Early leaders of the Santa Cruz Bluegrass Society, Dick & Judy Dowell and Dick & Joyce Clark, receive their Lifetime Achievement Awards on March 13, 2010, at the Northern California Bluegrass Awards, part of the Northern California Bluegrass Society’s 3rd Annual Bluegrass On Broadway Festival, held in Redwood City.

Dick Clark, Joyce Clark, Judy Dowell & Dick Dowell (Photo: Richard Brooks)

The four-day NCBS Bluegrass On Broadway Festival ended today with the NCBS International Bluegrass Music Museum Film Festival, a hugely successful weekend for the third-year event held in Redwood City. For the first time at the festival, the filmmakers for all three independent films on the program attended and spoke to the audience about their projects.

The BOB was the last of three festivals staged by the Northern California Bluegrass Society during a 4-week span, ending a run with the San Francisco Bluegrass & Old Time Festival and the Boulder Creek Bluegrass & Old Timey Festival.

Attendance was up significantly for all of the weekend’s live music events, including Saturday’s Northern California Bluegrass Awards.

NCBS Bluegrass On Broadway, including the NCBS International Bluegrass Music Museum Film Festival, receives principal financial support from the Redwood City Civic Cultural Commission, Redwood City Public Library, Redwood City Friends of the Library, and Tapestry Church (formerly, the Peninsula Christian Center), and from other area businesses and individuals.

The Dalton Mountain Gang of Fresno was named Best Bluegrass Band at the Northern California Bluegrass Awards in Redwood City on Saturday, March 13, 2010. The band’s lead singer and guitarist, Yoseff Tucker, was named Best Guitar Player and tied for Best Male Vocalist with Billy Pitrone, also of Santa Cruz. Newcomer A. J. Lee of Tracy was named Best Female Vocalist.

Ed Neff of Petaluma was named Best Mandolin Player by the voters, while Larry Cohea of Oakland repeated as Best Banjo Player. Santa Cruz’ Annie Staninec continued her reign as Best Fiddle Player. Kathy Barwick of Sacramento won the title of Best Dobro Player, while the voters named Paul Knight of Point Reyes Station the 2010 Best Bass Player.

Early leaders of the Santa Cruz Bluegrass Society, Dick and Joyce Clark of Mountain Ranch and Dick and Judy Dowell of Davis, were honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards at the third annual awards ceremony presented by the Northern California Bluegrass Society.

The Northern California Bluegrass Awards are part of the Northern California Bluegrass Society’s four-day Bluegrass On Broadway Festival.

On Friday evening at the NCBS Bluegrass On Broadway Festival, the downtown Redwood City dining venues were packed with bluegrass fans and the music was hot!  A fine evening on the town. Saturday is the big concert and Northern California Bluegrass Awards Ceremony, followed by the Award Winners Jam (all jammers are welcome). All events this weekend are FREE. Here is tomorrow’s schedule:

SATURDAY, March 13

Northern California Bluegrass Awards & Concert:

Tapestry Church (formerly, the Peninsula Christian Center), 1305 Middlefield Road.

10:30am – Special Film Presentation: Yodeling Lady Lolita, by Bruce Bellagio

11:00 – Common Cents

Noon – Nell Robinson & Friends

1:00pm – Loganville Acoustic

2:00 – High Country

3:00-5:00pm – Northern California Bluegrass Awards with performances by:

Bean Creek

Pam Brandon aka Belle Monroe,

A. J. Lee & Betsy Riger

The Henriettas

Yoseff Tucker

5:15pm-ish to whenever – Award Winners Jam hosted by Bean Creek (All jammers are welcome), Little India.

Festival Fun: The Northern California Bluegrass Society’s 3rd Annual Bluegrass On Broadway Festival is FREE, close-to-home, and offers unique bluegrass entertainment that is not available anywhere else. This weekend’s events run Thursday-Sunday, and include concerts, jams, a bluegrass film festival, and the Northern California Bluegrass Awards.

Tickets: NOT REQUIRED — ALL FESTIVAL EVENTS ARE FREE.

Performance Schedule:

THURSDAY, March 11

Peninsula Bluegrass Crossing Opening Night Jam – 7:00-10:00pm, Café Sportino, 965 Brewster Ave. (650) 365-3500. Host: Mark Huisman.

FRIDAY, March 12

An Evening of Bluegrass Dining in Downtown Redwood City:

27 Strings (Bluegrass) – 8:00-11:00pm, Angelica’s Bistro, 863 Main Street, (650) 365-3226.

Loganville Acoustic (Bluegrass) – 7:00-9:00pm, Little India, 917 Main Street, (650) 361-8737.

Swing Tonic (Eclectic) – 7:00-9:0pm, Sweet Basil, 911 Main Street, (650) 257-7594.

SATURDAY, March 13

Northern California Bluegrass Awards & Concert:

Tapestry Church (formerly, the Peninsula Christian Center), 1305 Middlefield Road.

10:30am – Special Film Presentation: Yodeling Lady Lolita, by Bruce Bellagio

11:00 – Common Cents

Noon – Nell Robinson & Friends

1:00pm – Loganville Acoustic

2:00 – High Country

3:00-5:00pm – Northern California Bluegrass Awards with performances by:

Bean Creek

Pam Brandon aka Belle Monroe,

A. J. Lee & Betsy Riger

The Henriettas

Yoseff Tucker

5:15pm-ish to whenever – Award Winners Jam hosted by Bean Creek (All jammers are welcome), Little India.

SUNDAY, March 14

NCBS International Bluegrass Music Museum Film Festival:

Noon-5:00pm, Community Room, Redwood City Main Library, 1044 Middlefield Road. Host: Carl Pagter, International Bluegrass Music Museum Trustee.

The Crooked Jades: Old Time Is Not A Crime, by Jim Swenson & Doug Williford

The New Lost City Ramblers In Always Been A Rambler, by Yasha Aginsky, presented by The Arhoolie Foundation. Personal Appearances by Yasha Aginsky & Carrie Aginsky.

The Waltz To Westphalia: The Journey Of An American Fiddle Classic, by Joe Weed. Personal Appearance by Joe Weed.

Wade Mainer Concert Film, IBMM

Dan Crary, IBMM

Directions: Bluegrass On Broadway is held at various venues in downtown Redwood City (mid-Peninsula in the middle of the Bay Area), easily accessible from Freeways 101 and 280, via the Woodside Road exit. Downtown Redwood City is about a half-mile north of Woodside Road via Middlefield Road. All festival events are within easy walking distance of each other and of the Redwood City Caltrain Station.

Weather: Inside All Weekend: Warm & Dry. THURSDAY: High 59, Low 46, Sunny. FRIDAY: High 58, Low 44, Rain chance 90%. SATURDAY: High 60, Low 43, Mostly Sunny. SUNDAY: High 65, Low 47, Mostly Sunny.

Northern California Bluegrass Awards Finalists: