Retirement of a Bluegrass Band - The Bluegrass Patriots

Patriots Call It A "Day" After 31 Years!

Jimmy Carter was President when the Bluegrass Patriots took the stage at the Colorado State University Student Center for their first gig in October of 1980. Almost 31 years later, they will play their final show at Avogadro's Number in Fort Collins on October 21, 2011.

Four of the original band members are still with the band: Glenn Zankey, Dan Rogers, Willie McDonald and Ken Seaman. Following the death of Rick Bradstreet in 2002, several musicians have taken Rick's spot in the band including Dan Mitchell, Ernie Martinez, Bobby Vickery and Jean Ballhorn. 

".....they're a wonderful group, they're fine entertainers, they're good musicians and they sing wonderful." - Bill Monroe...

The Bluegrass Patriots traveled far and wide over the course of three-plus decades including five tours of Ireland and the British Isles, two tours of Denmark/Sweden and several appearances in Alaska and Canada. They played most of the major bluegrass festivals in the U.S., and private parties for Former President Gerald Ford, Senator John Glenn and Governor Richard Lamm. The band served as goodwill ambassadors for bluegrass music everywhere they played, making countless friends over the years wherever they appeared.

The "Bluegrass Patriots" name will be retired only to be used if the group does an occasional "reunion" appearance. The Patriots have over a half-dozen recordings to their credit and some of them can still be ordered at the bands' website at www.bluegrasspatriots.com. The band would like to express their sincere thanks to their many fans, friends, promoters, fellow musicians and family members for their support over the years