Pacific Bluegrass and Heritage Society

In 1979, my first husband and I were yearning for community, being recent residents to Vancouver BC. One mountain climbing trip to the Rockies, we were driving over a huge mountain range. We were listening to a bluegrass music radio show on Coop radio and we were in heaven. We could feel ourselves as part of a musical community that sang that type of music, with that down-home, high lonesome sound.

Once back in Vancouver, we called every bluegrass musician we could track down through word-of-mouth. We began jamming every second week at a local pub, then due to a liquor strike, we jammed on the beach. Great music! Stellar performers! By serendipity, we were invited to make our home at the very cool Soft Rock Cafe. And we were off to the races! We opened with Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys, then jammed raucously every week in the back room all the time, even when local bands played the main stage. The Pacific Bluegrass and Heritage Society still thrives today after 34 years! Now that’s a story of being at the right time in the right place. And rising to being carried by the situation.