Bill Evans, John Reischman, Chad Manning, Mike Witcher, Jim Nunally, and Mark Schatz: “Stoney Lonesome”

A powerhouse group of Peghead Nation instructors plays a bluegrass classic at our 10th Anniversary Showcase.

By: Dan Gabel

December 6, 2024

The Peghead Nation 10th Anniversary Party and Showcase happened in November, at Studio Fourth Street, a beautiful new performance and gathering space in Peghead Nation’s hometown of San Rafael, California. In addition to a fun hang and lots of catching up with students, teachers, family, and friends, the evening featured short performances from the Peghead co-founders and an impressive contingent of instructors. It was a special night of unique collaborations and wonderful performances from many of the folks who have made our first decade possible.

We were thrilled to have the bulk of the Calfornia Bluegrass Reunion Band on hand for the celebration, with Peghead Nation instructors Bill Evans, Chad Manning, Mike Witcher, and John Reischman joined by Jim Nunally, seen on many of Chad’s Western Swing Fiddle lessons playing rhythm guitar, and bassist Mark Schatz, who is working on an upcoming Peghead course (Sharon Gilchrist, the usual California Bluegrass Reunion bass player, had to miss the event because of a health issue, and we missed her and wish her well!). This band kicked off their annual California tour the night after the Peghead Nation event, and during this run, played sets celebrating the Bluegrass Album Band (Tony Rice, J.D. Crowe, Doyle Lawson, Bobby Hicks, Jerry Douglas, Vassar Clemens, Todd Phillips, and Mark Schatz), which recorded their historic series of albums in Berkeley, just across the San Francisco Bay from San Rafael. In this video, the California Bluegrass Reunion band plays a great version of Bill Monroe’s “Stoney Lonesome,” which was recorded by the Bluegrass Album Band on The Bluegrass Album, Vol. 6.

We’ll soon have more performances from this night of superb music, so keep an eye out for those!

Video shot and edited by Pint of Soul and Dan Foldes
Sound by Paul Knight

Learn mandolin with John Reischman in his courses Old-Time Mandolin and Melodic Mandolin Tunes

Learn fiddle with Chad Manning in his Beginning Bluegrass and Old-Time Fiddle, Intermediate Bluegrass and Old-Time Fiddle, Advanced Bluegrass Fiddle, Western Swing Fiddle, and Theory for Mandolin and Fiddle courses.

Learn banjo with Bill Evans in his Beginning Banjo, Bluegrass Banjo, Earl Scruggs: A Player’s Guide, Melodic and Single String Banjo, and The Banjo Style of J.D. Crowe courses on Peghead Nation.