FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 6, 2026
SWEETWATER MUSIC HALL TO HOST SEPTEMBER 10 BENEFIT CONCERT SUPPORTING CALIFORNIA BLUEGRASS ASSOCIATION’S AFTERSCHOOL BLUEGRASS CLUB
David Nelson Band & Friends with Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band unite for a special evening to help expand music education opportunities for underserved youth across California
MILL VALLEY, Calif. — The California Bluegrass Association (CBA), in partnership with Help's On The Way, will present a special benefit concert at Sweetwater Music Hall, 19 Corte Madera Ave. in Mill Valley on Thursday, September 10, 2026, raising funds for the organization’s Afterschool Bluegrass Club (ABC) program, which provides subsidized music education to underserved youth in California.
There will be a Patron Reception featuring music from Pacific Drive, food and drinks, and a meet and greet with the night’s artists from 5:30-6:45 p.m. Doors: 6:30 p.m. Concert: 7-10 p.m. Tickets–General Admission: $79 Patron Ticket: $153 (includes Patron Reception) The event is open to all ages. Tickets are available at SweetwaterMusicHall.com.
Proceeds from the concert will support the Afterschool Bluegrass Club, helping provide scholarships, instruments, instructors and expanded programming as the organization works to bring the program to more communities across California.
“Youth musical education is about so much more than learning an instrument,” said Helen Foley, California Bluegrass Association Board Member and head of the organization's Youth Program. “It's one of the few art forms where kids learn to listen, communicate, and create something together in real time. Through the Afterschool Bluegrass Club, we're helping young people build confidence, friendships, and a lifelong connection to music. This concert will help make those opportunities possible for even more children.”
Opening the evening, Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band offers a powerful example of the impact of the CBA's youth education programs. The nationally acclaimed young bluegrass group got its start through the California Bluegrass Association’s Youth Program and has grown into one of the genre’s most exciting touring acts. Their success demonstrates how mentorship and music education can inspire lifelong artistic achievement.
David Nelson Band & Friends, will bring together an extraordinary one-night-only lineup of musicians including Suzy Thompson, Eric Thompson, Paul Knight and Lowell “Banana” Levinger alongside David Nelson. A pioneering figure in the West Coast psychedelic-Americana tradition, Nelson has spent decades performing with members of the extended Grateful Dead musical family through projects including New Riders of the Purple Sage and the Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band.
At a time when arts and music education programs are often among the first eliminated from school budgets, the CBA’s Afterschool Bluegrass Club fills a critical need by providing subsidized, accessible instruction. Originally launched in Garberville, the program has become a model for bringing music education directly into local communities. Funds raised through the benefit concert will help expand the program beyond its current location while supporting scholarships, instruments, instructors and additional educational resources.
The Afterschool Bluegrass Club provides weekly after-school music instruction for students in grades 4-8. Currently operating in Southern Humboldt through a partnership with Help’s On The Way, students receive instrumental instruction in guitar, fiddle, vocals and ensemble performance in a welcoming, community-centered environment.
Bluegrass is especially well suited for young musicians, with simple chord structures, memorable melodies and ensemble-based learning that allow beginners to quickly experience the joy of making music together while developing confidence, teamwork and creativity. Rooted in gospel harmony, African American blues traditions, Celtic and Appalachian music, and jazz influences, bluegrass also introduces students to America's rich musical heritage.
For more than 50 years, the California Bluegrass Association has connected more than 1,000 young musicians with instruction, mentorship and community, inspiring some to pursue professional music careers while fostering a lifelong love of music for countless others.
In addition to the performances, the evening will feature a silent auction and raffle, with sponsorship opportunities available from $250 to $5,000.
For more information about the Afterschool Bluegrass Club, email ABC@CaliforniaBluegrass.net or visit CaliforniaBluegrass.org.
About the California Bluegrass Association
Founded in 1975, the California Bluegrass Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving, promoting and celebrating bluegrass, old-time, gospel and traditional acoustic music. Operated almost entirely by volunteers, the CBA presents educational programs, community events and one of the country's longest-running and most respected bluegrass festivals.
Media Contact
Heidi Labensart
McGuckin Entertainment PR
512.698.2621
heidi@mcguckinpr.com
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