More young people are playing thanks to the Play It Forward!™ Program

August 11, 2016
Things have been busy around the Bluegrass Heritage Foundation world headquarters recently!  The Foundation has had the pleasure to present several instruments to young people in the North Texas area through the Play It Forward!™ Instrument Lending Program.  Antonio Santiago, a 15-year-old from Garland, Texas plans to use his award-winning tenor-banjo skills to learn to play 5-string bluegrass banjo.  Emmaline Woolverton, a 12-year-old from Melissa, Texas is teaming up with her sister, 7-year-old Lindsay Woolverton, to start learning to play fiddle on instruments provided by our program. (You might recognize the Woolverton name; older brothers Ben and Caleb Woolverton received instruments through Play It Forward!™ last year and are playing weekly in a youth bluegrass band coordinated by Chris and Lisa Plumlee!)

15-year-old Patience Newsom of Plano, Texas is excited to start learning to play bluegrass banjo.  Patience joined us at the Wylie Jubilee on July 2, 2016 to pick up a great-sounding vintage Iida banjo.  Nate Jennings, a talented 11-year-old ukulele player from Tyler, has received a banjo through our program so that he can learn to play with his guitar-picking big brother, Tom.

Dalton Bartlett, a 16-year-old from Anna, Texas, received a mandolin on stage at Lone Star Fest at the same time that 13-year-old  Jacob Williams of Howe, Texas received his banjo.  Dalton and Jacob were welcomed on stage by Blue Grass Boy Blake Williams, a former member of Bill Monroe’s band.  And we have another Jacob Williams, a wonderful 9-year-old young man from Weatherford, Texas, who recently picked up a banjo from the Foundation, and he too is excitedly learning to play bluegrass banjo!

We’re thrilled that so many deserving young people now have the opportunity to join the bluegrass music community!  Our thanks to all who support the Foundation and do good for these young people.