Steve Kaufman Archives - Bluegrass Today

Scholarships available for Steve Kaufman’s Acoustic Kamps

Every summer for the past 25 years, flatpicking master Steve Kaufman and Donna Dixon have welcomed hundreds of pickers to Maryville, TN for their annual Acoustic Kamps.

These are separated into two weeklong events: The Old Time and Traditional Week, which this year runs June 12-18, followed by Bluegrass Week, June 19-25. Students can register for one or both of these Kamps, each offering opportunities to study with top players and instructors on multiple instruments and disciplines. One of the things that make these in-depth workshops so popular is that students can switch around all week, taking classes on their instrument of choice with a variety of teachers for 7 days. There are also choices each day for small seminars and break out sessions on particular subjects of interest.

It is a major investment in yourself to attend any of the high level workshops offered each year, but Kaufman has been offering a scholarship program this past 20 years to help those of straightened means. Initially managed by Harry Moore, who both saw to raising the funds to offer these awards, and going through all the applications every year, it has been named in his honor since his passing last year.

Both age and financial need are considered in choosing scholarship recipients, along with ability and promise. Awards can be put towards either week of Kaufman Kamp, including accommodations in Maryville, though recipients will be responsible for their own travel costs to get there.

Even though the Kamps don’t begin for five months, scholarship applications are due by March 1. An application form can be downloaded online, which requires information about the student, the instrument they play, their goals in learning to play, and a recommendation from a teacher or friend. Award recipients will be announce on April 1 to allow students to make plans to attend in June.

Applicants 18 years old and above may attend Kamp on their own. Those 17 or younger must be accompanied by a responsible adult at least 21 years of age. A special reduced rate is offered for Kamp Kompanions who attend as a guardian, but who will not be studying from the instructors.

The number of awards given each year is dependent on fundraising, so we won’t know the number until the announcement in April.

All the details can be found on the Kaufman Kamp Harry Moore scholarship page online. Good luck!

World Virtual Bluegrass Banjo Contest launches next week

Following on the success of last month’s virtual flatpicking competition, two of our nation’s premier instructors of traditional music, Steve Kaufman and Marcy Marxer, have launched a full series of online championships, under the rubric of World Virtual Acoustic Contests.

These will include tournaments for guitar, banjo, mandolin, ukulele, and fiddle over the next few months, with all entries submitted and judged on video online. With contest festivals and fiddlers conventions canceled this year in most of the US, Marcy and Steve hope to recreate as best they can the fun and competitive spirit that has animated these events this past 100 years.

Just announced to start next week is the World Virtual Bluegrass Banjo Contest, so named as banjo pickers around the globe are eligible and encouraged to participate online. Judging will take place in two rounds, with preliminaries running from November 9-15, and a finals round November 19-20. Judging will be done by Scott Vestal, Gary Davis, and Matthew Davis, three of the most acclaimed five stringers of the past 35 years.

During round 1, contestants will submit a single video of one tune no more than three minutes in length. From these, the judges will choose a top five who will go on into the finals. There each competitor will submit a video with two tunes, running no more than five minutes in length. The actual judging of these five finalists will take place in a live stream presentation on November 21 at 7:00 p.m. (EST).

There the top three finishers will be chosen, and cash prizes awarded.

An entry fee of $20 is required to submit, with $500 going to the first prize winner, $250 to second, and $100 to third. First prize also includes an invitation to compete in the National Banjo Contest in Winfield, KS next year.

Complete contest rules and an entry form can be found online.

The livestream on November 21 will be broadcast on the World Virtual Bluegrass Banjo Contest Facebook page.

Sounds like fun!

Dreadnoughts Unlimited scholarships for Kaufman Kamp

Once again in 2016, Dreadnoughts Unlimited will award need and age-based scholarships to attend the Steve Kaufman Acoustic Kamps in Maryville, TN. These week-long residence workshops offer intensive, hands-on music education for bluegrass and old time musicians looking to up their game. And thanks to the work of Harry Moore and Dreadnaughts Unlimited, more than 50 deserving pickers have been enabled to attend free of charge or on partial scholarship.

A simple, 3-page application is all that is required to be considered for a scholarship. For 2016, they must be postmarked by March 21. All submissions are then reviewed by an expert panel of noted musicians who request to remain anonymous. Harry says that the number varies from year to year, but he refers to them as “his Secret Seven.” They choose the annual recipients based on the funds available each year.

Moore launched this process 15 years ago and manages the scholarship himself.

“We started Dreadnoughts Unlimited in 2001 to provide a method for folks who wanted to attend Steve Kaufman Acoustic Kamp and learn how to pick but couldn’t afford it.

That first year, we raffled off a Martin D-18 to raise enough funds for a scholarship. The winner of the drawing gave the guitar back to us, and we raffled it again in 2002. In 2003, we got a guitar from Mario Proulx and in the years after that, we’ve raffled off acoustic guitars from Bourgeois, Gallagher, Martin, and several hand-built guitars by Seth Naugler of Bucks County, PA, as well as a custom-built ‘DUCaster’ electric guitar by Steve Dikkers of Gutenburg, IA, and a mandolin from Brian Ison of Springfield, MO. Most of the instruments are donated, either by the luthiers or by ‘friends of Steve Kaufman’s Acoustic Kamp.’

We’ve also received individual donations aside from the drawings, and for the last several years, the Kampers have donated for a ‘Krystal run’ by Keith Yoder. Keith collects money and orders up to 600 Krystal burgers with fries and ‘One large drink with 600 straws,’ and makes a midnight run to pick up the order. This activity draws in more participation each year, and generated as much in funds as the drawing did this year.”

The Dreadnoughts Unlimited scholarship application can be downloaded online.

This year a Collings OM1 varnish-finished guitar has been donated for raffle. For information on how to purchase tickets, or to make a donation to the Scholarship Fun, contact Harry by email.

What a fun way to raise money for such a worthwhile effort.

Scholarships available to Acoustic Kamp

Applications are now being accepted for both full and partial scholarships to attend Steve Kaufman’s Acoustic Kamps.

These week-long workshops offer instruction from top professionals in old time/traditional (June 8-14) and bluegrass (June 16-21). Separate tracks are maintained for different skill levels, and special attention for beginners is part of the program.

The scholarships are offered by Dreadnaughts Unlimited, a non-profit organization chartered for this reason. Funding is received by raffles that take place during Kamp, typically for a new guitar.

Applications must be in by March 21. Acceptance is based on financial need and a strong desire to move forward as an instrumentalist, singer or songwriter.

Full details can be found online.

Bluegrass A La Carte (9/14)

John Duffey to be inducted into Bill Monroe Bluegrass Hall of Fame
“The late, great John Duffey, who fronted the first important bluegrass crossover band, Seldom Scene, until his death in 1996, will become the 33rd member of the Bill Monroe Bluegrass Hall of Fame when he is inducted September 24 during the upcoming Uncle Pen Days festival.”

Del McCoury was Ruined for Life by Bluegrass
The National Endowment for the Arts interviews Del McCoury in the latest episode of their podcast, Art Works. Del discusses how hearing Earl Scruggs ruined him for life. The podcast is 27 minutes long and very entertaining, as one would expect from Mr. Bluegrass.

Bluegrass heaven in the Czech Republic
The European Bluegrass Blog discusses the bluegrass scene in the Czech Republic over the summer of 2010.

Buy Cheap Bluegrass Guitar Solos
The website is not one I would recommend purchasing from. The website is called Buy Cheap, and I thought it was funny how the site name ended up in front of the title of the product. They intended it to mean that you are buying the product cheaply, but I read it as buying guitar solos that were of inferior quality. No offense intended toward Steve Kaufman.

Bluegrass Hotties
Country music blog The Boot lists their picks for the 10 “Hottest Women Over 40 in Country Music.” Bluegrass maven Rhonda Vincent makes the list, along with Patty Loveless and Emmylou Harris.

Beyond Basic Bluegrass Rhythm Guitar

The latest instructional DVD release from Homespun, Beyond Basic Bluegrass Rhythm Guitar, features noted flatpicker Steve Kaufman.

As the title suggests, this video is designed for guitarists familiar with basic rhythm styles, and are ready to take the next step. Kaufman introduces exercises to develop both your hands and your ears, using song examplesfrom the bluegrass, fiddle tune, competition and Texas swing repertoires.

He covers bass runs and walking bass patterns, chord substitutions, differing pick strokes and contest-style chord progressions in this 1 hour and 40 minute DVD. Tablature files are included on the disc, which can be printed or viewed from a computer.

Songs include Little Rock Getaway, Wayfaring Stranger, St. Anne’s Reel, Kentucky Waltz, Sweet Georgia Brown, Alabama Jubilee and Sally Goodin.

Steve shared a few words about his new project…

“Beyond Basic Bluegrass Rhythm is the sequel to my popular Basic Bluegrass Rhythm DVD. If you are an intermediate player looking for ways to spice up your rhythm playing – this might be your DVD. I cover interchangeable, walking chords – ones that most players already know, but I teach the sequences and chord progressions that replace sections of chords in standard 3 chord songs. They add color and beauty to most chording situations. We also talk about walking bass lines and walking treble lines, Texas Rhythm, waltz rhythms and much more.

You can find it at www.flatpik.com – and you’re just a click away.”

More details, including a sample video, can be found on the Homespun web site.

Dreadnaughts Unlimited Scholarship deadline 5/17

Steve Kaufman’s Acoustic Kamps have been in operation for 12 years now, teaching first only guitarists, but now also banjo and mandolin players in week long workshops in Maryville, TN. The “kamps” have grown from year to year, and have thrice been selected for the Best Workshops, Seminars and Camps award from the readers of Acoustic Guitar Magazine.

If you have wanted to attend but have been prevented by the costs, you should consider applying for the Dreadnaughts Unlimited Scholarship program before the deadline for 2007 falls on Thursday, May 17.

The DU official website describes their efforts this way:

Dreadnoughts Unlimited is a non-profit entity that has been established to provide scholarships to needy and eager musicians who will benefit from a week at Steve Kaufman’s Acoustic Kamp. We have awarded several scholarships over the last six years. The scholarships are funded mainly by individual donations.

A Gallagher Doc Watson guitar will be given away during this year’s Kamp, and everyone who makes a donation to the Scholarship Fund will be entered in the drawing.

You will find the application and further details on their website.

Lewis Family favorites – Handpicked

The Lewis Family have a new compilation project due for release this month on Daywind Records.

The CD is entitled Handpicked, and includes their very favorite tracks from previous releases, fourteen in all. The CD booklet also features comments about each song, and why it was selected for this compilation.

The tracks include: A Rose In A Bible, You Can’t Stop Time, He Still Looks Over Me, Walking And Talking, Angels Gathering Flowers, When Our Lord Shall Come Again, Above And Beyond, If We Ever Needed The Lord Before (We Sho Do Need Him Now).

There is no release date shown on the Daywind site, but the CD is available for ordering now from The Lewis Family site.

Steve Kaufman in 2007

This post is another from our all-the-more regular contributor, Richard Thompson. He writes from England, where he is also a longstanding contributor to British Bluegrass News, a quarterly print publication where he also briefly served as editor.

The latest edition of guitarist Steve Kaufman’s Flatpicking Hotline publication announces details of Kaufman’s schedule for March and April as well providing a registration form for his Kamp 2007.

Kaufman is a National Flatpicking Champion in 1978 at 21 years of age and winner twice more since. After conducting private teaching lessons for about 20 years he produced the first of a wide range of instructional material in 1989.

Steve began touring the world conducting seminars, workshops, clinics and concerts in 1990 and after 5 years he began Steve Kaufman’s Flatpicking Camp. They have grown into the largest Camps of their kind in the world with students traveling from around the world to Maryville, Tennessee. In 2002 and 2004, Steve Kaufman received the Gold Award from a reader’s poll in Acoustic Guitar Magazine for running the “Best Workshops, Seminars and Camps.”

Kaufman has several studio recordings to his credit, the latest of which is the CD Mystique which comprises 17 tracks performed with the assistance of special guests Bobby Hicks, Emory Lester, Gary Davis and Casey Henry among others. He has just released the seventh in the CD series Best Of Kamp Concerts.

Kamp 2007 comprises two separate weeks of tuition on all bluegrass instruments – see the official Kamp web site for the schedules for each week. The first week’s lessons commence on June 10 and are followed immediately by the second week of sessions from June 17 through to June 24.

Details of Steve Kaufman’s commitments for 2007 can be found on his web site.