Please consider donating to Otter Opry. To donate, click the DONATE link above, which will open the California Bluegrass Association Otter Opry donation form. Thanks!
CALIFORNIA BLUEGRASS REUNION
WITH OTTER OPRY
AT MONTEREY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Having brought the house down at their first three Otter Opry performances, the California Bluegrass Reunion will be back on Tuesday, November 18th at the United Methodist Church to do it again – and it just gets better every time! This star-studded band is highlighted by the awesome fiddling of Chad Manning and features an abundance of original instrumentals from mandolinist John Reischman and banjo player Bill Evans. Anchoring the rhythm section is Jim Nunally on guitar and vocals, Mike Witcher on Dobro, and Sharon Gilchrist on bass. The show will open with a four-song set by Nell & Jim, featuring Jim Nunally on vocals, guitar and banjo, with Nell Robinson on vocals and miniflute; this amazing duo delivers tight harmonies and original genre-bending music that will get the evening off to a sizzling start.
Back to California Bluegrass Reunion: Grammy Award-winning John Reischman is a foundational mandolinist, composer, bandleader and musical educator in bluegrass and North American roots and folk music. Bill Evans – winner of the 2022 Steve Martin “Excellence in Banjo” Award – occupies a unique niche in the music world, celebrated for his varied bluegrass banjo styles as well as his innovative original compositions. Jim Nunally is a musician, composer, record producer and teacher – all in addition to being one of the finest guitar players in the world. Chad Manning is a bluegrass, old-time and swing fiddler who has performed with more famous bands than you can count. Sharon Gilchrist has long made her home in the American acoustic music scene, performing on concert and festival stages all over North America. Growing up the youngest of five in a musical and artistic family in the suburbs of Los Angeles, Mike Witcher found his voice playing the Dobro at the age of 14.
These musicians have made music in various combinations for decades, but this all-star performance is an incredible opportunity to see and hear them together. There might be a change of personnel as we get closer closer to the date. The event includes a Salisbury steak dinner at 5:30pm ($15 before November 15th, $20 at the door). Online sales will end at 11am the day of the performance.
7pm.
$35/show (CBA members $30; 15 and under free); $15-20/pre-show dinner.
Online ticket sales will end at noon on the day of the performance.
BAYSIDE ROUNDERS
WITH OTTER OPRY
AT MONTEREY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Wow!! Welcome The Bayside Rounders, a new assembly of some of the hottest bluegrass pickers in the Bay Area! Here’s who you’ll get to see and hear on Wednesday, December 17th, when these awesome musicians bring their charm and talent to the Otter Opry stage at Monterey United Methodist Church.
Jesse Appelman on mandolin leads the West Coast Stringband Project, which features his singing and original compositions, and he has performed with Laurie Lewis, Kathy Kallick, Keith Little and Scott Nygaard. Hailing from the heartland of Indiana, and former member of Audie Blaylock and Redline, banjo player Evan Ward embodies the tone and timing of the banjo masters and offers heartfelt vocals. Inspired by Bill Monroe, who his father took him to see at age thirteen in his native Ohio, Mike Wilhoyte honed his bluegrass skills over the next 45 years to become a force on rhythm and lead guitar and as a lead singer.
Los Angeles native Mike Witcher cut his teeth with his family band and has gone on to become one of the most sought-after dobro players for both session work and touring with artists such as Peter Rowan, Dolly Parton, Dwight Yoakam and Laurie Lewis. Leading the band and holding down the bottom is legendary upright bass player Mark Schatz, who has toured and recorded with a Who’s Who of the bluegrass world including Tony Rice, Bela Fleck, Nickel Creek, Tim O’Brien and Claire Lynch. He always livens up a show with some Southern Appalachian clog dancing!
This promises to be one of the best shows ever, and you can make the evenning even more special with dinner before the show ($15 in advance, $20 after December 13th). Online sales will end at 11am the day of the performance.
7pm.
$35/show (CBA members $30; 15 and under free); $15-20/pre-show dinner.
Online ticket sales will end at noon on the day of the performance.
SPECIAL CONSENSUS
WITH OTTER OPRY
AT MONTEREY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
“Music like this is the reason people come to love bluegrass,” says Folk & Music Exchange. “Special Consensus approaches this hallowed American musical art form with boundless energy and an aesthetic reverence that tickles the ribs, tugs at the heart, and puts a restless two-step into boots and bare feet.” This iconic bluegrass band is coming to Otter Opry on Saturday, January 10th for a matinee performance, which you truly will not want to miss!
Marking its 50th anniversary in 2025, Special Consensus continues to deliver a vibrant contemporary bluegrass sound deeply rooted in tradition. Led by founder Greg Cahill, the band has been a cornerstone of the bluegrass community for five decades, with 22 acclaimed recordings, eight International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) awards, and two Grammy nominations testifying to their enduring artistry and
innovation.
With the foundation of Greg Cahill’s unique banjo playing style and the vocal prowess of Greg Blake (guitar), Dan Eubanks (bass) and Brian McCarty (mandolin), these musicians effortlessly support each other and consistently maintain their bluegrass center whether they’re playing a jazz-tinged instrumental or a song from any of their award-winning recordings. These four talented vocalists and instrumentalists follow their creative desires without straying too far from their roots.
3pm.
$35/show (CBA members $30; 15 and under free);
Online ticket sales will end at 9am on the day of the performance.
EVIE LADIN BAND
WITH OTTER OPRY
AT MONTEREY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Guess what’s coming up? A really cool matinee that’s guaranteed to make your weekend extra special! Otter Opry is thrilled to bring foot-stompin’, down-home bluegrass and old-time music back to Monterey on Saturday, February 21st with the amazing Evie Ladin Band. Tenacious, innovative string musicians, the Evie Ladin Band – consisting of Evie Ladin, Keith Terry and Erik Pearson – throws down captivating, truly entertaining live shows that get rave reviews every time.
Grounded in Appalachian old-time repertoire, seasoned in African-diaspora roots, writing from life in modern cities, blurring the lines between music and dance, the polyrhythmic heat of Evie's clawhammer banjo, resonant voice, real stories and rhythmic dance have been heard from “A Prairie Home Companion” to the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival.
Come on down to the United Methodist Church and treat yourself to Evie’s mastery of the clawhammer banjo and what WOMAD Festival calls “the soulful, salty tanginess of her voice” that grips the listener and refuses to let go. You don’t want to miss this one!
3pm.
$35/show (CBA members $30; 15 and under free)
Online ticket sales will end at 9am on the day of the performance.
MONROE CROSSING
WITH OTTER OPRY
AT MONTEREY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Heads up, California! On Thursday, March 12th, Minnesota-based Monroe Crossing will grace the Otter Opry stage with an electrifying blend of classic bluegrass, bluegrass gospel, original bluegrass and some surprising selections outside the bluegrass genre. Named in honor of Bill Monroe, the Father of Bluegrass Music, Monroe Crossing’s superb musicianship and on-stage rapport have entertained audiences throughout the United States, Canada and Europe.
Monroe Crossing consists of four distinct personalities with differing musical backgrounds: Mark Anderson (bass), Lisa Fuglie (fiddle & lead vocals), Matt Thompson (mandolin & harmony vocals) and Derek Johnson (guitar & lead vocals). The band also utilizes a cadre of talented banjo players – Benji Flaming, David Robinson and Graham Sones – all of whom are alumni of the group. When combined, the individual histories of these outstanding musicians make for a truly unique sound.
In 2007, Monroe Crossing was inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame. They have twice been selected to showcase at the annual World of Bluegrass convention hosted by the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA). They have also appeared twice at Carnegie Hall in New York City. In 2016, Monroe Crossing had the honor of being the first Minnesota bluegrass band to perform in South Korea. This is a bluegrass experience you won’t want to miss, and you can make it even more special with dinner before the show ($15 in advance, $20 after March 7th). Online sales will end at 11am the day of the performance.
7pm.
$35/show (CBA members $30; 15 and under free); $15-20/pre-show dinner.
Online ticket sales will end at noon on the day of the performance.
WATER TOWER
WITH OTTER OPRY
AT MONTEREY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
You can almost feel the sizzle in the air already! On Thursday, April 9th, Water Tower will grace the Otter Opry stage, and this band is literally the talk of the town. At its core, Water Tower is a triumph of unlikely alchemy—three virtuosos from wildly different worlds, colliding to create a sound that defies genre.
Kenny Feinstein, the punk-bluegrass outlaw, wields banjo, mandolin, fiddle, and guitar like weapons, splicing Old Time grit with punk rock fury. Tommy Drinkard—audio engineer, rock frontman, and banjo prodigy—went from student to champion in a year, taking 1st place at the Topanga Banjo & Fiddle Contest before merging his reggae-rock swagger into Water Tower’s DNA. Jesse Blue Eads, the 23-year-old jazz phenom, was a Berklee-awarded bassist hiding a banjo-shredding secret.
But no sonic rebellion is complete without its rhythmic foundation. Taylor Estes (The Bass Lord) is a low-end warlock whose basslines don’t just hold down the groove, they command it. And John Seltzer is the band’s human metronome, a mandolin player whose precision and adaptability flow as naturally as his seltzer-water namesake from breakneck bluegrass to psychedelic jam explosions.
Bound by a love for bluegrass, Old Time, and jam-grass, yet electrified by their divergent influences, Water Tower is a sonic rebellion. This isn’t just a band, it’s a movement! Come see for yourself, and let the sizzle wrap its arms around you. Dinner before the show ($15 in advance, $20 after April 4th) will add to the magic of the evening. See you there!
7pm.
$35/show (CBA members $30; 15 and under free)
Online ticket sales will end at noon on the day of the performance.
Otter Opry at Monterey United Methodist Church
1 Soledad Drive, Monterey, California 93940, United States