The Bluegrass Music Endeavors Foundation, a charitable organization managed by bluegrass touring group, Crandall Creek, is now accepting applications for their Steve Gulley Memorial Scholarship.
Named in honor of the late singer, songwriter, and bandleader, Steve Gulley, who died from cancer in 2020, the $5,000 scholarship will be awarded to a college student who best represents the future of bluegrass music.
Applications will be accepted through May 15, with an announcement of the recipient on August 8 when Crandall Creek performs at Nashville’s Station Inn. Tim Stafford, a long time friend and musical collaborator with Gulley, will be on hand to make the announcement.
Stafford tells us that this award is a fine tribute to Steve, who made his mark in bluegrass with Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver and Mountain Heart after launching a music career at Renfro Valley in Kentucky.
“Steve Gulley was one of the best men I ever knew, and it was a true privilege to be able to write and record with him. I’m proud of what we wrote and produced, and I know Steve was too.
He left us was too soon, but this scholarship is the best way he could possibly be honored.”
The Steve Gulley Memorial Scholarship was founded by Crandall Creek, who fund the Bluegrass Music Endeavors Foundation by setting aside a portion of all their performance fees and album sales for charitable purposes.
Applications can be downloaded online, or one can be requested by email. In addition to basic biographical and contact information, it asks for at two least video links of the applicant playing and/or singing, either solo, with an accompanist, or in a band setting.
Completed applications can then be submitted by email.
Even now, two and a half years later, Gulley’s loss is still deeply felt in the bluegrass community. He died at only 57 years of age from an extremely aggressive cancer that took him swiftly. He had been involved with playing and singing bluegrass and traditional country music all his life, inspired by his own father who had been a part of The Pinnacle Mountain Boys. In his dad’s honor, Steve named his own touring group New Pinnacle.
In addition to acts mentioned above, he was also a member of Grasstowne for several years, along with his dear friend Phil Leadbetter, who died about a year later at 59, and Alan Bibey.
Hats off to Crandall Creek for keeping Steve’s memory alive in this way.
