Young musicians win prizes, gain friends at Youth in Bluegrass Contest

The 2026 Youth in Bluegrass Contest is in the books, with five groups taking home prize money and all participants taking home improved confidence, new friendships and a clear picture of the future they could have in bluegrass. 

Sponsored by Ozark Mountain Music Association, the contest is about legacy as much as it is about competition. As each group of young musicians stepped onto the stage, they became part of a tradition bigger than themselves among a community that loves and appreciates the heritage of this musical genre. 

At the end of the competition rounds, these were the prize winners: 

●      First place ($2,500) – Strings of Green, a family band based out of Beckley, West Virginia, who started by playing in church and now play regularly at churches and other venues. 

●      Second place ($2,000) – The Huckleberries, a sibling group from Fort Payne, Alabama. They enjoy putting their own unique touch into both traditional and newer songs.  

●      Third place ($1,500) – Coal Creek Station, a fairly new band from Terre Haute, Indiana, performing together since 2024.  

●      Fourth place ($1,000) – The North Stars, who met at SPBGMA in Nashville during an ice storm last year! They hail from Missouri, New Hampshire and Montana. 

●      Fifth place ($500) – The Mulkins Family, a young family developing their instrumental and harmony skills to honor God through fun, uplifting gospel concerts. 

In addition to prize money, several young musicians received a boost to their career through scholarships. Bethel University gave eight scholarships, each for $65,000 over a four-year period for a total of $520,000; and Williams Baptist University presented scholarships with a four-year total of $560,000.  

Those in attendance reported that the bands were awesome this year, making some great music for spectators to enjoy! In addition to the winners, several other bands competed: 

●      Give Me Your Heart, a family band of three sisters and their mom from Missouri, with the tight harmonies that come from years of singing together and the desire to honor God through music; 

●      The Branch Fiddle Band, a family band from Brentwood, Tennessee, who for the past year have enjoyed playing events in Tennessee and Alabama with the goal of serving and blessing others through music; 

●      Dreadnought, a collaboration from Oklahoma and Texas whose members met in 2019 when their families competed at the Silver Dollar City contest, predecessor of the current event, and recently reconnected; 

●      Flex Steel, members from Arkansas and South Dakota with a soulful taste in their music; 

●      Harmony Hill, a bluegrass and gospel family band from Wilson County, Kansas; 

●      MoArk, members from both sides of the Arkansas/Missouri line who love to write and arrange their own original music; 

●      The Ozark Echoes, an Ozarks band whose members love fast picking and fun tunes, who got their start for last year’s contest; 

●      Bomb City Bluegrass, who met at a Texas bluegrass camp a few years ago and bring their talents together for this annual competition; 

●      White Mountain Harmony, family members ages six through 12 bringing their lively and family-grown harmonies all the way from New Hampshire; 

●      Morningside, an acoustic roots band focused on storytelling, rooted in traditional sounds passed down through their family. 

Visit Ozark Mountain Music Association on Facebook for some great video highlights of the various bands during competition. 

Perhaps you noticed that some groups in the list have members from different states who met at bluegrass camps! Camp is a great place for kids to meet friends and hone their musical skills at all levels in a wholesome family atmosphere, so if your kid lights up when they hear bluegrass or traditional music, or if they’re learning an acoustic instrument and enjoying it, consider bringing them to a camp. Ozark Mountain Music Association’s first summer bluegrass camp is full, but a few spots may still remain at Camp 2 in Branson or the Old-Time Music and Dance Camp coming up in Mountain View, Arkansas, in July. Check the details at www.ozarkmountainmusicassociation.com and sign them up for a wonderful week of learning and fun!