About.
High Lonesome Strings Bluegrass Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in central North Carolina dedicated to supporting those who want to discover and share bluegrass and other forms of traditional music. Founded in July 1997 by Pammy Davis Lassiter and Dale Giddens — uncle to Carolina Chocolate Drops co-founder Rhiannon Giddens — along with eight other bluegrass enthusiasts, the organization has grown to over 200 members in the Greensboro area.
The association hosts monthly meetings featuring local bluegrass bands followed by jam sessions open to all skill levels, an annual Christmas party, and Camp 'n Pick camping and picking weekends. Their flagship event, Pickin' in the Park, is a free all-day bluegrass festival held each May at Hagan-Stone Park in Pleasant Garden, North Carolina, drawing over 600 attendees with up to five bands performing. For nine years, HLS maintained a stage at International Bluegrass Music Association events in Raleigh, showcasing approximately 144 performances.
Since launching their youth scholarship program in 2017, High Lonesome Strings has awarded 82 scholarships totaling $40,500 to traditional acoustic bluegrass musicians aged 18 and under, funding music lessons and camp attendance. The organization publishes a monthly newsletter called The G Run and maintains a member band referral list. Notably, in 2003 HLS became the first organization to pay the Steep Canyon Rangers $1,000 for a festival performance, marking an early milestone in that band's career.
