Bluegrass Association of Southern California Post Office Box 10885 Canoga Park, CA 91309 To Contact BASC, email us at bascinfo@socalbluegrass.org Click here for the BASC membership form and join BASC today!

Harley Tarlitz - President; Ron Johnson, Vice-President; Bob Cesarone - Secretary; Judy Hersh - Treasurer; At Large, John Bryan, Jeff Fleck and Ben Weinberg

Join the BASC family! All interested persons are invited to attend BASC Board meetings. For information on joining us at a board meeting, please contact Harley Tarlitz

BASC Advisory Council:
Byron Berline, Tom Ewing, Peter Feldmann, Richard Greene, Frank Javorsek, Herb Pedersen, Phil Salazar, and Tony Trischka.

BASC History and Goals:
At a house jam in the Fall of 1992 an old friend Nancy Gillins said, “Ya’ know, we ought to have a bluegrass organization right here in Southern California.”  Nancy spoke to a whole bunch of folks involved in the Southern California Bluegrass scene and the thought turned into a reality in 1993, with the birth of the Bluegrass Association of Southern California (BASC).

The very first meeting of BASC was held at the home of Margo and Ken Tennesen.  Elaine and Clark Weissman of CTMS fame lent their expertise in how to establish a non-profit (501c3) educational organization. And so, from a small charter membership of about 40 bluegrass music lovers, BASC has grown to a membership of over 300, including many sponsors supporting BASC to promote bluegrass music right here in Southern California. Our IBMA Award Winning bi-monthly newsletter, inTUNE News, is produced cooperatively with our sister organization, the San Diego Bluegrass Society. BASC goals include:

• To promote bluegrass music in general, and specifically to promote unity among fans, performers, interested participants, audiences and any organization involved in bluegrass music.
• To develop, cultivate and improve the public image of bluegrass music.
• To create an awareness among the general public of bluegrass music’s profound artistic value and its enduring contribution to American culture and heritage.
• To assist the bluegrass artists and fans in the development, performance and preservation of bluegrass music.
• To assist any other organization, person or entity in the promotion of bluegrass music, including, but not limited to, increasing the media’s awareness of bluegrass music.
• To create within school systems events which educate and introduce young people to the environment and artistic satisfaction of participating in and listening to bluegrass music.
• To present and/or sponsor bluegrass concerts, festivals, seminars, camps and other public events.
• To influence decision makers and resource providers on the national, state and local level, by conferences, meetings and publications, thereby ensuring the growth of bluegrass music.

Places we’ve been: To further its goals of educating and promoting bluegrass, our presence continues at local festivals, the Topanga Banjo Fiddle Contest, Bluegrass Stage at the Taste of Folk Music in Encino, Supergrass in Bakersfield and the Granada Hills Street Faire as well as a concert series of 2-4 concerts annually. Anyone interested in performing at a BASC concert should contact harley.tarlitz@socalbluegrass.org

Annual Events – Visit our
Calendar for specific details

The John Anson Ford Amphitheatre, Summer Nights at the Ford: The highlight of our concert series since 1997, and continues to this day.  Bluegrass at the Ford continues to introduce new listeners and established fans to this truly unique American Music, in an outdoor setting second to none. We encourage all to come and enjoy this unique event in the intimate setting of the John Anson Ford Theater.

Taste of Folk Music/Taste of Encino – a Free Festival: Since 2003, BASC has been provided a free concert stage by the California Traditional Music Society to promote and educate approximately 20,000 festival-goers right in our own backyard, held the 2^nd Sunday in October. Our program always includes a bit of history of the music and represents the best of our local Southern California bands. It’s a fine day filled with music under the trees and good eats.

Monthly Bluegrass Night at Braemar Country Club – 3^rd Tuesdays: Opening with the Laurel Canyon Ramblers on June 20, 1995, we continue to present a free bluegrass concert on the 3^rd Tuesday of every month. We celebrated our 10 year Anniversary at Braemar Country Club this past May and will continue to introduce bluegrass music to folks in our community with local, talented musicians. Come out to Braemar and enjoy an evening you won't forget.

What can the Bluegrass Association of Southern California offer you? 

• inTUNE News, the bi-monthly newsletter telling you about upcoming festivals, CD reviews, concerts and lots more, with articles to enhance your musical experience and make new friends in our music community
• Free e-mail service to members informs you of bluegrass happenings in your community so you don’t miss any event, and also allows you to post events of interest to the bluegrass community
• Free inTUNE News posting service to members, i.e., looking for friends to pick with or sell an instrument, Website and extensive calendar listings with calendar event posting service and direct contact with a Board member
• Fliers of non-BASC events sent to you with your newsletter or direct mailing to keep you informed about local music oriented events and happenings.

Let BASC be part of your musical journey and help us support bluegrass music in Southern California . Our music community is wonderful, supportive and energetic. Have the pleasure of meeting folks who will play a part in your life and who you’ll listen and play with. It just doesn’t get any better than that. Click Here to join the Bluegrass Association of Southern California, and join us in supporting and growing the love and playing of Bluegrass music in Southern California.