Hot Pickin 57s Awarded City of Austin Nexus Grant for Free Community Bluegrass Programs

We're honored to announce that Hot Pickin 57s has been awarded a Nexus Grant from the City of Austin's Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment department in support of our new program, High & Lonesome: A Journey Through Bluegrass Music.

High & Lonesome is a free, one-hour live performance and educational program created for Austin libraries, museums, cultural centers, and senior centers. The program traces the story of bluegrass — from its Appalachian roots to the driving sound Bill Monroe made famous — through live music, storytelling, and audience Q&A, performed by a band with more than 400 shows under its belt.

Thanks to the Nexus Grant, we'll be bringing High & Lonesome to Austin venues at no cost to the hosting organization or the audience, with bookings available through June 2027.

If you're with an Austin organization and would like to host a performance, learn more about our free bluegrass programs for Austin libraries, museums, and senior centers.

This project is supported in part by a Nexus Grant of Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment.