The University’s bluegrass club, aptly named Hoograss, is a new music organization on Grounds that is rambling into its second year. Here, bluegrass, country and blues fans come together to jam, perform and participate in events throughout the semester geared toward a traditional style of music with which University students might not be familiar.
Bluegrass is an American music genre that is associated with the Appalachian region and combines elements of European folk music, blues and even gospel music. It often features instruments like the guitar, banjo and fiddle. While the unique genre has a rich history, few bluegrass groups exist at the University — now, Hoograss is carving out a space for bluegrass musicians to practice and perform on Grounds.
The Contracted Independent Organization meets biweekly for jam sessions — a chance for students of all skill levels to play and improvise bluegrass music together. Austin Wright, club president and third-year College student, said that the club is open to everyone. While students who have some experience with folk or country music might find it easier to jump in and start playing, the club caters to people who are learning to play bluegrass music for the first time.
Wright was vice president of the group last year, and he said that he and Class of 2024 alumnus Sean McGranaham founded the club to create a space where anyone can enjoy and play bluegrass together, regardless of skill level.
“We're open to everybody, and obviously we're happy to have experienced members,” Wright said. “But we're more excited about people that are new to the genre and new to this style of playing because we really enjoy introducing them to the community and making sure that they get this new experience. I'd say for me, that's the most important part.”
Jack Leonard, club vice president and third-year engineering student, said that newcomers and experienced members alike connect through their passion for bluegrass and country music, sharing their favorite songs and playlists over email and in group chats.
Wright said the club is not only about connecting over the genre, but is also about teaching. Occasionally, Hoograss hosts workshops where more experienced members get the chance to tutor novice members. While entirely optional, these events allow musicians to gain experience with other club members. Wright also mentioned how the club is looking to bring in people from outside the University for future workshops. Specifically, he referenced bringing in an Appalachian Flatfooting instructor, a traditional style of dance, in the Fall 2024 semester.
In addition to its regular jam sessions, Hoograss has hosted various events during its first semester on Grounds last spring. Wright said that one such event, called “House Fest,” was their biggest of the year. The event was a collaboration with the music-focused student organization Indieheads, starring several bands and performers from the University, including local musician and Class of 2024 alumnus Luke Powers, and a Virginia Tech student band from Blacksburg called A Grateful Dead Band.
The organization hosted and participated in several other major events at the University last semester. Some of the club’s members played with Guatemalan musician Sarah Curruchich when she performed in Old Cabell Hall, and Wright said that several members also performed at the re-opening of Shannon Library.
While the club organizes formal performances, Wright described Hoograss as a low-commitment club. Anyone can participate in these larger-scale performances, but they are optional — Wright said the club welcomes and encourages participants who are just looking to play some music with their peers.
“We’re really not pushing for high commitment, just show up when you feel like it,” Wright said. “Have a little bit of fun. That’s pretty much all we ask. You know, be willing to play a bit of music.”
One aspect of the club that Wright emphasized was the organization’s ventures into adjacent music genres. In addition to bluegrass, the club plays blues, country and folk music at its jam sessions.
“Bluegrass is at the head of a really deep tradition of music that touches a lot of different genres,” Wright said. “It's sort of at the nexus of all of them and so we try to embrace the traditions of all three in order to really get in touch with their history as well.”
Wright expressed interest in continuing to collaborate with other music organizations at the University in the future to host joint performances and events. Leonard said that following the success of last fall’s House Fest, he and Wright are organizing even bigger House Fests for both the fall and spring semesters of this year.
“I think it’s really great to be able to provide a space for super talented musicians in the bluegrass and country genres to perform since options are kind of limited,” Leonard said in a written statement.
The pair’s ambitions do not stop there. Wright said they are in contact with the social media influencer train_songz, looking to appear on his podcast for an episode. Wright and Leonard also plan to put a band together with some of their members to record an hour-long performance. All of these plans outline an exciting next semester for Hoograss.
Hoograss not only provides performance opportunities, but has also made the unique genre more visible on Grounds. Through the club, students are able to connect with the stories, traditions and ideas that comprise the dynamic genre — all while making great music.
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