Updated Jan. 26
The Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum will delay the start of its group music lessons until Tuesday, February 3. The decision comes as the Hall follows Daviess County Public Schools’ inclement weather policy — if school is canceled for weather, so are lessons.
This postponement also allows more time for students to register. Signups will remain open for another week at bluegrasshall.org/education/lessons.
As an added bonus, all enrolled students will receive free access to the Bluegrass Music Academy website, which includes over 100 songs for fiddle, guitar, and mandolin — plus extra backing tracks for banjo and bass players. Each song includes videos, chord charts, tabs, and audio recordings.
Students who have signed up can email Randy Lanham at [email protected] to request access to the online materials.
In addition, anyone — whether registered or not — can explore free educational videos about bluegrass instruments and history:
- The Banjo in Bluegrass: https://youtu.be/DpOlgRfM8ag
- The Bass in Bluegrass: https://youtu.be/hH2p08ABD4M?si=7UhwmddLZjD2t7ly
- The Fiddle in Bluegrass: https://youtu.be/DNBWjTBn3v0?si=HVABbva78X7p0WKe
- The Mandolin in Bluegrass: https://youtu.be/jx1f1R79Kyw?si=j_ID_qbfz3QSPDG2
- The Guitar in Bluegrass: https://youtu.be/6T2nbAvAYnU?si=1fVrpMBykFwoGUvG
Original Story:
The Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum is launching into a busy 2026 with expanded education and outreach programs aimed at students, veterans, seniors, and musicians of all skill levels.
“We just added two new private music teachers and continue to expand our online lessons at BluegrassMusicAcademy.org with over 100 songs to learn on fiddle, mandolin, and guitar,” said Education Director Randy Lanham.
Group lessons resume January 27 and include beginner, intermediate, and band classes for guitar, fiddle, mandolin, banjo, and bass.
For the first time since 2020, school-wide assemblies are also back. The Hall of Fame is hosting Mountain Highway — a nationally touring family bluegrass band — for two weeks of educational and entertaining assemblies at local elementary schools. A special performance for homeschooled children is scheduled for Jan. 19 at 1 p.m. at the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
Additional outreach includes booking local bands to perform for patients in nursing homes, hospitals, and hospice care, as well as people with disabilities. The Hall of Fame also continues its veterans songwriting program in partnership with VET and is now expanding efforts to include recovery centers.
“As part of our Bluegrass in the Schools initiative, we’ve launched a Guitars on Loan program that allows teachers to borrow up to 30 guitars for three weeks to conduct beginner classes,” Lanham said. “If they need help with easy songs and ways to teach a group guitar lesson, we’ve created a video that shows them songs and me teaching in a classroom.”
Those training videos, available for free at BluegrassMusicAcademy.org, are part of a growing library of instructional content that has gained national attention. One video, “Learn How To Play Live Music in a Nursing Home,” has prompted messages from viewers across the country — and even internationally.
A new video series featuring Barry Lanham teaching easy square dance routines is also underway.
“These are targeted for schools to learn traditional dances and for the elderly at home, in nursing homes, or senior centers to be able to get exercise, and benefit both mentally and physically,” Lanham said. “We are using every opportunity to keep the traditional music and dance alive.”
Programs for special populations have continued to grow as well. The Hall of Fame recently worked with Owensboro High School’s special needs students and Daviess County Middle School’s EBD class, introducing various instruments and peer mentoring to encourage exploration and fun. They also led a guitar class at Emerson Academy Alternative High School that culminated in performances at a local nursing home and a city school board meeting.
Other community-based efforts include hands-on “jam sessions” with an open-tuning ukulele/banjolele at the Opportunity Center, the Stroke Victims Support Group at Owensboro Health, and similar events.
On February 6-8, the Hall of Fame will host its second annual Bluegrass Unlimited Workshop Weekend, featuring top-tier musicians offering small-group instruction. The lineup includes:
- Jimmy Mattingly (fiddle)
- Scott Napier (mandolin)
- Kristen Scott Benson (banjo)
- Tim May and Dan Miller (guitar)
- Mike Bub (bass)
“These musicians have played for some of the biggest bluegrass bands in the world, won awards, and toured internationally,” Lanham said. “This is a great chance to be in a small group with the best to sharpen your skills.”
More information is available at BluegrassHall.org or by emailing [email protected].
