What can you “DO” for Bluegrass?

‘I Just love bluegrass, and want it to carry on”

I can’t tell you how many times I have heard how much people love Bluegrass and wants what’s best for it…but yet what actions have you taken? What have you offered this music that you love other than opinions? What have you “DONE”?…..I cannot help with that question but I can help with another question:

What can you do?

Here is a list of things you can do to support Bluegrass on a mico and macro levels.

Support Bluegrass Associations

Bluegrass 501c3’s are on the front lines supporting Bluegrass and bringing the music to new generations. There are many ways to support them:

• Pay for a membership
• Attend their events
• Bring friends with you to the events
• Buy t-shirts and other items from them
• Donate money
• Donate instruments
• Volunteer you time
• Spread the word of the associations existence and events to your people and social media

Support Festivals

Festivals are such a mainstay in the history and development of the music and is a place where many people come together to bring their flavors of Bluegrass into the mix. These are the summits of our culture that helps fortify the following. Here are some things you can do to help Festivals:

• Buy tickets (even if you are not going)
• Volunteer at the Festival
• Share the event on your social media
• Bring people to the festivals
• Buy festival shirts & merch
• Buy items from bands at Festival directly
• Buy 50/50 tickets
• Reserve your tickets/camping for the next year

Support Jams

Bluegrass Jams not only strengthen the musician community but also bring in new fans. Here are a few ways to support jams:

• Attend Jams
• Support other jammers
• Share jams on your social media
• Share pictures and videos from jams
• Support Youth Jammers
• Support the venue where the jam is being held

Support Local Bluegrass Venues

Anyplace that supports live Bluegrass music should be themselves supported. The more local support that happens, the more other venues will want to try Bluegrass out. Here are the ways you can help:

• Attend the Bluegrass events
• Share the venue and events on your social media
• Buy food/drinks
• Talk to the manager about the event in a positive manner
• Bring friends with you to the events
• Leave positive YELP feedback for the venue and mention Bluegrass

Support Local Bluegrass Bands

Local live Bluegrass is the foundation for a healthy Bluegrass community around the state/country. There are a ton of things you can do to help local Bluegrass bands:

• Attend their events
• Share their events on your social media
• Buy their merch directly from them (not from Amazon or iTunes)
• Take videos and pictures at their events and share that media
• Talk to local venues about having local Bluegrass Bands
• Buy tickets to events, even if you cannot attend

Support Youth in Bluegrass

This should be the most obvious one, but oddly its the one people neglect the most. Supporting young folks in Bluegrass anyway you can not only assists them but sets Bluegrass up for a new generation. Here are some things you can do:

• Bring youths to Bluegrass events
• Support Youth programs at local Bluegrass events
• Give youth musicians positive reinforcement
• Donate unused instruments to youth musicians
• Be inclusive in jams to youth musicians
• Pay a student’s Camp fees

Support IBMA, SPIGMA and similar organizations

National organizations already have multiple programs and events that are focused on targeting new Bluegrass fans and fostering young musicians. Here is how you can help:

• Become a member of each
• Attend organizational events
• Donate to the organizations and their funds
• Volunteer at events
• Pay for youth musicians to attend these events

There are just a few of the things you can “DO” to support the music. If more people just did a few of these things instead of complaining about what other people are “Doing” we would have a more prosperous music around the world and beyond. If you LOVE Bluegrass music, I beg that you do as many of these things as possible.

Ask yourself, have I given back to Bluegrass in a positive way? What have you done? Are you proud?

When I leave the world, I hope I can say I have done all I can to leave it in better shape then I found it.