This scholarship fund creates opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to learn to play a string band instrument (fiddle, banjo, guitar, mandolin, bass). Scholarships of up to $250 can be used to pay for private lessons, workshops, camps and other active learning opportunities. All applications will be considered, with priority given to teachers and students in the Piedmont and the Carolinas. PineCone is honored to keep Brad's memory and love of roots music alive through this program.
Brad Farmer was a beloved member of the Raleigh bluegrass community. He was a performer, teacher, jam leader and friend to us all. Brad passed away unexpectedly on August 17, 2023. He was 36 years old.
“Brad was a kind, gentle soul and a very gifted guitarist,” said banjo player Hank Smith of the band Hank, Pattie & the Current. Hank and Brad played together at Beer & Banjos at The Raleigh Times. That’s where Jef Walter first met Brad. “Brad’s playing was natural, authentic, and sincere,” wrote Jef Walter. He plays bass at Beer & Banjos and leads jams for PineCone. “Brad had a lot of technical and music theory knowledge that propelled his music but playing with Brad never felt academic; it always felt like it was coming from a very real place. You could tell how Brad was feeling, or what he was thinking about, by listening to his playing that night.”
Brad moved to Raleigh soon after completing a Masters of Music in Guitar Performance at ECU. He taught private lessons, worked with music students at Wake Tech and lead jam sessions. PineCone had just recently started up a new series of jams that Brad lead with Tray Wellington at Riparian in Raleigh.
“As a jam leader and guitar instructor he was kind, nurturing, and made a place for players of all experience levels to get up there and pick,” said Jef Walter.
Marcel Adams says he met Brad soon after arriving in Raleigh. “He went out of his way to make sure I had a good time and felt welcome in town. It was a very kind gesture that I haven’t forgotten.”
Brad’s parents Cindy and Lester Farmer reached out to PineCone about establishing a scholarship in Brad’s honor. As such, we are collecting donations in Brad’s name that will be used to support music teachers helping students get their start, or go futher, with acoustic music.
Applicants can apply for up to $250 of assistance at a time. Priority is given to applications from the Piedmont, and the Carolinas.
Once approved, teachers will invoice PineCone for the Total Scholarship Amount Requested. Payment will be made from the Fund directly to the teacher. Teachers must fill out a W-9 form and send a photo or screengrab with the student in order to receive payment. The image and likeness of both the teacher and student may be used to help promote the scholarship fund.
If assistance is required for this teacher/student pair beyond the allotted amount please contact us directly at 919-664-8333 or email membership@pinecone.org.
Click here to apply!
This application is open to all ages, and is specifically for those learning stringband instruments! Funds are awarded based on teacher/student pair and paid directly to the teacher. If you need help finding a teacher please reach out to us at info@pinecone.org before filling out this application. Both Teachers & Students can apply.
Please consider making a donation to this fund today to honor Brad Farmer and to support local music teachers helping students get their start or go further with their music!
You can give using the form below or by mailing a check with Brad's name in the memo line to: PineCone, PO Box 28534, Raleigh, NC 27611. You can also call PineCone at 919-664-8333 to donate over the phone; anyone in the office can help!
"It was an honor to represent PineCone at Bela Fleck's Blue Ridge Banjo Camp as a student. I was able to participate in the workshops with world class teachers and network with other musicians from all over the country. The highlight of my camp week was being selected to perform for a sold-out crowd during the main concert on Saturday evening!"
— Alanabeth Duncan, banjo player for youth band The Loblollies
"Thanks for the money for Sara Grace (for lessons) and I'm very sad that Brad Farmer died."
— Ezra, 5 years old, fiddle student at High Strung
“The Brad Farmer Memorial Scholarship is a wonderful opportunity for students of all ages to subsidize their private music studies with a teacher of their choice. There are not many scholarships available for private music lessons, even though this is probably the most common way for people to learn music. This scholarship has helped many of my students, and parents of students, afford to take lessons with me on a variety of instruments and musical styles. As a parent myself, I know that the bills are endless, and any help along the way is much appreciated and valued. It can also be a source of pride and accomplishment being awarded a scholarship, and my students who have received the Brad Farmer Scholarship have received not only a monetary boost, but also a boost in self-confidence. Thank you so much to the Farmer family for turning their personal tragedy into a source of joy for others, while honoring Brad and his legacy.”
— Gabriel Pelli, multi-instrument teacher
"We were so grateful for the Brad Farmer scholarship last year. The scholarship gave two students, ages 5 and 8, the chance to take fiddle lessons over the summer which paved the way for them to participate in the youth fiddle contest at the Hoppin John Fiddlers' Convention in September. They had so much fun and learned so much about old time music and dance! Thank you to PineCone and the Brad Farmer Scholarship!"
— Rebecca Buchanan, fiddle teacher to very young folks
