KSMU Youth In Bluegrass contest Archives

Announcing the OMMA Youth in Bluegrass Contest

For more than 20 years, Silver Dollar City in Branson, MO hosted the annual KSMU Youth in Bluegrass Contest, bringing young bands in their teens and younger, together to compete for serious cash prizes. The contest was the brainchild of DA Callaway at SDC, and Mike Smith with KSMU Ozarks Public Radio.

Now with Callaway retired from the park, Silver Dollar City has elected to bring youth bluegrass bands in as paid entertainers during their month-long Bluegrass and BBQ festival each May, and have dropped their support of the competition.

However, Wendy Wright, Executive Director of the Ozark Mountain Music Association, has taken up the baton and will continue the tradition with the newly-created OMMA Youth in Bluegrass Contest on May 18 at the Branson Event Center. They are keeping most of the same rules as the previous competitions at Silver Dollar City, the same weekend, and the same generous prize money. Twenty bands will be invited based on advance submissions, with cash prizes to the top finishers as follows:

1^st place $2,500
2^nd place $2,000
3^rd place $1,500
4^th place $1,000
5^th place $500

OMMA has added a few changes that should be quite appealing to youth contestants. They are making the competition into a two-day event, inviting all the bands in a day early for a chance to do run-throughs on stage ahead of time, and enjoy a meet-and-greet with fellow contestants beforehand.

They are also bringing in staff from several universities who will offer scholarships to young performers to attend their bluegrass music programs in college. Plus, The Station Inn in Nashville will also offer the winning band a slot to perform there during 2024.

Plans are for the contest to begin early on May 18 with the first ten bands performing, followed by a two hour break, and then the second ten. Judges will then winnow down to the top ten, who will again take the stage for final competition.

To be eligible, a band must consist of members 21 years old or younger, though parents are allowed to participate in family groups, so long as the focus is on the young folks. All groups must perform around a single microphone.

Wright created this brief video with details for young grassers interested in competing.

More information and an online submission form can be found on the OMMA web site. Entries must be received by March 1.

Businesses and/or organizations willing to help sponsor a prize are asked to contact OMMA by email.

Bazemore Bluegrass Band takes 2023 KSMU Youth in Bluegrass competition

This past Saturday (May 27) saw the 21st edition of the KSMU Youth in Bluegrass Band Contest, held at Silver Dollar City in Branson, MO. The annual competition seeks to find the best young bluegrass band in the country through an initial round of selection through video submissions, followed by the live final rounds before an audience and the judges during the yearly Bluegrass & BBQ Festival at Silver Dollar City.

After multiple rounds of competition, the Bazemore Bluegrass Band from Bristol, OK came out on top, taking home not only the first place honors, but a check for $1,800 as well. Like many entrants in this contest, they are a family band featuring school teacher Crystal Bazemore and her three children, Soren (18) on banjo, Cyprus (14) on guitar, and Miller (12) on mandolin. Mom plays bass and holds things together for her musical charges.

Like many other Youth in Bluegrass Band Contest winners, the Bazemores have competed here before, and placed fifth in a recent outing.

Though it is not a requirement, many entrants year over year are family bands. The primary rule is that band members must be 21 years old or under at the time of the contest, the exception being for parents within a family group. That, along with the relative ease of herding a family unit as compared to multiple teens from different families, probably explains the preponderance.

Also placing in Saturday’s contest were:

Bazemore Bluegrass Band – Bristol, OK ($1,800 prize)
Pearlgrace & Co. – Bartlesville, OK ($1,200 prize)
Coon Holler Kids – Terre Haute, IN ($900 prize)
The Brothers Five – Bloomingdale, GA ($700 prize)
Riegle Family Band – Muncie, IN ($500 prize)

While we unable to find any video from Saturday’s competition, we did see this one of the Bazemores competing last year, highlighting Soren playing a song from her banjo teacher, Scott Vestal.

Congratulations to all the winners in the 21st annual KSMU Youth in Bluegrass Band Contest, and to all the finalists invited to compete this year!

Silver Dollar City’s 20th KSMU Youth in Bluegrass Band contest winners

The GillyGirls Band from Prather, California traveled all the way to Branson, MO to compete last month in Silver Dollar City’s 20th KSMU Youth in Bluegrass Band contest. The journey was well worth the trouble as they came away with first place in the live competition, with a $1800 cash prize.

The invitational event is held each year as a joint enterprise of Silver Dollar City and KSMU, public radio in Springfield, MO. Ten bands, consisting of musicians 21 years of age or younger, are chosen from submitted applications and offered a slot in the contest. All must perform live for the judges using only a single microphone. Family groups tend to predominate, and parents are allowed to participate when other band members are quite young.

This year the competition was held on May 28, at the end of the park’s annual Bluegrass & BBQ Festival which brings top bluegrass acts to Silver Dollar City throughout the month.

The Youth in Bluegrass Band contest is held over two rounds, with the second round determining the final results Each group performs a short set of songs in each round.

When the dust had settled, the finalists placed as follows:

The GillyGirls Band
Anderegg Family
Pearlgrace & Co
Ozark Strangers
Figuring It Out

DA Calloway at Silver Dollar City has managed the contest each year since 2002 – save 2020 when pandemic shutdowns closed the park – with Mike Smith, News Director at KSMU. Calloway has told us that many bands compete more than once, and that the young musicians become friends over the years of seeing each other in Branson. In fact, there are two newly married couples who met as competitors in the KSMU Youth in Bluegrass Band contest.

The GillyGirls have been performing together since 2015, and are made up of two sets of twins. Savannah and Morgan Gilly are 18, and play fiddle and bass, with Hailey and Jillian, 16, on guitar and mandolin. They are repeat contestants and have just released their third album, Home, available on CD from the band online.

It as their strong vocal performance that won over the judges, as you can see in the clip below.

Also invited to compete in 2022 were Hannah Joy & Co, 5 South, Arizona Wildflowers, Bazemore Bluegrass Band, and The Hodnett Family Band.

Congratulations to them all, and hats off to Silver Dollar City and KSMU for continuing this tradition of supporting young bluegrass artists!

19th KSMU Youth in Bluegrass Band Contest a go for 2021

Good news today from Silver Dollar City, the popular family-themed entertainment park in Branson, MO.

Plans are in place to go ahead with the 2021 edition of Bluegrass & BBQ, presenting top bluegrass acts every day in the park from May 14-31, including their celebrated competition for young grassers, KSMU Youth in Bluegrass Band Contest on May 28-29. Now in its 19th year, the invitational event was unable to be held in 2020, owing to COVID-19 restrictions, but by following current CDC guidelines, Silver Dollar City believes that they can hold the contest, and mini-bluegrass festival, safely this year.

The park will operate at limited capacity, and masks will be required for visitors and staff alike. All visitors will undergo temperature checks upon entry, and social distancing and additional sanitation measures will be in effect.

There is major prize money for the winners of the Youth in Bluegrass Band Contest, with $1500 going to first place winners, $1000 for second, $750 for third, $500 for fourth, and $250 for fifth.

The competition is limited to bands with musicians who will be 21 or younger on May 28. Family bands are given an exemption for parents who perform with young children, but the focus of the group needs to be on the youngsters. Ten bands are accepted for the contest, selected based on video applications. Only acoustic instruments are allowed, and each participating band will perform live on stage using a single microphone.

As in years past, scoring will be based on:

Instrumental ability (in time, in tune, degree of difficulty) 25%
Vocal ability (in time, in tune, degree of difficulty) 25%
Professionalism (wardrobe, showmanship, microphone technique) 25%
Audience response 25%

Full contest rules and an application form can be found online.

It is great to see Silver Dollar City going ahead with bluegrass in the spring.

2020 applications open for KSMU Youth in Bluegrass Band Contest

Kentucky Just Us accept their check for winning the 2019 KSMU Youth in Bluegrass Band Contest

Since 2002, Silver Dollar City has hosted the KSMU Youth in Bluegrass Band Contest as part of their annual Bluegrass & BBQ festival in the spring. During that time, talented young folks in the bluegrass realm, typically with family groups, have made the trek to Branson to compete in this prestigious event, with several going on to greater success in the music world. Last year’s winners, Kentucky Just Us, have become quite prominent on the bluegrass scene in the wake of their victory.

The 2020 contest is scheduled for May 23, and is open to acts whose members will be 21 or younger as of that date. For family groups, one or both parents are allowed to participate as long as the primary focus of the band is on the children. All contestants must perform on stage using a single microphone, and only acoustic instruments are allowed.

First prize is $1500, with $1000 going for second, $750 for third, $500 for fourth, and $250 for fifth.

Contestants must apply for a spot in advance as this is an invitational event, but there is no fee to submit an application. An entry form can be found online, which is to be returned by email with a link to a live video of the group on stage. Entries can also be sent by mail with a live performance on CD or DVD.

Judging at the competition will be based on:

Instrumental ability (in time, in tune, degree of difficulty) 25%
Vocal ability (in time, in tune, degree of difficulty) 25%
Professionalism (wardrobe, showmanship, microphone technique) 25%
Audience response 25%

Here’s Kentucky Just Us from last year’s KSMU Youth in Bluegrass Band Contest.

The Bluegrass & BBQ festival lasts the whole month of May, during which major entertainers perform at Silver Dollar City each day. More than three dozen acts are scheduled throughout the month, and there is no additional ticket required beyond admission to the park.

Full festival details can be found online.

Kentucky Just Us wins KSMU Youth in Bluegrass Contest

Kentucky Just Us, a family band from Glasgow, KY, took first place in last weekend’s KSMU Youth In Bluegrass Band Contest, held each year at Silver Dollar City in Branson, MO.

This especially gifted group showcases the singing of the Meador and O’Neal siblings, John (18) on guitar, Kacey (17) on fiddle, and Jesse (16) on banjo. Both boys are blessed with high pitched and very agile voices, and when added with Kacey’s, are perfect for that high lonesome bluegrass sound. They have been making a name for themselves on the festival circuit this past year or so, and were named as artists in residence by the The Kentucky Music Hall of Fame and Museum in 2018.

Mom plays the bass, and little brother Caleb (9) is on mandolin. They are a blended family, hence the different last names.

At last year’s Youth in Bluegrass Band Contest, they took second place, and were invited again in 2019. This time, they are the champions!

Top finishers in the May 25 competition were:

Kentucky Just Us (Glasgow, KY)
Dixie Jubilee (Woodstock, GA)
Ozark Highways (Galena, MO)
Paul Family Bluegrass (Trout Creek, MI)
Pearlgrace & Co (Ada, OK)

As you can from the photo, the top winner receives a check for $1500

There are no videos yet posted by Silver Dollar City from the contest, but here are a couple of Kentucky Just Us, one from earlier this year…

…and this one from last year’s Silver Dollar City competition.

Congratulations to all the winners!

Finalists announced for Youth in Bluegrass Band Contest

18 finalists have been selected for the KSMU Youth in Bluegrass Band Contest, to be held on May 25 at Silver Dollar City in Branson, MO.

This is the premiere bluegrass competition for young musicians in the country. Contestants are chosen through a preliminary round of submissions for a chance to go head-to-head during the big, month-long Bluegrass & BBQ festival at the park.

The first place band gets a check for $1500, so youth groups have a strong motivation to make the trip to Missouri. This year there are contestants from 14 states.

A list of 2019 invitees follows:

Bazemore Bluegrass Band – Bristow, OK
Blackberry Blossom Farm – Red Bluff, CA
Buffalo Mountain Bluegrass Band – Newport, PA
The Cheng Family – Edmond, OK
Chords of Grace – San Antonio, TX
Dixie Jubilee – Woodstock, GA
The Ellis Family – Pope, MS
Figuring It Out – Bemidji, MN
Hand Picked – New Athens, IL
Kentucky Just Us – Glasgow, KY
The Mahlstedt Family – Cokato, MN
Ozark Highways – Galena, MO
Paul Family Bluegrass – Trout Creek, MI
Pearlgrace & Co. – Ada, OK
Riegle Family Band – Muncie, IN
Roller Family Band – New Richmond, WI
Simple Gifts – Weatherford, TX
Tucumcari Crossroads – Tucumcari, NM

The rules are few. Other than parents, all band members must be 21 or younger as of May 25, 2019; only a single microphone can be used on stage; no electric instruments.

Performers are judged on:

Instrumental ability (in time, in tune, degree of difficulty) 25%
Vocal ability (in time, in tune, degree of difficulty) 25%
Professionalism (wardrobe, showmanship, microphone technique)
25% Audience response 25%.

The complete contest rules can be found online.

There is no charge above park admission to attend the the Bluegrass & BBQ festival, which runs from May 2-27. Each day features music from a number of bluegrass acts, including nearly every prominent touring act in the business.

A complete list of entertainers, and the dates they will perform, can be found online.

Time to submit for KSMU Youth In Bluegrass contest

It’s that time of year again. The days are finally getting longer, and football is coming to its inevitable conclusion with the return of baseball not far behind. One can be forgiven for actually thinking about springtime and all the pleasures it brings. And chief among them is the reappearance of the outdoor bluegrass events we all love.

One of the largest spring festivals is held each year at Silver Dollar City in Branson, MO. The park dedicates the better part of May to Bluegrass and BBQ, a rolling festival with live performances from May 2-27 on site. Visitors can attend the shows at no additional charge above the entrance fee, and there are typically 4-6 acts on stage each day.

During the final weekend, the park hosts their annual KSMU Youth In Bluegrass band contest, where they seek to find the best bluegrass entertainers 21 or younger. The competition is for bands, not single artists, and given the traditions in our music, a good many of the contestants turn out to be family bands.

2019 will be the 18th year for this event, hosted on May 25. A number of past winners have gone on to achieve success in the bluegrass business, in addition to the $1500 prize offered to the top finisher.

The rules are few. Other than parents, all band members must be 21 or younger as of May 25, 2019; only a single microphone can be used on stage; no electric instruments; entries must be received by March 11. There is no fee to submit an application. The complete contest rules and an application form can be found online.

Performers are judged on:

Instrumental ability (in time, in tune, degree of difficulty) 25%
Vocal ability (in time, in tune, degree of difficulty) 25%
Professionalism (wardrobe, showmanship, microphone technique)
25% Audience response 25%.

It’s always a fun event, and contestants report that they build lasting relationships with the other young pickers and singers they meet there each year. It’s not uncommon for some groups to compete several years in a row, until they eventually age out.

Contestants receive free park admission on the day of the event.

You can find all the details on the Silver Dollar City web site.