EWOB European Bluegrass Pioneer Awards 2002

During the 5th EWOB - European World Of Bluegrass Festival & Tradeshow 2002, held in Kolin in the Czech Republic, three European Bluegrass Pioneers were awarded. The EWOB Awards were based upon 22 nominations made by the EWOB national representatives and chosen from these nominations by the national representaives. The three European Bluegrass Pioneers that were honored for their great achievement for promotion Bluegrass Music in Europe were:

Tom Kuchka, born in Pennsylvania USA, moved to Finland in the end of the 60s. As a musician with a background in the New York Jazz scene,  he rediscovered his musical heritage after having left his home country. Taking to his roots he made a significant contribution to the introduction of Bluegrass music to Finnish musicians and enthusiasts.
His most important accomplishment in Finnish Bluegrass must be his now legendary Toimela Bluegrass Workshop which he held weekly without break for over thirty years. During this time he brought Bluegrass to many generations of pickers, the majority of whom make up the active Finnish Bluegrass scene today.
No one can forget Tom's truly authentic high lonesome sound when he sang, or his unforgettable call "I got it" when he chose to play a break. Though Tom never did receive attention as a picker he could play virtually all the "official" Bluegrass instruments and so was capable of putting together countless bands and fill in the missing instrument. Most often he would be the backbone of a Bluegrass band playing the upright bass, singing lead and high tenor while guiding the beginners to the secrets of Bluegrass.
There is virtually no one who has not been touched by his unyielding effort in finding new enthusiasts and his contribution in getting them started in Bluegrass music. Most of them eventually went their own ways to form bands such as Mayflower who worked its way up to become the first Finnish Bluegrass band to receive nationwide attention during the Country music boom of the 70s.
Tom kept on with his Bluegrass and Jazz workshops, was the driving force of his own Tom Kuchka Bluegrass Legacy, wrote numerous Bluegrass tunes of his own (with two published Bluegrass LP's, now out of print), and put together countless Bluegrass groups and performances due to his unfailing ability to come up with gigs through his widespread personal contacts.
Tom passed away in the summer of 2000 at the age of 61 but the legacy of his workshop is still going strong in the growing energy of Finnish Bluegrass. Tom's role as a guide, fellow musician and friend to many can be considered a major part of Finnish Bluegrass from the 60s to the beginning of the 21st century.
In comparison to other early Bluegrass enthusiasts, Tom Kuchka's continued dedication and support spanning well over three decades and affecting so many, even if not achieving major attention, has no equal in increasing the awareness and bringing in new musicians to Bluegrass. There can really be no better nominee for Finnish Bluegrass Pioneer.

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