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enowned banjoist Noam Pikelny will deliver the keynote address during International Bluegrass Music Association’s World of Bluegrass 2013 event, which takes place September 24-28 in Raleigh, North Carolina. IBMA’s World of Bluegrass 2013 event consists of three main parts: the IBMA Business Conference, which runs Tuesday through Thursday, Sept. 24-26, the 24th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards, scheduled for Thursday evening, Sept. 26, and the music festival – newly re-named Wide Open Bluegrass, presented by PNC – which takes place Friday and Saturday, Sept. 27-28. New this year is “The Bluegrass Ramble,” where convention attendees and local fans will be able to “ramble” around Raleigh for five nights, sampling great bluegrass music on seven stages.
Pikelny’s address is scheduled to take place Tuesday, Sept. 24, acting as the official kick-off for the IBMA Business Conference portion of World of Bluegrass 2013. Sponsored by and located in the Raleigh Convention Center, the PreBluegrass Ramble Hors D’oeuvres & Keynote Reception will take place 4-5:30 p.m. The IBMA Business Conference features the best in bluegrass networking, showcasing and professional development. Hailed by the Chicago Tribune as the “pros’ top banjo picker," Noam Pikelny has emerged as the preeminent banjoist among a new generation of acoustic musicians. Pikelny is a founding member of Punch Brothers, a string ensemble which The Boston Globe calls “a virtuosic revelation" and The New Yorker describes as “wideranging and restlessly imaginative." In September of 2010, Pikelny was awarded the first annual Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass. Continued… 2
Pikelny has shared the stage with The Decemberists, Marcus Mumford (Mumford & Sons), Béla Fleck, Dave Douglas, Steve Martin, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, and members of the Lincoln Center Chamber Orchestra. Noam continues to broaden the awareness of the banjo in the mainstream through recent collaborations with Wilco, Fiona Apple, Norah Jones, Lindsey Buckingham & Jon Brion for the soundtrack to This is 40 and Punch Brothers’ feature song on The Hunger Games soundtrack. Pikelny will release a new album with Compass Records titled Noam Pikelny Plays Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe, out October 1. Artists on the album include Ronnie McCoury (mandolin), Bryan Sutton (guitar), Stuart Duncan (fiddle), Mike Bub (bass), and was produced by Gabe Witcher. The array of guest artists on Pikelny’s most recent Compass Records project, Beat The Devil and Carry A Rail, reads like a “Who’s Who” from the world of bluegrass and acoustic music: Bryan Sutton, Chris Thile, Tim O’Brien, Steve Martin, Stuart Duncan, Jerry Douglas and Aoife O’Donovan. The album debuted at #2 on the Billboard Bluegrass Albums chart, and was greeted by a sold out tour. For more details and to purchase tickets/register for World of Bluegrass 2013, the IBMA Business Conference, the International Bluegrass Music Awards, the Wide Open Bluegrass weekend festival and Bluegrass Ramble showcase passes, for lodging and camping options, and more, visit www.ibma.org or call 1-888-GET-IBMA. Wide Open Bluegrass Festival tickets (www.wideopenbluegrass.com) are available for $40-$60/day, based on seat location and IBMA membership. Tickets for children 14 and under are half price ($30 members, $35 non-members). To purchase festival tickets, go to ETix.com or call 8888-GET-IBMA.
Working together for high standards of professionalism, a greater appreciation for our music, and the success of the worldwide bluegrass community.
Watch the announcement of the 2013 IBMA Award Nominations on August 14 live at the Loveless Café barn by Music City Roots. To stream login to: www. musiccityroots.com Call 888-GET-IBMA or login to ibma.org for tickets to the 2013 IBMA Awards in Raleigh, NC on September 26. 3
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As a pioneer of American gypsy jazz guitar, your first thought of John Jorgenson may not be of him whipping out “Whiskey Before Breakfast” on mandolin, flawlessly, to a standing-room-only crowd at Nashville’s Station Inn. But he did, and it was with his newly-formed John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band made up of legendary musicians Herb Pedersen on banjo, Jon Randall on guitar, and Mark Fain on bass, with Jorgenson switching between mandolin and guitar. On July 25, the too-fresh-for-a-bio John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band indulged the crowd at The Station Inn with the Seldom Scene hit “Wait a Minute” written by Pedersen, “Whiskey Lullaby” written by Randall, Desert Rose Band tunes (Jorgenson and Pedersen were founders and bandmates, along with Chris Hillman) Scruggs, and Jim & Jesse classics, and more. There was warmth, and storytelling, and lots of laughter as this fresh band of legends invited Roland White, an old bandmate of Pedersen’s from The New Kentucky Colonels days, onstage to play. Jorgenson asked White what instrument he should play, to which White replied, “Is there anything you don’t play?” White told Jorgenson to pick up the mandolin. The John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band made their debut at Music City Roots in Nashville the night before their Station Inn gig, but with their expertise combined, you would think they had been playing in this configuration for years.
From left: John Jorgenson, Jon Randall, Herb Pedersen, and Mark Fain. Photo by IBMA.
Being so newly formed, they have no originals under the new band name yet, so hearing them play each other’s songs as well as familiar traditional favorites is a special treat. The band says they want to play as much as possible, and will be announcing tour dates in the near future, with a great possibility of recording. The band will play balanced doses of traditional and progressive bluegrass, as evidenced by their early performances in Nashville. The John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band stopped by the Bluegrass Nation Backyard to record a Backyard Bluegrass Session. Keep an eye out for the video, coming soon! To keep up with the John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band visit www.johnjorgenson.com.
The newly-formed band came out of Jorgenson’s proverbial itch to play bluegrass with some of the best he could gather. Each musician brings a distinct history and element
The Band records a Backyard Bluegrass Session.
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By Taylor Coughlin
“If I’m not always up to something, I might as well give it up!” laughs music legend Ricky Skaggs over the phone. The Kentucky born-and-bred all star is busy, like always, to say the least. In August alone Skaggs will release an autobiography titled Kentucky Traveler: My Life In Music as well as an album of live recordings with pop icon and friend, Bruce Hornsby, called Cluck Ol’ Hen. Then there are his tour dates, upcoming book tour, and family to keep up with. “Ah, but things are good,” he revels. A week after his sold out show at The Ryman, Skaggs talks candidly about his new book, one that he says has a lot of surprises people didn’t know about him and may be curious to learn. From his early childhood memories of learning his first chords on the mandolin at age five, to meeting Bill Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs and Ralph Stanley, Skaggs’ new book reads like he is telling
stories over coffee. “I’ll never forget, [Keith Whitley and I] simply had to bail [Ralph Stanley] out of a bad situation once,” he dips into his memory, remembering the second time he met Stanley. “His bus broke down, and we were on our way to play a show...Before his set, he sat on a bar stool to hear us play,” he says. “The dynamic of how powerful and important that was to my career and what I was trying to do at the time, just growing as a player and a singer, I love talking about.” The tales in Kentucky Traveler follow Skaggs to Nashville and through his chart-topping career in country. “It was all a balancing act, trying to bring bluegrass into country and trying to
keep my foot in the tradition,” he says. It was in 1996, when Bill Monroe passed away that Skaggs decided to re-focus his career. “I had a deep desire to come back to the roots of bluegrass and spend the rest of my life promoting and playing old music – everything from bluegrass, to old time like The Carter Family, to gospel music,” he says. While Skaggs honors and celebrates traditional bluegrass and old time music, he has also made a name for himself a cross-cultural collaborator, playing with artists not in the bluegrass world: The Bee Gees’ Barry Gibb, rocker and producer Jack White, and most recently pop icon Bruce Hornsby. Continued…
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“Playing with those artists allows bluegrass to have a better visibility,” he says matter-offactly.
Kentucky Traveler: My Life In Music will be released on August 13 and may be pre-ordered on Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, though the iTunes Store, and Books A Million.
In his new live album with Hornsby, Cluck Ol’ Hen, Skaggs explores the boundaries of bluegrass with Hornsby on piano and vocals, playing old Bill Monroe, Ralph Stanley songs, and covering some of Hornsby’s hits as well. Songs like “Toy Heart,” “Darling Corey,” and “The Way It Is,” showcase Skaggs’ and Hornsby’s musical chemistry. While their 2007 studio album allowed them to develop their sound together, Skaggs says the live element allowed for more ideas to be played out, and more creativity to shine through. “Onstage, we could go into a 13-minute version of ‘White Wheeled Limousine,’” Skaggs says excitedly.
“Cluck Ol’ Hen” will be released on August 20, and can be preordered at Skaggs Family Records online.
“I already know that a lot of the bluegrass audience isn’t going to like it because it has a piano in it, and that’s okay, because we will be able to bring this music to a whole different audience that way,” he says, adding, “We’re given this music as a gift and to make it more popular than when it started. If that could be my role, to invite great songwriters and singers to play this music, I’ve done my part. To be someone that welcomes visitors to bluegrass is what is in my heart.” In his autobiography, and in his new music, it’s apparent: Skaggs remains an original, playing the music and telling the stories he has in his heart. “When we can be original, we last a lot longer than a being a copy,” Skaggs says.
Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby
If what he says is true, the music of Ricky Skaggs will last for a very long time.
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Kelsi Harrigill, Kathy Kallick & Wayne Taylor to Co-Host IBMA Songwriter Showcase Sept. 26 Showcase Writers Announced! Longtime California-based songwriter and bandleader Kathy Kallick, award-winning young songwriter Kelsi Harrigill with the new band Flatt Lonesome, and Wayne Taylor, the band leader of Appaloosa, will co-host the IBMA Songwriter Showcase at World of Bluegrass, scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 26 from 1-2 p.m.at the Raleigh Convention Center in Raleigh, N.C. IBMA is pleased to announce the following writers have been asked to showcase the original songs listed below: “Footprints Left Below,” by Hugh Campbell “Train of Trouble,” by J Cadley “Double or Nothin,” by Mark Rigney & Stephen Mougin “Losing You,” by John Cionca “Come to Rest,” by Martha Trachtenberg “Turn Away,” by Lilly Drumeva “Tenth Day of September,” by David Morris & John Miller “Carolina Waltz,” by Patrick Crouch “Lightning,” by Robert Starnes “This Dance,” by Justin Hiltner
Alternates (alphabetical order by artist): “Imaginary Friend,” by Steve Bonafel “Moonshine Land,” by Richard Hamilton “Cloud of Dust,” by John Cloyd Miller “Second Hand Roses,” by Cecilia Russell “Here It Comes,” by David Thom
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WORLD OF BLUEGRASS 2013
IBMA BUSINESS CONFERENCE Tuesday - Thursday | September 24 - 26 | Raleigh Convention Center
IBMA AWARDS SHOW Hosted by The Steep Canyon Rangers Thursday | September 26 | Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts
WIDE OPEN BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL Friday - Saturday | September 27 - 28 | Red Hat Amphitheater
Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers featuring Edie Brickell Punch Brothers Alison Krauss, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Del McCoury, Tony Rice, Béla Fleck, & Mark Schatz The Infamous Stringdusters Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver The Seldom Scene Dailey & Vincent The Travelin McCourys with Danny Paisley and Béla Fleck The Claire Lynch Band ... and many more!
SEPTEMBER 24-28, 2013
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA For details visit www.ibma.org or call 888-GET-IBMA
By Bill Conger
Take 14 cuts of Ralph Stanley songs and call in the morning. Actually, you won't need to do that because anything ailing you will be cured by the soulful sounds of the octogenarian bluegrass figure. The legendary veteran prescribed a heavy dose of medicinal music for Don Rigsby's new CD, Doctor's Orders: A Tribute to Ralph Stanley on Rebel Records. "He loved it," Rigsby told IBMA. "In fact, the reason it's called Doctor's Orders is he and I sat down and chose the songs. I met him in Lexington, KY, and I had a list of about 50 tunes that I liked, and I wanted him to sit down and listen to the titles with me and get his take on them." The two-time Grammy nominee
“He has recorded some of my favorite wanted to record his idol's songs from Stanley's years after his brother material and brought new life to each song.” Carter passed away. "The kind of input he had was like remembering little tidbits about where they recorded them and who was in the band at that time, which was really important ... and why he chose them at the time," Rigsby said. "I intentionally tried to play the music and sing the songs just like the old records," Rigsby added. "I didn't want to improve on them because I didn't see any way that I could. I really tried to pay homage to that [original sound]." "I’m so proud of the tribute record that Don Rigsby has done for me,” says Stanley.
For example, Stanley originally recorded the tune "Brand New Tennessee Waltz," at the urging of label founder Dick Freeland. "He wanted him to do something a little different to try to appeal to more people," Rigsby explained. "I've loved that song from the first time I ever heard him sing it. I was going to get Ricky Skaggs to sing on it because he played twin fiddles on the first version. Ricky wouldn't do it because he said he hated it," Rigsby says with a chuckle. "He hated that song the first time they did it, and he still hates it. So, he chose to do some other things and did them well." "Home in the Mountains" was a special treat for Rigsby that stirred his soul in the studio. Continued… 11
"He [Ralph] did something for me that he doesn't do much these days," Rigsby said. "He sang tenor with me on a song with Ricky Skaggs singing baritone. It was really emotional for me because my two biggest musical influences are no doubt Ralph and Ricky. To get to be in the middle of those two singing is pretty awesome. Another cool part about that one is that was recorded in 1976 and Keith Whitley, from my hometown, was the one who sang that on the original recording. So, I got to connect all the dots there." Besides Stanley and Skaggs, Larry Sparks, Charlie Sizemore, Steve Sparkman, and James Alan Shelton, Ron Stewart and Barry Bales guest starred on the album. The one original tune and the first single from the CD is "Mountain Doctor," which Rigsby co-wrote with Larry Cordle. During Rigsby's career, he has performed and/or recorded with The Bluegrass Cardinals, J.D. Crowe & The New South, Lonesome River Band, Longview and his current band, Midnight Call. He won two IBMA awards for producing Larry Sparks' comeback album, 40. Rigsby was the first full-time director of Morehead State University's Kentucky Center for Traditional Music. All the roads to his musical success began at the Paramount Theatre in Ashland, KY on the day of his sixth birthday. Rigsby's parents surprised him with tickets to see
Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys in concert. "I had already become dyed-in-thewool enthralled with Stanley music and Ralph," Rigsby remembers. His dad snuck in a private conversation with Whitley, who had just become Stanley's lead singer. "Keith Whitley came out into the crowd, bent down and said, 'Is this the young man that wants to meet Ralph Stanley?' I just kind of shook my head yes, because I was in awe. He picked me up, put me on his shoulders and carried me backstage, and there was Ralph sitting. He looked larger than life to me. He talked to me. He was so nice to me, and that night sang songs for me. Ever since that day, he never forgot who I was." Not only has Stanley been Rigsby's biggest musical influence, but he has also become a trusted friend. Rigsby had always wanted to record an album of music in honor of the music icon, and he didn't want to wait until it was too late.
I'm not talking about the O, Brother Where Art Thou? era even though that's good; I'm talking about the stuff that he recorded without the input of T. Bone Burnett and all the other people that came along and influenced what he was doing. I wanted it to be about the things he heard and did. That's why I did it."
Don Rigsby’s Doctor’s Orders: A Tribute to Ralph Stanley can be purchased through a variety of online music retailers.
"I just thought I could do this after he's passed away, but he'd never know that I did, and I really wanted to show him so that he could see how important that he is to me," Rigsby said. "I wanted to get a chance to spread his wonderful style of music.
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Be an exhibitor: The Exhibit Hall becomes a central gathering spot for all attendees at World of Bluegrass. With a shortened schedule, all participants will exhibit Thursday through Saturday. The hall will be open only to registered conference attendees on Thursday but will open up to the public, and festival goers on Friday and Saturday. Booth prices Include: * One (1) Five Day Conference Registration (value $275+) * 5 one-day exhibit hall passes for clients for use on Thursday, September 26 This is an opportunity for over thousands of IBMA business conference and Wide Open Bluegrass attendees to pass by your booth and become potential customers! You may download all exhibit hall information at www.ibma.org, or email Joe at Joe@ibma.org. Advertise with IBMA: There are multiple ways to advertise with IBMA: On our website, in our monthly newsletter, inside the World of Bluegrass program book‌Take your pick! Color (online only), black and white, full page, half page: Whatever your desire, we would love to make it happen. Give us a call, or email us to get in the game. 1-888-GET-IBMA, or joe@ibma.org. The deadline to submit an ad for the IBMA Business Conference program book is August 15, 2013.
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Preludes and Encores to WOB: Raleigh events surrounding World of Bluegrass in September As if Raleigh hasn’t rolled out the red carpet for World of Bluegrass week enough, the city and surrounding area are hosting even more events to supplement the biggest “family gathering” in the bluegrass world. In the same state where Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson, and many more beloved bluegrass artists called and do call home, the music we all love will be celebrated and honored before the business conference begins and after the final encore of the festival is played. Take a look at some of the events and opportunities Raleigh is offering. IBMA’s partners in Raleigh, the PineCone: Piedmont Council of Traditional Music will be a great resource leading up to the event. Make sure to visit their website for information and more events to take advantage of. -September 23 (Monday before WOB) is a regularly scheduled bluegrass jam in downtown Raleigh at the Busy Bee Café. It is free and open to the public, with indoor and outdoor seating. -Bela Fleck plays with the North Carolina Symphony at Meymandi Concert Hall in Raleigh, on Tuesday, September 24, 2013, 7:30pm. The five-string banjo master marks the International Bluegrass Music Association’s move to Raleigh with a special concert that will get your foot tapping and your spirits soaring. Tickets may be purchased here or by calling toll-free 877627-6724.
-The Raleigh Chamber Music Guild will present Tony Williamson, mandolin player, in concert on Sunday, September 22. Call (919)-821-2030 for more information. -The Town of Zebulon Parks & Recreation Department will hold a bluegrass concert featuring Acoustic Grace on Friday, September 20 at 6:30-8:00pm on the front lawn of the Zebulon Municipal Complex. Rain date is Friday, October 11. Contact Zebulon Community Center at 919823-0432or www.townofzebulon.org for information. -Johnston Community College is screening Generation Bluegrass on Saturday, September 21. Tickets are $13.30 in advance online or by calling 919-209-2099.
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Bluegrass Music Industry News August 2013 For the Record Country music superstar Alan Jackson will release his long anticipated first bluegrass album titled The Bluegrass Album on September 24. Artists who played on the album include Sammy Shelor on banjo, Adam Steffey on mandolin, Tim Crouch on fiddle, Tim Dishman on bass, Rob Ickes on resoguitar, and Scott Coney on guitar. Ronnie Bowman and Don Rigsby are on vocals, with Keith Stegall and Adam Wright as producers. Bernie Leadon, founding member of The Eagles, has been announced as the newest endorsing artist with Huber Banjos. He is currently out with them again as part of the History of the Eagles world tour, which began in July. Lonesome Day Records has announced the signing of Jeff Clair to the label, with a new project scheduled for next year. Pinecastle Records is proud to announce they have signed Lorraine Jordan and Carolina Road to their roster and a new single, “All We Ever Do Is Say Goodbye." The Rigneys will release their debut album, Double or Nothin’ on Dark Shadow Records, the brand new label started by Sam Bush Band guitarist/vocalist, Stephen Mougin. The Seldom Scene is in the studio working on a new CD. Longtime…Seldom Scene will be released in 2014 on the Smithsonian Folkways Recordings label. Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby have reunited for a live album, titled Cluck Ol' Hen on Skaggs Family Records, which will be released on August 20. In addition to releasing the live album, Skaggs and Hornsby will hit the road this fall.
Associations’ assertions The Steep Canyon Rangers announced their next album, Tell The Ones I Love will be released on September 10 on Rounder Records. The Stevens Family signed a deal at Mountain Fever Records and started work on a new album. Beer and jam grass are coming together this fall through collaboration between Breckenridge Brewery of Colorado and Leftover Salmon. The band will release four original songs from July to October all of which will be pre-released exclusively through Breckenridge Brewery’s 12-pack sampler packs.
Warm welcomes C.F. Martin & Co. is pleased to announce that chairman and CEO Chris Martin IV has been named incoming secretary of the NAMM executive committee through 2015. Darin & Brooke Aldridge have announced Tyler Collins as their new banjo player. Becky Buller recently joined on fiddle and vocals. Mandolinist and tenor vocalist Chris Davis has been announced as the newest member of Wildfire, a selected band for the Bluegrass Ramble Showcase during the World of Bluegrass in Raleigh, September 24 through 28. Mountain Faith has brought Jesse Gregory into the band playing guitar. The Roys have welcomed Joey Jones into the band playing bass.
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The 11 Annual San Diego Bluegrass Festival, or Summergrass, will kick off August th 16 and go through the 18 in San Diego, California. There will be vendors, bluegrass jams, onsite camping, raffles, fun for the kids, and of course, some great bluegrass music from musicians like NewFound Road, Sierra Hull, Bluegrass Etc., Flatt Lonesome, Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen, and more! Visit www.summergrass.net for more information. th
Fiddlin’ Around, the 34 Annual Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Festival takes place August 8 through 11 in El Rancho Manana, Minnesota. Talent workshops, contests, crafts, and family games, plus camping, food, and music will be plentiful. Headliners include The Gibson Brothers. Visit www.minnesotabluegrass.org for more. th
The 18 Annual Fallfest & Bluegrass Jam, a West Michigan Bluegrass Music Association event, will take place September 20-21 at Kent County Fairgrounds in Lowell, Michigan. There will be a band scramble, workshops, a potluck dinner, prize drawings, and plenty of jamming. Kati Penn & NewTown, Lonesome Meadow, Patchwork Band, and more are all on the bill. Visit www.wmbma.org for more information.
Standing ‘O’! The Grand Ole Opry honored Alison Krauss on her 20th anniversary as an Opry member in July 3rd with performances by Alison Krauss and Union Station, bluegrass great Larry Sparks, multi-award-winner Jamey Johnson, and more. Krauss was inducted as an Opry member on July 3, 1993. Ricky Skaggs and Sharon White were honored with the 2013 Heritage Award at Uncle Dave Macon Days in Murfreesboro, Tennessee in July. The award is given each year in recognition of artists who spend their lives preserving old-
time music. Several bluegrass artists were announced as nominees for the Inspirational Country Music Association’s Faith, Family and Country Awards, set for October 24 in Nashville. Nominees include: The Roys, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Mike Snider, Ricky Skaggs, (Continued…)
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Bluegrass Music Industry News August 2013 cont. Continued ‘Standing O’ (continued from ICM nominees) Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Red Roots, Marty Raybon & Full Circle, Bruce & Betsy Mullen, Dailey & Vincent, Isaacs, Nathan Stanley, and Rhonda Vincent.
Chart Toppers at press time Bluegrass Roots Music: Claire Lynch’s “Dear Sister” cowritten with Louisa Branscomb is #1 on the charts for Report Chart, reigning in the top 5 for four weeks in a row. Billboard: Steve Martin & Edie Brickell’s Love Has Come For You has stayed at Number 1 since its release 14 weeks ago. Steven Curtis Chapman’s Deep Roots is at Number 2, and Old Crow Medicine Show’s Carry Me Back is at Number 3. Bluegrass Today Monthly Airplay Chart: Big Country Bluegrass “I’m Puttin’ On My Leaving Shoes” at Number 1, Terry Baucom “What’ll I Do” at Number 2, and Mark Newton and Steve Thomas “Old McDonald Sold the Farm” at Number 3. Bluegrass Unlimited Songs: Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice “The Story Of The Day That I Died” at Number 1, The Gibson Brothers “They Called It Music” at Number 2, Balsam Range “Any Old Road (Will Take You There)” Number 3. Bluegrass Unlimited Albums: The Gibson Brothers They Called It Music at Number 1, Dailey & Vincent’s Brothers of the Highway at Number 2,The Story Of The Day That I Died by Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice at Number 3.
In Remembrance Harry Lane, noted boutique banjo builder and artisan craftsman, passed away July 2, at the age of 71. Dwight Moody, noted fiddler, music businessman, and pastor, passed away July 12 at the age of 83. Barb Plempel-LeBrun, heavily involved in bluegrass and volunteering at festivals Winterhawk and Gettysburg passed away July 3. Toshi-Aline Ohta Seeger, folk singer Pete Seeger's wife of 70 years, passed away at the age of 91.
World of Bluegrass Announcements -Bluegrass fans all over the globe can watch live as the final th nominees for the 24 International Bluegrass Music Awards are announced on Wednesday, August 14 at 5:00 pm Central; for the third year in a row, Music City Roots will broadcast the nomination press conference live at www.musiccityroots.com, from the Loveless Barn in Nashville, Tennessee. Every fan and IBMA member is invited! Also this year, bluegrass supporters in Raleigh, North Carolina have the opportunity to watch the live August 14 nominations broadcast with fellow music fans at “viewing parties” at three venues: The Irregardless Cafe, Lincoln Theatre, and Tir na nOg, in downtown Raleigh, starting at 6:00 pm Eastern. Celebrated bluegrass artists/songwriters Sam Bush and Jim Lauderdale will host the Aug. 14 nominations press conference. -Camping at World of Bluegrass in Raleigh is open! Tents and RV spots are available for reasonable prices, and there will be shuttles to take you to the World of Bluegrass campus. If you are interested in reserving a camp site for WOB week, you should contact Claudine by phone (919839-4501) or email. She asked that emails include ”IBMA RV 2013″ as the subject line.
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Heard ‘round the World International Bluegrass Music Industry News August 2013 The Canadian all-woman band Oh My Darling, who took part in the 10th Bühl International Bluegrass Festival last year (see the EBB for 10 May 2012) will soon begin a seven-week tour of Europe, including Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The Maiden City Festival in Londonderry/Derry city, Northern Ireland, has included a day devoted to bluegrass and old-time music since the year 2000 - when the Blue Grass Boogiemen (NL) were at the top of the bill. In the last few years this has extended to a second day, and the number of bands and musicians involved has increased. The next Maiden City Festival takes place August 3-4. Lilly Drumeva, founder of Lilly of the West bluegrass band of Bulgaria will be in the United States from August until November 15th on a Fulbright scholarship. She will be writing about and exploring the history of bluegrass music in Bulgarian for the first time. Drumeva will visit Nashville and parts of Kentucky, as well as perform at World of Bluegrass in Raleigh in September. The Sons of Navarone, from Belgium, have a new guitarist in Yves Aerts. The 5th annual Banjoree will take place in Wendland, Germany September 13 through 15. For more information visit www.banjoree.com. The France Bluegrass Music Association announced their Winter Bluegrass Weekend will take place November 8 through 11 in Vichy. Down and Out Bluegrass Band from the Belfast area of Northern Ireland have announced their first album Lowering the Tone will be released soon online, and at their upcoming shows. Look for an increased international bluegrass presence at World of Bluegrass in Raleigh, North Carolina this year. With three nights of band showcases, a “Foreign Affairs” booth in the exhibit hall, and more!
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Bragging Rights And Getting Social Social media has been a pretty big ego booster these days. Admit it: You can’t help but feel a little satisfaction over how many of your friends “Like” your new profile picture, or that status update about seeing The Del McCoury Band over the weekend. IBMA is pleased to announce a large increase in followers and fans. We’re happy to say that our Facebook page has reached over 22,000 fans within the last year. We’re hopeful this is a continuing trend as more people honor, celebrate, and discover the music we all love and support. Did you know we’re also on Twitter? Follow our 140 characters at @intlbluegrass, and @bluegrassnation. As we head into World of Bluegrass mode, make sure to use and search the hashtags #wob13 and #ibma! If you’re hip to Instagram, we’re there, too, filters and all! Follow at @intlbluegrass. And since we’ve got your attention, we’ll go ahead and tell you that membership here at IBMA jumped 22% since May 1! That’s a lot of support for the music we all love! If you would like to join IBMA as a professional organization, professional individual, grassroots, youth, or friend, we would love to welcome you. Visit www.ibma.org to sign up online, or call us at 1-888-GETIBMA. Check out our YouTube channel with our latest Backyard Bluegrass videos, and exclusive videos from artists you’ll see at World of Bluegrass this September in Raleigh!
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