Since we wrote last week about plans for an online youth bluegrass festival, hosted and promoted with Tomorrow’s Bluegrass Stars (TBS), we have learned from 17 year old organizer, Autumn Moore, that she has found enough young bands willing to participate, and some technical assistance in running things on the online side.
Her initial idea was to put together three days of music, streamed for free on Facebook and YouTube, consisting entirely of bluegrass groups with members under 20 years of age. This vision had it to structure a schedule just like a normal festival, with bands playing sets on a fixed schedule, but with each performing live from their own homes in groups of 10 or fewer.
After the call went out, Autumn has heard from so many interested groups that the very first TBS Online Bluegrass Festival has been extended to four days, starting tomorrow (4/9) from 5:00-11:00 p.m. (EST), and running each day through Easter Sunday. Online viewers can tune in by visiting the festival Facebook page, or YouTube channel to see and hear the best young entertainers bluegrass has to offer.
Moore says that it has grown beyond her wildest imaginings.
“Since the last time we talked, there are now 37 bands from 17 states signed up to be involved in the Festival! After first mentioning the idea for an online bluegrass festival, I never dreamed it would turn into such a unique and exciting event.”
Autumn’s duo act with her brother Canyon, Buffalo Mountain Bluegrass, are the official host band, to be joined by many well known family and youth bands over the next four days. Popular acts like Williamson Branch, Kentucky Just Us, and Silas Powell are on tap, along with dozens of other up-and-coming groups from all overt the US.
She has kindly shared the schedule for the next four days, and we encourage everyone who has been missing live bluegrass to log on and enjoy what is likely to become the future of our music. If you have youngsters in your family interested in traditional music, they are sure to enjoy seeing these precocious young artists.
Well done Autumn and TBS!
