To preserve and promote bluegrass as a heritage of our country
The purpose of the Idaho Sawtooth Bluegrass Association:
To preserve and perpetuate bluegrass music as a heritage of our country;
To promote the education and enjoyment of bluegrass music;
To promote fellowship among all musicians and supporters who have a love for bluegrass music, regardless of race, creed, color, ethnicity, or ability to play music.
A note from the ISBA, board chairman
January 12, 2021
Wow! The last nine months of 2020 was a huge disappointment for the ISBA. Our members had no events to attend and enjoy and the board was frustrated with not being able to get together to plan or discuss possible activities. So a great big ’Howdy’ to all of you who are sequestered at home, starving for monthly jams and the occasional weekend event. These activities have always been our chance to get together with friends and share food, laughs, stories, and music. But it was not to be for most of 2020. Let’s review what happened and didn’t happen last year: We enjoyed 2 Treasure Valley Bluegrass Night concerts with good attendance: 1-10-20 False Bottom String Band and Kentucky Sky 2-21-20 Fiddle Express and Dry Buck We had to cancel 2 TVBN concerts we had planned for 3-10-20 and 4-10-20. Chicken Dinner Road and Kentucky Sky were to perform on those dates. These two bands have attracted some of our largest audiences. The ISBA board met with two IBA leaders on March 14th. There we learned that the spring music camps at Weiser were to be cancelled. Also we decided to tentatively cancel the ISBA’s weekend jam at Kamiah and proceed with a little bit of hope on plans for a fall event. But both had to be cancelled. We have been without music events and even jams for most of last year as other major events were also cancelled – the Old Time Fiddle Contest in Weiser and festivals in Hamilton, Montana and Pocatello, Idaho. As 2021 begins, the outlook is wonderful if you favor picking at home, by yourself, in a closet. However, the ISBA remains committed to our mission, to promote traditional bluegrass music and provide opportunities for people to perform, listen to, and play this music. The board will be meeting soon and will let you know of any plans we make of coming events. Sure miss seeing you all and picking some tunes, Keith Freedman