Music Lesson #1: Steve Martin and 8 Bluegrass Festivals

 Before your kids are teenagers, you have the opportunity to teach them that there's other music genres than just rap and R&B.  To widen their music appreciation, consider bluegrass - a genre invented in the United States by Bill Monroe.

Bring the lesson alive.  Take the kids to a concert, especially a festival with multiple acts.  We attended the Bill Monroe Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival in Morgantown, IN.  Besides recognition for having the world's oldest bluegrass festival, Morgantown is also the location of the International Bluegrass Music Museum.  Festival tickets ranged $20 to $30 per day.

Under the stars, sitting on the lawn, we experienced a real treat - watching Steve Martin play banjo.  Comedian, actor, writer, art collector, banjo player...what can't he do?  He won the Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album in 2009 by releasing "The Crow:  New Songs for the 5-String Banjo."  A few jokes and a lot of amazing music, the whole family watched in awe.

Bluegrass festivals take place across the country every Summer and Fall.  Here's eight other bluegrass festivals:

1.  Joe Val Bluegrass Music Festival - Framingham, Massachusetts; Feb - indoor 3 day event at Sheraton in the Boston area, Kids Academy teaches kids age 5-17 to play and offers opportunity to perform on stage; early bird ticket $110
http://www.bbu.org/events/joe-val-festival/

2.  Graves Mountain Festival of Music - Syria, Virginia, May - $35 to $45 daily ticket, 3 day event at resort in Blue Ridge Mountains; take advantage of nearby fishing, biking, & hiking

3.  Telluride Bluegrass Festival - Telluride, Colorado; June - enjoy the San Juan Mountain setting, 3 to 4 stages, and 4 day event

4.  Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival - Oak Hill, NY; July - Catskill mountain farm, limit of 4,000 camping tickets ($170 adult, kids under 12 free, plus $20 parking fee)

5.  IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Festival) Fan Fest - Raleigh, NC - 3 day indoor festival, 60 acts, film festival, award show, supports charities like the Bluegrass Trust Fund; check location annually

6.  Walnut Valley Bluegrass Festival - Winfield, Kansas; Sept. - numerous contests including autoharp, madolin, banjo, flat-picking, dulcimer, and even camp decoration contest!, early purchase tickets (Dec. to Feb.) discounted to $75

7. Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival - San Francisco, CA; Oct. - over 100 artists on 7 stages at the Golden Gate Park; it's a bargain! free festival funded by gift

8.  Jerusalem Ridge Bluegrass Celebration - Rosine, KY; Oct. - on the site of Bill Monroe's birthplace, free tent camping, nearly 300 volunteers, includes gospel and square dance music