Bloomington Roots

Cultivating the Bluegrass Ecosystem

Words by Samantha Cox; Photos provided by Bloomington Roots

On any given day, Bloomington Roots may be hosting a small show with an audience of 50, a 200-person show at the FAR Center, or a 600-person show at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater (BCT). For the last three years, Bloomington Roots has been tending to the bluegrass scene, bringing in new artists to venues around the city. 

As Elle Hodge, the manager and creative designer of Bloomington Roots, explains, “People would love to see live music all the time, but there were only certain places and avenues where that was happening before. One of the big reasons Bloomington Roots was started was to fill in more of those holes.” Now, the fast-paced tempo of acoustic instruments has grown into the foundation of Bloomington and made it home.

Throughout the year, Bloomington Roots hosts music series, festivals, concerts, and workshops to support artists, giving them a stage to perform. Along with the BCT, Bloomington Roots works alongside The Bishop, Switchyard Park, and the FAR Center for Contemporary Arts, where they host their Hand Picked Music Series. 

When artists tour, they often look for a stop between big cities like Chicago and Tennessee. Bloomington is the perfect stop for them. “Bloomington is such a good blank slate for the arts,” Hodge says. “There are so many facilities, so much talent, and so many people—especially with the university’s presence—who want to go out and see live music.” Over the three years they have been open, Bloomington Roots has brought in hundreds of artists, from Rosanne Cash and James McMurtry to Hawktail and One for the Foxes. With each show they put on, Bloomington Roots continues to nurture their dedicated Bluegrass community. “Our audience trusts us because they know that we bring in good acts," Hodge explains. “If they get bigger, we’ll move them to a larger venue.”

Hawktail and one of its members is one of these success stories– originally performing at the 200-capacity FAR Center in 2024, Jordan Tice, Hawktail's guitarist, will be performing at the 600-capacity BCT in December of this year. With the different-sized venues, Bloomington Roots can help an artist grow a following before they move to a larger audience. 

Bloomington Roots also works with the community around it, working with groups like Cosmic Songwriters Club, Lotus Festival and Granfalloon to support annual events happening around the city. “It’s about furthering and giving support to as many organizations as possible,” Hodge explains. In addition, Bloomington Roots works with a program of the same name introducing K-12 students to the world and work of the music industry. They can sit in on sound checks, meet artists, and get a first-person look at what it would be like to work in the music industry. While the program itself has been winding down due to scheduling issues, Hodge reflects on the program: “It was very rewarding to watch members of Girls Rock meet Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz, and Aoife O'Donovan of I'm With Her at the BCT last year.” She hopes that Bloomington Roots can provide more opportunities in the future for students. 

Connection is at the root of the organization. As the organization continues to grow, so too will its resources, audience, and artists' connections. With enough resources, talent, and space, Bloomington Roots has made the bluegrass scene blush.