Brothers Tom & Nate Jennings attend 2016 Acoustic Music Camp on
Johnny Lee Vincent Memorial Scholarship Program
August 15, 2016
11-year-old banjoist Nate Jennings and his 14-year-old guitarist brother, Tom Jennings, of Tyler, Texas, attended the tenth annual Acoustic Music Camp in Arlington, Texas (August 11-13, 2016) under the Johnny Lee Vincent Memorial Scholarship Program from the Bluegrass Heritage Foundation. (Younger sister Gigi, an aspiring fiddler, enjoyed hanging out at camp while her brothers attended classes.) Tom has been playing guitar for about 18 months. Younger brother Nate (already a ukulele player) became inspired to play banjo by listening to bluegrass on The Ranch, KKUS-FM, in Tyler, hosted by Julie Tucker, Dave Rousseau, and Corey Coleman. (Nate’s banjo was provided by our Play It Forward!™ Instrument Lending Program.) The Acoustic Music Camp faculty included accomplished banjoists Tony Trischka, Alan O’Bryant, and Gerald Jones. Other renowned faculty included Robert Bowlin, Tim May, Nate Lee, Ivan Rosenberg, Jim Hurst, Dix Bruce, and Dave Hamburger.
The 
Johnny Lee Vincent Memorial Scholarship Program is named in memory of Mr. Johnny Vincent of Greentop, Missouri, a bluegrass pioneer and the father of the Foundation’s first Bluegrass Star Award® recipient, Rhonda Vincent, and bluegrass star Darrin Vincent. Johnny and his family toured the world as the Sally Mountain Show, performing their special brand of bluegrass music. He was known for his unique banjo style and founded the Sally Mountain Bluegrass Festival in Queen City, Missouri.
The Bluegrass Heritage Foundation appreciates the support of Mr. Vincent’s family and friends, our other donors and volunteers, and all who help make it possible for us to assist young people like Nate and Tom Jennings.
