The next two Saturdays (Oct. 25th and Nov. 1st) on Bluegrass Signal -- 4:00-5:30 pm on KALW, 91.7 FM in the Bay Area -- are both related to the images above. Scroll down to RADIO SHOWS for details!



Oct. 24, 2025

Greetings -

Welcome to your more-or-less monthly newsletter listing the bluegrass and old time music events in our region -- and providing information about Bluegrass Signal, the weekly radio program on KALW (Sat., 4-5:30 pm, 91.7 FM) and syndicated via Bluegrass Country.

Thanks for sending me (via bgsignal@comcast.net) additions and corrections regarding upcoming bluegrass and old time music events. Please visit the Bluegrass Signal web site for constantly-updated event listings and radio show playlists, as well as a number of items and articles of interest to bluegrass and old time music fans.

Save the date! It's another On Air Folk Festival from 2-7 pm on Sat., Nov. 22nd, with a variety of Bay Area musicians performing live in the KALW studio during Folk Music & Beyond, Bluegrass Signal, and A Patchwork Quilt.

And thanks again for your support -- of both KALW and Bluegrass Country Radio! I hope you're able to hear and/or play some music soon -

PeterT

The Goat Hill Girls -- Lee Anne Welch, Linda Maki, Lisa Burns, Kim Elking, and Phyllis Erck -- perform tomorrow (2 pm) at Cooper Garrod Vineyards, Saratoga; Tues. (10/28 - 6 pm) at Sam's BBQ, San Jose; and Fri. (10/31 - 5:30 pm) at Filoli Gardens, Woodside. They're also part of KALW's bi-annual On Air Folk Festival on Nov. 22nd from 2-7 pm, performing live in the radio studio on Bluegrass Signal from 4 - 4:45 pm.

CONCERTS

Oct. 25 (11:30 am): John Barleycorn - Salesforce Park, 425 Mission St., SF

Oct. 25 (2 pm): Bearcat Stringband - Cato’s Alehouse, Oakland

Oct. 25 (2 pm): Goat Hill Girls - Cooper Garrod Vineyards, Saratoga

Oct. 25: Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band; The DulciMates (DJ Hamouris and Buffalo) - Town Hall Theatre, 3535 School St., Lafayette

Oct. 26 (2 pm): The Rocky Wheels - Armistice Brewing, Richmond

Oct. 26 (4pm): Alan Bond & Skedaddle - Windchaser Wine, Richmond

Oct. 27 (8:30 pm, ff open jam): The High Water Line with Greg Blake - Blondie’s, 540 Valencia St., SF

Oct. 28 (5 pm): Skillet Licorice (and guests) - The Page, SF

Oct. 28: Goat Hill Girls - Sam's BBQ, San Jose

Oct. 29: Greg Blake & Friends (Mei Lin Heirendt, Helen Foley, David Thiessen, Sam Reed) - Redwood Cafe, Cotati

Oct. 30: Bloomfield Bluegrass Band - Willowbrook Ale House, Petaluma

Oct. 31 (5:30 pm): Goat Hill Girls - Filoli Gardens, Woodside

Nov. 1: Lord Of the Rings square dance - Ashkenaz, Berkeley; music: Old Toby & the Smanggy Mtn. Boys; calling: Evie Ladin & Robin Fischer

Nov. 2 (2 pm): Whiskey Brothers - Armistice Brewing, Richmond

Nov. 2 (5:30 pm): Evie Ladin & Alisa Rose - Cato's Ale House, Oakland=

Nov. 3 (8:30 pm, ff open jam): Hey Lonesome - Blondie’s, 540 Valencia St., SF

Nov. 4 (5 pm): Skillet Licorice (and guests) - The Page, SF

Nov. 4: The Bayside Rounders (Jesse Appelman, Evan Ward, Mike Witcher, Mike Wilhoyte, Mark Schatz) - Fifth Street Farms, Berkeley

Nov. 4: John Kornhauser & Dark Hollow - Sam’s BBQ, San Jose

Nov. 5: Bean Creek - Sam’s BBQ, San Jose

Nov. 6: Blue & Lonesome - Willowbrook Ale House, Petaluma

Nov. 7-9: Dare To Be Square West - Gilman Brewing (Fri) & Ashkenaz (Sat & Sun)

dance bands: Echo Mountain and Stumptown Stringband (with Annie Staninec & Maggie Lind); callers: Sue Hulsether and Tony Mates

Nov. 9 (2 pm): Good Bad Band - Armistice Brewing, Richmond

Nov. 9: Broken Compass Bluegrass - Rancho Nicasio

Nov. 10 (and every 2nd Monday) (8:30 pm, ff open jam): The Jimmy Touzel Bluegrass Explosion - Blondie’s, 540 Valencia St., SF

Nov. 11 (5 pm): Skillet Licorice (and guests) - The Page, SF

Nov. 11: Wildcat Mountain Ramblers - Sam’s BBQ, San Jose

Nov. 12: Amythyst Kiah - The Freight, Berkeley

Nov. 13: Blue & Lonesome - Willowbrook Ale House, Petaluma

Nov. 13: Cedar Mountain String Band - Redwood Cafe, Cotati

California Bluegrass Reunion (Bill Evans, Jim Nunally, John Reischman, Chad Manning, Sharon Gilchrist, & Mike Witcher) - tribute to California songwriters and tunesmiths -

- Nov. 13: St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Sparks, NV

- Nov. 14: The Side Door, Sacramento

- Nov. 15: The California, Santa Rosa

- Nov. 16: The Freight, Berkeley

- Nov. 18: Otter Opry, Monterey United Methodist Church

Nov. 14: Skillet Licorice w/ Rowan McCallister - Arts Benicia’s Fall Celebration - BDES Portugese Hall, Benicia

Nov. 14: Feral Friday Square Dance - The Polish Club, SF; music: KC & the MooNshine Band; caller: Mike Lewinski; preceded by old time jam

Nov. 16 (2 pm): Lickety Split - Armistice Brewing, Richmond

Nov. 16 (3 pm): Mission Blue - The Back Room, Berkeley

Nov. 17 (8:30 pm, ff open jam): Bluegrass Holiday - Blondie’s, 540 Valencia St., SF

Nov. 18 (5 pm): Skillet Licorice (and guests) - The Page, SF

Nov. 20: Bloomfield Bluegrass Band - Willowbrook Ale House, Petaluma

Nov. 21: Bay Area Special - Plough & Stars, SF

Nov. 21: Taylor Mountain Band - Art & Music Gallery, Petaluma

Nov. 21: East Bay Square Dance - caller Nina Berry with Round Top String Band - The Hillside Club, Berkeley

​Nov. 22 (2-7 pm): KALW On Air Folk Festival with (4:00 - 5:30 pm) The Goat Hill Girls and The West Coast Stringband Duo!

Nov. 23 (2 pm): Bluegrass Holiday - Armistice Brewing, Richmond

Nov. 24 (8:30 pm, ff open jam): The High Water Line - Blondie’s, 540 Valencia St., SF

Nov. 25 (5 pm): Skillet Licorice (and guests) - The Page, SF

​Laurie Lewis & Friends -

- Nov. 28: house concert in Santa Cruz; info/res: Concerts-at-InstantHarmony-dot-com

- Nov. 29: Ashkenaz, Berkeley

- Nov. 30: Occidental Center for the Arts​

Nov. 30 (1 pm): Mission Blue - California Theater, Santa Rosa

Dec. 1 (8:30 pm, ff open jam): Smoky Wine Dream - Blondie’s, 540 Valencia St., SF

Dec. 2: John Kornhauser & Dark Hollow - Sam’s BBQ, San Jose

Dec. 3: Bean Creek - Sam’s BBQ, San Jose

Dec. 5: Yasmin Williams - The Freight, Berkeley

Dec. 7 (2 pm): Critical Grass - Armistice Brewing, Richmond

Dec. 8 (and every 2nd Monday) (8:30 pm, ff open jam): The Jimmy Touzel Bluegrass Explosion - Blondie’s, 540 Valencia St., SF

Dec. 9: Wildcat Mountain Ramblers - Sam’s BBQ, San Jose

Dec. 10: Don Stiernberg & Jerry Wicentowski (bluegrass Brother Duets): Welcome Grange, Napa; dabaron7-at-comcast-dot-net

Dec. 12: Never Come Down - The Freight, Berkeley

Dec. 12: Tony Furtado & Luke Price - Fifth Street Farms, Berkeley

Dec. 12: Feral Friday Square Dance - The Polish Club, SF; music: KC & the MooNshine Band; caller: Mike Lewinski; preceded by old time jam

Molly Tuttle -

- Dec. 12: Tower Theatre, Fresno

- Dec. 13: The Fillmore, SF

Sweet Sally -

- Dec. 13 (5:30 pm): Sam's Chowder House, Half Moon Bay

- Dec. 14 (4 pm): Rancho Nicasio

Dec. 14: Taylor Mountain Band - Main Street Bistro, Guerneville

Dec. 15 (8:30 pm, ff open jam): Burl Haggard - Blondie’s, 540 Valencia St., SF

Dec. 17: The Bayside Rounders (Jesse Appelman, Evan Ward, Mike Witcher, Mike Wilhoyte, Mark Schatz) - Otter Opry, United Methodist Church, Monterey

Dec. 19: East Bay Square Dance - The Hillside Club, Berkeley; music: Round Top String Band, caller: Evie Ladin

Dec. 20: Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band & Electric Band - HopMonk Tavern, Novato

Dec. 21 (2 pm): Rocky Wheels - Armistice Brewing, Richmond

Dec. 21: Sierra Hull with The Allman Betts Family Revival - The Fillmore, SF​

Dec. 22 (8:30 pm, ff open jam): Lickety Split String Band - Blondie’s, 540 Valencia St., SF

Dec. 28 (2 pm): Alan Bond & Skedaddle - Armistice Brewing, Richmond

Dec. 30: Purple Mountain Majesty - Sam’s BBQ, San Jose

Jan. 6: John Kornhauser & Dark Hollow - Sam’s BBQ, San Jose

Jan. 7: Bean Creek - Sam’s BBQ, San Jose

​Special Consensus -

- Jan. 8: Sweetwater, Mill Valley

- Jan. 9: The Side Door, Sacramento

- Jan. 10: Otter Opry, Monterey

- Jan. 11: Tower Theatre, Fresno

AJ Lee & Blue Summit - 

- Jan. 23 & 24: Moe's Alley, Santa Cruz

- Jan. 25: Hopmonk Tavern, Sebastopol

- Jan. 29: Almost Famous Wine, Livermore

- Jan. 30: Harlow’s, Sacramento

​Jan. 30-31: Yonder Mountain String Band - The Freight, Berkeley

Feb. 7: Jordan Tice Band; Water Tower - Hopmonk Tavern, Sebastopol

Feb. 13: Dom Flemons - The Freight, Berkeley

Feb. 21: Evie Ladin Band - Otter Opry, United Methodist Church, Monterey

Feb. 27: Chris Thile - Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley​

March 5: Steep Canyon Rangers - The Freight, Berkeley

March 7: Women of Americana (Cristina Vane & Brennen Leigh) - The Freight, Berkeley

March 12: Monroe Crossing - Otter Opry, United Methodist Church, Monterey

March 13: Peter Rowan - The Freight, Berkeley

March 19-20: Rhiannon Giddens & the Silkroad Ensemble - Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley

April 3-4: AJ Lee & Blue Summit - The Chapel, SF

​April 9: Water Tower - Otter Opry, United Methodist Church, Monterey

May 25: Tony Trischka’s Earl Jam - Tribute To Earl Scruggs - The Freight, Berkeley

June 5: Natalie & Brittany Haas - The Freight, Berkeley

FESTIVALS

Nov. 7-9: Dare To Be Square West

11/7: Welcome Party at Gilman Brewing Company, 912 Gilman St, Berkeley

- 5:30 pm: jam hosted by the Plaid Strangers; dinner, meet up

- 7:30 pm: square dance with west coast callers and music from the Plaid Strangers and the Bearcat Stringband

11/8: Ashkenaz Community Music and Dance Center, 1317 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley

- 9:30 am - 6 pm: workshops and dancing

- 7:30 pm: clogging workshop with Evie Ladin

- 8 pm: dance with callers Sue Hulsether and Tony Mates, and bands Stumptown Stringband, Echo Mountain, and the Stone Cold Ramblers

11/9: Ashkenaz Community Music and Dance Center, 1317 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley

- 10 am - 5 pm: workshops and dancing

- 6 pm: family dance with the Baybillies

- 7 pm: dance with callers Sue Hulsether and Tony Mates, and bands Stumptown Stringband and Echo Mountain

JAM SESSIONS

JAM SESSIONS

Oct. 28: Berkeley Bluegrass Barn Jam w/ Scott Gates, Christine Wilhoyte, Ian Ly, Mei Lin Heirendt, Mark Schatz - Ashkenaz, Berkeley

7-8 pm & 9-11 pm: open jam; 8-9 pm: house band

Nov. 6-9: South State 48 vol V - Carlsbad

- including Nov. 8 (6 pm) concert: Bay Area Special, Tyler Grant & Joy Louise, winner of Band Contest - Windmill Food Hall

Nov. 17, Dec. 8 (7:30 pm): Bluegrass & Country Jam w/ Richard Brandenburg - Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

REGULAR EVENTS

Sundays (11 am): Market & Main (upstairs), Martinez

Sundays (4 pm): The Lucky Horseshoe, SF - performance jam led by house band; info: aaronzorndorf-at-californiabluegrass-dot-net

Sundays (6 pm): Tam Jam - invitational jam at Taste of Rome, 1000 Bridgeway, Sausalito

10/26: Adam Hill, Eliot Pederson, Molly Whiteley, Daniel Krakauer, Bob Hoffman

11/2: benefit for Jambot

First Sundays (12 pm): Old Time Jam - Ely Stage Stop, Soda Bay Rd., Kelseyville; host/info: drcoffin-at-att-dot-net

First Sundays (1 pm): Santa Clara Valley Fiddlers Association - Hoover Middle School, Naglee & Park, San Jose

First Sundays (3 pm): North Bay Old Time Music Sessions - Church of the Oaks, Cotati; ​host/info: heidi-dot-chesney-at-gmail-dot-com​

Second & Fourth Sundays (3 pm): Bernal Heights Old Time Jam - Progressive Grounds Cafe, Cortland and Bennington Sts., SF

Third Sundays (1 pm): old time jam hosted by Bruce Thompson & others - The Way Station, Fairfax

Third Sundays (1 pm): SCVFA jam - South Bay/Peninsula parks (changes each month, cancelled if rain

Jan., May, Sept.: Washington Park, Sunnyvale

Feb., June, Oct.: Shoup Park, Los Altos

March, July, Nov.: Municipal Rose Garden, San Jose

April, Aug., Dec.: Mitchell Park, Palo Alto

​Third Sundays (2:30 pm): Sebastopol Bluegrass Jam - Sebastopol Center For the Arts; info/host: redpencil-at-sonic-dot-net

Third Sundays (3 pm): Progressive Grounds Cafe, 400 Cortland St., SF

Fourth Sundays (noon): Marin Bluegrass Sessions - The Sweewater, Mill Valley; host/info: bruce-dot-sadownick-at-gmail-dot-com

10/26 support band: Joe Osborne, Marc Francis, Joe Rideout, Jerry Barush, and Bill Norman (host)

Fourth Sundays (1:30 pm): California State Old-Time Fiddlers District 9 bluegrass and old time jams - United Methodist Church, Castro Valley; info: steve-dot-goldfield-at-gmail.com 

Fourth Sundays (3 pm): Redwood Cafe, Cotati; info: davidacarlson62-at-hotmail-dot-com

Fifth Sundays (1 pm): Sebastopol Grange Hall; info: socofoso-at-gmail-dot-com

Final Sundays (4 pm): Bluegrass jam - Drake’s Barrel House, 1933 Davis St., San Leandro; info: geoffreysargent-at-gmail-dot-com

Mondays (6:30 pm) open jam, followed (at 8:30 pm) by band performance - Blondie's, 540 Valencia St., SF; host/info: woodylauer-at-gmail-dot-com

10/27: The High Water Line -- plus Greg Blake

11/3: Hey Lonesome

11/10: The Jimmy Touzel Bluegrass Explosion

11/17: Bluegrass Holiday

11/24: The High Water Line

12/1: Smoky Wine Dream 

12/8: The Jimmy Touzel Bluegrass Explosion

12/15: Burl Haggard

12/22: Lickety Split String Band

Monday (7 pm): South Bay (Mostly) Old Time Jam - Unitarian Universalist Church, 505 E. Charleston Rd., Palo Alto

First Monday (6 pm): The Garage Jam - Out West Roadhouse, 321-2nd St., Petaluma; host/info: tedkuster-at-californiabluegrass-dot-net​

Second & Fourth Mondays (6:30 pm): Sonoma Community Center, Sonoma; info: tedkuster-at-californiabluegrass-dot-net

Tuesdays (6:30 pm): Point Jam - invitational jam at Hotel Mac, 50 Washington Ave., Point Richmond

10/28: Bria Light, Erik Yates, Mike Gubman, TJ Carskadon, Mark Ignatius

11/4: Amy Guiang, Zach Roth, Jim Duber, Bob Schwartz, Jim Burke

Tuesdays (6:30 pm): Morgan Hill Grange

Tuesdays (7 pm): Hotel Utah, SF; host/info: woodylauer-at-gmail-dot-com

Tuesdays (7 pm): Old time jam

- odd Tues: Plough & Stars, SF; host/info: dinahbeatrice-at-gmail-dot-com

- even Tues: Zoom jam; email steve-dot-goldfield-at-gmail.com for the Zoom link and additional info

First Tuesday (7 pm): Occidental Jam - Occidental Center for the Arts

Second & Fourth Tuesdays (7 pm): Dublin Heritage Center Park (usually in the Old Schoolhouse), Dublin; bob-dot-gisler-at-icloud-dot-com

Third Tuesday (6 pm): old time tune jam with Tony Phillips - 5th floor, Berkeley Public Library Central Branch; co-sponsored by BOTMC

Fourth Tuesdays (6:30 pm): Baygrass Collective Bluegrass Jam - Cato's Ale House, 3891 Piedmont Ave., Oakland; host/info: cheney-dot-munson-at-gmail-dot-com

Wednesdays (6:00 pm): East Bay Bluegrassers Jam - Rockin' Robbie's Music Store, 2nd Fl, 11231 San Pablo Ave, El Cerrito; host/info: eastbaybluegrassers-at-gmail-dot-com

Wednesdays (6:00 pm): Hop Jam - invitational jam at Hop Dogma Brewing Co., 270 Capistrano Rd., Half Moon Bay

10/29: David Bernard, Tommy V, Mimi Hills, Nick Khadder, Chris Quale

11/5: trad Irish

First & Third Wednesdays (6 pm): Grape Jam - invitational jam at Redwood Cafe, 8240 Old Redwood Hwy, Cotati

3rd Wednesdays: old time jam - Winters Tavern, Pacifica

Thursdays (5:00 pm): open jam, followed (at 6:30 pm) by band performance - Blondie's, 540 Valencia St., SF; host/info: woodylauer-at-gmail-dot-com

Thursdays (7 pm): Java Jam - invitational jam at Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Company, 101 W Main St., LG

Thursdays (7 pm): United Methodist Church, Monterey

First & Third Thursdays (7 pm): Marin Lutheran Church, 649 Meadowsweet Ave., Corte Madera; host/info: loew-at-comcast-dot-net

Second and Fourth Thursdays (6:00 pm): Old time music jam - Atlas Cafe, 3049 20th St. (at Alabama), SF; host/info: dzimej-at-gmail-dot-com

Fifth Thursdays (7 pm): Sonoma County Bluegrass Sessions: open jam with host band - Willowbrook Ale House, Petaluma; host/info: tedkuster-at-californiabluegrass-dot-net

Saturdays (5:30 pm): Taco Jam - invitational jam at Baja Taqueria, 4070 Piedmont Ave., Oakland

10/25: Wendy Wendt, Larry Chung, Louise Mintun, Brian Judd, Tom Diamant

11/1: Richard Brooks, Dave Cannon, Joe Kenny, Bob Schwartz, Olivier Zyngier

Second Saturdays (11 am): Lucas Valley Old Time Jam - Rotary Village Community Center, San Rafael; everevolving-at-earthlink-dot-net

Second Saturdays (12 pm): Bluegrass Train Jam - Santa Clara Depot, 1005 Railroad Ave, SC; host/info: kennedymk-at-comcast-dot-net

Second Saturdays (4 pm): Baygrass Collective Bluegrass Jam - Starry Plough, 3101 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley

Third Saturdays (1 pm): Americana slow jam - Liberties Bar, 998 Guerrero St., SF; deirdre-dot-cassandra-dot-music-at-gmail-dot-com​

NOTE: happening outside (weather permitting)

Third Saturdays (4 pm): The Shred Sesh (old time jam) - Starry Plough, Berkeley

11/15: KC Heil

12/20: Evie Ladin

INSTRUCTION

ONLINE INSTRUCTION

First Saturday [Nov. 1, ...] (10 am): Black Banjo Reclamation Project Online Study Group

Fall II Class Session of online Freight & Salvage classes includes:

Tuesdays (11/4-12/16) -

4 pm: Mountain Dulcimer 2 w/ DJ Hamouris

5:30 pm: Rank Beginner Clawhammer Banjo w/ Evie Ladin

7:00 pm: Clawhammer Banjo Repertoire & Technique w/ Evie Ladin

Next sessions of Fiddles at Four w/ Suzy Thompson on Zoom tba

IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION

Tuesdays, starting Oct. 21 (6:30 pm): Black to the Roots: Banjo & Community Singing with Patrice Strahan - Oakland Public Conservatory Of Music 

Fall II Class Session of in-person Freight & Salvage classes includes:

Thursdays (11/6-12/18) -

5:30 pm: Easy Fiddle Tunes with Bowings w/ Eric Hoffman

7:00 pm: Advanced Rhythm Guitar Skill Building w/ Richard Brandenburg

8:30 pm: Jams Well with Others w/ Richard Brandenburg

Third Sunday [Nov. 16, ...] (7 pm): Old Time Tunes With Words w/ Rowan McCallister & Robin Fisher - Manning Music, Berkeley; advance registration req'd; bearcatstringband-at-gmail-dot-com

Nov. 17 (7 pm): Banjo Workshop (all levels) with Bill Evans - Manning Music, Berkeley; info/res: bill-at-billevansbanjo-dot-com

Bay Area instructors include:

• Richard Brandenburg 
• Evie Ladin
• Carol McComb
• Avram Siegel 
• Eric Thompson 
• Suzy Thompson 
• Jack Tuttle
• Manning Music - Instructors: Chad Manning, Catherine Manning, Robin Fischer, Rowan McCallister, Leah Wollenberg, Yoseff Tucker, Arvram Siegel, Jasper Manning, Mike Witcher, Jesse Appelman, and Morgan Balfour​ 

​CBA music teacher directory

RADIO SHOWS

Bluegrass Signal is broadcast on Saturdays, 4:00 - 5:30 pm (Pacific) on KALW (91.7 FM in Bay Area). It is then archived for one week HERE.

Oct. 25: Scary Times On Sugar Hill

Songs to get us in the Hallowe'en mood from Sugar Hill Records artists the Austin Lounge Lizards, The Country Gentlemen, Don Rigsby, Front Range, Good Ol’ Persons, Hot Rize, Kathy Kallick, Lonesome River Band, Nashville Bluegrass Band, Peter Rowan, Robin & Linda Williams, The Seldom Scene, and Tim O'Brien & The O’Boys, plus Alan Senauke, Del McCoury Band, Done Gone, and the Stanley Brothers.

Nov. 1: Dia de los Muertos

Bluegrass versions of Jerry Garcia/Robert Hunter songs by Broken Compass Bluegrass; Dale Ann Bradley (with Tina Adair); The Grass Is Dead; The Infamous Stringdusters; Jesse McReynolds; The Molly Tuttle Band (with AJ Lee & Sullivan Tuttle); Rice, Rice, Hillman & Pedersen; Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley (with Vince Gill); Sam Grisman Project; Sister Sadie; The Travelin’ McCourys; and, yes, others.

Nov. 8: Music for Armistice Day/Remembrance Day/Veterans Day

Producer/host: Allegra Thompson

Nov. 15: Across the Tracks

Deep dives into new albums from AJ Lee & Blue Summit, Alison Brown & Steve Martin, The Bay Ramblers, The Horsenecks, Larry Sparks, and The Lonesome Ace Stringband.

Nov. 22: On Air Folk Festival

Live performances of music in the KALW studio from 2-7 pm; The Goat Hill Girls

and The West Coast Stringband Duo (Jesse Appelman & Christine Wilhoyt) perform during the Bluegrass Signal portion of the festivities (4:00 - 5:30 pm).

Nov. 29: Where Is Your Little Cabin Home?

A few cabin songs at a time of year when returning to old home place(s).

Bluegrass Signal is also broadcast four times each week on Bluegrass Country. 

The initial broadcast of Bluegrass Signal is on Monday at 11 pm (Eastern time). The show is then rebroadcast on Wednesdays (midnight), Fridays (6 pm), and Sundays (midnight). The times given are EASTERN and the program is available HERE.

Bluegrass Country has an ARCHIVE PLAYER, so you can pick the date and (Eastern) time of broadcast to hear Bluegrass Signal -- or any of the other 33 shows on Bluegrass Country -- at your convenience!

NOTE: Pacific Time broadcasts of Bluegrass Signal on Bluegrass Country: 

Mon. (8 pm), Tues. (9 pm), Fri. (3 pm), and Sat. (9 pm). 

Oct. 27 - Nov. 1: Scary Times On Sugar Hill

Songs to get us in the Hallowe'en mood from Sugar Hill Records artists the Austin Lounge Lizards, The Country Gentlemen, Don Rigsby, Front Range, Good Ol’ Persons, Hot Rize, Kathy Kallick, Lonesome River Band, Nashville Bluegrass Band, Peter Rowan, Robin & Linda Williams, and The Seldom Scene.

Nov. 3-8: Dia de los Muertos

Bluegrass versions of Jerry Garcia/Robert Hunter songs by Broken Compass Bluegrass; Dale Ann Bradley (with Tina Adair); The Grass Is Dead; The Infamous Stringdusters; Jesse McReynolds; The Molly Tuttle Band (with AJ Lee & Sullivan Tuttle); Rice, Rice, Hillman & Pedersen; Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley (with Vince Gill); Sam Grisman Project; Sister Sadie; and The Travelin’ McCourys.

Nov. 10-15: Music for Armistice Day/Remembrance Day/Veterans Day

Producer/host: Allegra Thompson

Nov. 17 - 22: A Memorial Celebration of Kathy Barwick

Music from the All Girl Boys, Mountain Laurel, and Kathy's solo releases.

Nov. 24 - Dec. 13: Across the Tracks

New releases

Bluegrass Signal PLAYLISTS

Please visit the Bluegrass Signal web site for the the August, September, and October playlists -- and all the others!



Don’t Call Me Darlin’ will be an eight-part investigative podcast series based on an archive of newsletters about the dynamism of intergenerational relationships, the power politics of feminism in a historically male-dominated genre, and how gender subversion has thrived across decades within the complicated and often paradoxical culture of bluegrass music. Current expected release date is March, 2026. 

From 1994 to 2003, the Virginia banjo player Murphy Hicks Henry created a physical newsletter, entitled Women in Bluegrass, to bring awareness to the complexities of being a gender minority in the genre, as well as a way to garner female role models for her daughter who was then a young teenager entering the bluegrass scene.

Within these newsletters, professional and semi-professional female bluegrass musicians interviewed their peers, wrote about personal accomplishments and tribulations, and created a community by sharing and supporting each other through major life events. Within the privacy of this peer group, the newsletter facilitated discussions like male intimidation, female solidarity, motherhood, pregnancy while touring, discrimination, and feminist critiques of the music itself. Not only did this newsletter facilitate these meaningful and necessary conversations (that otherwise would not have had a destination), but it also provided space for community support by building in segments to support readers through births, deaths, new jobs, mastectomies, and family members suffering from AIDS.

The newsletter, along with her extensive research, formed the basis for Murphy’s groundbreaking and essential book, Pretty Good for a Girl: Women in Bluegrass, published by the University of Illinois Press in 2013. 

Until recently, this subversive newsletter remained available only to those who originally physically subscribed. Producer Tristan Scroggins has spent the last few years collecting and archiving the existing editions. This archive will be available to the public upon publishing this podcast. We hope this archive will be a tool, a resource, and an example to those who wish to learn from earlier generations of women. 

As a companion piece to the digital archive, host and co-producer Carolyn Kendrick and archivist and co-producer Tristan Scroggins will create an eight-part podcast series to explore what has and has not changed since Women in Bluegrass’ publication. In addition to interviewing the women featured in the newsletter, we will explore the genre and its paradoxes in the year 2025, how gender roles and expectations have changed over the last 30 years, the role of direct action in our current political era, and how cross-generational and cross-partisan conversation is the backbone of community health.

To learn more and/or make a tax-deductible donation to this project, visit HERE.