MSU announces scholarship honoring bluegrass legend Steve Cooley
Morehead State University recently announced that a scholarship donation has been named in honor of Kentucky native and bluegrass legend Steve Cooley. The donation will support a scholarship endowment for traditional music majors at Morehead State University. Traditional music, often associated with American bluegrass, as well as folk or banjo, is defined as music passed down through a community or group.
Steve Cooley has been a fixture in the bluegrass and music scene for more than 50 years. He has performed at the Grand Ole Opry and Carnegie Hall and has been featured on the classic television show, “Hee Haw.” He has also performed for five U.S. presidents and the Prince of Wales. He has worked with other legends, including Bill Monroe, Jean Ritchie, Hazel Dickens, Mac Wiseman, Rose Maddox and more.
He toured extensively in North America, Western Europe and Japan, often playing with well-known bands like the Dillards, Bluegrass Alliance, Katie Laur. He was featured with the Louisville Orchestra as a soloist on three occasions and has been a featured soloist with orchestras in France and Spain. Several recordings featuring Cooley have been nominated for GRAMMY Awards, and he was finalist for a GRAMMY for “Best Bluegrass Recording” in 1991 with the Dillards. Steve was a faculty instructor at Béla Fleck’s inaugural Blueridge Banjo Camp in 2018. A Kentucky native, he currently plays with the Bibelhauser Brothers doing touring dates and the Dozens of Dollars String band in Louisville. Steve still teaches privately and at workshops and clinics, as well as engineers and produces music for other artists in his recording studio.
“I am absolutely thrilled about the establishment of the Steve Cooley Banjo and Bluegrass Music Scholarship!” said Daxson Lewis (Class of 2016), director of the Kentucky Center for Traditional Music. “Steve’s musicianship, creativity, and dedication to traditional music has taken him to prestigious stages around the world. He represents the very best of our region, and this scholarship is a perfect way to honor his contributions to the traditional music of our southern mountain region. I send my heartfelt thanks to the anonymous donor who made this scholarship possible. Their generosity not only invests in the future of our students but also recognizes the incredible artists of our region - Steve among them. This scholarship will have a lasting impact, and I am truly grateful to see it come to life!”
Morehead State University offers the only traditional music bachelor’s degree program in Kentucky. Through the Kentucky Center for Traditional Music (KCTM), students can achieve a Bachelor of Arts or Minor in Traditional Music. Morehead State was one of the first universities in the country to offer a bachelor’s degree in traditional music. KCTM is not only home to the traditional music program at Morehead State, but also to traditional music archives and the Sounds of Our Heritage program, where students gain real-world stage experience informing the public about traditional music and ensuring its preservation.
The scholarship was formally announced on January 25th at an event at Ashbourne Farms celebrating Cooley, with several prominent bluegrass musicians in attendance, including GRAMMY-winning instrumentalist Béla Fleck.
"Steve Cooley has been my banjo brother since 1979, when I moved to Kentucky from Boston,” said Béla Fleck, 18-time GRAMMY Award-winning instrumentalist. “He has been a friend to all that love this musical corner of the world, and has fought the good fight in Louisville, raising the musical standard for bluegrass and roots music, and helping others on their diverse journeys.”
Recipients of the scholarship must be working towards either a Bachelor of Arts or a Minor in Traditional Music. Preference will be given to students who play banjo as their primary instrument. Award amounts will be up to $15,000 a year and based on the student’s financial need. The scholarship will be renewable each academic year, contingent on the recipient remaining in good academic standing. The initial donation to establish the scholarship endowment was $95,000. The scholarship donors requested to remain anonymous.
“Anonymous donations represent true philanthropic purpose,” said Allison Caudill (Class of 2005, 2009), CEO of the MSU Foundation. “The donor wanted to ensure Steve Cooley’s legacy is passed down for generations to come and that aspiring musicians can pursue their dreams. This honorary scholarship is special in so many ways, and MSU is honored to have the opportunity to help fulfill this purpose.”
Photo, left to right: Steve Cooley with GRAMMY Award-winning artist Béla Fleck.
Photo courtesy of Ashbourne Farms.
