The CBA Father’s Day Festival has been held every year in the beautiful foothills of the Sierras – rain or shine – since 1976.

Stage Schedule

Thursday, June 15

Main Stage
10:00 am Water Tower
11:00 am Mile Twelve
12:00 pm Jake Blount
2:55 pm Rhonda Vincent & The Rage
3:55 pm Music Camp All-Stars
4:55 pm Seth Mulder & Midnight Run
7:45 pm Jake Blount
8:50 pm Seth Mulder & Midnight Run
9:55 pm Rhonda Vincent & The Rage

Pioneer Stage
12:55 pm Clinton Davis String Band
5:50 pm Mile Twelve

Vern’s Stage
12:50 pm The Strung Nugget Gang
1:35 pm The Dry Diggins Stringband
2:20 pm Matt Michienzie Band
6:10 pm The L.A. River Boys
6:55 pm One Button Suit

Friday, June 16

Main Stage
10:00 am Clinton Davis String Band
11:00 am Seth Mulder & Midnight Run
12:00 pm Jake Blount
2:55 pm Matt and George and their Pleasant Valley Boys
3:55 pm Mile Twelve
4:55 pm Kids on Bluegrass
7:30 pm The Kody Norris Show
8:35 pm Rhonda Vincent & The Rage
9:40pm Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway

Pioneer Stage
12:55 pm The Kody Norris Show
5:50 pm Water Tower

Vern’s Stage
12:50 pm The Angel City Bluegrass Boys
1:35 pm Whole Hog
2:20 pm Caltucky
6:00 pm Dark Hollow
6:45 pm Trouble Town

Saturday, June 17

Main Stage
10:00 am Hot October
11:00 am Never Come Down
12:00 pm The Kody Norris Show
2:55 pm Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves
3:55 pm East Nash Grass
4:50 pm Lifetime Membership Awards
5:00 pm Kids on Bluegrass Alumni
7:30 pm Never Come Down
8:35 pm Blue Highway
9:40 pm Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway

Pioneer Stage
12:55 pm East Nash Grass
1:55 pm Matt and George and their Pleasant Valley Boys
3:00 pm Youth Academy Show
5:50 pm West 45

Vern’s Stage
12:50 pm DeltaGrass
1:35 pm Salty Sally
2:20 pm Wilhoyte and Sauber
5:45 pm The Corn Likkers
6:30 pm Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band

Sunday, June 18

Main Stage
10:00 am West 45
11:00 am Blue Highway
12:00 pm Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves
2:00 pm Blue Highway
3:00 pm East Nash Grass

Pioneer Stage
12:55 pm Never Come Down
1:55 pm Hot October

Vern’s Stage
12:50 pm Birches Bend
1:30 pm Marin County Breakdown

CBA Father’s Day Bluegrass Festival 2023, Music Workshops …

Music Workshops Schedule

Thursday, June 15 Dinner Break

“Movement For Musicians: Aches N Pains, And Simple Remedies”
In part 1 of this 2 part workshop series, come hang out with a physical therapist and a personal trainer while we discuss some of the ways that playing an instrument can cause aches, pains, or discomfort. We'll provide simple exercises and movements you can do anywhere to help your body feel better when you play! This workshop will focus on the neck, shoulders, wrists, and hand. Got questions about other body parts? Come to the second workshop, office hours.
Presenter: Christine Wilhoyte - NASM-CPT and Betty Bugaj – DPT
Area D, Site: Old Maintenance Shop

“Bass Petting Zoo”
Ever want to play the bass? Gosh, they are so big! What do they eat? Don’t worry. We will have several basses for folks to try out. We will cover the bass’s role in a band, care and feeding, how to acquire a bass to play, typical cost, transportation and anything else folks want to discuss.
Presenter: Lisa Burns
Area E, Site: By Stage Right

“10 Tricks To Learning Fiddle Tunes By Ear”
This workshop will help you hone your craft by learning tunes by ear in realtime. The class is geared towards intermediate players, but the concepts are applicable to all skill levels. There will be a small amount of music theory and will help to know relative intervals in a scale (think Sound of Music).
Presenter: Michelle Yu
Area G, Site: Ponderosa Hall

Friday, June 16 Lunch Break

“Banjo Set Up”
This workshop will go over the fundamentals of getting the best sound out of your banjo for your needs. Greg will be available all during the festival to individually help you with your banjos.
Presenter: Greg Deering
Area A, Deering Banjo Tent

“Movement For Musicians: Office Hours”
In part 2 of this 2 part series, bring all your movement and body-related questions pertaining to playing an instrument, and ask away! We'll be here (a physical therapist and a personal trainer) to hang and answer as many of your questions as we can.
Presenter: Christine Wilhoyte - NASM-CPT and Betty Bugaj – DPT
Area D, Site: Old Maintenance Shop

“Playing A Scruggs-Style Banjo Break”
In this workshop we will look at how to come up with a traditional, Scruggs-style break to a song. We will concentrate on the melody of the tune and then surround it with fill notes, using the 6 roll patterns. Attendees should be able to play some songs (advanced beginner to intermediate level). Bring your banjo!
Presenter: Dick Brown
Area E, Site: By Stage Right

“Choosing The Elements Of A Band”
Come learn and listen to one of the greatest bluegrass bands of our times. They will discuss the building of a successful bluegrass band and how they have managed together to bring a high-quality presentation to each performance! There definitely will be Q&A for the band.
Presenter: Rhonda Vincent and the Rage, all band presentation
Area G, Site: Ponderosa Hall

“What Makes A Violin A Fiddle”
I have been collecting and making fiddle/violins for 24 years and will talk about the differences and similarities using examples I have on hand.
Presenter: Bruce Sexauer
Area H, Site: Luthier’s Pavilion

“Exploring Old Time Bowing Techniques"
A look at the Nashville shuffle and the Georgia shuffle plus other techniques. There will be printed music to hand out and bring something to record the session if you wish.
Presenter: Chris and Cathy Carney
Area I, Site: Maybelle Meadow

Friday, June 16 Dinner Break

"Learn an Old-Time Fiddle Tune" Learn an old-time Appalachian-style tune on fiddle or clawhammer banjo. (Banjos please bring capo & tuner.)
Presenters: Geff & Masha Crawford
Area B, Site: Back Stage Area

“Beginning Old-Time Banjo Workshop”
Learn to play basic old-time 2-finger picking and claw-hammer (frailing) banjo, even if you’re a total beginner. A hands-on workshop, bring your banjo!
Presenters: Dave Magram, Linda Maki, co-instructors.
Area D, Site: Old Maintenance Shop

"The Mystery Of The Ookpik”
A peek behind the curtains of history solves the mysteries of the Ookpik Waltz: Who wrote it? Is it Ukrainian? What did it sound like? Where did it originate? What’s an Ookpik? Filmmaker Joe Weed shows the film and answers your questions.
Presenter: Joe Weed
Area F, Site: Northern Mines Building

“Old Time Song Backup For Guitar”
Intermediate-advanced. Let’s consider time honored tricks to spice up your accompaniment; all while keeping it rock solid for the singer. We’ll draw from the well of Maybelle Carter, the Stanley Brothers, and more. It’d be best if you are able to make cowboy chords and move smoothly between them. Bring your favorite song to season!
Presenter: Chris Miller
Area I, Site: Maybelle Meadow

Saturday, June 17 Lunch Break

“Another Great Deering Banjo Presentation”
A lively discussion about the general history of the modern banjo and what really is a modern banjo. The questions you have always had about the banjo will finally be answered by the master.
Presenter: Greg Deering
Area A, Deering Banjo Tent

“Basic Bluegrass Banjo Backup”
Learn to play backup behind bluegrass vocalists and instrumentalists—all skill levels welcome. A hands-on workshop--BRING A BANJO FOR BEST LEARNING!
Presenter: Dave Magram, Linda Maki, co-instructors.
Area D, Site: Old Maintenance Shop

“Recording Bluegrass Instruments And Vocals In Your Home Studio”
Joe’s most-requested workshop helps non-professionals learn to make better home recordings. Joe Weed answers your questions about recording.
Presenter: Joe Weed
Area F, Site: Northern Mines Building

“Collaborative Songwriting And Arranging”
Collaborators/co-writers can be an essential part of the creative process and bringing art into the world. Learn how Never Come Down utilizes the group mind to create, develop, and fine tune songs. Find out how songs evolve often from just a fragment of an idea to a fully composed and polished piece, and some of the key steps in the process.
Presenters:” Never Come Down”, all band presentation
Area G, Site: Ponderosa Hall

“Archtop Instrument Setup”
Do you own an archtop instrument like a mandolin or archtop guitar that is just difficult to play? Does it buzz when you play certain chords or notes, lack volume, play flat or sharp or even hurt your fingers as you try to compensate for some of these problems. If so, then your instrument needs a proper setup. What does that mean? Let’s talk about Archtop instrument set up and the factors that affect playability, volume, tone & intonation along what adjustments can be made to improve them.
Presenter: Gary Lewandowski
Area H, Site: Luthier’s Pavilion

"Crooked Tunes"
A look at what makes a tune Crooked and examples. There will be printed music to hand out and bring something to record the session if you wish.
Presenter: Chris & Cathy Carney
Area I, Site: Maybelle Meadow

Saturday, June 17 Dinner Break:

"Friendly Old-Time Jam"
Join Geff & Masha Crawford to play some familiar old-time Appalachian-style fiddle & banjo tunes at a friendly pace. We'll all play together, no solos, everyone welcome.
Presenters: Geff & Masha Crawford
Area B, Site: Back Stage Area

“Sacred Harp Singing Workshop”
Sacred Harp is a uniquely American singing tradition where people sing songs in three and four-part harmony from a tune book called, The Sacred Harp. The music is written in notation using four shaped-notes and is a proudly inclusive living tradition. Participants will learn about what shape-note singing is, how to read the music, and by the end will be singing four-part harmony in the Sacred Harp tradition. No singing or sight-reading experience is required, all welcome!
Presenters: David Elsenbroich and Andrea Tzvetkov
Area D, Site: Old Maintenance Shop

“Intermediate/Advanced Back-Up”
In this workshop we will continue to look at playing back-up Scruggs-style (Crowe, Emerson, etc) to more traditional tunes. We will discuss and demonstrate vamping, rolling patterns and up the neck back-up techniques. Attendees should be able to play breaks to songs, have a good working knowledge of chords, and understand the basics of beginning back-up. Bring your banjo!
Presenter: Dick Brown
Area E, Site: By Stage Right

“Breakdowns And Bluesy Fiddle Tunes”
For those excited to learn what breakdowns and bluesy fiddle tunes have in common, this class is for you. Rhythm can make or break a tune, and we will learn how to add just enough interesting rhythm to drive a tune. I will break down rhythmic variations of my favorite breakdowns and blues fiddle tunes. Geared towards intermediate and above players, and I will happily work to accommodate all skill levels.
Presenter:Michelle Yu
Area G, Site: Ponderosa Hall

“What Makes A Dreadnaught A Bluegrass Guitar”
My true expertise lies in guitar-making, and I will have several D sized guitars with me, some more targeted to Bluegrass than others, and I will talk about what makes them relatively so, using examples from my own inventory.
Presenter: Bruce Sexauer
Area H, Site: Luthier’s Pavilion

“Driving The Bus: Old Time Guitar Rhythm Fundamentals”
A beginner-intermediate course. We’ll talk about how backing up old time tunes and songs differs from other modern styles. We will discuss chord choices, norms and expectations, and communication. Best of all, how to relax and enjoy this crucial role. You should be able to make cowboy chords. All you need is your rhythm instrument.
Presenter: Chris Miller
Area I, Site: Maybelle Meadow

Date: June 15-18, 2023

Venue:
Nevada County Fairgrounds
11228 McCourtney Road
Grass Valley, CA 95949

For tickets https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/cba/4889?venueidlist=15568.

All sales are final.
Tickets are non-refundable.
Festival is held rain or shine.

For more info https://californiabluegrass.org/fathers_day_festival/fdf-home/.