Kids on Bluegrass
CBA Kids on Bluegrass Remembered
By Helen Ludé
Frank Solivan Sr. passed away on August 24, 2024. He was a mentor, inspiration, and friend to many. He had the unique ability to make every rising musician feel special. Frank Sr. taught us kids confidence, stage presence, and arranging songs with others. I remember the early mornings, and they always paid off! He will be missed by all; may we keep his legacy alive for many generations to come.
Imagine a transformative world for youth of music playing, song learning, and fun; where lifelong friendships are formed through a shared love of bluegrass; a safe place of educational support that teaches stage presence, promotes confidence, and unites a community in three miraculous days. Sounds too good to be true? It’s not. The world I speak of describes the wonders of the Kids on Bluegrass program at the Father’s Day Festival in Grass Valley, California every year.
Twenty-nine years ago, the Kids on Bluegrass Program (KOB) was founded by Frank Solivan Sr. to promote youth in bluegrass and showcase their talents on the main stage. Continuing its legacy today, KOB remains a highlight of the weekend among many national bands that perform on the same stage. Perhaps it is to reminisce the slight terror of stepping on stage for the first time, followed by relieved pride after getting through the first verse, or maybe it is to witness the extraordinary capabilities of youth, or for a glimpse into the future of our beloved music, that draws loyal audience members back each year for an undoubtedly heartwarming performance. As Chad Manning, renowned fiddler and father to rising prodigy mandolinist Jasper Manning says, “They are the next generation of bluegrass music.” There is nothing quite like watching an impassioned group of kids come together to create something as incredible as a main stage show.
As wondrous as the showcase is, the Kids on Bluegrass program is much more than the performance itself. Before their showcase, the kids create a self-selected song list and rehearse self-assembled musical arrangements. The magic of the program is the freedom in this creative process, allowing independence in learning what it means to be part of a band, such as overcoming disagreements and creating a sound each member is satisfied with. With that comes the opportunity to learn new bluegrass songs and hang out with other kids who also play bluegrass: two of participant Savannah Gillingham’s favorite parts of the program. Robert Heirindt, father of returning kid on bluegrass Meilin, loves that KOB not only encourages kids to play more bluegrass but also connects them with mentors and other inspiring musicians. For 9-year-old Finn Khadder, Kids on Bluegrass helped him overcome stage fright and perform in front of an audience. KOB presents a unique, individualized opportunity to learn stage presence and band dynamics, expand repertoire, meet friends and mentors, overcome musical challenges, and become part of a limitlessly supportive community.
You may be wondering— how do they get there? How does our youth manage to execute two fifty-minute sets of stage-worthy music in merely three days? It begins with the initial audition: one of the most important aspects of the program. “Do you want to do this?” Solvian asks at the start. This is a major key to the program’s success, as it affirms choice in participants’ efforts: they are not just there because their parents told them they had to be. The kids introduce themselves and then show what they play best. Auditions are not meant to critique but rather showcase talent to an intimate audience before doing it for real on the main stage. Kids are split into two groups based on performance abilities, and practice is in session.
With the help of volunteers, a list of songs is compiled based on the requests of each performer. From there, the kids independently organize smaller bands to rehearse and arrange each song for the next day’s performance. Heart and soul are poured into dedicated hours, including full “run-throughs” to practice entering and exiting the stage, confidence in front of an audience, and smiling while performing. Participants say, “KOB helped me with stage presence like dressing nicely and getting on and off stage without tripping on the bass.” and “The audience always likes it more when they can hear us and see us smiling. Frank is always telling us to smile and to get right up in that mic.” And it shows. By Saturday and Sunday’s main stage performances, the Kids on Bluegrass never fail to amaze each and every audience member with their smooth transitions, matching stage attire, and beaming smiles.
The Kids on Bluegrass legacy lives on in various California-based youth bands such as Crying Uncle and North Country Blue, both connected through the KOB community. Former founding of bands OMGG, 35 Years of Trouble, and the Rambling Minors’ can also be attributed to the lifelong relationships formed in the Kids on Bluegrass program. Teo Quale, current Crying Uncle mandolinist and former member of the Rambling Minors, says he would probably not be in the band he is today had it not been for the Kids on Bluegrass program. Other California KOBers have gone on to receive Grammy nominations, IBMA awards, and various forms of international recognition.
In 2018, Frank Solivan Sr. stepped down as head of the Kids on Bluegrass Program. This year, Helen Foley, former KOB participant herself, made her debut as the new director of the KOB program. Foley was joined by AJ Lee and Jesse Fichman (also KOB Alumni and members of AJ Lee and Blue Summit) who helped with song arrangements, along with Sharon Elliot, Tom Caudle, and Hal Finley, whose organization efforts enabled smooth running. Foley and her team will lead the Kids on Bluegrass program going forward.
The beauty of the Kids on Blue- grass program lies in its organic nature: a kid-driven system that allows participants to play the songs they want to play, the way they want to play them, with the people they want to play with. They are supported by a team of KOB alumni who understand the process because they have lived it. It is a cycle of kids propelling other kids, and continues because of the love, passion, and support for the best genre of American roots music out there.
As an alumnus myself, I recall my fondest childhood moments in the KOB den: a place where curiosity and motivation meet in the middle to spark enthusiasm about bluegrass music and love for its surrounding community. It was there that I discovered joy in jamming with other musicians. It was there I met lifelong friends and former bandmates. It was there I found comfort performing on a big stage while building foundational stage etiquette skills. Most of all, it was there I unlocked my passion for bluegrass music and a love of playing music with others. The Kids on Bluegrass program is the reason I am the bluegrass musician I am today and I will forever be grateful for its transformative powers.
Published in California Bluegrass Association’s Bluegrass Breakdown (October 2019)
