Spectrum Bluegrass at The Greek Theatre (4/26/25) – photo © Robin Frenette
Last weekend’s Light Up the Blues 7 benefit concert for Autism Speaks featured a performance by Spectrum Bluegrass, a band that is part of the California Bluegrass Association’s Autism Chapter project. The star-studded show was held at LA’s famed Greek Theatre, and included pop and rock artists like Neil Young, Billy Idol, Cat Power, and Linda Perry on the bill.
The annual extravaganza is hosted by Stephen Stills and his wife, Kristen, and is designed to raise both awareness and funds to create meaningful progress for autistic people and their families.
CBA has longed believed that bluegrass is for everyone, and acts on that belief, making sure that their meetings and events are accessible to all, regardless of abilities. To that end, a get-together was set up last summer to assemble a group whose members would all be people on the autism spectrum. Co-founders were mandolinist John Frizzell and Joel Sidney, whose son is in the band.
John shared a bit more about how the group assembled.
“In June of 2024, we had the first official meeting of Spectrum Bluegrass, at the Father’s Day Festival in Grass Valley. Steve Sidney, father of band member Joel Sidney, became the official co-founder. From conversations with Krissy Stills, who is married to Stephen Stills, the idea came together that if we had a band of players on the spectrum we could perform at Light Up the Blues 7. So I asked around, and through lots of conversations, put together this band.”
Along with Frizzell on mandolin, Spectrum includes Max Schwartz on banjo, Joy Lousie on guitar, and Joel Sidney on guitar. Jesse Katz accompanied the band on bass for the concert, though he is not on the spectrum himself.
All the others are at some point on the spectrum, and though Frizzell didn’t want to speak about his bandmates, he did share freely about his own condition.
“I was diagnosed a few years back at age 55 with ASD level 1. Adult diagnosis is becoming a lot more common in the last decade, but was pretty much non-existent before that. ASD means ‘autism spectrum disorder.’ Had I sought a diagnosis before 1994, I would not have been considered autistic. A diagnosis between 1994 and 2013 would have listed me with Apsergers Sydnrome. It’s only since 2013 that ASD level 1 pertains to me. And who knows, that may change again the next time the DSM comes out. It’s a very complex and contentious subject.”
He further offered that the CBA Autism Chapter has big plans going forward.
“The idea for the program, which is still very much in its infancy, came up at The Great 48 Jam in Bakersfield in 2024, when I suggested to Darby Brandli of the CBA that it would be great to do something with autism. Pete Lude, also of the CBA, was very enthusiastic and really kept the ball rolling to get us started. The goal of the project is to create a really great environment for people on the spectrum to learn and enjoy bluegrass. It’s just that simple.
We want to invite kids and adults with autism to show up at CBA events and feel confident that there will be a team there who will understand that sometimes they may need to do, or learn, things a little differently. I really think bluegrass is a powerful healing force, and that with time we can provide amazing experiences for people on the spectrum.”
Here’s a look at Spectrum Bluegrass at The Greek Theatre this past weekend doing Blue Moon of Kentucky.
Well done all!
For more information about the California Bluegrass Association’s project to bring neurodiverse people into bluegrass music, or to get involved yourself, visit the Spectrum Bluegrass page online.
