In May, we reached out to several young rising stars in the constellation of young California bluegrass players who are already dazzling us with their talent. We could only share a small portion of our interviews in the June 2025 Bluegrass Breakdown; here is more from these wonderful musicians, including bonus content from mandolinist Sophia Sparks!
Sophia Sparks, 17
I have very fond, early memories of growing up going to different music festivals with my family such as DelFest, High Sierra Music Festival, and CBA’s Father’s Day Festival, of course! I’ve been surrounded by music for a lot of my life by going to these different festivals every year. A particular memory I have of music really getting my attention were the drives up to the High Sierra Music Festival. Every time my dad would pick out a different album to bring on the drive to completely wear out for the whole drive. He tended to pick female artists or bands with a female lead such as I’m With Her, Lake Street Dive, First Aid Kit, Kacey Musgraves, and Sierra Hull. I remember a lot of these albums really resonating with me in a way that I had never felt before, and all I wanted to do was listen to them over and over again. This is the first time I really remember music catching my attention in a way that inspired me and just made me want to keep listening.
My first memory of playing music was going to this small little jam shortly after I started playing mandolin. There I met some people who I still love playing music with today, and I’m very grateful that the people I met were very kind and supportive, which is something I can say about the whole bluegrass community.
I did Kids on Bluegrass at the Father’s Day Festival for a year when I was about 11 or 12 years old. I also met some friends there who I still play with! I also feel like I learned a lot about how to play and collaborate musically with others in Kids on Bluegrass, which was very valuable.
I play mandolin, guitar, and a little bit of fiddle. I just love the sweet, pretty sound of the mandolin, which is what brought me to it in the first place. Something about its tone and sound has always really resonated with me, plus its small and extremely easy to travel with!
It’s hard to name just a few, but some of my favorite fiddle tunes include “Cattle in the Cane,” “Grey Owl” and “Old Dangerfield.” Some of my all time favorite songs to play include classics like “Church Street Blues” by Tony Rice, “Orphan Girl” by Gillian Welch, and much, much more.
My very first band was called Birches Bend, which consisted of Jasper Manning, Chad Manning, Lucy Khadder, and Jim Kerwin.
My current main projects I am involved in are my two bands Sweet Sally and Salty Sally. Sweet Sally is booked for a lot of shows this summer, including a two-week tour in Canada. We also came out with a brand new EP in May! I also play jazz a lot with my school band where we play different gigs and festivals together. I play electric mandolin in jazz settings, which has been really fun.
I learn new songs and tunes that catch my attention when I first listen—or maybe there’s a particular part that I think is cool and makes me want to learn it! I simply won’t bother to learn something if it doesn’t stick with me when I hear it. However, sometimes I’ll force myself to learn something, whether it’s a transcription for school, or just as good practice.
It’s hard to say if I have had a single big moment, but I would say one of the biggest moments that really made me want to keep playing this music is when Sierra Hull invited me to play with her on the main stage at DelFest when I was only 9 years old! That gesture of kindness and supportiveness did nothing but motivate me to want to keep playing as much as I can!
The bluegrass community has always played a big role in my musical career. It’s one of the big reasons why I was drawn to this genre in the first place, and it’s really cool to play a genre of music where even the most well-known people are really nice, too! The California bluegrass community will always be special to me, as I’ve made so many great friends through it who I love playing music with! I also wouldn’t have met any of my bandmates if it weren’t for this amazing community.
It’s so hard to say exactly where I’ll be five years from now, but I hope to be somewhere where I’m surrounded by good people and music. I hope to continue writing more music and just growing as a musician in general, whether it’s at a music college, or somewhere else.
Izzy Katz, 17
I’ve always loved music, and as a child would often wake my parents up singing some princess song. I’ve been playing bluegrass for so long that I can’t really remember when I started. I think the first bluegrass show I saw was Sierra Hull, when I was about 7. I clearly remember her playing her song “Best Buy”— and her story about sitting in a Best Buy parking lot and writing it. She has been a huge musical inspiration to me in the 10 years since then. I actually saw her again last year and she told the same story, which was a great reminder of how far I’ve come since that first show.
I started violin lessons when I was 5, and one of the first songs I can remember playing was “Go Tell Aunt Rhody.” In kindergarten, I played that song on violin for my class, and I can remember half of the class covering their ears. I was devastated then, but I totally understand now.
I attended the Youth Academy at Father’s Day Festival for five years before covid, and have taught there for the past two years, and will again this summer. I love meeting new people from all over and getting the chance to explore so many areas of bluegrass. It was at the Youth Academy that I played the bass for the first time, and it’s now been my primary instrument for six years. As an instructor, I wish there was more time to work with the kids, but that’d be hard to manage. I’d recommend the program to any youth wanting to get more experience in bluegrass and make long-lasting connections.
Now I sing, play the bass, and some guitar. My favorite thing about singing is how it can connect with any audience. If I’m playing for an audience of non-musicians, they probably won’t be able to appreciate the instruments as much, but everyone has opinions about singing. I almost never get compliments on my bass playing from a regular audience, but I’ve had people cry at my singing and give me huge praise.
“Wayfaring Stranger” and “Tennessee Waltz” are some of my favorites to sing. I have a bass solo for “Little Darlin’ Pal of Mine,” so that’s one of my favorites to play.
My band for several years was Young and Up Too Late. The other members left for college last fall, so my new band is Fiddler on the Right, with Judah Rosenheim and Niko Quale. I also have been playing bass with my school’s jazz band for the last several months, and that has been an experience that really expanded my musical abilities. In addition, I play bass in a punk rock band, which is really fun.
I mostly choose new material to learn based on the singing. If I hear a cool bass line, I’ll learn it, and will likely apply it to other songs.
I’ve had a lot of amazing musical experiences, but probably the biggest one was at IBMA last fall. As a bass player, I got to play with several bands, which allowed me to meet a ton of awesome musicians. On top of that, I was chosen as the bass player for the Red Hat band, a collection of the best 20-or-so musicians in the youth program. It was so fascinating seeing people from all different backgrounds come together and create amazing music. Playing with such talented musicians that were my age really motivated me to keep playing and becoming better.
The bluegrass community plays a huge role in my musical life. When I was just doing classical violin, I couldn’t stand performing. When I was 7, I started going to the Youth Academy at the Father’s Day Festival. The great teachers there helped me to fall in love with the music. I went back every year, and eventually switched to the bass, which I enjoyed much more. Now I teach there and get to help new musicians find their passion. There are so many amazing people in the bluegrass community who have gone out of their way to help me. Darby Brandli and Kimber Ludiker, especially, have supported me so much in my musical journey. It was because of their fundraising that I was able to go to IBMA in 2024 and find my dream college.
In the fall, I’ll be attending East Tennessee State University to major in elementary education and minor in bluegrass. In five years, I will hopefully have graduated and have a classroom of my own. My plan is to incorporate music, specifically bluegrass, into my school days. My dad does just that, and it has had a huge impact on countless kids in our community. I don’t anticipate pursuing music professionally, but I’d like to keep playing and inspiring younger generations.
Jayna Manning, 17
I grew up in a very musical family, so music’s always been in the air. One of my earliest memories is finding Tim O’Brien’s “You Ate the Apple” and listening to it on repeat, I was completely hooked. That song had me in a chokehold.
There’s a picture of me holding a fiddle bow before I could even walk. But the first memory I really hold onto is learning “Boil the Cabbage Down” and adding a lick to the B part. I was so proud, I played it every single time.
Guitar and voice are my main instruments now. I spent years playing fiddle, then dabbled in dobro, upright bass, and banjo. But eventually, I realized guitar was where I felt most myself. Guitar feels like an extension of my voice. I love the way I can shape a song—playing fills, adding licks, learning solos, and then bending them into something that feels uniquely mine.
I love opening with “Walk on Boy.” It’s become a signature; my friends even say “Walk on, boy!” when I head off somewhere. I also really enjoy playing “Another Night” and “Chittlin’ Cookin’ Time in Cheatham County.”
Right now, I’m in a band called Charlie Torch. I sing lead and play guitar. My brother Jasper Manning is on mandolin, my dad Chad Manning plays fiddle, Tyler Stegall is on banjo, and Mark Schatz plays bass. It’s a dream band, really.
A lot of the new material I learn comes from jamming with my brother, Jasper. When he’s home, we’ll spend hours playing together. I also just listen to tons of music, and when something grabs me, I dive in and try to make it my own.
One of my biggest musical moments was getting to tour with The Sam Grisman Project and Peter Rowan—it was unforgettable. During one show, I was singing “Chittlin’ Cookin’ Time” and completely in the moment. Then I looked over and saw Peter dancing toward me, singing the chorus with me. We locked eyes and sang together, surrounded by the band—it was one of those rare, alive moments I’ll never forget.
The bluegrass community means the world to me—it has shaped both my music and my friendships. It’s a space where people truly support each other, where trying and even failing is celebrated. I’ve met incredible people of all ages, backgrounds, and places through this music, and it’s made me feel at home.
In five years: still singing, still picking, still learning. I hope to keep performing, keep growing, and stay connected to this amazing community that’s given me so much.
Lucy Khadder, 18
I did Kids on Bluegrass at the Father’s Day Festival, and what I liked best about it was getting to meet other young musicians who love bluegrass. I’ve taught at the Father’s Day Festival Youth Academy a few times, and it was fun getting to see the kids learn so much in a few days.
I play fiddle, mandolin, guitar, and bass. My favorite thing about the fiddle is that I can sustain notes for as long as I want and I can use vibrato. Some of my favorite tunes are “Forked Deer,” “Daahoud,” “Limehouse Blues,” and “Red Prairie Dawn.”
I am currently in two bands: Sweet Sally and Salty Sally. Sweet Sally has finished recording an EP and our first single was released in May. We play mostly original material and try to incorporate jazz and other styles in our bluegrass tunes and songs. My biggest musical moments so far were performing at DelFest with Ronnie McCoury and soloing on the Monterey Jazz Festival main stage with the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra.
The bluegrass community has taught me how to play music with other people and has given me amazing opportunities to perform. I’m excited to be going to Berklee College of Music next year, where I’m sure I’ll meet lots of great musicians. In 5 years, I see myself going on tour with old and new friends, performing at music festivals and still teaching music when I can.
Daisy Caire, 19
I started playing guitar when I was 6. The first few years my parents were making me practice because they knew it’d be good for my brain. And somewhere in there it kind of morphed into me being obsessed with getting really good, and really loving the music.
I don’t know if I have one memory of first playing. It was just my life. I remember I learned David Grier’s “Golden Slippers” arrangement on guitar when I was 10 or 11. Kathy Barwick was one of my main teachers growing up, And I remember learning that and going to play that for her and her saying, “Oh my God, that’s so cool!” I remember Frank Solivan, Sr.— the first bluegrass festival I went to was Plymouth. I did Kids on Bluegrass, and he stuck me on stage to do a two-chord song. That’s definitely a key memory.
I grew up doing Kids on Bluegrass, going to Grass Valley, and being super involved in the CBA’s youth programs. The Kids on Bluegrass program was really amazing for me, I think because I was able to see kids older than me who were pretty good. I was like, “damn, I wanna be like them.” It was a nice in-between step where I could have something within reach to aspire to, unlike the main stage performers, who felt so far away. That stacking was really, really important in my musical development and motivation. I went to the Big Sur Fiddle Camp a couple of times, Shasta, always Father’s Day. So many! The CBA was a huge part of me growing up, but I also spent a lot of time playing music with Tristan and Tashina Claridge and their fiddle music scene. So I spent a lotta time learning Swedish tunes, and old time, and I got really into Scott Nygaard’s tunes. I guess the foundation of my music is bluegrass. But I recorded a Swedish tune for my album. Jody Stecher is also definitely an influence; I recorded his song “Chumstick Beans.” We were at fiddle camp and he said, “Daisy I wrote this song—I think you’d sound great singing it.” Growing up, I learned a lot of David Greer solos. I love his guitar playing.
I feel like “music” and “Daisy” were synonyms until I was about 16. I kind of left that identity behind for the past few years. It’s been really wonderful reconnecting with a whole piece of myself that kind of got, kind of, got left behind for a second. Music was my entire life until the pandemic. I ended up recording my album during the pandemic; I worked with Laurie Lewis, who produced it. It was a project I started before, but then the pandemic came down and I locked in on that until it was released in 2021. I grew up an hour outside of Sacramento, so there wasn’t too much of a music scene around my house. The pandemic was pretty rough on my musical connections. It was really difficult to connect with people to play, since music camps and festivals weren’t happening. So after I released my album, I ended up working on some other things in my life. I got really into whitewater kayaking and getting into college. It’s just been since January of this year that I’ve been playing a lot again. And now, I’m a second year at Berkeley studying physics.
I mainly play guitar. I do play fiddle, though I wouldn’t be so bold as to claim to be a fiddle player. I enjoy singing and playing the fiddle a lot. That’s what I work on. The other night I was trying to work out a three part “Rough and Rocky” for fun. On guitar, I really like being the foundation of the sound and being able to support other players. It feels really good when I can play rhythm for someone and they come back to me and say “I feel free and able to express myself musically when I’m playing with you.” When I’m able to accomplish that, that’s my favorite part of playing guitar—being the glue and also creating the groove freeing everyone else. To me, that’s the most important thing. It’s really nice if you can play a cool solo and be musical in that way, but I feel like it means very little if you’re not able to play really good rhythm and support everyone else first.
A big moment for me was releasing my album in 2021 that I worked on for two years, and feeling like it really represents the culmination of all the work I put into music since I was 6 years old. I am really proud of that music and the work I put into that, but hopefully there will be more big musical moments in the future.
Overall, I like best how supportive the bluegrass community is of young people playing bluegrass. I definitely felt very encouraged and supported. I’ve only been back playing since January, because last fall I had shoulder surgery after I dislocated my shoulder while I was kayaking, so I actually physically wasn’t able to play. I started playing again in January, and I’ve been playing a lot with Jasper Manning and Lucas Lawson. We don’t have anything super-official happening yet— a couple of shows this summer, and Lucas and I are thinking about going into the studio this summer.
It’s just exciting to play music again. I’m looking for gigs, collaborators, and reconnecting with everyone.
Jasper Manning, 20
I’ve been around music my entire life, but I think it was when I went to the Great 48 for the first time when I was 10 or 11 that a spark really lit. I remember being so excited that there were jams in every place imaginable, and seeing how much everyone clearly loved the music. I think my dad had just taught me the pentatonic scale, so I would spend my solos searching for the melody in the scale. It was really inspiring getting to play with such incredible musicians back then. I think that was the point when I realized I wanted to actually work towards this, and try to get as good as everyone I was surrounded by. Getting to stay up late wasn’t a bad perk either!
Remembering my first time playing is a bit harder. I want to say it was at the long kids jams my parents threw for Manning Music, when it ran out of our house. I have memories of running around the house with the other kids, then hearing a song I liked, so I would run to get my fiddle to join the jam—yes, this was before I was playing mandolin! Manning Music has a unique repertoire, consisting of mostly fiddle tunes from styles ranging from bluegrass and old time, to Celtic and Irish. So I have various vague memories related to a lot of these. For instance, I have a very vague memory of (this would have been when I was very young!) learning the B part of “Boil The Cabbage Down” and being a little frustrated at myself because I really wanted to put my third finger down, when I knew it was supposed to be a second finger. I think I’m reminded of this more often because, now as a teacher I see this happening all the time. You know what you’re supposed to be doing, but your fingers disagree. I also have more exciting memories, like one day just being able to play “Angeline The Baker” without officially learning it. I’m pretty sure that was the first tune I learned by having heard it my whole darn life.
To be honest, I wish I had done more CBA youth programs growing up! I was always around them at the festivals, but the only program I really participated in was Kids on Bluegrass. It was a great experience and way to meet the other kids around my age. I remember feeling simultaneously excited to get to work on some songs in a bit more detail (the only one I definitely remember playing was “Salt Creek”), but also kind of sad to miss out on other jamming during the festival. My favorite part was for sure just getting to play more music. I don’t know what I would do to make it any better. All the youth programs are so good for the kids and the community, and I’m very excited to be teaching at the Youth Academy this Father’s Day Festival!
I pretty much just play mandolin and guitar. A lot of people ask me if I play fiddle. Once I switched to mandolin, I did not look back, and after a few years I completely stopped playing fiddle. One day I’ll pick it up again! But there’s something about growing up around a lot of beginning fiddle players that makes me not want one right in my ear!
One of my favorite things about the mandolin is the variety in tone, ranging from a big angry tone, like Bill Monroe’s, to a warm and gentle tone, like Sierra Hull’s. Tone is something I have been thinking a lot about, experimenting with slight technique adjustments to get different sounds. I like being able to play soft enough so that I can get a warm and open tone, finding that it seems to invite listeners to engage a little more. I truly think that if you can relax into good tone you can play any notes and it’ll sound good. But there are some songs that just want a rough and rowdy mandolin solo.
I have been on a big John Reischman tune phase. Some of his tunes that I’ve been playing a lot are “Suzanne’s Journey,” “Little Pine Siskin,” and “Coyote Trail.” I also can’t go through this interview without mentioning Keith Whitley. I have a medium-to-large obsession with him, and most of the songs I sing I learned from his works. I particularly like to find more obscure recordings of him playing bluegrass and learning all his vocal details. Some of my favorite songs I got from Keith Whitley include “My Lord’s Gonna Bless Me,” “Ride Me Down Easy,” “Catch a Train and Ride,” “Burnt The Sawmill Down,” and “I Know I Wouldn’t Miss You.” If you aren’t familiar with any of these, I recommend checking them out!
The main projects I’m involved in right now are Charlie Torch and Blue Birds on a Wire. Charlie Torch is pretty much a family band with my sister Jayna Manning, my dad Chad Manning, Tyler Stegall, and Mark Schatz. The Blue Birds on a Wire core band is Joselyn Sky, Scott Conroy, and myself, and we’re excited to also have Joy Louise and Owen Ragland joining us for the next couple of festivals! I’ve been playing a lot of local shows around the Bay too. I have a monthly gig at the Kensington Circus Pub that I put together with my dad; we try to bring in different musicians each month. Usually we play on the second Thursday of the month, but it can vary a bit month-to-month. I’ve also been playing a lot around UC Berkeley with a new group called Ponderosa. At its core, Ponderosa is just me and Spencer Krenz.
On picking new material to learn, I tend to ask myself “how jammable is this?” when I’m considering learning a new singing song. It takes a lot of work for me to memorize lyrics, and even after a bunch of time there’s no guarantee the words will stick. So I like to have the songs I learn be nuanced enough that they can be played in the bands I’m in and have details that can be added, but also be easy enough so that I can call it in a jam and be confident people will pick it up fast. I usually learn Keith Whitley songs like I learn instrumental solos. I’ll slow it down and work out every detail he’s doing, usually on the mandolin or guitar along with my voice. I find when I do this, the lyrics tend to stick a bit better, because now instead of words I have to memorize, it’s detailed musical sounds in my mouth.
I have had a lot of good musical moments. I feel like you’re wanting to hear about moments like getting to play with Peter Rowan at Hardly Strictly or going up for a song with the Travelin’ McCoury’s at DelFest, but the most meaningful musical moments for me have been in much quieter jam settings. I particularly remember sneaking off with Sully Tuttle to find a quiet place pick at Grass Valley, or taking over Darol Anger’s house and jamming until he finally gave in and played some tunes with us, or seeing Dawg for the first time in years and getting to play with him at our house. When looking back on some of my favorite musical memories, these simpler moments with some of my favorite musicians have honestly been the most impactful.
I think that the bluegrass community is my musical life in some sense. What makes bluegrass so fun for me is jamming and being able to connect with people through the music. It’s really amazing there are so many people that speak the bluegrass language. And I don’t think I would be the musician I am today if I didn’t have so many people that I could look up to. I think what I connect to most with a lot of the players in the community is just the general willingness and desire to play, no matter how late, how far, or how much energy we have left.
I know I’ll always be playing as much music as I possibly can. I’m currently studying math and physics, but when I imagine my future, I’m finding it more and more difficult to imagine doing anything that’s not music. I’m not sure if that means doing more teaching, or touring, or even sound engineering. I can’t even say if I will be doing all this with a day job or not. The only thing I’m certain of is that I’ll be playing a lot of music.
Megan January, 21
My dad used to play Grateful Dead songs on his guitar, and I would go crazy dancing around the house and following him around. He started getting into bluegrass via the Jerry Garcia pipeline, and decided to take music lessons. I was eager to have my own instrument and be able to play with my dad, so he rented me a little fiddle and I started taking lessons from the same teacher, Robert Bowden, when I was 9.
My first memory of playing music with people other than my dad was at the CBA’s Father’s Day Festival! I was enrolled in the first year the festival offered the Youth Academy, and that threw me into playing with a ton of other people my age, and learning from some of my favorite musicians that I had grown up listening to on every family road trip (Front Country and Della Mae.) The academy is also how I met my bandmates Ida Winfree and Tessa Schwartz! I met Ida when Darby Brandli physically pushed us together, because we were the shyest campers there, and commanded us to be friends. Tessa I met doing a bluegrass performance of Katy Perry’s “Roar” for the end-of-the-week concert. Good old days!
I’ve been to every year of the CBA Youth Academy, first as a student, then a teaching assistant, then an instructor! I love the camp’s focus on community building, connecting students, and encouraging them to collaborate and jam in and out of class. I myself joined 35 Years of Trouble, and created North Country Blue, from the people I met and started playing with at camp. Countless other youth bands have come out of the academy since, and will continue to form. It’s been amazing to see students from my first few years teaching at the camp building their own bands and now even being booked at Grass Valley. I’m immensely proud of how the CBA prioritizes the next generation of pickers, and really thankful to be even a small part of that. This is the first year that I will not be involved in the Youth Academy due to my contract at New Swan and graduation at UC Irvine, but I will be flying in for 24 hours to hang out at the festival before I drive back to graduation!
Today I primarily play upright bass, but I’m starting to take up the fiddle again! I also play electric bass and a bit of guitar, just for fun. I love how inconveniently large the bass is. I’m very attached to my instrument, and started playing after taking a workshop at the CBA’s Youth Academy. As a little kid I loved carrying it on my back around the festival, and felt so strong and cool getting to class all week, which encouraged me to keep on practicing and learning. Now one of my favorite things is introducing the bass to new players—kids at the camp, adults at my music directing gigs, or just friends who see it set up in my living room. It brings a lot of joy to other people and to myself for sure.
Favorites! “Just a Few Old Memories” is a classic, “Reuben’s Train” with my dad, and my long time bandmate and good friend Tessa Schwartz wrote “Birdsong” on our North Country Blue EP Flight, which I just love to play and sing with them on. And Tessa, Ida, and I always have to sing “Touch of God’s Hand” when we are reunited, for those sweet harmonies.
Currently I am music director and band leader in a bluegrass version of Much Ado About Nothing at New Swan Shakespeare Festival in Irvine, California. I’m also playing Hero in the acting company. I’ve been collaborating with the director to take traditional and modern bluegrass music and work it into Shakespeare’s original works, researching inspiration from classic bluegrass records, switching out traditional lyrics for sonnets, arranging tunes to fit the story, and maybe even adding in some original work. When we start rehearsals, I will be leading the band (guitar, mandolin, bass, harmonica) on fiddle. The show opens July 18 in a pretty cool outdoor portable Elizabethan theatre, and runs until August 30. I also worked with New Swan last summer on bass as a band leader and ensemble member in a pirate version of Twelfth Night. Here’s the link to their website if you want more information! https://newswanshakespeare.com/
New repertoire for me really depends on what I’m listening to, which changes pretty often. Lately it’s been a lot of I’m With Her and Jobi Riccio.
I have so many amazing memories recording North Country Blue’s album Flight. It was the first project I really got to take agency on and be able to have a big say in everything from arrangement to album cover art. I’m really proud of our work.
The bluegrass community and the CBA have been an incredible environment to grow up in. I feel immensely lucky to have been brought up making music with some of my closest friends and family. I learned and grew so much gigging with North Country Blue, and have applied those skills and passions into my arts schooling at UC Irvine. Teaching at the Youth Academy is what inspired me to get my minor in education, so that I might understand how young kids perceive the world around them and how to best pass on bluegrass to the next generation.
I am graduating with my BFA in music theatre and minor in education from UC Irvine in June. I plan on moving to New York in fall to audition and work as an actor and performer in the city! Can’t wait to explore the bluegrass and music scene out there and see what happens.