Bluegrass in the ‘Root celebrates 25 years

by John Dowd

This year, the Montana Rockies Bluegrass Association (MRBS) will be celebrating 25 years at their festival and fundraiser. Mike Conroy, president of the MRBA, and his wife Tari have been integral parts of the organization since the beginning. When asked why they have been with it for a quarter of a century, Conroy said, “Well, whatever we do, we do it forever, it seems like.”

The event started in Victor, then it went to Stevensville, then Lone Rock and finally it landed back in Victor again. Conroy said it’s really moved around, but they can’t beat where it is now. The Bluegrass Festival & Fundraiser will take place at the Neely Center, located at 150 South A Street, in Victor. Conroy added this is three blocks west of the gas station. The festival will be on Saturday, April 12, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

According to Conroy, there will be 16 bands, with a new band on stage every half hour. These bands will include seasoned professional bands as well as amateurs, and all the bands volunteer for this event for free to help promote bluegrass music in Montana. “Montana Standard” will be opening the event at 11. The group is from Bozeman and is one of the headliners from last year’s Hard Times Bluegrass Festival. Conroy said they will also be one of the headliners for this year’s upcoming Hard Times Bluegrass Festival.

Conroy also wanted to highlight Janelle Giralt, who will be playing on stage for her first time at 12 noon. The Jolley Family, from Corvallis, will be on at 1 p.m. “They’ve only been playing a couple of years and you can’t believe how good they play,” said Conroy. Closing the show will be the band, “A well Beaten Path,” at 6:30 p.m. Conroy described them as a new traditional bluegrass band from Deer Lodge that is becoming very popular.

During the festival, there will be food for sale by MRBA, including chili, cornbread, vegetable soup and baked goods. Admission at the door is $5 for non-members, $3 for MRBA members and free for youth 12 years-old and younger.

The MRBA has over 200 members and does a couple other events, including a potluck in the summer. They have also just started a scholarship program for young people wanting to learn bluegrass music. Conroy said this seemed like a natural step, after being around so long.

So far, they have 11 applicants, but only have five openings. This year will be a trial run for the program, but Conroy is optimistic that they may open it up to more applicants next year. This time around, recipients will get $400 each for lessons. Next year, they may double the recipients and halve the value each receives. However, they are figuring this amount will pay for about two to four months of lessons. 

When asked why they started the scholarship, Conroy said, “To preserve and promote bluegrass music,” and to give that start to young people. He has observed that there are “not as many young people getting out and doing this stuff,” not just in bluegrass, but a lot of things in general. The MRBA hopes to get the next generation out and experiencing good music.

Applicants must qualify by being a member of the MRBA and having an interest in learning bluegrass. Conroy said, “After two months of lessons, you’re gonna have a pretty good idea if you want to do it or not.” He also said that a lot of teachers have instruments students can borrow, before they get their own. That way, there really are not a lot of barriers to giving bluegrass a try.

Conroy, himself, started playing bluegrass at around 14 years old. He said it was hearing the famous Stanley Brothers that got him into it, after he got hold of one of their records in Missoula. When asked specifically what it was that drew him into bluegrass, Conroy said it was probably, “the raw simplicity, and Ralph Stanley’s banjo playing, oh Lordy!” According to Conroy, Stanley’s playing had “that mountain, up-the-creek sound to it,” and it is something that kept people coming back for more.

For more information on the event, interested parties can call (406) 821-3777 or visit their website, at mtbluegrass.com. On the website, there is also more information on the scholarships and how to get involved with the MRBA. The group is also active on Facebook.