2026 RIBA Hall of Fame inductee

Sal Sauco fell in love with bluegrass music at the first jam he attended in the early 2000s. Since then, he has studied and promoted bluegrass in an effort to support the southern New England bluegrass community.

​

Sal served as President of the Rhode Island Bluegrass Alliance from 2013 to 2025. RIBA has promoted shows with national artists, run kids’ academies at festivals, produced band showcases, and sponsored local events such as the yearly "Pick-nic" and monthly slow jams.

​

Sal has promoted, produced, and emceed Providence's only weekly bluegrass show: “Bluegrass Throedown” since 2012. He also promotes and hosts other local regularly scheduled local bluegrass shows and jams.

​

Sal plays mandolin and sings with the band, “Four Bridges.” He has also been in other prolific local bluegrass bands including "The Greystone Rail” and “The Bill Thibodeau band.” He also sits in with other local bands as necessary and has contributed to recordings for his bands and others.

He is a 2016 alumnus of the International Bluegrass Music Association’s (IBMA) Leadership Bluegrass professional development program.

​

Sal also maintains a regular rotation of bluegrass guitar and mandolin students, and hosts and participates in bluegrass instruction at multiple festivals.

He is a partner in Englund Studio, a digital marketing company headquartered in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.

​

Sal lives in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, with his wife, Sue, and two children, Elizabeth and John.