On Saturday, March 22nd, 2025, The North American Basque Organization and the San Francisco Basque Club honored the late Johnny Curutchet by hosting a full Bertsolari event, featuring the U.S. based Bertsolaris along with special guests from the Basque Country: Sebastian Lizaso, Aitor Mendiluze, Joanes & Xabat Illarregi & Todor Azurtza.

The U.S. based bertsolaris were Martin Goicoechea coming from Wyoming, and he was joined by N.A.B.O.’s Bertso Eskola students Oier Pastor and Nerea Eceiza. The bertsolari were prompted by Michaela Goicoechea, the subject giver, and sang bertsos in varying formats for nearly two hours. The improvised verses were translated to an adjacent screen by Xabi Paya who relayed the English version of the bertsos to Valerie Arrechea who typed them in to be read by the audience.

The bertsolari event was preceded by a luncheon, where the N.A.B.O. Al Erquiaga Bizi Emankorra Award (lifetime achievement) was awarded posthumously to Johnny Curutchet and presented to Mary Curutchet. During the lucheon special video tributes were played from Bertsolaris from the Basque Country who had sung with Johnny over the years, including ones from Amets & Maddalen Arzallus, Andoni Egana, Mixel Etxekopar, Xabier Euzkitze, Nerea Ibarzabal, Jean Louis Laka, Maialen Lujanbio and Julio Soto.

This event is a result of N.A.B.O.’s newest program, Bertsolaritzari Arnasa Berritu Amerikan (Give New Breath to Bertsolaritza in America), whose main purposes are to organize a recurring international Bertsolari event, organize more shorter local Bertsolari events at picnics and festivals, and to teach Bertsolaritza through a local Bertso Eskola (Bertsolari School).