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.
| 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 | |
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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. |
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.
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.