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<strong>International</strong> <strong>Bluegrass</strong><br />
Vol. 26, No. 5 May 2011<br />
TABLE OF CONTENTS——<br />
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<br />
WORLD OF BLUEGRASS 2011, Wait ‘til you see what we’ve got planned for you!<br />
NEW LABELS SPROUTING IN BLUEGRASS<br />
THE GOLDEN AGE OF BLUEGRASS INSTRUCTION<br />
THE ETIQUETTE OF PITCHING SONGS<br />
BLUEGRASS MUSIC INDUSTRY NEWS<br />
FRESH SOUNDS IN THE WORLD OF BLUEGRASS—NEW MUSIC!<br />
BOARD ELECTIONS SET<br />
BOARD MEETING HIGHLIGHTS<br />
IBMA STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL CONDITION, 2010<br />
NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR SPECIAL AWARDS, DEADLINE JUNE 30<br />
RECORD LABEL RECOMMENDED SHOWCASES, DEADLINE MAY 6<br />
<br />
<br />
MAY 19 WEBINAR: “MEDIA TRAINING MASTERCLASS—MAKING THE MEDIA WORK FOR YOU”<br />
NEW IBMA MEMBERS<br />
WORLD OF BLUEGRASS 2011<br />
Wait ‘til you see what we’ve got planned for you!<br />
You’ll still see a lot of familiar faces and hear a G run around every corner, but World of <strong>Bluegrass</strong> 2011 will be different<br />
from anything you’ve experienced before at IBMA’s annual Business Conference, Awards Show and <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Fan Fest!<br />
We’ll be in the same building, but there will be a fresh, new atmosphere that’s open and welcoming to professionals, parttimers<br />
and fans.<br />
Simply put, we’ve pored over your survey replies and our goal is to host a World of <strong>Bluegrass</strong> week that is valuable, relevant,<br />
affordable and accessible to the entire bluegrass community.<br />
There are few, if any other industries in the world whose members insist on spending hours standing in circles playing music<br />
together. That’s still a huge part of who we are as an industry, and our conference will celebrate the fellowship, relationships<br />
and music that we all have in common. At World of <strong>Bluegrass</strong> 2011 plan to get more business done, in a relaxed and<br />
fun environment! (Continued on page 2)<br />
<strong>International</strong> <strong>Bluegrass</strong> (ISSN #1095-0605)<br />
IBMA: Working together for high standards of professionalism, a greater appreciation for our music, and the success of the worldwide bluegrass community<br />
The monthly emailed publication of the <strong>International</strong> <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Music Association: 2 Music<br />
Circle South, Ste. 100, Nashville, Tenn. 37203, USA, Phone: (615) 256-3222, Email: nancyc@ibma.org, Website: www.ibma.org. Statements of fact and<br />
opinion are made on the responsibility of the writers alone and do not imply an opinion on the part of the officers, directors, staff or members of IBMA.<br />
Portions of <strong>International</strong> <strong>Bluegrass</strong> may be reprinted provided that explicit citation of the source is made. The deadline for submissions to <strong>International</strong><br />
<strong>Bluegrass</strong> is two weeks before the 1 st of every month.<br />
1
(WOB 2011, continued from page 1)<br />
Here are some specifics:<br />
Accessibility to the events:<br />
All levels of the convention center will be open to the public. Added furnishings<br />
and décor will make the convention center hallways your “social space”<br />
for face-to-face interaction, with a comfortable place for jamming, catching up<br />
with friends and informal business conversations. Ticket check-points for paid<br />
attendees will be moved to the entry doors for ticketed events.<br />
We’ve lowered prices by as much as 17% for full attendee and daily registration<br />
packages! The best registration value is still the full attendee package but<br />
for the first time, the Business Conference will offer daily a la carte tickets to<br />
see the exhibit hall or see evening showcases. (These events, as well as<br />
meals and educational events are still part of the full registration options.)<br />
And….The Exposition Hall will be open to the public on Wednesday afternoon!<br />
The Music:<br />
The survey said…”more emerging talent at official showcases.” Expect to see<br />
more new faces and discover exciting, new music at the official showcases!<br />
We’ve passed some love on to After Hours Showcase hosts and performers with a new time slot (10:00 p.m. to 1:30<br />
a.m.), and we’ve lifted the registration requirement for After Hours Showcase performers. Start earlier, have access to<br />
all the shows, and hear more music than ever before!<br />
Songwriters will reign in a nightly showcase all week. The IBMA Songwriter Showcase will move to an afterhours time<br />
slot, and the songwriter room will be active with nightly performances, songwriter jam sessions, song circles and “open<br />
mic” opportunities.<br />
Learning:<br />
<strong>Bluegrass</strong> Nation, a web-based social networking and marketing database for bluegrass fans and business folks from<br />
around the world, will have its launch party at World of <strong>Bluegrass</strong>. Learn about it at dedicated preview sessions or sit<br />
down for a personal tour of the site.<br />
A NEW “Emerging Artist” educational track will cover contract negotiations, endorsements, social media, branding and<br />
more.<br />
NEW Sessions for Fans will include storytelling, practice tips (from a pro of course), picking styles, info on vintage instruments,<br />
getting the most out of your axe and more.<br />
Popular events like the Gig Fair, Mentor Sessions, Song Demo Listening, and DJ Taping Sessions (at a new location)<br />
will return along with several seminars, workshops and labs dedicated to professional development.<br />
Celebrations:<br />
World of <strong>Bluegrass</strong> 2011 is dedicated to Bill Monroe’s 100 th birthday! Throughout the week we’ll share stories, movies,<br />
interviews, competitions and more that help us remember and celebrate the music of the father of bluegrass music.<br />
We’ll return to the Ryman Auditorium for The <strong>International</strong> <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Music Awards on Thursday, September 29—<br />
always a joyous night filled with unique moments you won’t see anywhere else!<br />
<strong>Bluegrass</strong> Fan Fest wraps up the week with its own set of musical highs! Three stages, 100+ vendors, instrument<br />
workshops, new “<strong>Bluegrass</strong> Chat Room” discussion groups, movies, competitions, jamming and loads of talent to see!<br />
There will be a WORLD of difference at World of <strong>Bluegrass</strong> this year, and trust us…you don’t want to miss it!<br />
Watch for the full World of <strong>Bluegrass</strong> brochure in your mail box later this month. Ticket sales begin June 1 at<br />
www.ibma.org or by calling 888-GET-IBMA.<br />
2
NEW LABELS SPROUTING IN THE BLUEGRASS<br />
by Nancy Cardwell<br />
According to Nielsen SoundScan numbers for 2010, album sales in the U.S. fell 12.8% to 325.2 million, from 373.9 million<br />
units sold in the past year, as CD sales plummeted by nearly 20% for the fourth year in a row. On the digital music side, individual<br />
tracks showed only a 1% increase in sales, reaching 1.17 billion units, compared to 1.16 billion in 2009.<br />
It’s a tough time to be in the record label business, with sales impacted by unauthorized peer-to-peer networks and shrinking<br />
shelf space at retail—at the record stores that still exist. According to Billboard magazine, only 13 albums scanned more than<br />
1 million units, down from 22 that hit the 1 million sales mark in 2010.<br />
Given the current music sales climate and overall global economic challenges, one wonders why new labels have continued<br />
to sprout up in the bluegrass music world in recent years. Both Rhonda Vincent and The Grascals left an established label<br />
after their contracts were up, in favor of starting their own record labels. Pinecastle Records in North Carolina has reemerged<br />
on the horizon under new ownership, and the Maryland-based Patuxent Music label has released a steady stream<br />
of new albums.<br />
During the past four years we’ve seen the advent of Mountain Road Recordings, headed by Karl and Gail Cooler in Bristol,<br />
Tenn. and Mountain Fever Records in Willis, Va., steered by Mark and Brandon Hodges with legendary banjo player<br />
Sammy Shelor running the studio. Glen Tabor at Gat3 Records (with studios in Charlotte, N.C., Gadsden, Ala. and a new<br />
one being built in Africa), have decided to start up a label and release a new bluegrass guitar album from Kenny Smith.<br />
Admittedly, small companies offer some advantages. Perhaps it’s easier to turn a small boat than a mighty ocean liner when<br />
the weather changes or icebergs appear on the horizon.<br />
Vincent released her current album, Taken, on her own Upper Management Music label, based in Hermitage, Tennessee.<br />
In addition to CDs from band member Hunter Berry and Vincent’s daughters’ band, The Next Best Thing, the label has announced<br />
Rhonda’s collaboration with legendary country artist Gene Watson titled Your Money and My Good Looks, to be<br />
released June 9, 2011.<br />
BluGrascal Records, owned by the founding members of The Grascals (Terry Smith, Terry Eldredge, Danny Roberts and<br />
Jamie Johnson) along with their manager Kirt Webster, was formed in fall 2011 as an imprint to release The Grascals &<br />
Friends: Country Classics with a <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Spin, available exclusively at the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store chain of restaurants.<br />
With sales in excess of 25,000 during the first four months, it was a smart move for the band. The album debuted at<br />
#1 on the Billboard <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Albums Chart in January 2011 and has spent seven weeks at the top position so far.<br />
According to Jeremy Westby with Webster & Associates, “The Grascals’ decision to form their own label imprint was threefold”—specifically<br />
in the areas of finance, marketing support and creative control. “The Grascals are still very grateful to Ken<br />
Irwin and the team at Rounder Records for allowing the band to start their career there,” Westby notes. “The band made<br />
great music, earned a loyal fan base, won awards and attracted sponsors, but their albums never generated direct revenue<br />
for the band. With no royalty payments from sales, the band relied on touring to make a living. With distribution being the<br />
100% key to any success as a label, The Grascals reviewed the Cracker Barrel album opportunity and loved their marketing<br />
plan and model. So they decided not to re-sign with Rounder and created a project in which the band would own and generate<br />
revenue from album sales.”<br />
There are no plans for BluGrascal Records to sign additional artists, but they may release individual projects from band<br />
members. The label’s current release is Dance ‘til Your Stockings are Hot and Ravelin’ (A Tribute to the Music of The Andy<br />
Griffith Show), released in honor of the show’s 50 year anniversary on BluGrascal Records and distributed through a licensing<br />
deal with TimeLife.<br />
Karl and Gail Cooler started Mountain Roads Recordings in December 2007, and their first release, Open for Business<br />
from Big Country <strong>Bluegrass</strong>, came out in July 2008. Their 11 th CD, Retroactive, by The VW Boys, was released in late March<br />
2011, and they’re currently working on the 12 th release.<br />
“We had been looking for an avenue to showcase some of the tremendous talent that originates in our part of the Appalachians,”<br />
Karl Cooler recalls. “By the time the first album was released, we had a lot of interest from artists throughout the area<br />
by word of mouth…. We were gaining a reputation for working hard for them and the music. We hear of the imminent demise<br />
of the CD and we know that we will have to adjust, but the fans in our areas still want to hold CDs and have the artists sign<br />
them at a performance. I think we will have a need for CDs longer than some other areas of the country.”<br />
(Continued on page 4)<br />
3
(Continued from page 3)<br />
According to Gail Cooler, the label is a part-time business for her and her husband. “Our time is limited, and we won't take on<br />
any more bands than we are able to provide adequate support for,” she says. “We have to be very selective. We plan our production<br />
schedules about 18 months in advance with a little flexibility in case we come upon a project that is just too good to<br />
pass up.”<br />
The current Mountain Roads roster includes the Elkville String Band, Whitetop Mountain Band, Johnny Williams, Pathway, Tiffany<br />
Hurt, Jim Lloyd and the Skyliners, The Snyder Family Band and Rich in Tradition. They also released Born into <strong>Bluegrass</strong>:<br />
The Songs of Cullen Galyean, featuring Rich in Tradition with Terry Baucom, Junior Sisk, Jimmy Haley, Johnny Williams, Billy<br />
Hawks and more.<br />
“Our region goes from this side of Charlotte, North Carolina to Richmond—southern and western Virginia, and into Kentucky,”<br />
Karl Cooler explains. “Our goal has been to create a label with a family of artists. I struggle to get more exposure for our regional<br />
music and get them more involved in the mainstream. I try to give them a high quality recording, the best artwork possible,<br />
and then market them to radio and event and festival producers. Our artists aren’t going to be able to get into Wal-Mart<br />
and Kmart, and the standard distribution model for retail is going away anyway. Our goal is to stay small, and help our artists<br />
get better bookings—because the bulk of sales for our artists is at the record table.”<br />
Like the Franklin, Tennessee based Blue Circle Records owned by songwriters Tom T. and Dixie Hall, as an imprint for artists<br />
who record their songs and want to release their albums on a label, the Coolers send out compilation CDs of their artists’<br />
songs to radio stations and syndicators. Karl also targets around 125 event producers, in an active effort to help his bands get<br />
more work. If someone is interested in a particular artist, he sends out a full CD and also a DVD containing a song video of<br />
their best song and a “get to know the band” video produced by the label.<br />
“The key is to target your audience and minimize mailing and production costs,” Karl notes. “Airplay Direct has helped us. We<br />
try to get our artists’ music out to as many bluegrass and folk DJs as possible. Some of our artists don’t have internet or email<br />
yet, so we want to do for them what they can’t do for themselves.”<br />
The Snyder Family Band is going back into the studio the first week of June to record their second album for the label, set to<br />
be released in fall 2011, and “we are working on a collaborative project titled Close Kin: A Reunion of Old Time and <strong>Bluegrass</strong><br />
featuring bluegrass and old time artists that showcases both styles of music in a unique way,” Karl adds.<br />
“We believe that our success is directly related to the success of our artists, so we do whatever our artists need from us,”<br />
Cooler says. “I don't see our artists taking over the entire job. Most work full time jobs and what I hear from them is that they<br />
just want to play more and have us handle the production and promotion. The first question I always ask a prospective band is,<br />
‘Do you want to make your money selling CDs at the record table, or do you want to increase your exposure and both quantity<br />
and quality of your bookings’ If they answer ‘the record table,’ then I advise them to stick with self-produced CDs and be extremely<br />
mindful to keep their production costs as low as possible. The social media phenomenon has certainly made the artists<br />
more actively involved with their promotion, and I look for that participation to continue to increase.”<br />
Mark Hodges started Mountain Fever Records in 2008 as a local label in Willis, Virginia. “I had the studio and the resources,<br />
and there were just a lot of records that I thought had to be made,” Hodges says. “After that it was a pretty easy step to go nationally<br />
in the early spring of 2010, and with all the bluegrass talent around it’s been smooth sailing…. There are so many<br />
‘labels’ that come and go with only one record to offer. As one DJ put it to us, they know when they open our package it’s going<br />
to be ‘the good stuff, not the filler,’ and that makes me feel good. They know we’re in it for the long haul.”<br />
Mark is CEO of the label, and Brandon Hodges, who also works as a mastering engineer, is Vice President in charge of radio<br />
promotions. Sammy Shelor is also a Vice President at the company, working mainly in the studio.<br />
“A lot of people asked if we were crazy” to start a label in the current economic climate, Mark laughs. “The answer was ‘yes’—<br />
but we have the studio, the talent and lots of friends in the business. It was just a matter of developing a plan based on what<br />
we had learned from watching the big labels. I don't mean we copied their business plans, but we paid particular attention to<br />
the areas they failed in. The root of our formula is that we are a family. We help each other and we work together to get<br />
through any obstacle in our path. Our groups help each other get gigs. They help each other sell product. We co-op our orders<br />
whether it be for posters or t-shirts or whatever. I'd be proud to have anyone on the label go to my parents’ house for Sunday<br />
dinner. Sound corny It does to me sometimes, but it works. The nature of this music is family oriented so I just stick to<br />
what I believe in my heart is right.”<br />
The Mountain Fever roster includes The Expedition Show, Volume Five, Edgar Loudermilk, Michelle Nixon & Drive, The Hagar's<br />
Mountain Boys, Jett's Creek, No One You Know, Statement, David Grindstaff, The Troubadours, Ashlee Blankenship &<br />
Blades of Blue and Sweet Potato Pie. “There are a couple more under contract that we can’t talk about yet,” Hodges hints, “but<br />
I’ll just say next year is going to be huge and leave it at that. We don't chase a lot of bands, but we've been known to make a<br />
(Continued on page 5)<br />
4
(Continued from page 4)<br />
couple of calls to show some interest. We get records in the mail all the time, and we listen to every one of them so most<br />
contact is initiated by the artists.”<br />
New spring and summer releases are scheduled from Volume Five, Michelle Nixon & Drive, Angie Young & Jett’s Creek,<br />
David Grindstaff & the Troubadours, Sweet Potato Pie and No One You Know.<br />
Like Cooler, Hodges realizes “the more successful the artist becomes, the more money the label makes. I've never figured<br />
out why the labels didn't already help with PR and publishing and tour support. We are already in touch with the DJs on a<br />
regular basis. Why should someone else have to make contact to arrange interviews or in studio appearances We've got<br />
Kimberly Williams of East Public Relations handling label PR and she's the best there is. I don't know anyone in the business<br />
that doesn't trust her. She's done more for us than I can possibly convey.”<br />
Shelor says he got involved in Mountain Fever Records because he lives 20 minutes from the studio. He’s worked behind the<br />
scenes in engineering and mixing over the years, and like most established artists, he is always interested in developing new<br />
streams of revenue. “To be honest, there are a lot of great bands out here that will work for less than we will [The Lonesome<br />
River Band], who have day jobs,” Shelor says. “I can’t afford to go for less because I pay my band well, and I pay them well<br />
in order to keep them. So, we play fewer dates. Most of what I’m doing here is a teaching job,” he elaborates. “We’re taking<br />
younger musicians who have never really done any recording and we’re trying to develop them into what needs to be done—<br />
being a band player, creating taste, creating dynamics. I’m just trying to share what I’ve been taught by my mentors. Sonny<br />
Osborne was really good to me when I was young. He taught me more than anybody about the business and about playing.<br />
He took an interest in what I was about, I think because I didn’t try to be like somebody else. I’m just trying to do the same<br />
thing, and share what I’ve been taught.”<br />
In addition to coaching and running the Mountain Fever studio, Shelor is interested in management—including a development<br />
deal with a new country artist, Lacy Green.<br />
“I started the Patuxent Music label in 1998 after fiddler Joe Meadows recorded an album at my studio for a North Carolina<br />
label,” Tom Mindte recalls. “The label went bankrupt, I had the master, and I decided to put it out. It was kind of a cool experience<br />
to do that, and try to market it. Then I put out a D.C. area blues album, and then started getting demos and people approaching<br />
me and things kind of snowballed. I try to find musicians whose music I like, since I’m the A&R, CEO and the entire<br />
staff here,” Mindte smiles, “and then it’s got to be a little more than that. I have to at least recover my expenses. They need to<br />
be someone out there working, who is out there selling records at the record table.”<br />
Specifically, around 65% of Patuxent CDs are sold by the artists themselves at record tables. “About 20% are bought by the<br />
few remaining stores such as County Sales and Elderly Instruments,” Mindte adds. “The rest are sold on the website or to<br />
smaller stores. As long as bands are performing and selling CDs, there will be a market. I believe that the fans will always<br />
want to buy music from the bands, in whatever form is available at the time.”<br />
Patuxent runs the gamut stylistically from bluegrass and old-time music to blues, jazz, swing and rock. The roster list is too<br />
long to list here, but a number of names familiar to bluegrass fans turn up upon a quick scan including Jessie Baker, Darren<br />
Beachley & Legends of the Potomac, Travers Chandler & Avery County, The Doerfels, Gary Ferguson, Angelica Grim, Nate<br />
Grower, Patrick McAvinue, Jeremy Stephens, the Stonemans, Frank Wakefield, Chris Warner and Dede Wyland—in addition<br />
to Mindte’s own group, The Patuxent Partners.<br />
Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass have just signed with the label, and Tom is currently working on new releases by Frank<br />
Wakefield, Akira Otsuka, Leon Morris, Ethan Hughes, Brennen Ernst, Merl Johnson, Cory Piatt and Jordan Tice. The label<br />
also published a book of music and a three-CD set with Frank Malloy, who wrote 159 tunes for every one of Georgia’s counties.<br />
“A lot of our artists are young, upcoming artists that are more on the new acoustic side of things,” Mindte says, “but there are<br />
exceptions.” Mindte uses Mike Cleveland and Flamekeeper band members as musicians at his state-of-the-art studio in<br />
Rockville, Md. on several Patuxent records. “We just recorded Russ Carson, who is now playing with Audie Blaylock,” Tom<br />
continues. “We used Brandon Rickman and Jeff Parker on vocals on that album, and Dominique Leslie on mandolin. The<br />
Stonemans (Roni, Donna and Patsy) have an upcoming record that will be recorded in Nashville. We’ll do all their stuff live,<br />
and then bring it back to Washington to dub in fiddle and few other things.”<br />
The new Frank Wakefield album is a collection of Bill Monroe songs, with Tom Ewing on lead vocals, Audie Blaylock on tenor,<br />
Mike Cleveland on fiddle and Marshall Wilborn on bass. “Cory Piatt is a new superpicker,” Tom adds. “He’s around 16 or 17<br />
and is just an amazing picker. We’ll record this summer when he’s out of school.” (Continued on page 6)<br />
5
(Continued from page 5)<br />
Gat3 Productions—which draws its name from owner, producer and engineer Glen A. Tabor, III’s initials---was established<br />
in 1996 in Charlotte, North Carolina, says Susan Tabor, Glen’s wife and the company’s Director of Operations.<br />
Unlike the grim stories heard from producers at some of the major studios in Nashville, the Tabors are incredibly busy.<br />
They have a second location in Gadsen, Alabama, and they’re getting ready to build a third studio in Africa, to be conveniently<br />
located near one of their most popular artists.<br />
Kenny and Amanda Smith have recorded all of their band albums at Gat3, including the Grammy-nominated bluegrass<br />
project, Tell Someone. Their new guitar album with Kenny Smith prompted them to add “record label” to their list of company<br />
services—which also includes mastering, audio forensic evidence, duplication and artist management. The project,<br />
titled Return, is already on sale online, and physical copies will ship in May 2011.<br />
“Kenny and I had discussed a new guitar record for several years,” said two-time Grammy winner and label owner, Glenn<br />
Tabor. “One day when Kenny and Amanda were hanging at my house, we decided it was time to not only to record the<br />
project, but to start a label that would give it the attention it needed. That’s when I started Gat3 Records. It’s just an extension<br />
of what we’re about—supporting artists.”<br />
In summary….<br />
As industry distribution models are shifting, lines appear to be blurring between management, booking, publicity, record<br />
labels, accountants, publicists and merchandisers. The goal is to get quality music to fans, but the delivery mechanisms<br />
(and the folks who run those machines) are changing.<br />
“The industry trend is for major labels to have more control in an artist’s career and image, including merchandising, publishing<br />
and touring,” Jeremy Westby says. “With record sales down and continuing to drop overall, the labels still have to<br />
figure out a way to offer more on their 'menu.' I get it—why they require ‘360 deals’ from some or all of their new signees.<br />
I think a band willing to fight it out—to create and maintain their own merch, form their own label and go out and do<br />
the music they want to do—but staying open to the direction of good team members who are bringing opportunities to<br />
them, will succeed in the long run.”<br />
Whether promotional team jobs are done by record label employees, hired specialists or band members themselves, the<br />
jobs still have to be done. “I believe there is still a need for and comfort in keeping those roles defined,” Westby says.<br />
“The best team is still a combination of efforts between agents, managers, publicists, labels/distributors, promotion/<br />
marketing teams and good business managers. Some teams and companies offer 'one-stop shop' combinations of those<br />
elements, but at the end of the day an artist who can combine all those team members will always see more exposure<br />
and success than those without. Typically the best companies are more 'narrow-focused' in their offerings, but are willing<br />
to link arms with other like-minded folks in the entertainment spectrum. As far as bluegrass goes, many groups have the<br />
independent, 'do what you can for yourself' mentality. I am a firm believer in having a team, rather than doing it all yourself.<br />
The benefit of having your own label, and licensing and promoting that creatively to and through other entities, has<br />
also proven to be a successful model for many.”<br />
“We couldn't have picked a worse time economically to start a business, especially a music related business,” Karl Cooler<br />
smiles wryly. “Shortly before we started, I had the opportunity to sit down one-on-one with a couple of established record<br />
label owners, hoping to get as much advice as I could. What I discovered was that they were feeling their way in this rapidly<br />
changing business just like me. Rather than being discouraged by that, I was energized by the idea that I just needed<br />
to explore any new and different approach that I could, and that my inexperience may even be a major plus because I<br />
was not bound by preconceived notions of what a record label should or should not be doing. I talk with our artists and<br />
ask them what they need from us…. We try to do what they need to improve their recording projects, the presentation of<br />
their projects, and get them out to as many people as we can to expand the market for not only their CDs, but their potential<br />
for bookings. Many of them have not had real exposure to IBMA and we want to improve that as well.”<br />
6
THE GOLDEN AGE OF BLUEGRASS INSTRUCTION<br />
By Yvonne Tatar<br />
Listening to records, jamming, and occasionally seeing live bands -<br />
unless you were a part of the first generation of bluegrass players<br />
who were members of Bill Monroe’s or Flatt & Scruggs' original<br />
bands, this is how players learned to play bluegrass years ago.<br />
Some of today’s stellar players recall their early learning experiences.<br />
As a young teen, Ron Block discovered County Sales after hearing<br />
an early Country Gentlemen recording. “I started buying five or six<br />
records at a time, listening and learning them inside and out.” John<br />
Hickman also taught him the value of listening to old records from<br />
legends such as J.D. Crowe, Flatt & Scruggs, the Kentucky Mountain<br />
Boys, Red Allen and Stanley Brothers. “One day John just piled the<br />
reel-to-reels in a bag and let me take them home to record. It was<br />
like being handed a gold mine, “ Block recalls.<br />
Young musicians perform onstage as a part of the<br />
Grey Fox <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Academy for Kids in Oak Hill, New<br />
A young LeRoy McNees happened to hear The Country Boys live on the radio one day. He soon met the band to jam and<br />
pick up some guitar licks. Roland White then asked him to play the Dobro in the band. “Billy Ray Lathum showed me a few<br />
licks and the rest I learned from slowing down Flatt & Scruggs records with Josh Graves on them.”<br />
Eric Uglum began playing guitar at about 13, and he learned a tremendous amount through jamming. His love for jamming<br />
was intense. “I remember driving to the Norco festivals as a teen and resenting the time it took me to park the car, so consuming<br />
was my desire to jam,” Uglum says.<br />
As time passed, learning bluegrass branched out to include a full range of written materials and lessons available. And with<br />
today’s technology and the spread of bluegrass around the globe, bluegrass instruction is at its peak. Bill Bryson notes that,<br />
“Today is a Golden Age for beginners with all the resources out there.” Feigning Gabby Hays, he humorously states that,<br />
“Forty years ago, we couldn’t do that!”<br />
Many varieties of live bluegrass instruction awaits any musician, no matter what skill level. In an effort to begin to bring these<br />
instructional resources together in one listing for reference, the Foundation for <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Music has begun an initial database<br />
of just such information. Since this list is the first compilation, we welcome any bluegrass live instructional opportunities and<br />
updates not listed here to be sent to nancyc@ibma.org. And good luck to all those folks learning and teaching bluegrass!<br />
Please go to www.bluegrassfoundation.org to access the list of bluegrass camps and workshops.<br />
THE ETIQUETTE OF PITCHING SONGS<br />
by: Louisa Branscomb, IBMA Songwriter Committee<br />
<strong>Bluegrass</strong> is an industry that enjoys the benefits of being a genre of folk and roots music. Part of the rewards of being a part<br />
of the bluegrass community is that it is relatively personable in nature, without the formality and commercialism of some other<br />
genres of music. On the other hand, this means there are few established protocols for some of the business aspects of the<br />
music.<br />
For new writers or writers new to the genre, a primary concern is simply, “What are the best ways to pitch a song and follow<br />
up with artists” When an artist has a song on “hold,” what does this mean How do I avoid miscommunication with artists I<br />
wish to work with regarding recording my songs When do I share publishing on a song with an artist in order to have the<br />
song recorded How do I follow up with record labels when my song has been recorded and significant time has lapsed, but I<br />
have not received mechanical royalties When I co-write, what are appropriate expectations on who pitches the song, or who<br />
should be the first-named songwriter When should royalties be split in some way other than 50:50<br />
The idea for this series of articles grew out of questions that have arisen at meetings and workshops at IBMA’s World of <strong>Bluegrass</strong><br />
among songwriters. While there are no hard and fast rules for many of these guidelines, the following pointers are suggestions<br />
that have been derived from IBMA songwriter discussions and other songwriter forums.<br />
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PITCHING AND PLACING SONGS——<br />
There are no unequivocal “right” ways to pitch a song. At the same<br />
time, there are certain basic guidelines that may increase your<br />
chances of an artist hearing and recording your songs.<br />
Packaging: Put yourself in the artist’s shoes. You want them to perceive<br />
your songs in a way that suggests a professional approach.<br />
Artists are very busy people, and many of them are being handed<br />
an increasing number of original songs. Even a short time ago, this<br />
was not customary except with some highly visible artists. Take the<br />
time to do the things that make your demo or songwriter CD appealing.<br />
Some of these things include having an easily readable cover<br />
with easy access to follow-up information.<br />
Network as much as possible and get to know bluegrass artists.<br />
Take the time at festivals, World of <strong>Bluegrass</strong> and other venues<br />
to form relationships that are not just based on a “pitch.” While<br />
this is difficult in some genres, it is still possible in bluegrass. It is not<br />
unusual for unknown or new songwriters to have songs recorded by<br />
successful artists.<br />
<strong>Bluegrass</strong> songwriters gather at World of <strong>Bluegrass</strong> 2005 to share<br />
songs and talk about new IBMA programs for writers. Front (L-R):<br />
Serge Bernard, Louisa Branscomb, Janet McGarry, (Row 2): Mark<br />
Simos, Hazel Dickens, Lisa Aschmann, Connie Leigh,<br />
(Back): J.R. Cook<br />
Know yourself as a songwriter. Get as much feedback on your songs as possible so that you know your strengths and weaknesses—and<br />
also how others hear your particular style. This way you can narrow down your material to your best songs and<br />
pitch to artists who will be the best match for your style. All feedback is good feedback! Attending open mic’s, songwriter circles<br />
and IBMA events where songs are shared are excellent ways to get feedback.<br />
Know your artists’ recording tastes. Get to know what specific artists sound like, how much they write their own material, and<br />
whether they are interested in new songs. Listen to their recordings, if possible, to familiarize yourself with the artist’s style, and<br />
to discern whether your writing is a good match for that artist. Make a point to listen to recent recordings.<br />
When possible, pitch to the need. Let’s say you just happen to have a demo with 10 songs on it in your pocket. If an artist<br />
mentions needing a fast tune, you can take your demo and mark the tunes you suggest. This saves time and increases the<br />
chances he or she will listen carefully to your songs.<br />
There are stages to pitching. The first is making contact. Secondly, you may want to know if the artist has heard, or likes, your<br />
song. When you make contact, ask the artist if you may give them a follow up email or call in a month or so to get their feedback<br />
on your material. Remember, even if your song is not what they are looking for at the moment, artists are a great source of feedback<br />
on your material.<br />
The third stage of pitching is called the “hold.” This means an artist has asked to hold your song for recording and he or she<br />
is asking that you not pitch the song to others. At this point, the ball is in your court. You may choose to allow a hold, and if so,<br />
you may wish to set a time limit such as three months, depending on their recording plans, so that your song is not “off the market”<br />
for a prolonged length of time. The artist does not have a formal or legal obligation to record a song on hold. However, you<br />
can set the terms for the hold, or take the position that you will continue to pitch the song but you will give a courtesy call to the<br />
artist if someone else shows an interest in the song. Whatever your position, it is helpful to be clear to the artist and to follow<br />
through with the position you choose.<br />
Make an effort to view your emotionally-inspired material from a professional perspective. Songs are very personal creations<br />
because they come from the writer’s personal thoughts and feelings. Though it is tempting to take it personally when an<br />
artist does not choose your song, it is more helpful to leave the “personal” at the front door of the recording studio where you did<br />
your demo! After that point, a focus on the business of songwriting is the best mode of operation.<br />
View pitching as an ongoing learning process, rather than a series of “successes” or “failures.” Each time an artist takes the<br />
time to listen to a song, view this as a gift of his or her time and thoughts, regardless of the outcome. All songwriters have encountered<br />
the same up’s and down’s that you will. Considering all feedback—event the bumps in the road—as simply part of the<br />
learning process will help you grow as a songwriter and advocate of your songs.<br />
Look for future articles about songwriting in this publication and in the “White Paper” section of ibma.org. More to come on:<br />
Working with Record Labels (Independent Artists as well as Established Labels), and Co-writing.<br />
8
BLUEGRASS MUSIC INDUSTRY NEWS: MAY 2011<br />
Agents & Managers:<br />
Steve Johnson, CEO of Mountain Music Entertainment, is pleased to announce representation of the following artists:<br />
Grasstowne; Nu-Blu; Mike Scott; Karl Shiflett and Big Country Show; Junior Sisk and Ramblers Choice; Ralph Stanley, II;<br />
Misty Stevens and Reminisce Road; and The Niall Toner Band. The agency also offers special representation of Mark Newton<br />
and Brandon Rickman.<br />
Artists & Composers:<br />
Congratulations to Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers, who are #1 on Billboard’s <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Albums chart for the<br />
fourth week, in the April 23 issue. Their album is titled Rare Bird Alert (40 Share/Rounder). Balsam Range has the #1 song<br />
on the <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Unlimited National <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Survey, with “Trains I Missed,” written by Walt Wilkins, Giles Godard and<br />
Nicole Witt. The song appears on the Mountain Home album by the same name. The self-titled album, The Boxcars, is at<br />
#1 on the Top 15 <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Albums chart in B.U. Big Country <strong>Bluegrass</strong> tops the <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Music Profiles Top 30 Hot<br />
Singles Chart with “The Boys in Hats and Ties,” written by Tom T. and Dixie Hall, on their self-titled album for Rebel Records.<br />
The Boxcars are at #1 on the BMP National Top 10 <strong>Bluegrass</strong> CDs chart.<br />
Congratulations to the following artists who are recipients of Dove Awards, from the Gospel Music Association: Dailey &<br />
Vincent, <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Album of the Year (Singing from the Heart, Rounder Records); Lizzie Long & Little Roy Lewis, <strong>Bluegrass</strong><br />
Song of the Year (“Mountaintop,” from Straight from the Heart, Vine Records).<br />
The long-awaited new album from Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas, Paper Airplane, released by<br />
Rounder Records, entered the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart at #3 and #1 on both the <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Albums and Country Album<br />
charts. After appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (April 25) and The Ellen DeGeneres Show (April 27), the<br />
band will kick off a five month nation-wide tour on June 4 in Louisville, Ky. The Target deluxe edition of the CD features six<br />
additional songs, including three exclusive studio songs, “These Days” and “A Place Outside,” both written by Angel Snow<br />
and Alison’s brother, Viktor Krauss, and “Frozen Fields,” composed by Jeff Black and Jon Randall. Three additional bonus<br />
tracks include “We Hide & Seek,” “Faraway Land” and “Every Time You Say Goodbye,” performed live. Info:<br />
www.alisonkrauss.com, Today Show appearance: http://www.youtube.com/watchv=BX8MzM8J5ao, EPK: http://<br />
alisonkrauss.com/videos/making-paper-airplane<br />
The Grascals have a new video of “Dooley,” from their new album, Dance ‘til Your Stockings are Hot and Ravelin’ (A Tribute<br />
to the Music of The Andy Griffith Show), (BluGrascal Records/ Saguaro Road Records, at http://www.youtube.com/watch<br />
v=KiN_LokhRzU&feature=player_embedded<br />
Doyle Lawson was in Nashville April 9 to celebrate the release of his new album, Drive Time (Mountain Home <strong>Bluegrass</strong>),<br />
with an in-store appearance at the Ernest Tubb Record Show on Music Valley Drive, and a performance on the Grand Ole<br />
Opry.<br />
<strong>Bluegrass</strong> pioneer and Hall of Fame member, Curly Seckler was honored in the North Carolina legislature in a Senatorial<br />
statement read April 13 in Raleigh. The proclamation recognized Seckler for his many accomplishments the past 75 years in<br />
bluegrass music. It also acknowledged Curly’s brothers, Marvin, George and Duard, with whom he first performed as the<br />
Yodeling Rangers in 1935 on WSTP radio in Salisbury. Duard and Marvin Sechler, both guitarists, passed away in 2002 and<br />
2009, respectively. George Sechler, who was the band’s fiddle player and emcee, currently resides in Texas. “It is a great<br />
honor to be recognized in my home state of North Carolina,” Curly Seckler said, “and I appreciate all the folks back home<br />
remembering me and my brothers and our music.”<br />
<strong>Bluegrass</strong> Hall of Fame member Bobby Osborne is celebrating 60 years in the music business this year, with the release of<br />
his new album, Memories (Rural Rhythm Records). The single, “Mountain Fever” (featuring Russell Moore with Osborne)<br />
was ranked #3 on the April 2011 Sirius XM <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Junction Most-Played Tracks chart, and the album was ranked at the<br />
same spot on the Most-Played Albums list.<br />
The same month, the original version of “Rocky Top” recorded 50 years ago by The Osborne Brothers was #12 on the Neilsen<br />
Soundscan charts ending April 10, 2011.<br />
Mike Scott’s “Saturday Night/ Sunday Morning 2011 Tour” will focus on music from his new bluegrass gospel album, Take<br />
Me Lord and Use Me (Rural Rhythm Christian) and the all-instrumental Bill Monroe 100 th Anniversary Tribute: Blue Moon of<br />
Kentucky (Rural Rhythm). The tour is designed as a two-day stop in each city. On Saturday nights during the tour Scott will<br />
perform music from his Monroe tribute album, and on the Sunday morning shows he will present music from the gospel album<br />
at churches and other faith-based events. Scott’s band will feature John Maberry (mandolin, guitar, fiddle), Ferrell<br />
Stowe (Dobro), Heath Vanwinkle (bass) and Mike Vidito (guitar, mandolin). Info: (877) 746-5165,<br />
www.mountainmusicentertainment.com, www.mikescottmusic.com<br />
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A benefit concert for Phil Leadbetter will be held May 6 from 5:30-11 p.m. at Buddy’s Bar-B-Q Banquet Hall in Knoxville,<br />
Tenn. the line-up includes Kenny & Amanda Smith, Brand New Strings, Blue Moon Rising and Steve Gulley & Friends<br />
featuring Dale Ann Bradley and other special guests. Leadbetter, IBMA’s 2005 Dobro Player of the Year, is undergoing<br />
treatment for cancer.<br />
The Del McCoury Band is opening their May 2-4 studio session in Nashville to the public, through participation in MPI: Music<br />
Producers Institute. On Monday, May 2 MPI founder and Grammy winning producer Steve Fishell will lead class members<br />
through a day-long record production seminar, featuring demonstrations and lectures covering pre-production, tracking,<br />
vocals, overdubs, mixing and mastering. Info: www.musicpi.com, (615) 283-0201<br />
The Farewell Drifters are currently touring in Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, New York, Illinois, North Carolina, Maine and<br />
Kentucky, in support of their new release, Echo Boom. Info: www.thefarewelldrifters.com<br />
Sierra Hull and Highway 111 are touring Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Maryland, Virginia, Connecticut, Indiana and<br />
Carolina in May and June, in support of her new album, Daybreak (Rounder). Her video, “Easy Come, Easy Go” is currently<br />
airing on both CMT and GAC. View at: http://www.youtube.com/watchv=Nf3RhT0vjUY<br />
An album release party for Farm County Jubilee was hosted April 14 at Old RCA Studio A in Nashville, in honor of their<br />
new CD, The Stars of Farm County Jubilee Present a <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Tribute to Historic Studio B.<br />
Our best wishes for a speedy recovery go out to <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Hall of Fame member J.D. Crowe, who broke his left arm in<br />
March. His therapy is going well and J.D. expects to be playing again by early summer. In the meantime, Jim Mills will fill in<br />
on banjo, on dates with The New South and also on shows with Doyle Lawson and Paul Williams, in support of the Old<br />
Friends Get Together project they released on the Crossroads label in June 2010.<br />
Associations:<br />
The Kansas <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Association announced the first annual Tulip Time <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Jam was hosted on April 10 at 6 th<br />
and Merchant in Belle Plaine, Kan. across from the elementary school. Belle Plaine is the home town of Jack Theobald,<br />
recognized as the father of bluegrass in Kansas.<br />
Congratulations to Nick Forster and Rob Osborne, recently inducted into the Colorado <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Music Society’s Hall of<br />
Honor.<br />
Congratulations to the recipients of the 2011 Boston <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Union Heritage Awards, presented during the 26 th annual<br />
Joe Val bluegrass Festival, Feb. 18-20, in Framingham, Mass.: Sam Tidwell, longtime Rhode Island and Maine bluegrass<br />
pioneer; WHRB’s Hillbilly at Harvard Radio Show, launched in 1948 by “Pappy Ben” Minnich and hosted for many years<br />
by “Cousin Lynn” Joiner and “Ol’ Sinc” Brian Sinclair; and Glen Huffer, longtime Connecticut bluegrass concert producer and<br />
MC.<br />
According the Central Texas <strong>Bluegrass</strong>, the celebration of Texas Independence Day March 2 was an opportunity for<br />
nearly 3,000 school children throughout the state to get a first-hand look at what bluegrass is about. Central Texas <strong>Bluegrass</strong><br />
Music Association member Daniel Kott (KPIE, in Killeen, Tex.) hosted Eddie Collins and the Upham Family Band for<br />
a half-hour program on the history and evolution of bluegrass music. The show was broadcast live with interactive participation<br />
at public schools from Beaumont to El Paso. CTMA co-sponsored the event.<br />
In an effort to include old-time musicians and fans in their community, the California <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Association announces<br />
“The Old-Time Gathering at Father’s Day” theme at their annual Father’s Day festival in Grass Valley, Calif., scheduled for<br />
June 16-19. Two days of concentrated old-time programming will feature the John Hartford Band, the Mt. Diablo String<br />
Band, The Freight Hoppers, and a dance called by Marsha Goodman Crawford (with the Freight Hoppers providing the<br />
music.) There will also be old-time workshops, jams and more. California bluegrass band leader Peter Feldman offers this<br />
humorous explanation for the confused: “<strong>Bluegrass</strong> band members wear uniforms, such as blue polyester suits and gray<br />
Stetson hats. Old-time bands wear jeans, sandals, work shirts and caps from seed companies. The audience claps after<br />
each bluegrass solo break. If anyone claps for an old-time band it confuses them, even after the tune is over. A bluegrass<br />
band has between one and three singers who are singing about an octave above their natural vocal range. Some old-time<br />
bands have no singers at all. <strong>Bluegrass</strong> bumper stickers are in red, white and blue and have stars and/or stripes on them.<br />
Old-time bumper stickers don’t make any sense (e.g. “Gid is my Co-Pilot).”<br />
Broadcasters:<br />
Multi-instrumentalist John McEuen is hosting the Americana Music Show broadcast at http://www.syndicatednews.net/,<br />
which is marketed in China. (Continued on page 11)<br />
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Congratulations to long time Springfield, Mo. bluegrass broadcaster Mike Smith for being named as a finalist for the Missouri<br />
Broadcasters Association Awards for his KSMU-FM on air remembrance of Mitch Jayne, of The Dillards.<br />
Two new bluegrass-related projects are on the summer film festival circuit: “Fanning the Fire,” produced by the <strong>Bluegrass</strong><br />
Heritage Foundation’s Alan Tompkins and “How to Grow a Band: A film about Punch Brothers,” produced by Michael<br />
Bohlmann and Mark Meatto. Tompkin’s film includes appearances by Dan Tyminski, J.D. Crowe, Rhonda Vincent and<br />
Adam Steffey, but focuses on 12-year-old Lucas White’s passion for becoming a bluegrass guitarist. Three years of his life<br />
are profiled, on his journey to the stage. “How to Grow a Band” is a documentary profiling Chris Thile’s band, The Punch<br />
Brothers, beginning with a performance in Scotland and following them as they tour 25 cities. The theme behind the music is<br />
growing up and starting over. Videos: http://bluegrassheritage.org/FanningTheFire.html, http://www.punchbrothersmovie.com/<br />
#watch<br />
Event Producers:<br />
The Smokehouse, located just of I-24 in Monteagle, Tenn. is interested in being a new venue for bluegrass music. They are<br />
currently showcasing singer-songwriters on Saturday nights. Their Smokin Hit Songwriters Summer Series workshop will take<br />
place July 8-10. Info: www.SmokinHitSongWriters.com, www.thesmokehouse.com.<br />
Registration is still open for the new PineCone <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Camps, to be held June 27-July 1, 2011 in Cary, N.C. Staffed by<br />
old-time and bluegrass musicians Charles Petee (Shady Grove Band) and John Currie (Floyd Pond Ramblers), workshops<br />
on guitar, fiddle, mandolin and banjo will culminate in a public performance on Friday night, July 1. Info: (919) 460-460-4963<br />
<strong>Bluegrass</strong> for the Greenbelt in Oakland Hills, Calif., has added tent camping on the ground of the historic Dunsmuir-<br />
Hellman Estate for their June 3-4 festival. The line-up includes Nell Robinson & Jim Nunally, Marley’s Ghost, The Kathy Kallick<br />
Band, Laurie Lewis & the Right Hands and Jimmie Dale Gilmore with The Wronglers. Info: www.dunsmuir-Hellman.com,<br />
(415) 543-6771<br />
Thanks to ETSU student Yuiko Inoue and her connections in Japan, proceeds from the April 7 “Celebration 2011” concert in<br />
Johnson City, Tenn. featuring bluegrass, old-time, country and Celtic bands from East Tennessee State University will go to<br />
the Tohoku University <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Club in Sendai, in northeast Japan. Club members will see that their most in need fellow<br />
citizens affected by the March 11 tsunami receive the help. Info: Daniel Boner, Director of ETSU’s <strong>Bluegrass</strong>, Old Time and<br />
Country Music Program.<br />
<strong>Bluegrass</strong> music has made its mark on the Grand Ole<br />
Opry stage for more than 50 years, and now the genre<br />
has a permanent place backstage at the Opry, as well.<br />
Dressing Room #2, now officially labeled the “<strong>Bluegrass</strong><br />
Room,” is adorned with photos of current Opry member<br />
bluegrass artists, as well as favorite photos from the<br />
Opry’s past. The room features armless chairs which are<br />
better for jam sessions, and an alternating floor finish design<br />
reminiscent of string instrument frets. The <strong>Bluegrass</strong><br />
Room renovation was part of a $200 million rebuilding<br />
and refurbishment project following last May’s flood in<br />
Nashville, during which four feet of water engulfed the<br />
Opry stage and backstage area.<br />
<strong>International</strong> News:<br />
The Niall Toner Band from Ireland is celebrating his music<br />
reaching the #1 download spot on the <strong>Bluegrass</strong> and<br />
Folk Charts for Airplay Direct during the month of March<br />
2011. Niall will be visiting Tennessee and North Carolina<br />
in late April – early May. Look for his appearances in<br />
Asheville, N.C., and Toner with his “broadcaster hat” on at<br />
One of the Les Leverett photos hanging in the newly refurbished<br />
‘<strong>Bluegrass</strong> Room” at the Grand Ole Opry, L-R: Don Reno, Bill Monroe,<br />
Lester Flatt (Row 2): James Monroe, Mac Wiseman, Bill Yates,<br />
Ralph Stanley, Jimmy Martin<br />
MerleFest, conducting interviews for the Roots Freeway program on Ireland’s National Radio Station, RTE Radio One, to be<br />
aired in June-July 2011.<br />
Nothin’ Fancy from the U.S. and The <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Boogiemen (Netherlands) will perform July 13 in Nieuwkoop, The Netherlands.<br />
Info: www.cms-country.nl<br />
The Bath Americana Festival will take place on various stages throughout the city of Bath, in England, May 18-22.<br />
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www.orwellbluegrass.co.uk); Coastline <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Festival (June 3-5, www.coastline.co.uk); <strong>Bluegrass</strong> by the Lake:<br />
Llangorse Picking Weekend (June 17-19, www.llangorselake.co.uk); The East Anglian <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Festival (June 24-<br />
26, www.eabg.blueapples.co.uk); Yorkshire Dales <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Picking Weekend (July 15-17,<br />
www.eabg.blueapples.co.uk); North Wales <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Festival (June 30-July 3, Bodlondeb Park, Conwy – LL32 8DU);<br />
Kentucky to Kent UK (Aug. 28, www.stjulians.co.uk); Surrey Mini <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Festival (Aug. 6-7,<br />
www.surreybluegrass.com); Didmarton <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Festival (Sept. 1-4, www.didmarton-bluegrass.co.uk); Gower <strong>Bluegrass</strong><br />
Festival “Go-fest” (Sept. 9-11, www.gowerbluegrass.co.uk); Cornish <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Festival (Sept. 16-18,<br />
www.cornishbluegrass.co.uk) and the Moniaive Michaelmas <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Festival (Sept. 23-25, www.moniaive.org).<br />
Valerie Smith’s May 5 – June 12 band tour includes dates in Germany, Switzerland and The Netherlands. For details, go<br />
to www.valeriesmithonline.com<br />
From the European <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Music Blog:<br />
On May 6 & 7, 2011 Kevin Lynch reports there will be an international gathering of bluegrass music fans, friends, musicians<br />
and professional performers in The Netherlands to honor Rienk Janssen and his Strictly Country magazine. Rienk<br />
retired the magazine (the oldest and only major Dutch bluegrass publication) in February after 40 years and 240 issues.<br />
Janssen has been a major force in Europe's bluegrass history since the earliest days of booking European tours for American<br />
artists, sponsoring and producing various concerts & festivals, founding the Strictly Country Records label and more.<br />
Rienk states he will continue his work and hold his positions with the EBMA and IBMA. He will also continue his retail music<br />
CD, LP and book business, as well as his mail order auction. Rienk has unveiled a new website as he continues along<br />
his bluegrass journey: strictlycountry.nl.<br />
British bluegrass broadcasters Lynne Butler is now airing two radio shows: Butler’s Boudoir <strong>Bluegrass</strong> on UK Country<br />
Radio every Thursday at 20:00 (British time), repeated every Friday at 16:00 (British time). UK and European bluegrass<br />
music are featured, plus a 15 minute spot for bluegrass music outside of Europe. Her second show, Lynne Butler’s Eurograss<br />
on <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Planet Earth, consists of two shows a month, repeating a second week after the original airing.<br />
Acoustic Night 11, “American Radios” will take place May 5-7 at the Teatro Della Corte, Piazza Borgo Pila 42, in<br />
Genova, Italy. Beppe Gambetta, Nick Forster, Bryan Sutton and Peter Ostroushko will perform.<br />
Gambetta and Tony McManus (Scotland) will teach at the 19 th <strong>International</strong> Acoustic Guitar Workshop July 31 – Aug.<br />
7, 2011, at Ambroz Pod Krvavcem, Slovenia. Info: Stane Svigelj +386-4188-6460<br />
The 20 th Appalachian & <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Music Festival will take place Sept. 2-4 at the Ulster American Folk park in Omagh,<br />
County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Headliners include Dailey & Vincent (U.S.), The Malpass Brothers (U.S.), Sunny Side<br />
(Czech), Red Wine (Italy) and more.<br />
Over Jordan:<br />
Czech banjo player and event producer Jan<br />
“Honza” Macak died April 12 at the age of 68, after<br />
a battle with stomach cancer. Macak founded the<br />
oldest bluegrass festival in Europe, The Banjo Jamboree,<br />
which he started in his home town of<br />
Kopidlno. Honza heard Pete Seeger play the banjo<br />
on tour in Czechoslovakia in 1964. He was a fan of<br />
the first Czech bluegrass bands, The Greenhorns<br />
and White Stars, both featuring the banjo playing of<br />
IBMA Distinguished Achievement Award recipient<br />
Marko Cermak. Most bands in the late ‘60s and<br />
early ‘70s were playing “trampgrass,” a mixture of<br />
Western and Tramp music, and what they heard on<br />
the few recordings that came through the Iron Curtain.<br />
<strong>Bluegrass</strong> musicians had no instructional materials,<br />
strings, capos or standard instruments. A<br />
band from Kopidlno, practicing in a local pub under<br />
the ventilator (fan) with Honza Macak on banjo<br />
All banjo players present gather for a group photo at Honza Macak’s<br />
“Banjo Jamboree” every year in the Czech Republic, the oldest bluegrass<br />
festival in Europe. Macak is on the second row on the right,<br />
with the straw hat and pink shirt. (photo by Lilly Pavlak)<br />
started to call themselves “Vetraci” (The Ventilators). Macak had the idea to get together with other Czech banjo players to<br />
learn from each other, and they called the first meeting in 1973 “Banjo Jamboree. “<br />
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In time the festival outgrew the town of Kopidlno and moved to Trakonice in South Bohemia, and finally to Caslav, where<br />
it is today. Since the 1970s, thousands of musicians have attended the Banjo Jamboree and today the Czech Republic<br />
has the largest concentration of bluegrass musicians in Europe. Honza’s son, Marek Macak plays mandolin and guitar<br />
with the band, <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Cwrkot. The elder Macak was honored with the European World of <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Pioneer award in<br />
2003, and he was the first inductee into the Czech <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Hall of Fame.<br />
James “Honey Jim” Stokes died April 8, 2011. A member of the <strong>Bluegrass</strong> & Traditional Country Music Society of Australia<br />
based in New South Wales, Stokes sang old country songs and played the guitar, and he was a regular member of<br />
the Safety in Numbers band for many years. Renowned for his storytelling, Stokes was famous for bringing along honey<br />
from his beehives to share with friends wherever he went.<br />
Renowned songwriter and vocalist Hazel Dickens died April 22 in Washington, D.C., at the age of 75, from complications<br />
with pneumonia. Born June 1, 1935 in Mercer County, West Virginia, she was one of 11 children. At 16 she left<br />
school to go to work at a factory in Baltimore, Md., where she discovered the local music scene. Dickens formed a country<br />
band with Mike Seeger, and later freelanced on acoustic bass, guitar and vocals with several groups including The<br />
Greenbriar Boys. During the early 1960s she toured with Joan Baez and met a singer from California named Alice Gerrard.<br />
“Hazel and Alice” toured and recorded from 1964-73, recording for Folkways Records and Rounder Records. Their<br />
edgy, mountain-style vocal harmonies and Dickens’ songs like “Don’t Put Her Down, You Helped Put Her There” that<br />
viewed the world from a woman’s perspective drew national attention. Dickens’ songs have been included in a number<br />
of films, including Harlan County, U.S.A (1976), and she had on-screen parts in both Matewan and Songcatcher. Dickens<br />
released Hard Hitting Songs for Hard Hit People in 1981, By the Sweat of My Brow in 1984, and It's Hard to Tell the<br />
Singer from the Song in 1986, for Rounder. During her long career Dickens toured internationally and throughout the<br />
U.S., including venues like The White House, The Library of Congress, Carnegie Hall, the Lincoln Center and the Hardly<br />
Strictly <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Festival in San Francisco. She received a number of honors, including IBMA’s Distinguished Achievement<br />
Award (1993), a Lifetime Achievement Awards from West Virginia and the Folk Alliance, a National Endowment for<br />
the Arts National Heritage Fellowship, the Washington Monument Award and an honorary doctorate from Shepherd College.<br />
She collaborated with Bill Malone on the book Working Girl Blues (University of Illinois Press), and Smithsonian/<br />
Folkways re-issued the early Hazel & Alice recordings on the album, Pioneering Women of <strong>Bluegrass</strong>. Dickens was<br />
fond of saying, “Just playing bluegrass music is political.” In addition to her musical social commentary, Hazel paved the<br />
way for women bluegrass artists and served as a mentor to a number of musicians and writers. She leaves behind a<br />
wealth of music, including the often covered “Just a Few Old Memories” and 1996 IBMA Song of the Year “Mama’s<br />
Hand.”<br />
Erio Meili, banjo player, active IBMA member and champion of bluegrass music in Brazil, passed away April 21 as a<br />
result of heart failure. Originally from Switzerland, Erio made his home for many years in Sao Paulo, Brazil. A successful<br />
businessman, he was the founder and president of the Sao Paulo <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Music Association and the leader of the<br />
Sao Paulo <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Band (which recorded six albums), as well as the webmaster at http://bluegrass.com.br. Meili was<br />
also a constant presence on WAMU’s <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Country via a weekly segment which aired on Mike Kear’s “Music from<br />
Foggy Hollow” program.<br />
Resources: Lilly Pavlak; Judy Jones, <strong>Bluegrass</strong> & Traditional Country Music Society of Australia; Ronald D. Lankford,<br />
Jr., All Music Guide; Marian Leighton Levy, Rounder Records; Charles Wolfe; Trisha Tubbs; Ron Thomason; Mike Kear;<br />
Cesar Benzoni; Bob Cherry; Richard Hawkins; WAMU’s <strong>Bluegrass</strong>Country.org<br />
Print, Media & Education:<br />
Keith Whitley, Patty Loveless, Steve Wariner, John Michael Montgomery, The Goins Brothers, Molly O’Day and Larnelle<br />
Harris were inducted into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame April 7, in Lexington.<br />
The Cowan Creek Mountain Music School produced by the Cowan Community Center and hosted by the Cowan Elementary<br />
School with support from Appalshop and the Letcher Co. Board of Education, will take place June 20-24. The<br />
week-long school will offer courses in banjo, fiddle, lead guitar, mandolin, square dance calling, old-time string band,<br />
singing, and a “Kids on the Creek” arts & music class for children age 5-10. Info: cowancreekmusic@tvscable.com,<br />
(606) 633-3187<br />
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Record Labels & Publishers:<br />
The Recording Academy has restructured award categories across all genres, bringing the total number of categories to<br />
be recognized at the 54 th Annual GRAMMY Awards in 2012 to 78. The award for Best <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Album remains in the<br />
American Roots Music Field, which also includes awards for Best Americana, Blues, Folk and Regional Roots Music Albums.<br />
For more info: http://www.grammy.org/recording-academy/announcement<br />
Cumberland River, the band that has been featured recently on the FX Network television drama, Justified, has signed with<br />
Rural Rhythm Records.<br />
Nashville’s Red Beet Records has teamed up with the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on the release of I Love:<br />
Tom T. Hall’s Songs of Fox Hollow, produced by songwriter/journalist Peter Cooper. The new album is a re-making of Hall’s<br />
1974 album, Songs of Fox Hollow (For Children of all Ages), with new artists singing the same songs. Included are covers<br />
by Patty Griffin, Buddy Miller, Jim Lauderdale, Eric Brace & Last Train Home, Elizabeth Cook, Gary Bennett, Mark & Mike,<br />
Jon Byrd, Tommy Cash, Bobby Bare, Fayssoux Starling McLean and Cooper himself.<br />
Albums from the following artists on the Webco label are now available digitally from Pinecastle Records: Bill Emerson<br />
(solo, and also with Pete Goble and Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa); James King; Jim Eanes; Bill Harrell; Larry Stephenson;<br />
Larry & Wyatt Rice; Lou Reid, Terry Baucom & Carolina.<br />
FRESH SOUNDS IN THE WORLD OF BLUEGRASS: Recordings from the<br />
first quarter of 2011<br />
Allerton & Alton; Black, White and <strong>Bluegrass</strong> (Bear Family Records, www.bear<br />
-family.de) Al Hawkes and Alton Myers met in 1947 at a record store in Portland,<br />
Maine as teenagers. They ended up playing music together on an unlicensed<br />
radio station Al built in 1949. Billed as The Cumberland Ridge Runners, they<br />
appeared on WLAM in Lewiston, Me., which reached into Canada. This recording<br />
is a collection of their 15-minute, live radio shows. Allerton (Al) Hawkes<br />
and Alton Myers had one of the first known interracial duets in country music.<br />
Both returned from the Korean War in 1953, but the duo was about 20 years<br />
ahead of the time when fans could accept a white and African American “brother<br />
duet,” so they stopped performing. Included: “Keep on the Sunny Side,”<br />
“Kentucky,” “Drifting Too Far from the Shore,” “Cabin in Caroline” and more.<br />
Jay Armsworthy, I Couldn’t Make it Without Him (Blue Circle Records, www.easterntraditionbluegrass.com)<br />
Armsworthy’s fourth CD and his first bluegrass gospel album on the Blue Circle Records label is a project he’s been wanting<br />
to do since 1995. Jay is backed up by Wayne and Kristin Scott Benson, Greg Luck, Jason Moore, Don Rigsby and<br />
Aaron Till on a dozen songs written by Roy Acuff, Ruby Rakes & Carter Stanley, Tom T. & Dixie Hall and Troy Engle, Gary<br />
Ferguson and more. In liner notes Larry Sparks says, “This album gives some promise to bluegrass gospel that it will be<br />
taken care of in the future years to come by people like Jay Armsworthy.”<br />
Terry Baucom, In a Groove (www.terrybaucom.com)<br />
After 30 years playing banjo in bands like Boone Creek, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, IIIrd Tyme Out, Blue Ridge, Amanda<br />
& Kenny Smith and Dale Ann Bradley, the “Duke of Drive” steps into the spotlight with his first solo album. Twelve cuts powered<br />
by Baucom’s banjo feature Jamie Dailey; Lou Reid; Chris Stapleton; Ronnie Bowman; Russell Moore; Buddy Melton;<br />
Paul Williams; John Cowan; Adam Steffey; the original Quicksilver with Lawson, Reid and Jimmy Haley; and Cindy Baucom.<br />
The material comes from James Cody Shuler, Chris Stapleton, Connie Leigh, Buck Owens, The Louvin Brothers,<br />
Eddie Adcock, Jon Weisberger and Stephen Mougin, among others.<br />
Norman Blake, Green Light on the Southern (Plectrafone Records, Western Jubilee Recordings (www.westernjubilee.com)<br />
In liner notes guitar stylist Norman Blake says, “I’ve seen the rural music I’ve loved since childhood grow fainter and farther<br />
away in a commercial and urbanized society that seems to care little for the charms of old fashioned Southern string music<br />
and its long gone practitioners…. Here are some of the old songs I play and sing around home; one can live by the sentiment<br />
and poetry found in many of them.” In addition to the title track, Norman and Nancy Blake present “Little Bunch of<br />
Roses,” “Railroading on the Great Divide,” “The Wreck of the C&O,” “Whistling Rufus,” “Bandit Cole Younger” and more.<br />
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Louisa Branscomb, I’ll Take Love: From the Pen of Louisa Branscomb (Compass Records,<br />
www.compassrecords.com, www.louisabranscomb.com)<br />
Louisa Branscomb, who wrote the bluegrass standard, “Steel Rails,” presents 13 new original songs performed by a<br />
“Who’s Who” list of bluegrass singers and musicians. Claire Lynch presents “I’m Gonna Love You” and “Your Amazing<br />
Grace;” Steve Gullley and Dale Ann Bradley sing “Closin’ Nashville Down,” “Surrender,” Silence Broke Beyond Repair,”<br />
“It’s Just Lovin’” and the title cut (with Alison Krauss); and The Whites sing “This Side of Heaven” and “That’s What<br />
Texas Was For;” plus more from Josh Williams, David Peterson, John Cowan, Becky Schlegel and an able cast of instrumentalists.<br />
Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, Fired Up (Rounder, www.rounder.com)<br />
In liner notes Matt Glaser says, “Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper play every tine with a kind of life or death urgency;<br />
you feel like they’re grabbing you by your collar and insisting that you listen to the most important message you<br />
will ever hear.” The latest set of fiery bluegrass music from the Flamekeeper band includes songs written by band<br />
members Tom Adams, Jesse Brock, Marshall Wilborn and Jessie Baker, plus David McLaughlin, Tom T. Hall, Jimmy<br />
Martin, Buddy Spicher and more.<br />
Bill Emerson, Eclipse (Rural Rhythm Records, www.ruralrhythm.com)<br />
DC-based banjo stylist Bill Emerson is joined by Tom Adams, Marshall Wilborn, Lynn Morris, Jimmy Gaudreau and<br />
Janet Davis on his seventh solo album. The first single to radio, “Poor Rebel Soldier,” features Adams on lead vocals.<br />
Marshall Wilborn and Lynn Morris sing “Jesse James,” and Jenny Leigh Obert takes the lead on “Don’t Come Back<br />
Around.” Emerson wrote nine of the tunes himself. The instrumental, “New San Juan” is already getting radio airplay.<br />
The Farewell Drifters, Echo Boom (Heart Squeeze Records, www.thefarewelldrifters.com)<br />
The latest album of original music from the Nashville-based Farewell Drifters was recorded live in the studio with no<br />
overdubs. The title comes from a reference to their 20-something generation being the children of the Baby Boomers.<br />
“Inspired by our parents’ music, we are creating our own,” they explain in liner notes. Included: “Punchline,” “Tip of the<br />
Iceberg,” “Heart of a Slave,” “A Bed of My Own,” “Words,” “Common Ties” and more.<br />
Farm Country Jubilee, A <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Tribute to Historic RCA Studio B (www.farmcountry.com)<br />
The debut from Farm County Jubilee, includes music from Charlie Rich, Don Gibson, John Hartford, Harlan Howard,<br />
Jack Clement, Port Wagoner, Boudleaux & Felice Bryant and Chet Atkins, among others. Starring Daryl Mosley, Tim<br />
Graves and Stacy Scruggs, FCJ is a musical act, a stage show and an entertainment concept with the goal of<br />
“rediscovering the elements that transformed country music from a regional pastime into a worldwide cultural treasure,”<br />
band members say. New weekly shows (with equal doses of traditional country, bluegrass and comedy) are posted at<br />
www.farmcountry.com<br />
The Franz Family, The Tale You’ll Never Hear (www.thefranzfamily.com)<br />
The new album of (mostly) original bluegrass gospel music showcases the talents of the Franz Family: Randy, Ruth<br />
Ann, Caleb, Audra, Emmett and Olivia. Growing up onstage in Branson, Missouri, the younger band members have<br />
matured and honed their craft to present a unique bluegrass sound tinged with elements of jazzy blues and acoustic<br />
pop. Included: “Alone and Lost,” “Somewhere in Glory,” “Getting Ready to Go,” “Isaiah’s Lament,” “Unorthadoxology”<br />
and more.<br />
The Gibson Brothers, Help My Brother (Compass Records, www.compassrecords.com)<br />
Two-time 2010 IBMA Award winners, Eric and Leigh Gibson present their 10 th album of music. The title track written by<br />
Leigh explores the golden rule in a new light. The Chris Henry-penned “Walking West to Memphis” recounts the story of<br />
a roustabout who, down on his luck, realizes that the happiness he seeks will be found in the arms of his Memphis girl.<br />
The brothers also pay tribute to Jim & Jess and the Louvin Brothers with “I’ll Love Nobody But You” and “He Can Be<br />
Found.”<br />
The Grascals, Country Classics with a <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Spin (BluGrascal Records, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store)<br />
The seven-time #1 album on Billboard’s <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Album chart distributed through the nation-wide chain of Cracker<br />
Barrel Old Country Store restaurants is a collection of 13 songs featuring vocal collaborations with guests from the<br />
country music world—many whom The Grascals have recorded and toured with in the past. Dolly Parton, Charlie<br />
Daniels, Tom T. Hall, Joe Nichols, Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley, The Oak Ridge Boys, Darryl Worley, Terri Clark,<br />
Randy Owen and Steven Seagal. A percentage of proceeds from album sales go to St. Jude’s Children’s Research<br />
Hospital to help fight childhood cancer—the place that inspired the Jamie Johnson/Susanne Mumpower Johnson/Jenee<br />
Fleenor original, “I Am Strong.”<br />
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The Grascals, Dance ‘til Your Stockings are Hot and Ravelin’ (A Tribute to the Music of The Andy Griffith Show<br />
(BluGrascal Records/ Saguaro Road Records) www.grascals.com<br />
In honor of the 50 th anniversary of The Andy Griffith Show, two-time IBMA Entertainers of the Year, The Grascals, have<br />
released a seven-song EP of songs heard on the classic television series. They also throw in the “Mayberry’s Finest”<br />
theme song and a band original, inspired by a Barney Fife line from the episode about a group of stray dogs: “Boy, Giraffes<br />
are Selfish.”<br />
Grasstowne, Kickin’ Up Dust (Rural Rhythm Records) www.ruralrhythm.com<br />
The latest album from Grasstowne, featuring Alan Bibey, Steve Gulley, Justin Jenkins, Adam Haynes and Kameron Keller, presents<br />
a dozen new songs from band members Bibey, Haynes and Gulley, plus Chris Stuart, Janet Beazley, Wes Golding, Ronnie Bowman,<br />
Craig Market, Jake Landers and Vassar Clements. A shiny red 1941 Chevrolet Coupe graces the album cover, and titles include<br />
“Grass Stain,” “Blue Rocking Chair,” “I Don’t Worry about You Anymore,” “Old Time Way,” the title cut and more.<br />
Tony Holt & The Wildwood Valley Boys, Lost Highways & Treasured Memories (Old Heritage Records,<br />
www.oldheritagerecords.com)<br />
In liner notes Bill Yates says, “Tony Holt has not only turned into a good band leader, but also a fine vocalist, following in<br />
the rich tradition of his father, Aubrey, former member of the legendary Boys from Indiana, who is now a current member<br />
of the Wildwood Valley Boys. Together, The Wildwood Valley Boys can be viewed as a re-energized, updated version<br />
within the Boys from Indiana tradition. Along with seven originals from the elder Holt, the song list includes compositions<br />
from Bill Anderson, Jimmy Skinner, Tom Holt and more.<br />
Sierra Hull, Daybreak (Rounder Records, www.rounder.com)<br />
In liner notes Jewly Hight comments, “Sierra’s first album held just a few originals, but she wrote seven of these twelve, a<br />
collection that stands up quite well next to the outside material. There’s a pair of sprightly instrumentals, her first-ever<br />
Western swing number and several that show her emotional sophistication: in songs that fall squarely in the bluegrass<br />
tradition, feelings are out in the open; during country-leaning compositions, she ponders relationships from more introspective<br />
angles; and the title track—a breathtaking pop ballad—is the most ruminative moment of all.”<br />
Jake Leg Stompers, Hill Country Hoodoo (Hoo-Doo Records, www.jakelegstompers.com)<br />
Since 2005 the Jake Leg Stompers have built a following in Nashville and throughout the Southeast with engaging and<br />
playful public performances that call for the manners, moods and repertoire of early 20 th century medicine shows, featuring<br />
period dress and vintage instruments. The line-up features Hambone Willie Nevil, Lucille Dupin, Junior Socrates Cottonberry,<br />
Jersey Slim Hawkins and Horatio Algernon Whiplash (aka “Noisy”). Songs presented include “Beale Street<br />
Holiday,” “Big Road Blues,” “Field Mouse Stomp,” “Aunt Caroline Dyer,” “I Shall Not Be Moved” and more.<br />
Sarah Jarosz, Follow Me Down (Sugar Hill Records, www.sugarhillrecords.com)<br />
Jarosz demonstrates a sense of versatility and musical adventure on her second Sugar Hill release. She is as comfortable<br />
penning the tragic, old-timey “Annabelle Lee”—an adaptation of Edgar Allen Poe’s final poem, or a modernized Appalachian<br />
ode to secret love like “Run Away,” as she is cultivating contemporary singer-songwriter introspection in a<br />
song like “Here Nor There.” Her instrumental skills on mandolin, octave mandolin, clawhammer banjo and acoustic guitar<br />
are showcased on nine original songs plus “Ring Them Bells” (Dylan) and “The Tourist” (Yorke, Greenwood, Selway,<br />
Greenwood, O’Brien).<br />
Alison Krauss & Union Station, Paper Airplane (Rounder Records, www.rounder.com)<br />
The sepia-toned band photo on the front of the long-awaited new Alison Krauss & Union Station album lends a mood of<br />
quiet introspection and timelessness that is reflected in Krauss’s tradition-based, yet totally unique band sound. Krauss<br />
and Tyminski share lead vocal duties on songs written by Robert Lee Castleman, Peter Rowan, Angel Snow & Viktor<br />
Krauss, Aoife O’Donovan, Richard Thompson, Tim O’Brien, Jeremy Lister, Sydney Cox, John Pennell, band members<br />
Barry Bales and Jerry Douglas, and more. Cuts #11-17 are bonus tracks in the version of the CD sold at Target department<br />
stores.<br />
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Drive Time (Mountain Home Music Company, www.crossroadsmusic.com)<br />
In liner notes for Lawson’s new seven-song EP Kyle Cantrell writes, “The soaring, perfectly delivered, precise harmonies,<br />
the impeccable musicianship, and song selection that’s always one step ahead of the rest, make this perhaps the<br />
best work Doyle has done to date.” Guitarist/drummer Mike Rogers contributes three originals, alongside Paul Simon’s<br />
“Gone at Last,” Dan Seals’ “Love on Arrival,” Lawson’s instrumental “The Greenbrier Hop” and the gospel favorite,<br />
“Precious Memories.”<br />
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The Lewis Tradition, Precious Memories (Thoroughbred Records, division of Daywind Records,<br />
www.daywindrecords.com)<br />
The gospel bluegrass tradition of <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Hall of Famers, The Lewis Family continues with “The Lewis Tradition,”<br />
featuring Janis Lewis Phillips on vocals; her son Lewis Phillips on guitar, banjo and vocals; the late Wallace Lewis’ son<br />
Travis Lewis on acoustic bass and Travis’ son, Jameson Lewis on piano. They are joined on this 14-song album by<br />
Hargus “Pig” Robbins, Buddy Spicher, Bruce Watkins, Kyle Callaway, Brooke Phillip, Jeff Easter and Greg Cole. The<br />
set list includes “The Old Camp Meeting Days,” “Children Talk to Angels,” “I’m Going to Make Heaven My Home,” “Softy<br />
and Tenderly” and more.<br />
Lonesome Traveler, Looking for a Way (www.lonesometravelerband.com)<br />
The third release from this Colorado Front Range-based bluegrass band features the talents of Jodi Boyce, Chad<br />
Fisher, Ansel Foxley, Evan Neal, Dustin Scott and Rick Scott. Produced by Gene Libbea, The material is all original<br />
(from Scott, Foxley and Fisher), except for Gretchen Peters’ “If Wishes Were Horses, sung here by mandolinist Jodi<br />
Boyce. This is probably the only CD package you’ll see this year with a compass embedded in the front cover.<br />
Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers, Rare Bird Alert (Rounder, www.rounder.com)<br />
Steve Martin is joined by the Steep Canyon Rangers, who toured with Martin extensively during the past year) in his<br />
second bluegrass album. Included are 13 new Martin-penned tracks, including a live version of “King Tut” and the<br />
crowd favorite a cappella “Atheists Don’t Have No Songs.” The guys are joined by Paul McCartney and The Dixie<br />
Chicks on vocals, on two cuts. The album title was inspired by Martin’s upcoming movie with Owen Wilson and Jack<br />
Black. Big Year, is a comedy about bird-watchers based on the book, The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature and Fowl<br />
Obsession.<br />
Kelsey Matthews, The Blood is Applied (paula.brown60@gmail.com)<br />
The debut recording from 16-year-old Kelsey Matthews is an all-bluegrass gospel project that spotlights her singing. A<br />
number of gospel favorites are included like “I’ll Be Clinging to a Saving Hand,” “Beulah Land” and “Are You Washed in<br />
the Blood,” along with Ron Block’s “A Living Prayer” and the Statler Brothers/ Daily & Vincent song, “More Than a<br />
Name on a Wall.” Ben Allen provides all the instrumentation on the CD.<br />
Brock McGuire Band; Green Grass, Blue Grass: Roots Music from Ireland & America; (www.brockmcguireband.com)<br />
In liner notes Paul Wells, from the Center for Popular Music at Middle Tennessee State University says, “When presentday<br />
Irish traditional musicians encounter present-day American old-time and bluegrass musician, it’s a meeting of musical<br />
cousins…. When the musicians involved [in this project] are some of the finest players in their respective worlds,<br />
the overall results can be something quite special and extraordinary.” Ireland’s Brock McGuire Band is joined on the<br />
project by Ricky Skaggs, Aubrey Haynie, Bryan Sutton, Jeff Taylor and Mark Fain.<br />
Tom Mindte & Jeremy Stephens, Radio Favorites & Sacred Songs (Patuxent Music, www.pxrec.com)<br />
“Duet singing is the nexus of music, as I see it,” comments Tom Mindte. “Everything else is peripheral.” In their second<br />
album Tom, on mandolin and Jeremy Stephens, on guitar, present a collection of songs learned from Bill & Charlie<br />
Monroe, Ted Lundy & Bob Paisley, Paul & Roy, Reno & Smiley, Buzz Busby & Leon Morris and more. Highlights include<br />
“Columbus Stockade Blues,” “Tragic Love,” “What is Home Without Love,” ‘Do you Call That Religion,” “It Rained<br />
a Mist” and more.<br />
Mountain Heart, That Just Happened (www.mountainheart.com)<br />
In liner notes Craig Havighurst says, “this EP should be remembered as more than just a new chapter in the band’s career—more<br />
like the beginning of book two in a trilogy. Going forward, a lot is possible with this configuration and its<br />
huge range of skills and gifts. They still have that bluegrass-inspired name and bluegrass woven into their DNA. But<br />
they also have the ambition to jump fences and the daring to pull that off with style and infectious passion.” In addition<br />
to the Jim VanCleve-penned title cut, two Josh Shilling originals are included, along with “Little Sadie,” “The Ride” and<br />
Greg Allman’s “Whipping Post.”<br />
Tara Nevins, Wood and Stone (Sugar Hill, www.sugarhillrecords.com)<br />
Americana roots traditionalist Tara Nevins presents an exploration of her own heritage, musical and otherwise, in her<br />
first solo album since Mule to Ride in 1999. Fans of Nevins’ work with Donna the Buffalo the past 21 years will enjoy<br />
this showcase of her talents as a singer and songwriter, along with her chops on fiddle, guitar and accordion and scrub<br />
board. Nevins is joined by Larry Campbell, Teresa Williams, Levon Helm, Jim Lauderdale, Allison Moore and more.<br />
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NewFound Road, Live at the Down Home (Rounder Records, www.rounder.com)<br />
The latest from NewFound Road is a high energy live album recorded December 4, 2011 in Johnson City, Tennessee at<br />
The Down Home. Band members Tim Shelton, Jamey and Joe Booher, and Josh Miller are joined by Mountain Heart’s<br />
Jim VanCleve on fiddle. In liner notes Randy Pitts says, “These boys can punch it out, in a manner that reminds me of<br />
the classic Tony Rice Unit of the ‘80s. Unlike many of the classic pioneering bands, with whom the only visible movement<br />
on stage besides their flying fingers might be a barely discernable clenching of a jaw muscle, these boys have a<br />
good time at their live shows, and it is evident.”<br />
Bobby Osborne, Memories (Rural Rhythm Records, www.ruralrhythm.com)<br />
Several special guests have come together for this album to celebrate <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Hall of Famer Bobby Osborne’s 60 th<br />
anniversary in the music business. Patty Loveless, David Grisman, Russell Moore, Glen Duncan, Ronnie McCoury,<br />
Sammy Shelor, Audie Blaylock, Takeharu Kunimoto and David Harvey join Osborne and his Rocky Top X-Press band.<br />
Highlights include “Mountain Fever” with Moore, “Ruby,” “Memories” (with Loveless), “With a Pain in my Heart (with<br />
Blaylock), Man from Rosine (with Duncan, McCoury, Grisman, Shelor & Harvey), “Up This Hill & Down” (with Kunimoto)<br />
and more.<br />
Patent Pending, Not a Day Goes By (Tuscarora Records, www.patentpendingband.com)<br />
The latest album from Patent Pending is dedicated to their banjo player and friend, Jim Steptoe, who passed away August<br />
30, 2009 after 30 years with the band. The line-up features Eldred Hill, Rusty Williams, Leigh Taylor-Kron, Ed<br />
Barney, Keith Dill and Buster Sexton. A dozen cuts include five Hill originals, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” “Don’t<br />
This Road Look Rough and Rocky,” “Last Letter Home” and more.<br />
James Reams and the Barnstromers, One Foot in the Honky Tonk (Mountain Redbird Music, www.jamesreams.com)<br />
In liner notes journalist Donald Teplyske says, “There are few bluegrass singers who match the lithe and masculine timbre<br />
Reams brings to the songs he is called to perform…. With One Foot in the Honky Tonk, James Reams further defines<br />
his bluegrass, blending the varied elements of the roadhouse with sounds from the hills of Kentucky and her<br />
neighbors.” Along with band originals, the songs were written by Kevin Welch & Mike Henderson, Stonewall Jackson,<br />
Fred Eaglesmith, Harlan Howard, Tina Aridas, Arthur Smith, Roberta Gordon & Tim Carter and more.<br />
The Roys, Lonesome Whistle (Rural Rhythm, www.ruralrhythm.com)<br />
Recording Lonesome Whistle was the culmination of a dream that began for brother and sister Lee and Elaine Roy when<br />
they were growing up in Massachusetts and New Brunswick, Canada, as they listed to traditional country and bluegrass<br />
music. The duo’s vocal harmony and songwriting are showcased on their debut for Rural Rhythm on songs like “Coal<br />
Minin’ Man,” “Lonesome Whistle,” “That’s What Makes it Love” (with Ricky Skaggs & The Whites), “Give a Ride to the<br />
Devil” and more.<br />
Mike Scott, Take Me Lord and Use Me (Rural Rhythm Christian, www.ruralrhythm.com)<br />
Fan’s of Mike Scott’s work previously with Jim & Jesse, Danny Davis & the Nashville Brass, his own All-American Band,<br />
and in more recent years Ronnie Reno & the Reno Tradition, will be pleased to hear Mike’s new album which features<br />
his vocals as well as his talents on banjo. Scott is joined by Vince Gill, Sonya Isaacs, Carl Jackson, Claire Lynch, Shelton<br />
Feazell, Ricky Skaggs, Rhonda Vincent, Buck White, Jesse McReynolds and his wife, Brenda Scott (of the Marshall<br />
Family) on vocals for songs like “When the Angels Carry Me Home,” “Since I Laid My Burdens Down,” and “When All is<br />
Said and Done,” plus more.<br />
Tommy Shaw, The Great Divide (Pazzo Music, www.tommyshaw.com)<br />
Tommy Shaw, the lead singer of the rock band Styxx, explores his love for the mandolin and bluegrass music on his new<br />
album. Shaw wrote or co-wrote all 11 songs, including “The Next Right Thing,” “Back in Your Kitchen” (about his wife’s<br />
cooking), “Sawmill,” “Afraid to Love, “Give ‘em Hell Harry” and more. Tommy is joined by Brad Davis, Sam Bush, Byron<br />
House, Rob Ickes, Scott Vestal and Stuart Duncan, among others, on the CD.<br />
Charlie Sizemore, Heartbreak Longing for a Home (Rounder Records, www.rounder.com)<br />
In liner notes Larry Nager says, “There’s a common thread of restlessness, of yearning, in the material chosen so carefully.<br />
The people in these songs are all seeking comfort, some momentary peace, in a lover’s arms in ‘Down in the Quarter,’<br />
in a glass of ‘Red Wicked Wine’ or in fantasies of unobtainable women—in the movies (‘Ashley Judd’) or in the<br />
apartment upstairs (‘Walking the Floor Over Me.’)” Songs are included from Sonny Tacket, John Preston, Paul Craft,<br />
Alan Jackson, Tom T. Hall and band mates John Pennell and Matt DeSpain, plus more. Ralph Stanley sings a memorable<br />
tenor line on “Wicked Red Wine.”<br />
(Continued on page 19)<br />
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(Continued from page 18)<br />
Josh Slone, Coal Slone & Coal Town (Rural Rhythm, www.ruralrhythm.com)<br />
In liner notes Larry Cordle says, “The first test any singer must pass for me is believability! And WOW, listening to this<br />
album, does Josh have some stories to tell…. His baritone style of singing really draws you in and makes you listen to<br />
every line, fully captioning your attention for start to finish. Josh may be young but he’s definitely not a rookie.” Nine of<br />
the thirteen songs on Slone’s debut are originals. Additional songs were written by Brandon Rickman, Charley Stefl,<br />
Jenee Fleenor, Mark Brinkman, Mike Evans and Cordle. Josh and his band are joined on the album by Ron Stewart,<br />
Matt DeSpain, Kim Gardner and Gerald Evans.<br />
Kenny Smith, Return (Gat3 Records, www.gat3.com)<br />
Two-time IBMA Guitar Player of the Year debuts on the Gat3 Records label with an instrumental collection of guitar music.<br />
The rhythm section from Studebaker, released 13 years ago, returns with Barry Bales and Adam Steffey, plus Aubrey<br />
Haynie, Jim Denman and Adam Hurt this time around. Smith plays Norman Blake’s 1933 D-28 on the album, along<br />
with a 1935 Gibson advanced jumbo.<br />
Valerie Smith, Blame it on the <strong>Bluegrass</strong> (Bell Buckle Records, www.bellbucklerecords.com<br />
The new six-song EP from Valerie Smith was recorded live at the <strong>International</strong> <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Music Museum while Smith’s band was<br />
in town doing a number of presentations for elementary schools in Owensboro, Kentucky. In addition to the Becky Buller/Elizabeth<br />
Shrum title cut, the songs include “Where the Sun Never Shines (Flowers); Slow Healing Heart (Rushing); “Four Leaf Clover”<br />
(unknown); “A Good Day, Lord” (Buller); and “No Vacancy” (Travis).<br />
Larry Sparks, Almost Home (Rounder Records, www.rounder.com)<br />
In liner notes two-time IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year explains, “My music’s always been lonesome. It’s a good lonesome.<br />
It’s a real lonesome sound. It’s true.” Named for an old bluegrass joke that says all songs are either about leaving<br />
home or wanting to go back, Almost Home features 12 songs about family, music and faith such as the Hank Locklin<br />
hit, “Send Me the Pillow You Dream On” and the inspirational gospel song, “Somebody Touched Me.” Also included:<br />
‘Blue Mountain Melody,” “Lines on the Highway,” “Momma’s Apron Strings” and more.<br />
Nathan Stanley, My Kind of Country (Nathan Stanley Entertainment, www.nathanstanleyentertainment.com)<br />
On this 21-cut collection of traditional country gems, the 18-year-old grandson of <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Hall of Famer Dr. Ralph<br />
Stanley teams up with a Who’s Who list of singers including his grandfather, Gene Watson, Del McCoury, Vince Gill,<br />
Ricky Skaggs, Rhonda Vincent, Little Jimmy Dickens, Jim Lauderdale, Larry Sparks, Connie Smith, The Isaacs, Marty<br />
Stuart, Patty Loveless and John Anderson. Titles include “Love’s Gonna Live Here Again,” “All I Ever Loved Was You,”<br />
“Folsom Prison Blues,” “Think of What You’ve Done,” “The Darkest Hour is Just Before Dawn” and more.<br />
Ralph Stanley, A Mother’s Prayer (Rebel Records, www.rebelrecords.com)<br />
“The autumnal recordings of Ralph Stanley are among the last links to the fierce confrontationalism of true Appalachian<br />
music,” observes music scholar Colin Escott in his liner notes for the album. “The music, like the people, stood squarejawed<br />
in the face of adversity. You can hear the pain in every ghostly trailing note and struggle in every barbed syllable.”<br />
The song list includes “What Kind of Man,” which Stanley co-wrote with Larry Sparks, plus compositions from Sara<br />
Evans, Billy & Terry Smith, Clinch Mountain Boys fiddler Dewey Brown and Stanley’s grandson, Nathan Stanley. Shawn<br />
Lane and Ronnie Bowman wrote the album’s title song.<br />
VW Boys, Retroactive (Mountain Roads Recordings, www.mountainroadsrecordings.com)<br />
The VW Boys’ debut on the Mountain Roads Recordings label features material from the ‘50s, ‘60s and ’70 such as<br />
“Amie,” “All I Have to Do is Dream,” “Fire on the Mountain,” “Wagon Wheel,” “Brown Mountain Light” and more. In liner<br />
notes Tom T. Hall writes, “After listening to this album my wife, Miss Dixie, asked me had I ever realized how great the<br />
VW Boys can sing. Truthfully they are an entertaining experience and I have never, in all my life, been more entertained<br />
as when I rode with them in their van on narrow winding roads between Bristol and Dr. Ralph Stanley’s festival. It<br />
was ‘a trip’ and I’ve never been quite right since. Sing Yeah, but that’s just the gravy.”<br />
Josh Williams, Down Home (Rounder Records, www.rounder.com)<br />
The long-awaited album from three-time IBMA Guitar Player of the Year, Josh Williams is his debut on the Rounder<br />
label. Fans will recognize favorites like “Lonesome Feeling,” “Dream of Me,” “Cherokee Shuffle,” “Streets of Bakersfield,”<br />
“Down Home,” “Polka on the Banjo” and more. Josh, on lead vocals, guitar and mandolin, is joined by Mickey<br />
Harris, Kenny Ingram, Randy Kohrs, Jason Carter, Rhonda Vincent, Aaron McDaris, Tim Dishman, Stuart Duncan,<br />
Greg Cahill, Dailey & Vincent, Tony Rice, Carl Jackson, Tina Adair and more.<br />
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LEADERSHIP ELECTIONS SET<br />
Members to Elect Reps in May/June<br />
Professional members of IBMA are encouraged to participate in elections to be conducted this summer to determine<br />
leadership on the association’s board of directors.<br />
New in 2011, members with email addresses on file with IBMA will participate in these election via secure online balloting<br />
while those without access to the internet will continue to vote via paper ballots as in the past. (Please contact<br />
IBMA if your email contact information has changed recently.)<br />
The seats for which an election will be conducted and the respective candidates include:<br />
ARTISTS, COMPOSERS & PUBLISHERS<br />
Louisa Branscomb<br />
Carl Jackson<br />
Jamie Johnson<br />
BROADCAST MEDIA<br />
Cindy Baucom<br />
Katy Daley<br />
PRINT, MEDIA & EDUCATION<br />
Craig Havighurst<br />
Tom Kopp<br />
Linda Shaw<br />
AT-LARGE (All Members)<br />
Donica Christenson<br />
Roger Moss<br />
Stephanie Taylor<br />
Those elected by their membership group will assume their role on the board on September 26, 2011 and the term<br />
ends in 2014. The board is the policy making body responsible for the association's mission achieved through its programs,<br />
functions, business affairs and property. The board is also responsible for appointing its officers and delegating<br />
day-to-day management of the association to committees and staff. They serve without compensation and are expected<br />
to bear of the cost of attending all board meetings and IBMA functions.<br />
BOARD MEETING HIGHLIGHTS<br />
The IBMA Board met March 30-April 1 in Nashville to consider a variety of business matters and to hear key committee<br />
reports. In addition to the business conducted, the board used the first two days to engage with 20 industry leaders<br />
from various constituencies to explore opportunities and challenges facing our music. Following are highlights.<br />
World of <strong>Bluegrass</strong><br />
The board adopted a detailed schedule of events for the 2011conference, IBMA Awards and <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Fan Fest including<br />
moving points of event entrance to allow more access for the public to the common areas of the facilities, increased<br />
time devoted to music presentation, networking functions and a number of new activities. In a cost saving<br />
measure, the Monday evening dinner was eliminated for 2011 and the associated keynote address will be replaced with<br />
a special “keynote” program added to each day. Pricing plans for various packages were simplified and broadly reduced<br />
for attendees and exhibitors, while also offering new options to purchase single day expo hall and showcase<br />
passes in addition to the popular weeklong “Music Pass” initiated last year. Details will be published in May in advance<br />
of registration and ticketing opening in June. The board also eliminated the registration requirement (instituted in 2010)<br />
for After Hours performing artists.<br />
Consideration of site selection options and preparing a request for proposals for the events for 2013 and beyond was<br />
deferred until later this year.<br />
Surveys<br />
A survey group gave an update on information gathered from members and the broader bluegrass community related<br />
to World of <strong>Bluegrass</strong> week. (A summary and links to the collected responses were published to members in earlier<br />
(Continued on page 21)<br />
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(Continued from page 20)<br />
messages). A second survey is being organized to gather input on services and programs offered by IBMA, and plans<br />
are to conduct it this spring.<br />
Meeting with Leaders<br />
The board participated in a unique planning retreat in advance of the business meeting and invited bluegrass leaders<br />
to join in a candid discussion about the opportunities and challenges in bluegrass. The state of the general economy<br />
and the fact the music industry confronts a sea-change in business models were at the forefront, as was the importance<br />
of embracing a broader community for bluegrass while also respecting our music’s core and traditions.<br />
IBMA board chair Stan Zdonik recently expanded on these discussions in a message to members which can be<br />
viewed online at www.ibma.org<br />
<strong>Bluegrass</strong> Nation & New IBMA Website<br />
Thanks to progress on an initiative to recruit new Life Members (whose investments will be earmarked to partially underwrite<br />
these developments), the board approved funding for a new website for IBMA and World of <strong>Bluegrass</strong> events.<br />
Moreover, this project also includes the creation of <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Nation which was unveiled at last year’s conference and<br />
in a recent article in this publication. The IBMA and event related sites should debut in May, while the <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Nation<br />
project will take form in late summer with a public launch expected at the 2011 conference.<br />
Finance<br />
The board approved 2010 year-end financial reports prepared by Riney, Hancock & Co., PSC which are summarized<br />
elsewhere in this issue. In considering future financial projections, the board adopted a budget of revenues ($794,455)<br />
and expenses ($812,110) for July 2011 through June 2012.<br />
IBMA Awards<br />
Appointments of producers for the 22 nd annual IBMA Awards Show were made (Stephen Ruffo and Claire Armbruster)<br />
in addition to members being named to the Hall of Fame Nominating Committee and Panel of Electors. A proposal to<br />
amend show guidelines to mandate inclusion of all “Entertainer of the Year” nominees in performances was offered<br />
and, after reviewing the pro’s and con’s, the consensus was to continue entrusting the producers with the flexibility to<br />
determine how best to include nominees from all categories in the show.<br />
Membership<br />
IBMA has 2,134 members as of mid-March 2011 and the membership committee reported on new recruitment efforts<br />
including a focus on semi-professionals.<br />
Songwriter Committee<br />
This group is pursuing a proposal that would create a new Songwriter of the Year Award in addition to work on educational<br />
and showcase opportunities.<br />
Legislative Information & Awareness<br />
Members reported recent activity including reviewing court ruling and settlements related to copyright owners and Sirius<br />
XM, ongoing monitoring of the U.S. Performance Rights Act, Community Radio Bill, anti-piracy proposals and legislation<br />
which impacts airline carry-on instrument legislation. The committee also prepared information for membership<br />
consideration regarding federal funding of public broadcasting.<br />
Other Business<br />
The board also received reports from all active committees including Showcase Talent Selection, Leadership <strong>Bluegrass</strong>,<br />
Wellness and Special Awards. Discussions also included topics like building attendance at the annual membership<br />
meeting, sponsor relations, event exhibitor benefits, official showcase fees and fundraising.<br />
NEXT MEETING AND MORE INFO<br />
Members interested in additional details of this past meeting or with suggestions or ideas for future consideration, are<br />
encouraged to contact their board representatives directly or IBMA (info@ibma.org or 1-888-438-4262) for more information.<br />
Member input is welcome on any topic of business, and additional information on IBMA and its programs is<br />
available at www.ibma.org. The full board will meet again in the fall with the exact dates and place to be determined.<br />
Board members serve without compensation and bear their own expenses for attending meetings and other IBMA<br />
functions.<br />
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IBMA STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL CONDITION<br />
Year Ending 12/31/10<br />
ASSETS $ 299,452.24<br />
LIABILITIES $ 25,409.67<br />
EQUITY $ 274,042.57<br />
REVENUE<br />
Dues $ 169,400.00<br />
Business Conference `10 327,386.00<br />
Fan Fest `10 171,841.50<br />
Awards Show `10 134,112.58<br />
Special Projects 12,526.16<br />
Other Income 59,205.34<br />
TOTAL REVENUE $ 874,471.58<br />
EXPENSES<br />
Business Conference ‘10 $ 291,200.89<br />
Fan Fest `10 135,151.49<br />
Trust Fund Donation 18,345.01<br />
Awards Show `10 149,581.58<br />
Special Projects 58,903.58<br />
Publications & Member Services 45,955.56<br />
Administration 191,236.70<br />
TOTAL EXPENSES $ 890,374.81<br />
EXCESS REVENUE OVER EXPENSES $ <br />
IBMA’s IRS Form 990 (Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax) will be available for review after May 30 at<br />
IBMA’s Nashville office.<br />
BLUEGRASS TRUST FUND<br />
Begin Balance (1/1/10) $ 250,874.69<br />
Receipts* 48,676.89<br />
Disbursements 75,330.00<br />
Ending Balance (12/31/10) $ 224,221.58<br />
* (2010 Fan Fest contribution to Trust Fund not included)<br />
IBMA TO HOST May 19 WEBINAR, “MEDIA TRAINING MASTERCLASS—MAKING THE MEDIA WORK FOR YOU”<br />
REGISTER BY CALLING 615-256-3222<br />
Publicity is an essential tool in promoting an artist’s career, a new product or an event. But once you are in front of the microphone,<br />
are you prepared to deliver your message in a concise, engaging manner<br />
Plan now to participate in IBMA’s May 19 webinar at 6 p.m. Central, “Media Training Masterclass—Making the Media Work<br />
for You,” led by the team at the Nashville-based publicity team, Media Maverick, LLC: Vernell Hackett, Clark Taylor and<br />
John Montgomery.<br />
Whether you are an artist, a manager, a record label or independent publicist, an event producer, an association leader<br />
who produces events—or even a broadcaster, from the other side of the interview desk—you’ll take away valuable and<br />
practical advice from this session.<br />
The fee is $40 for IBMA members or $50 for non-members. IBMA members are welcome to submit ideas for future webinars<br />
to nancyc@ibma.org. ALSO, if you have an area of expertise you would like to share at an IBMA webinar, please let<br />
us know that, too.<br />
(Continued on page 23)<br />
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(Continued from page 22)<br />
IBMA member Lisa Jacobi had this to say about the April 2011 webinar, “Closing the Deal: Sales,” presented by Mary<br />
Sue Twohy with WAMU’s <strong>Bluegrass</strong>Country.org: “Super! I came away with some new tips and great reminders of skills I<br />
had let fall by the wayside. Another motivational session from IBMA.”<br />
Upcoming Webinars—<br />
Please keep an eye on this publication and www.ibma.org for upcoming IBMA webinars you may want to attend.<br />
July 2011: Face Time: Getting the Most at Music Industry Conventions Prepping for World of <strong>Bluegrass</strong> (Dan<br />
Hays, IBMA & Henri Deschamps, Mast Farm Inn/The <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Legacy; presenters) For: artists, part-time and regional<br />
bands, agents/mangers, publicists<br />
August 2011: Recording Acoustic Instruments in Your Home Studio 101—How to maximize a small investment<br />
and transform living space into effective studio space (Joe Weed, presenter) For: new engineers & producers, artists,<br />
new record labels<br />
September 2011: Graphic Designs that Pop and Sell (Aimee Roberts, Gold Bond) For: record labels, merchandisers,<br />
event producers, artists, publicists, marketing reps<br />
November 2011: “Climb Every Mountain” - Getting Past Learning Plateaus For: full-time and part-time musicians,<br />
educators, fans who play music<br />
December 2011: Presenting an Engaging Artist Interview (Katy Daley, WAMU’s <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Country & Cindy Baucom,<br />
Knee Deep in <strong>Bluegrass</strong>) For: broadcasters.<br />
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————<br />
WORLD OF BLUEGRASS HOTEL RESERVATION ROOM BLOCKS ARE OPEN NOW!<br />
Call today to secure your hotel reservations for the 2011 World of <strong>Bluegrass</strong> at one of our host properties in downtown<br />
Nashville.<br />
All reservations should be made through the Central Reservations Department of the Nashville Convention & Visitors<br />
Bureau. Please do not call hotels directly for room reservations. Discounted rates can only be accessed by calling the<br />
central reservations office.<br />
Call 1-877-259-4716 OR 615-259-4700. DO NOT CALL IBMA TO MAKE HOTEL RESERVATIONS. Inform them you<br />
need reservations for the “World of <strong>Bluegrass</strong>.”<br />
Discount rates for World of <strong>Bluegrass</strong> attendees are available at the following properties: The Renaissance Hotel<br />
(attached to the Nashville Convention Center where the IBMA Business Conference and <strong>Bluegrass</strong> Fan Fest take place),<br />
Hilton Nashville Downtown, Sheraton Nashville Downtown, Double Tree Downtown, Holiday Inn Express and Days Inn<br />
Stadium.<br />
New IBMA Members<br />
IBMA is pleased to welcome the following new members in March and April 2011: Debra Blaszak,<br />
Steve Bramlett, Jimmy Brock, Richard Burkett, Marc Driskill, Darlene Fowler, Harlen Galinelli, Dan<br />
Geib, Elaine Goldberg, Ian Gray, David Hall, Ron Hayden, Russell Johnson, Dotty Joyce, Nick Keen,<br />
Eric Lomax, Debbie Lomax, Maria Lysandrou, James David Oliver, Mike Rogers, David Smith, Bryce<br />
Walter and Lee Watson.<br />
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