Eastern North Carolina
BLUEGRASS Association

One cold January night in 1981, a group of about twenty people gathered in a converted mule barn near Greenville, NC for an impromptu bluegrass jam session. The pickers and listeners continued to gather each month, and as word spread the crowd grew until a larger location had to be found. That small group of musicians and friends blossomed a year later into the Eastern North Carolina Bluegrass Association, an organization dedicated to increasing public awareness of bluegrass and its heritage.

Although bluegrass at the time had not received recognition within the mainstream music industry, today it has become an art form steaped in rich tradition and worthy of preservation and promotion. Created from a blend of country gospel, country/western and the "old timey" music popular in the rural South during the 30's and 40's, bluegrass has evolved into uniquely American music, unlike any other.

The Eastern North Carolina Bluegrass Association now plays host monthly to audiences numbering over 300 at Lenoir Community College in the Waller Building beginning January 1, 2010. The Waller Building is a modern, temperature-controlled facility with a seating capacity of 650 and ample parking on the grounds. The Waller Building also has several jamming areas for those who wish to bring an instrument and pick. Lenoir Community College is located on Highway 70, east of Kinston, NC, and is handicapp accessible to all fans. Regional crowds attend from North Carolina, Virginia, and South Carolina.

The Eastern North Carolina Bluegrass Association was formed on a voluntary basis and is State-chartered as a non-profit association. The by-laws assure that the association is for the benefit of all. An elected Board of Directors conducts the business of the association, and the membership elects the officers each November.