California Bluegrass Association member Ida Winfree is a former CBA Youth Ambassador. She plays mandolin and guitar in two bands—North Country Blue and West 45. She's currently based in the California Central Valley town of Turlock, and when not playing
CBA
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Photos from CBA’s 2022 Great 48 Jam festival
This past weekend the California Bluegrass Association held their 2022 edition of the normally annual Great 48 festival, an all jamming event held in Bakersfield, CA. CBA chose the site because it is located almost exactly in between San Diego
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California Report: Tessa Schwartz, North Country Blue and CBA Youth Ambassador
I received this email from CBA Youth Coordinator/Honorary President Emerita and Darby Brandi which describes Tessa better than I can. "Dave, a great interview subject would be the young fiddle phenom, Tessa Schwartz, who is stepping down as Youth Ambassador in
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Mark Varner passes
Mark Varner - photo by Snap Jackson/Mark with his son, Marty Mark Varner, prominent California bluegrass musician and active volunteer with state bluegrass associations, died unexpectedly in his sleep on September 4. He was at his long-awaited retirement home in Dangriga,
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CBA adds South State 48 jamming event in November
The California Bluegrass Association has announced a new event, to be held at the close of the festival season in November. Billed as the South State 48, it will be held at the Carlsbad By The Sea Hotel in Carlsbad,
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Jam-A-Thon this weekend for CBA Youth Academy
One aspect of the current pandemic on which almost all parties agree, is the fact that young people are faring very badly away from school. Deprived of in-person teaching as well as social interaction, research shows that many students have
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On This Day #61 – the first CBA festival
On this day …. On June 18, 1976 the first California Bluegrass Association Festival began. The three-day event (June 18th - 20th) was staged at the Nevada County Fairgrounds, Grass Valley, north-east of Sacramento, California, and the performers were Josh Graves, Good
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California Report: New CBA President and Turn Your Radio Online webcasts
Outgoing CBA President Darby Brandli and new President Theresa Behr Gooding It was good catching up recently with incoming CBA President Theresa Behr Gooding, and getting a status of what’s going on. Hi Theresa, how are you and your family doing, and how
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CBA’s Suzanne Suwanda and her Grand Princess quarantine story
Suzanne Suwanda in quarantine with her guitar at Travis Air Force Base We recently got word that California Bluegrass Association member, Father’s Day Festival MC, and Northern California Bluegrass Bass Player of the Year Suzanne Suwanda was a passenger on the
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California Report: Backroads to Bakersfield for the CBA Great 48 Jam
The California Bluegrass Association (CBA) has been putting on the Great 48 Jam in Bakersfield for many years. The city of Bakersfield and the Marriott Convention Center have been a great host for the event that includes concerts, showcases, workshops,