Scholarships

The Birthplace of Country Music Alliance (BCMA), a non-profit regional volunteer organization, collaborates with the Bluegrass and Country Music Program on a variety of projects, several of which involve ETSU students. The organization is comprised of business people, musicians, Chamber of Commerce officials, media representatives, educators, and other interested community members. It works effectively to heighten public awareness of—and encourage respect for—the region’s tradition-based music. ETSU students work actively on projects undertaken by the BCMA.

Left: Alison Krauss and Benny Sims share the stage at ETSU’s D. P. Culp Center.

Benny Sims Scholarship

The BCMA and a number of private donors have endowed the Benny Sims Scholarship which is awarded yearly to students enrolled in the ETSU Bluegrass and Country Music Program. Benny Sims played on dozens of classic Flatt and Scruggs recordings including “Roll In My Sweet Baby’s Arms,” “Foggy Mountain Breakdown,” “Farewell Blues,” “I’ll Stay Around,” and many more. (Benny also sang the lead on “Old Salty Dog Blues,” the only Flatt and Scruggs studio vocal on which Lester Flatt did not sing lead.) Until he passed away in 1996, Benny was a good friend to the ETSU program, and frequently took time to meet with students.

The scholarship fund was initiated by a BCMA Benny Sims Tribute concert, just three months before Benny passed away. Donating their time to perform and to honor Benny were Jim and Jesse McReynolds, Mac Wiseman, John Hartford, Bonnie Lou and Buster Moore, Curley Seckler, Ralph Stanley, and a number of local musicians. The following year a concert to honor regional musician Leon Kiser raised sufficient funds—along with additional private contributions—to fully endow the scholarship. The first award was made in December of 1998.