Applications open for 2023 FreshGrass Awards

Applications are open for the 2023 FreshGrass Awards, one of the most remunerative music competitions in the bluegrass world, offering more than $20,000 in cash prizes for band, banjo, fiddle, and guitar. Plus the FreshGrass Festival where the competition takes place also provides a grant to each of three finalists in each category to help with travel expenses.

There is no fee to submit for the contest, and the application form can be found online. Each submission must include a video performance of two pieces, at least one of which must be an original song or tune. Applications will be accepted until May 11, and finalists will be announced by the end of June.

The contest is open to any player or band not signed to a label. Self-produced recordings are fine. Finals will take place during the FreshGrass Festival in North Adams, MA, September 22-24.

First place in guitar, banjo, and fiddle will be awarded $2,500, and the winning band gets $5,000. Winners also get time on the main stage, and all finalists are permitted to sell albums at the festival. Free three-day admission to FreshGrass 2023 is also provided for all finalists.

Past winners include a good many artists now working as bluegrass professionals, like B.B Bowness, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, Old Salt Union, Victor Furtado, Tristan Scroggins, AJ Lee & Blue Summit, Thomas Cassell, Trey Wellington, Twisted Pine, and The Wildmans.

Complete details on the 2023 FreshGrass Awards can be found online.

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About the Author

John Lawless

John had served as primary author and editor for The Bluegrass Blog from its launch in 2006 until being folded into Bluegrass Today in September of 2011. He continues in that capacity here, managing a strong team of columnists and correspondents.