Hall of Honor Band Inductee

Bluegrass Patriots 2025 CBMS Induction speech

In 1975, Danny Rogers posted a notification in Bluegrass Unlimited advertising an open bluegrass pick held every Tuesday night at The Town Pump, a bar he owned in Ft Collins, CO.  Ken Seaman saw the ad in Bluegrass Unlimited for the “Tuesday Night Toe Jam” and a spark was ignited that soon led Ken and his family to relocate from Eminence, MO to the Centennial State. 

Ken and Danny became fast friends and soon they found themselves picking with a couple of younger hippy guys who surprised them with their knowledge and love of the old bluegrass sounds of Bill Monroe and the Stanley Brothers.  As they began playing, everything magically fell together.  The harmonies blended perfectly, almost as if their music had been waiting for that precise time to reveal itself.  In that moment the chemistry of what was to become the Bluegrass Patriots was born.

By 1980 the Bluegrass Patriots were a full-fledged bluegrass band with Danny Rogers on bass, Ken Seaman on banjo, Willie McDonald on mandolin, Glenn Zankey on guitar, and the great Ranger Rick Bradstreet on dobro.  For the next 40 years the Patriots would perform far and wide, from Avogadro’s Number to Grass Valley, from the pubs of Ireland to parties hosted by President Gerald Ford and Astronaut/Senator John Glenn. From tours across Europe to performing at a nudist colony (yes, you heard that right) to being the host band for our beloved MidWinter Bluegrass Festival.  

The Bluegrass Patriots were at the heart of what Colorado Bluegrass became; the spirit of tradition born in the Appalachian Mountains coupled with the wildness of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. But the true heart of the band was the friendship and love they had for each other.  The joy of being friends, of sharing stages and playing music, the camaraderie that comes from thousands of hours on the road, wearing out 3 Dodger vans, and always willing to share a beer with each other at the end of the night or maybe during the day as well.  As Wille stated, “We loved the music, but we stayed together for the friendship.  The only reason we broke up was because we got old.”

At a time when so many bluegrass bands played it safe and stuck to the traditional bed of songs, the Patriots chose to delve further.  Their songs were fresh and original, and Ken was a master at finding those gem songs hiding in the shadows and under rocks.  While on vacation in Ireland, Ken heard a young woman sing a song in a pub that captivated him.  Convinced it would make a great bluegrass song, the band made it their own and upon its release, “When You and I Were Young, Maggie” climbed the bluegrass charts and became the Bluegrass Patriots “hit song.”

In 2002 tragedy struck the Patriots with the passing of Ranger Rick Bradstreet.  His musicality played a huge role in developing the Patriots sound and his onstage persona captivated audiences.  The bigger the stage the higher the energy.  Seasoned veteran Dan Mitchell stepped up and joined the band on fiddle to help fill the void left by Ranger Rick.

The Patriots played their last show in 2020 and in 2021 Ken Seaman passed away.  February 2025 guitarist and lead singer Glenn Zankey passed away.    When a beloved member of our community passes, tributes and memories come flooding into those closest to him.  A true testament to the legacy of the Bluegrass Patriots was shown through the hundreds of phone calls and messages from friends and fans around the world to express their condolences, share stories and memories, and say how much the Patriots have meant to so many people. 

Over 40 years, 8 albums, 3 Dodger vans, 2 or 300 cases of beer, an umpteen number of shows across the country and around the world, and countless late nights playing music together, one thing always remained constant: the love and friendships the Bluegrass Patriots had for each other.