The Crandall Creek Scholarship is an annual $1,000 college scholarship awarded to a person who demonstrates an interest and involvement in any aspect of bluegrass music, including but not limited to performance.
Rainy Miatke from Ashland, Oregon (pictured above) is the 2021 recipient of the first Crandall Creek Scholarship. Miatke is attending Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, North Carolina, majoring in Environmental Studies. A mandolin and guitar player, Rainy grew up performing in a family band called Rainy and the Rattlesnakes—first busking on the streets and in farmers’ markets, and later traveling across the country twice, earning gas money with gigs. Since then, she has formed ensembles, gone on tour, and recorded with several musicians. “My dream is to use my bluegrass music roots and my platform to bring people together and empower them to rise up and advocate for our planet,” Miatke says.
Crandall Creek is a Moundsville, West Virginia-based band formed in 2015 that plays a mix of bluegrass, folk, acoustic country and gospel. The band’s original music and vocal harmonies reflect their Appalachian roots. Band members include Jerry Andrews, Kathy Wigman Lesnock, Dustin Terpenning, Abby Latocha, Mason Atha and Hanna Livingston, who each contribute material to the group. Popular at West Virginia as well as Pennsylvania venues, the band’s 2020 album, Headed South, was critically acclaimed and received extensive radio airplay. In 2022 they were honored to become Charter Members of the Jamboree at the Monroe Theatre in Woodsfield, Ohio.
Bandleader Jerry Andrews says the band has been involved in community causes since its inception. “The future of bluegrass depends upon educating our young people,” says Crandall Creek founder Jerry Andrews. “We are honored to be a part of that process. Bluegrass music is steeped in both tradition and innovation. We support both of those efforts.”
Applications for the Crandall Creek Scholarship for the fall 2022 semester must be submitted by June 1. Apply by emailing the application form and one letter of recommendation to info@bluegrassfoundation.org or by mailing to: IBMA Foundation, Attn: Scholarships, 1183 University Drive #105-215, Burlington, NC 27215. (Letters must be postmarked by June 1, 2022.)
Students may apply for more than one scholarship on the same application form. Applicants must either be citizens of the United States or international students planning to go to college in the United States. Individuals may apply for and/or receive scholarship support for more than one year, but they must re-apply each year by June 1 for the following fall semester.
Click here to download and fill out the application form and to review criteria for all six scholarships.
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