California Bluegrass Reunion: “Little Pine Siskin”

Peghead Nation instructors play a John Reischman original the Freight in Berkeley, California.

By: Dan Gabel

January 19, 2026

The California Bluegrass Reunion band is packed with Peghead Nation instructors, including Bill Evans, Chad Manning, Sharon Gilchrist, Mike Witcher, John Reischman, and Jim Nunally (seen on many of Chad’s Western Swing Fiddle lessons playing rhythm guitar), and their annual tour of California is one of the highlights of the fall music season. In this video, the band plays John Reischman’s tune “Little Pine Siskin,” joined by fiddler Paul Shelasky (who was in the Good Ol’ Persons band with John) and by Mark Schatz, who does some fancy flatfooting toward the end of the tune!

This year, the California Bluegrass Reunion’s musical theme was songwriters with roots in California, either because they lived here or are/were in bands that are important to the rich fabric of music in the state. They performed songs and tunes written by Kate Wolf, Laurie Lewis, Kathy Kallick, David Grisman, and others. See our Featured Videos section for more performances from their fun and varied show!

Learn mandolin with Sharon on Peghead Nation in her courses Beginning Mandolin, Intermediate Bluegrass Mandolin, Bluegrass Mandolin Fingerboard Method, Melodic Embellishment, and Creative Mandolin Backup

Learn mandolin with John Reischman in his courses Old-Time Mandolin and Melodic Mandolin Tunes

Learn fiddle with Chad Manning in his Beginning Bluegrass and Old-Time Fiddle, Intermediate Bluegrass and Old-Time Fiddle, Advanced Bluegrass Fiddle, Western Swing Fiddle, and Theory for Mandolin and Fiddle courses.

Learn banjo with Bill Evans in his Beginning Banjo, Bluegrass Banjo, Earl Scruggs: A Player’s Guide, Melodic and Single String Banjo, and The Banjo Style of J.D. Crowe courses on Peghead Nation.

Learn dobro with Mike Witcher in his courses Beginning Dobro and Dobro Workshop.