The awardees have been announced for the 2026 Mason Ruble Memorial Scholarship, given in honor of the talented young Kansas banjo player Mason Ruble, who died tragically just before his 21st birthday in 2023.
Funds have been raised to send scholarship recipients each year to the Ozark Mountain Music Association Bluegrass Camp during the summer. Mason was notable during his life for the time he spent with younger players, helping them learn to be better bluegrass pickers. So this struck the organizers, primarily Ruble’s close friend and bandmate, Wyatt Harman, as an appropriate use of the funds.
The 2026 recipients include:
- Ezekiel Green, a mandolinist from West Virginia
- Ezra Green, a bass player from West Virginia
- Lillian Armer, a fiddler from Arkansas
- Blake McIntosh, a guitarist from Missouri
They are eligible to attend the OMMA Bluegrass Camp, June 9-13, at the Michel Homestead in Branson, MO at no charge, a $550 value.
Congratulations to you all!
