Blue Summit accepts their Best Bluegrass Band award at the 2019 Northern California Bluegrass Awards
The winners of the Northern California Bluegrass Awards were announced over this last weekend by the Northern California Bluegrass Society during their annual Bluegrass on Broadway celebration in Redwood City.
The awards recognize performers in the central and northern parts of the state, as well as those who contribute to the music off the stage. The January 26 event was their 12th annual awards presentation.
Top honors were congregated within the young band, Blue Summit, who were named Best Bluegrass Band. Members also took the guitar, mandolin, and vocal awards. Notable bandmates AJ Lee and Sullivan Tuttle had performed for many years with California prodigy, Molly Tuttle, who is Sullivan’s older sister.
And the complete list of 2019 winners are:
- Best Bluegrass Band – Blue Summit
- Best Male Vocalist – Sullivan Tuttle
- Best Female Vocalist – AJ Lee
- Best Banjo Player – Sonia Shell
- Best Mandolin Player – AJ Lee
- Best Guitar Player – Sullivan Tuttle
- Best Dobro Player – Jim Mintun
- Best Fiddle Player – Pete Hicks, Mark Wardenburg (tie)
- Best Bass Player – Lisa Burns, Paul Knight (tie)
Lifetime Unsung Heroes awards were given to Colleen Conley, live sound engineer; Brenda Hough, longtime reviewer for the NCBS publication, Bluegrass By The Bay and CBA’s Bluegrass Breakdown, and volunteer leader; association leader and volunteer Mike Fisher; and festival volunteers Darlene Janine Walker and Linzy Hill.
Debbie Weiner was honored for her many years of service to both the Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival and the Bluegrass On Broadway Festival, as was Randy Weisendanger for his assistance with heavy set up at multiple regional events.
Congratulations to all the winners and honorees!
