Strawberry Jam Camp

05/20/2026

🍓📝 Meet the 2026 Songwriter's Workshop Instructors! 📝🍓

Donna Ulisse: Donna began her career as a demo singer, leading to a contract with Atlantic Records in the early 1990s. She is a prominent singer-songwriter and has released multiple albums. She won International Bluegrass Music Association's Songwriter of the Year in 2016 and Song of the Year in 2017. Donna and Rick host songwriting workshops at their Wee Farm, fostering talent and creativity in the bluegrass community.

Rick Stanley: Rick wrote his first song at the age of 15, titled "Home In The Mountains". Soon after, he wrote a second song called "Kentucky Tears", which was later changed to "Fallen Tears". Both songs have been recorded by Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys, with the band's lead singer at the time being Keith Whitley. Since then, both songs have been covered by several other noted artists.

Jerry Salley: Jerry has had over 550 different songs recorded and his songs have sold in excess of 19 million records worldwide. Writing and singing in Nashville since 1982, he has written multiple hits in country, bluegrass, and gospel music. Nominated in 2019 for the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Salley is the 2018 and 2019 IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) Songwriter of the Year and was named the 2003 SESAC Country Music Songwriter of the Year.

📚Read more about our instructors here- https://strawberryjamcamp.com/bios-1

05/13/2026

🍓🪕 Meet the 2026 Strawberry Jam Camp Assistant Instructors! 🪕🍓

Evan Anderegg: Evan began playing guitar when he was 12 years old and later attended Strawberry Jam Camp for the first time in 2015. He has been a part of his family's bluegrass band, The Anderegg Family, since 2016.

Graham Anderegg: Graham first started playing banjo when he was around 13, and has been playing in his family's bluegrass band, the Anderegg Family, since 2016. His family competed in the Youth in Bluegrass competition in 2021 and 2022, and placed 2nd in 2022.

Nathan Anderegg: Nathan has been playing upright bass for around 5 years, but started out on mandolin when he was 11. He has played both mandolin and bass in his family's bluegrass band, the Anderegg Family. Nate first attended Strawberry Jam Camp in 2015.

Ashlyn Briggs: Ashlyn has been playing fiddle since she was 5 and is classically trained. She first attended Strawberry Jam Camp in 2013. Ashlyn won the 12 and under Iowa State Fair fiddle contest in 2016.

Kaitlyn Briggs: Kaitlyn has been playing mandolin since she was 9. She first attended Strawberry Jam Camp in 2013, and also plays guitar, piano, and bass. Kaitlyn won the Iowa State Fair mandolin contest in 2019 and 2024.

Andre Garcia: Andre is a guitarist, luthier, and teacher. He has been playing bluegrass for almost a decade and participates in musical theatre pit orchestras at Timberlake Playhouse. He first attended Strawberry Jam Camp in 2014. Andre gives guitar, ukulele, bass, and mandolin lessons.

📚Read more about our instructors here- https://strawberryjamcamp.com/bios-1

05/06/2026

🍓🎻 Meet the 2026 Strawberry Jam Camp Instructors! 🎻🍓

Keith Yoder: Keith has taught music full time since 1994 and gives lessons for guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, resophonic guitar, bass, and drums. He has played music for over 4 decades, and he has led Strawberry Jam Camp since the very beginning!

Bob Black: Bob has bluegrass roots going straight back to Bill Monroe, The Father of Bluegrass Music. He has performed with Bill Monroe, Ricky Skaggs, Emmylou Harris, Marty Stuart, John Hartford, Ralph Stanley, Rhonda Vincent, The Whites, Frank Wakefield, and many others.

Bill Cagley: Bill has been a full-time professional musician since 1987, performing across the United States. He currently resides in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, where he can be found entertaining at bluegrass festivals, weddings, farmers’ markets, coffee houses, and music camps.

Paul Roberts: Paul has been teaching students to play banjo, guitar, bass guitar, and the big bass fiddle for more than 20 years. He has done a great deal of performing with two of Eastern Iowa's theatrical groups, Iowa Theatre Artists Company and The Old Creamery Theatre , most recently in “Only Paul: the Story of an Iowa Farmer and His Banjo."

Daryl Yoder: Daryl enjoys music of all kinds and has played upright bass for several years. While growing up, music was always a part of family gatherings and church functions. He enjoys music of all kinds and plays upright bass on his church's praise team. Daryl has played with the McPunk Brothers for over 25 years.

Scott Amos: Scott is a 35-year veteran of the performing arts and a banjo player and currently shares his skill as a banjoist and consultant for The Bluegrass Blondies, also known as the Amos Family Band (2008 – current). The Bluegrass Blondies were named 2019 SPBGMA Gospel group of the year.

📚Read more about our instructors here- https://strawberryjamcamp.com/bios-1

04/16/2026

Check out these throwback pictures of some of our Strawberry Jam Camp Instructors! Can you guess who’s who? Comment on each picture to let us know who you recognize! 📷🍓🪕

📚Read more about our instructors here- https://strawberryjamcamp.com/bios-1

Keith Yoder Donna Ulisse Jerry Salley Bob Black Scott Amos Evan Anderegg Graham Anderegg Nathan Anderegg Andre Garcia Ashlyn Briggs Kaitlyn Briggs Linzy Martin Daryl Yoder

04/01/2026

🍓 Our 2026 Strawberry Jam Camp menu is ready! A menu full of SPAM delicacies with recipes from the official SPAM website 🍓
Let us know how you feel about our meal choices in the comments below!

03/27/2026

We'd like to recognize our Hall of Fame attendees- campers who've attended for 10 or more years! Let us know how many years you've gone in the comments 🍓🪕🎻

Steve Hurst from IA - 15 years
Joanne Olson from MN - 15 years
Margaret B. from MN - 12 years
Wilma Rettig from IA - 12 years
Craig Spatafore from MN - 12 years
Nile Dielschneider from IA - 11 years
Jan Pleggenkuhle from IA -10 years
Larry Wildeboer from IA - 10 years

Our Jam Camp Instructors (Keith, Daryl, Bob, Paul, Bill, and Scott), Assistant Instructors (Evan, Graham, Nathan, Andre, Kaitlyn, and Ashlyn), and Songwriter Instructors (Rick and Donna) have also been apart of Strawberry Jam Camp for 10 or more years.

03/21/2026

It's time to register for the Songwriter's Workshop! ✏️📓🍓

Songwriter's Workshop is a 3-day long songwriter's camp held Wednesday, July 22nd through Friday, July 24th, 2026. Located in Strawberry Point, IA and led by acclaimed songwriters Donna Ulisse, Rick Stanley, and Jerry Salley, the camp is designed to help both new and seasoned songwriters improve their skills, connect with other attendees, and collaborate on writing new songs!

Register here- https://strawberryjamcamp.com/registration

Strawberry Jam Camp focuses on helping people learn to play music together. Songwriter's Workshop focuses on helping aspiring songwriters learn to write songs.

03/19/2026

It's time to register for Strawberry Jam Camp! 🪕🎻🍓

Strawberry Jam Camp is a 3-day long bluegrass music camp held Wednesday, July 22nd through Friday, July 24th, 2026. Located in Strawberry Point, IA, the camp is focused on helping people of all ages and skill levels learn how to jam with others. You'll learn what to play for rhythm backup, how to play songs you don't know in a jam, how to improvise breaks, and more!

Register here- https://strawberryjamcamp.com/registration

Strawberry Jam Camp focuses on helping people learn to play music together. Songwriter's Workshop focuses on helping aspiring songwriters learn to write songs.

03/09/2026

Share one (or more) of your favorite Strawberry Jam Camp memories in the comments! 🍓🎻🪕

Remember to Register for Strawberry Jam Camp 2026 - https://strawberryjamcamp.com/registration

02/26/2026

Here's another upcoming Jam Camp taught by one of our instructors, Paul Roberts, and his friend Marc Janssen!