East Tennessee Bluegrass

A Guide to the East Tennessee Bluegrass Association
By Evie Andrus 


While it is true one can find bluegrass most anywhere these days, it takes on a new meaning here in Knoxville. Many of the legends call this region home and the culture is steeped in Appalachia. From porches to barn dances, bluegrass was the music folks gathered around. One only has to look around see the influence these mountains have on bluegrass music.



The East Tennessee Bluegrass Association (ETNBA) strives to promote and advance traditional bluegrass music through education, outreach and community for all generations. Formed back in 2018 after a lunch meeting between founding members Evie Andrus and Jodi Harbin, the association quickly gathered musicians from around the region who shared their passion. 

With a mission statement that focuses on building community, preserving traditional bluegrass, and furthering the education of pickers (aka musicians) ETNBA has become a staple in the bluegrass scene of the Knoxville region.



One of the biggest ways we achieve our mission is by hosting jams around town. Be it out at Ijams Nature Center in SoKno, up at Sleepy-Eyed John’s in Clinton or downtown at Visit Knoxville you are able to find music being made almost every weekend of the month. We at ETNBA strive to maintain a traditional jam at all times, which means we welcome the standard bluegrass instrumentation (fiddle, banjo, acoustic guitar, bass, dobro) and ask that people refrain from amplification. 

We pass song choice around in a circle and everyone gets the chance to choose a song to play with the group, which keeps in the tradition of a bluegrass jam. One does not need to be a member of ETNBA to join in any of our jams, just ready to make some music and have some fun.    READ MORE...