In 1979, Don Timmer, Chris Bayer and a bunch of other folks got together to play Bluegrass and Old Time music in northern Nevada. They started teaching others to play, and they put on the first Bowers Bluegrass Festival in 1986. We are proud to honor these extraordinary "OG"s, and proud to carry on the great traditions they started.

Thanks to all y'all's support by paying your annual dues (they were $3 a year in 1980!), purchasing tickets to our concerts and workshops, coming to our Annual Meeting (Feb. 17th this year!) and jamming at our monthly jam sessions --- we are keeping alive the future that those youngsters envisioned 45 years ago.

Comin' Up in 2024!

We're excited to announce that we'll be hosting a Weekend Workshop on the weekend of Friday-Saturday, April 12-13th. It's been a few years since we hosted a Weekend Workshop, but, in the past, we've featured topics such as Bluegrass Vocal Harmony, Ensemble Training, Listening Workshop, Flatpicking Guitar, Songwriting, Jamming and others.

Our Spring, 2024 Weekend Workshop will focus on Old Time music, with a special emphasis on the Banjo. We have two amazing professionals coming to Reno for this event, plus we will be featuring some of our own regional Old Time musicians. We're still in the planning stages, and I can't reveal too much, yet. But I can share the "concept" and give you a rough idea of the schedule.

On Friday evening, April 12th, we will host Joe Johnson in a presentation of history, stories and performance of historical banjo styles. Joe is a brilliant young scholar from Indiana University in Bloomington who has been recognized by the Library of Congress for his research on the African origins of banjo playing. He has taught workshops on the Black history of the banjo at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago, and the Midwest Society for Ethnomusicology.

Then, on Saturday, April 13th, we'll host hands-on workshops in banjo playing, focusing especially on Old Time styles (clawhammer and 2- & 3-finger). Joining Joe in the instruction will be Evie Ladin, international clawhammer performer and teacher, as well as other instructors yet to be announced.

Saturday evening we'll have a concert with reception for all the instructors, artists, participants and audience members.

For this Weekend Workshop, we are reaching out to Washoe County High School Music Teachers, Music Professors at UNR and TMCC, and inviting them to nominate students that would like to participate in any/all of the weekend activities at no charge. We even have a small collection of donated banjos that the students can use (and we are still looking for more, if you happen to have any banjos laying around your house! -- we'll just need them for the weekend, and will take good care of them!).

So we'll be sharing LOTS more information about this exciting project as we proceed with the planning. We wanted all of YOU to be the first to know-- so please share this date and info. We really want to bring in more youth and families to our musical community, and --- as we all know --- the banjo is a happy instrument!

Joe Johnson Evie Ladin

Coupl'a Reminders

A not-so-subtle reminder of who our HEADLINERS are for the 2024 Bowers Bluegrass Festival. Both of these amazing bands are International Superstars, and we're already getting inquiries about when tickets are going on sale. Here's the answer: TODAY, Jan. 1st, Early Bird Festival Passes are now on sale, including a limited number of VIP passes that include a catered dinner on Friday, special merch and opportunities to mingle with the headliners. These are the BEST PRICES on tickets, and will be available until June 30. Prices go up on July 1st, but NNBA members ALWAYS get 20% off tickets! Ticket link is here.

And we're still looking for more bands!

Deadlines to submit applications ~ Regional Bands - Feb. 28. Local Bands - March 15.

Click here for Band Submission Guidelines (you gotta follow the Guidelines to be considered!)

More Announcements!

Jan. 1st -- Bowers Bluegrass Festival Early Bird Passes go on sale

NNBA Members get 20% discount on all tickets! Click here for deets

Ticket prices go up on July 1.

Jan 11th -- NEW Bluegrass/Old Time/Americana Jam at A to Zen in Carson City. 2nd Thursday of each month, 4-7pm Deets here.

Jan. 18th -- The Rough Edges playing at Black Rabbit Mead Co.

Click here for deets

Jan. 25 -- Tuvan Throat Singers, "ALASH" at the Mountain Music Parlor

Click here for deets

Feb. 17 -- NNBA Annual Meeting, Potluck, Election and Jam

Click here for deets

Spend a year with us on the NNBA Board!

Come on, give it a try! On Feb. 17th, at our Annual Meeting, we will select the seven people that will bring their love of Bluegrass to join a team of like-minded folks in putting on fun events!

As a non-profit 501c3, we are required to elect a volunteer Board of Directors each year.  We recommend all NNBA members take at least a one-year turn on the Board, as a way to keep our organization fresh and inspired. 

What qualifications do you need to be on the NNBA Board?  Mostly, just bring whatever strengths you have, or skills you've learned in your professional life or in school.  An appreciation of Bluegrass music is important, but you don't need to be a player.  People with organizational skills, computer skills, mechanical skills, accounting skills, leadership skills, decision-making and listening skills are all welcome!

The Board makes important financial and action-oriented decisions for NNBA, organizes events and martials the resources to put the events on.  It's actually pretty fun to be a part of something that brings music and social activities to our community.  We hold one Board meeting a month, so it's not a huge time commitment.  You can see the sorts of things we do by perusing the Meeting Minutes here.  You can nominate yourself (or someone else).  All nominees must be NNBA members, and will be contacted to confirm their wish to participate as a candidate. 

You can send an email to info@nnba.org expressing your wish to have your (or someone else's) name added to the ballot, or fill out this simple form.

Deadline for nominations that will appear on the official ballot: Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.

Online voting will open on Thursday, Feb. 1. You will need your member number to vote. Paper ballots will be available at the meeting.