM – 100 PM, Hoppy Brewing Co, 6300 Folsom Blvd, Sacramento, 916-451-4677, www.hoppy.com.
Tamara Phelan Trio: April 11, 800 – 1000 PM, Dave’s Cave, 540 Wall St, Auburn, 530-887-5477, www.newfaithucc.org. $15.
Natural Drift: April 16, 700 – 900 PM, Hog Wild BBQ, 38 Main St, Placerville, 530-622-3883, www.hogwildbbqca.com
Arlo Guthrie: April 11, 800 PM, Center for the Arts, 314 Main St, Grass Valley, 530-272-5333, www.thecenterforthearts.org. $58.
Mike Justis Band: April 17, 800 PM, Fox & Goose, 1001 R St, Sacramento, 916-443-8625, www.foxandgoose.com
Notorious Shank Brothers: April 23, 430 – 730 PM, Picnic in the Park, Central Park, 4th & C Sts, Davis
Acoustic Eclectic Jam Band: April 24, 830 PM, Naked Lounge, 1111 H St, Sacramento, 916-443-1927,www.nakedcoffee.net
Tamara Phelan + Jenn Rogar + Mike Justis: April 25, 900 PM, Marilyn’s on K, 908 K St, Sacramento, 916-446-4361, www.marilynsonk.com. $5 cover.
Houston Jones & Stevie Coyle: April 26, 800 PM, Sutter Creek Theater, 44 Main St, Sutter Creek, 916-425-0077, www.suttercreektheater.com. $23.
Sarah Jarosz: April 27, 730 PM, Center for the Arts, 314 Main St, Grass Valley, 530-272-5333, www.thecenterforthearts.org. $22.
Hill Country & friends: April 30, 700 – 900 PM, Hog Wild BBQ, 38 Main St, Placerville, 530-622-3883, www.hogwildbbqca.com
Fruit Jar Pickers: Every Sunday, 1000 AM – 1200 N, Rough & Ready Grange Hall, Rough & Ready Hwy, about five miles west of Grass Valley, 530-272-4320, www.roughandreadychamber.com. Donations accepted.
Regular Jams
Every Friday, 500 – 700 PM, Main Street Music, 263 Main St (corner Center), Placerville, 530-622-1357.
Every Wednesday, 600 – 900 PM, Nicholson’s MusiCafe, 632 E Bidwell, Folsom, 916-984-3020. Open mike & jam.
Every Thursday, 700 – 1000 PM, Fifth String Music Store, 3184 N St, Sacramento, 916-442-8282, www.thefifthstring.com. Restarted.
Every 5th Sunday, 100 – 300 PM, Mount Olive Lutheran Church, 320 Montrose, Folsom, 916-985-2984, www.mountolive.cc.
1st & 3rd Wednesdays, 500 – 800 PM, Rail Depot, 5775 Horseshoe Bar Rd (near Taylor Rd), Loomis, 530-885-6871.
1st & 3rd Wednesdays, 600 – 900 PM, McBride Senior Center, 91 Town Square Place, Vacaville, 707-724-8002.
1st & 3rd Thursdays, 600 – 900 PM, Landmark Baptist Church, 609 Figueroa, Folsom, 916-990-0719. New pickers welcome.
1st Sunday of the month, 100 – 400 PM, National Hotel, 211 Broad St, Nevada City, 530-575-8766. Old-time jam.
2nd Sunday of the month, 100 – 500 PM, Old-Time Fiddlers, Orangevale Grange Hall, 5805 Walnut, Orangevale, 916-723-2314.
2nd Sunday of the month, 300 – 600 PM, Lockdown Brewery, 718 Sutter St (upstairs), Folsom, 916-358-9645.
2nd & 5th Thursdays, 600 – 900 PM, bluegrass jam at various Sacramento area homes.
Call John at 916-990-0719 or Ron at 916-988-8062 for location. New pickers welcome.
3rd Thursday of the month, 700 – 1000 PM, Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St, Sacramento, 916-443-9751.
3rd Saturday of the month, 1200 N – 500 PM, Round Table Pizza, 7867 Lichen Dr, Citrus Heights, 530-409-4012.
4th Thursday of the month, 600 – 900 PM, Strum Shop, 408 Roseville Square, Roseville, 916-787-8786. New pickers welcome.
From Your Publisher
Some of the copy in this newsletter may not be original but gathered from various sources & adapted to fit into this newsletter format. The CBA does not fund this newsletter; you can help support this newsletter by sending cash or check payable to John Hettinger to the address at the top of this newsletter. For mid-month updates check Sacramento Bluegrass on Facebook. Events listed are current at the time of publication as far as I know but are subject to change or cancellation. Before traveling to an event, it is always advisable to call ahead to check the time & ensure that it is taking place as scheduled.
Contact
John Hettinger, CBA Sacramento Area Activities VP
113 Puffer Way, Folsom, CA 95630
916-990-0719
E-mail: bluegrass@shaunv.com