SWBMAI Sponsors

About Us

SWBMAI promotes bluegrass music in Wisconsin and the Midwest. Since it’s founding as a non-profit organization in 1983, our membership has grown to several hundred pickers and fans from southern Wisconsin and neighboring states.

SWBMAI Board of Directors

President/Marketing Jean Knickelbine jeanknick [at] gmail [dot] com
Vice-President Jim Hodges thumbpik [at] charter [dot] net
Secretary Mary Helmke helmkemary6@gmail.com
Treasurer Jon Peik jrpeik [at] yahoo [dot] com
Public Relations Bruce Stein bestein@uwalumni.com
Member at Large Catherine Rhyner catherine.rhyner [at] gmail [dot] com 608-835-8117
Member at Large Julie Cherney cherney [at] uwalumni [dot] com
Member at Large Jim Knobloch knobhill [at] chorus [dot] net
Member at Large Lane Venden lane [at] laneslutherie [dot] com

Past minutes of board meetings are available here.

About the Site

singin-portrait Webmaster: Scott Knickelbine. Contact me at swbmai@gmail.com to post your articles, reviews, audio and video, or to report any problems or broken links.


AMENDED AND RESTATED

Bylaws of Southern Wisconsin Bluegrass Music Association, Inc.

(Adopted by Resolution of the Board on December 1, 2008)

Article I: Name of Association

The name of this association shall be Southern Wisconsin Bluegrass Music Association, Inc. (the “Association”), a non-stock, not-for-profit, educational corporation, organized under Chapter 181 of the Wisconsin Statutes.

Article II: Purpose

II.1 Bluegrass Music Defined. The Association dedicates itself to preserving and promoting the traditional spirit and art form of bluegrass music. The Association defines “bluegrass music” as the music of the style played by Bill Monroe and his band, The Bluegrass Boys, and the music played by former members of The Bluegrass Boys using a similar format of acoustical stringed instruments with no direct amplification of instruments with the exception that an electric bass guitar and amplifier may be used. The instruments used in the performance of bluegrass music, as defined by the Association, are five-string banjo, flat-top guitar, mandolin, fiddle, dobro, and bass fiddle (or electric bass guitar). Hereinafter, the term “Bluegrass“ shall mean “bluegrass music” as defined in this Section.

II.2 Purpose and Activities. The Association is organized and shall be operated exclusively for charitable, educational or scientific purposes, as defined in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), or any successor statute. More specifically, the Association is organized and shall be operated for the purpose of educating residents of Wisconsin about the history, art and craft of Bluegrass and the folk traditions from which Bluegrass was developed by:

(a) Promoting public awareness of Bluegrass and musicians who play it;

(b) Bringing together persons of all ages who enjoy singing, playing, and listening to Bluegrass;

(c) Organizing regular Bluegrass jam sessions;

(d) Periodically disseminating information of interest such as news and reviews of, and articles about, bluegrass performances, recordings, festivals, musicians, publications, and history;

(e) Promoting events incorporating lectures, discussions and performances of Bluegrass;

(f) Helping become engaged with Bluegrass music, for example, by facilitating instruction and obtaining of instruments; and

(g) Introducing Bluegrass to new listeners.

Click here to download the full SWBMAI bylaws in PDF format.