I finally took the plunge and traveled to SPBGMA this year. That’s right! Back in February, 2025, I undertook the drive down to Nashville to attend the annual convention of the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America.
Kenneth Newell has been after me to go for years now. I’m not sure why I waited so long, probably because I’m not much good at jamming. And when I think of SPBGMA, jamming is the first thing that comes to mind.
I’m mostly a strummer. Oh, once in a while I’ll throw in a run or two, but as far as taking a break solo, I’ve not risen to that level. My forte is writing songs.
This year Kenneth convinced me SPBGMA had far more to offer than just jamming, for example, showcases, award shows, trade shows, contests, booths, food, and more.
So I made plans and went—without a guitar. I drove from Rosine to Westmoreland, Tn, where Kenneth and his wife Angie live. We carpooled from there to the Sheraton Music city Hotel, where the convention is held.
(an artist’s rendering of the hotel on spbgma.com)
Interestingly, this year was the 50th Annual SPBGMA.
We parked in a lot at the foot of the hill and didn’t have to wait long for a shuttle. It was nearly full when who was last to get on? Bob Minner!
I’ll be writing a post about Bob soon, but for now let’s simply say Bob is on fire in the world of Bluegrass, with awards and newly released music.
As Bob was nominated for SPBGMA Song of the Year along with John Meador of Authentic Unlimited for writing “Fall in Tennessee” and the awards show was later that night, I wished him luck before we exited the bus. As Bill Monroe would say, I was “pulling for them” to win.
Turns out they didn’t. The Grascals won for “Tennessee Hound Dog,” but at least Bob, John, and Authentic Unlimited won for the same award at the IBMA’s back in November of ‘24.
The first thing you do at SPBGMA is walk into a cavernous lobby full of bluegrassers. Some folks were dressed to the nines; some were dressed casual like us, blue jeans and t-shirts. I believe I was wearing a black, Jerusalem Ridge festival t-shirt from a few years back.
Of course, upon entering you can’t help but hear all the music from different jams scattered around.
The first person I saw that I recognized was Arnold Freeman Flener from Horse Branch. She comes from a long line of HB educators. Arnold Freeman was looking for her daughter MacKenzie Bell. We parted going opposite directions, and wouldn’t you know it, we met MacKenzie less than a minute later.
MacKenzie Bell has been playing fiddle since she was a youngun and just keeps on getting better and better. She plays with Ohio County Judge Executive David Johnston the first Friday of every month, April thru December, at The Rosine Barn Jamboree.
Next, I met Brian Stevenson, the leader of the Breckinridge County Bluegrass Music Association. He also leads the Bluegrass show at the lodge at the Rough River Dam State Resort Park in Falls of Rough, Ky, the second Friday of each month year-round.
Brian is a powerful guitar picker and singer in his band Blue Again. And I would add that his is about the loudest big ol’ Martin I’ve ever heard—D-35 bought from Mark Royal, if I’m not mistaken.
The first trade room we came to was full of instrument vendors and attendees checking out their wares.
Over in one corner multi-instrumentalist and videographer Jared Finck was filming pickers in front of a curtain back drop with a blue-lit SPBGMA sign. I was impressed with his setup.
Jared and Justin Reno have skillfully and artfully graced the stage at The Rosine Barn Jamboree several times in the past couple years billed as Reno and Finck.
At one point Jared had several folks waiting to be filmed playing Jimmy Martin’s guitar. I enjoyed watching Keegan Day take his turn on it, accompanied by his brother Redmond Day on mandolin. Those boys can pick now!
On the far side of the room, Kenneth met a young, fellow mandolinist Vance Bonebreak. They swapped mandolins and picked a little. Vance was playing a Ringley, and Kenneth had his McClanahan.
I’m sorry to say I don’t know the first thing about Ringley and Sons mandolins, but from what I heard in that moment, they can hang with the best.
I do know Jonathan McClanahan builds some of the finest mandolins around. And he sure knows how to play one, too. There will be a McClanahan post on this blog in the future.
Just ten feet away was the Gallagher guitar display. I had heard of the Gallagher brand before, and I had read about the new Josh Rinkel signature model. But I’d never heard one up close.
A little bio here—I have a hearing problem; I’ve recently tried some in-ear monitors and I believe they’re going to help. When I want to know what a guitar truly sounds like, I ask someone else to play it so I can hear what is projected directly in front.
Let me just tell you! When Kenneth jarred down on one of these guitars, I was astounded. It was the purest, warmest, most-balanced sound I’ve ever heard from a guitar, and I’ve heard quite a few.
We spent some time talking with owner David Mathis, and before you know it Angie was in the process of owning a G45 model. I set a goal of owning one within five years. I’ll be writing a more in-depth post on the Gallagher company in the near future.
The next vendor room was much bigger. Right away I found Dennis Cook and his wife Sharon sitting at the Jerusalem Ridge Festival table. I sat with them and chatted for a while. Dennis is Chairman of the Bill Monroe Foundation and works his hind end off on Jerusalem Ridge. I don’t know what we would do without him.
If someone wanted to purchase a vintage guitar, this room at SPBGMA was the place to be. That’s assuming you had tens of thousands of dollars in your pocket. Old Martins! Old Gibsons!
I’m surprised there wasn’t some kind of heist in that room that weekend. I’m guessing the total value of all the instruments in that room might have reached into the millions.
One of the highlights of the day for me was getting to hold a 1923 Loar Gibson mandolin, very similar to the famous Bill Monroe mandolin.
Actually this one was six months and four days older than Monroe’s. It was at SPBGMA because of Emily Wilson and the Karasik Mandolin Project, which I will certainly be writing about soon.
(Kenneth holding the 1923 Loar Gibson)
There was a great contingent of folks from my neck of the woods at SPBGMA ‘25 on Saturday. One group was there to cheer on The Rosine Sound, who was in the band contest. I saw Jasper Beatty and Marty Hayse, and they were looking rather spiffy.
I wasn’t able to catch their work in the contest, but I heard they were great. They didn’t end up winning, but I know they represented Rosine well.
Jasper’s mom Shandy was there, of course, along with Jasper’s grandparents Terry and Jackie Tarrance.
While enjoying a meal, my cousin Conner Raymond snuck up behind and surprised me. Later, I ran into his good buddy Joseph Renfrow. I’m awful proud of those boys as they have formed a Bluegrass band of their own. Kentucky 31, they’re called, a nod to the fescue in the pasture and hay Conner’s cattle eat. You gotta love that name!
I also met Gloria Jackson and her boyfriend Terry Bean. I told them they were the best-dressed couple in the whole place. Terry is a big fan of my “Rooster Red” song, and I appreciate it.
You can hear it on YouTube thanks to Dustin Bratcher and The Rosine Barn channel. Just search for me, and it will come up, along with a few more songs. I may have to write a post about that song in the future.
Of course, Kenneth ran into a great many friends throughout the day. He seemed to know everybody! I managed to snap a few pics.
If you haven’t heard of Wyatt Ellis, you will. He’s a mandolin prodigy from Tennessee taking the Bluegrass world by storm. He’ll be performing at Jerusalem Ridge ‘25 on Thursday this year. You can see him right now all over YouTube.
(Kenneth and Wyatt Ellis)
We also ran into one of Wyatt’s former mandolin teachers, Roscoe Morgan, from Maryville, Tennessee. Roscoe plays mandolin for Clearview, and they, too, are on YouTube. They’re not scheduled to play Jerusalem Ridge this year, but maybe, if we make enough noise, 2026 could be in play.
(Kenneth and Roscoe Morgan)
I’m also going to remember the photos I didn’t take.
For example, while we were looking for a jam on the 3rd floor, Kenneth, Angie, and I ran into Kody Norris. We chatted briefly about the effect Hurricane Helene had on his hometown of Mountain City, TN, back in September of ‘24.
You could tell his heart was still hurting (definitely not the time for taking photos). It was a tender moment, and I won’t forget it. I sure hope those folks, who lost so much, are healing and getting back to some semblance of normal.
Late in the day, as we were making our way through the lobby to leave, who other than Wayne Lewis appeared out of nowhere. I was tickled to see him so I could catch him up on how Mom and Dad were doing.
Way back in the 2000’s, when Wayne served on the Bill Monroe Foundation board with my parents, they became dear friends.
Before we parted, Wayne said to tell Dad he hoped to see him soon. I said I would, and Wayne gave me that look; “That’s my buddy,” he said.
I should have taken a picture with Mr.Lewis, but I didn’t, so I’ll include this one from the 2023 Jerusalem Ridge Festival.
(L to R—Mom, Dad, and Wayne Lewis)
After our time with Wayne Lewis, we headed out the door. We didn’t have long to wait for a shuttle back to the car.
It is very likely that I have neglected to include someone we met that day back in February. If so, I apologize. No slight was intended. My 57-yr-old brain is for sure not what it used to be.
SPBGMA was a great experience. So much so, that I plan to return next year. Might even get a room and take in two days, do some jamming, see some of the nighttime events.
I look forward to next year, but two things I’ll do differently: 1) Take more photos; I’ll need them for this blog, and 2) Take my guitar!
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