The ETSU Bluegrass Pride Band loaded up their instruments and headed for the west coast on Feb. 24 in preparation for their departure on the Danny Stewart Bluegrass Cruise.
The cruise will take place over the span of four days, making stops at Santa Catalina Island and Ensenada, Mexico. It will spotlight other bluegrass musicians including Truegrass Show, Danny Paisley, Junior Sisk and Monroe Crossing.
“I am excited to see a lot of bluegrass friends,” band member Josiah Nelson said. “A lot of other bands are going to be there. It will be good to see some of the other people that I have met from other avenues.”
This is the second of the cruises that the Pride Band has participated in. Bluegrass, Old Time and Country Music Studies Director Daniel Boner describes this as a unique opportunity for students presented by a fellow ETSU alumni.
“Danny Stewart’s son, Danny Stewart Jr., was a student here,” Boner said. “Danny Jr. went on to perform with a few professional bands. His father wanted to invite us to be a part of these cruises because, first of all, he has an affinity for the program, and he loves the program and what his son Danny did while he was here, and what it eventually led to him doing. It was kind of a no-brainer for us.”
While on the cruise, the students will give two 45-minute performances followed by a meet and greet opportunity with the band. Boner sees this as a chance to provide visibility for the university.
“We fly the flag of ETSU logo in places that might not have ever heard of ETSU,” Boner said. “A regional institution getting attention from all over the country and all over the world is a good thing. It can lead to people who see this program as a destination point for education.”
Other activities on the cruise include concerts, instrument workshops, jam sessions and open mic. After leaving port at the end of the week, the ETSU group will perform at an ETSU alumni luncheon and another concert in San Francisco.
The trip will consist of many firsts for the band. For Boner, it will be his first time traveling to Mexico, and senior Bluegrass student Wesley Wolfe will fly on a commercial plan for the first time.
“I am excited about [the cruise],” Wolfe said. “This will be my second one. This year we fly to Los Angeles and leave Long Beach and go to Mexico, so we are pretty stoked about it.”
