This month’s blog will be a short one, devoted to introducing a new discovery:  a lovely, relatively new music camp in the heart of the Sierra Mountains,  the California Autoharp Gathering (CAG), held at the beautiful St. Nicholas Ranch and Retreat Center near Dunlap, California.

Here is a brief history of how the “CAG” was developed beginning in 2002 in and near the town of Mendota, California, in Fresno County, and how it has grown since its inception:

History

The California Autoharp Gathering (CAG) was founded in 2002 at the Mendota Unified School District. Students at the school district had the opportunity to take classes in autoharp, guitar, pep band, mariachi, and folkloric dancing. The CAG was established to give these students a chance to go to a fine arts camp; where workshops, concerts, and training would be made available to them. In addition, participants from around the United States were invited to join the CAG to celebrate and enjoy a three-day festival with the autoharp being the primary instrument of study.

You can read a longer version of this history HERE.

In 2006 the CAG created and introduced the new “California Autoharp Gathering Lifetime Achievement Award,” a tribute of appreciation to special artists who have appeared at the CAG.  That year it was awarded to its first four recipients: Jim Snow, Bryan Bowers, Mike Seeger, and Kenny and Marta Hall. These awards were highlighted with rare film footage of the honorees.

As the CAG has developed over the years, artists of renown have joined the ranks of the faculty staff and concert performers.

You can view the gorgeous location at the St. Nicholas Ranch HERE

Read more at their website.

In 2026, the featured artist is John McEuen.  Other artists include Tom Ball & Kenny Sultan, Karen Mueller, Bryan Bowers, Susie Glaze & the Folk Ensemble Duo, Ian Ly (National Flatpicking Champion), Rick Fitzgerald, Jeremy Clement, Ray Choi, Meredith Axelrod, Carey Dubbert, Danny Knicely, Geoff Goodhue, Bay Allen, Pete Daigle, Morgan Cochneuer, Les Gustafson-Zook, Charles Whitmer, Eileen Kozloff, Kathy Wieland, and George McCoy and others.

Stay tuned for next month’s blog where I’ll report back about the California Autoharp Gathering!

As always, thanks for reading!  See you next time….

Love and Blessings,
Susie

---

Award-winning recording artist, Broadway singer, journalist, educator and critically-acclaimed powerhouse vocalist, Susie Glaze has been called “one of the most beautiful voices in bluegrass and folk music today” by Roz Larman of KPFK’s Folk Scene.  LA Weekly voted her ensemble Best New Folk in their Best of LA Weekly for 2019, calling Susie “an incomparable vocalist.”  “A flat out superb vocalist… Glaze delivers warm, amber-toned vocals that explore the psychic depth of a lyric with deft acuity and technical perfection.”  As an educator, Susie has lectured at USC Thornton School of Music and Cal State Northridge on “Balladry to Bluegrass,” illuminating the historical path of ancient folk forms in the United Kingdom to the United States via immigration into the mountains of Appalachia.  Susie has taught workshops since 2018 at California music camps RiverTunes and Vocáli Voice Camp.  She is a current specialist in performance and historian on the work of American folk music icon, Jean Ritchie.  Susie now offers private voice coaching online via the Zoom platform.   www.susieglaze.com