International Bluegrass, September 2013

IB

International Bluegrass Vol 28, No 9, S e pt . 2013

world of bluegrass

2013

IBMA Award Nominees: The Gibson Brothers

Alan Jackson The Bluegrass Albu m Also in this issue

■■IBMA award nominations ■■New to IBMA: Eddie huffman ■■Hall of Fame Inductees announced

September is Worldwide Bluegrass Music Month

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International Bluegrass International Bluegrass Music Association Vol. 28 | No. 9 | September 2013

Cover Story 4 | Behind Alan Jackson’s Bluegrass Album

News 8 | Hall of fame inductees 10| distinguished achievement award recipients 12 | IBMA Award nominees 17 | initial award show performers and 17 | New board members elected 18 | NC State museum programming during wob 19| Eddie Huffman joines IBMA Staff 19| broadcast affiliate info 20 | bluegrass music industry news

Departments 3 | Behind the scenes at IBMA 24 | fresh sounds 26 | heard round the world

IBMA Staff Nancy Cardwell Erdos Executive Director Joe Lurgio Member/Convention Services Director Taylor Coughlin Special Projects Director/Publications Editor Eddie Huffman Technology & Office Systems Manager IB | International Bluegrass Editor: Taylor Coughlin taylor@ibma.org Designer: Erin Erdos Humann erinfaitherdos@gmail.com International Bluegrass (ISSN #1095-0605) IBMA: Working together for high standards of professionalism, a greater appreciation for our music, and the success of the worldwide bluegrass community.

The monthly emailed publication of the International Bluegrass Music Association 608 W. Iris Drive, Nashville, TN 37204 USA

615-256-3222 | 888-GET-IBMA | Fax: 615-256-0450

Email: info@ibma.org Website: www.ibma.org

Statement of fact and opinion are made on the responsibility of the writers alone and do not imply an opinion on the part of the officers, directors, staf or members of IBMA. Portions of International Bluegrass may be reprinted provided that explicitty citation of the source is made: “Reprinted with permission from International Bluegrass, the publication of the International Bluegrass Music Association, www.ibma.org”

The IBMA Business Conference, Sept. 24-26, Raleigh NC: A place to discover new music, a place to be discovered.

If you’re in the bluegrass biz, you should be there too! Register today at worldofbluegrass.org or call 888-438-4262.

Behind the Scenes at IBMA Here’s a little something about me: For five months out of the year, if I’m not training for a marathon, spending time with my friends and family, or taking in live music, I am probably watching football or making changes to my fantasy football roster. I love how each week I am kept on my toes depending on how my teams are doing (Denver Broncos, all the way!) and I love the excitement, camaraderie, and competition each game inspires. The same could be said about bluegrass: the music and the people who play it and love hearing it inspire excitement, camaraderie, and well, maybe some friendly competition.

Between planning for World of Bluegrass last week, I was thinking about my fantasy football team and who I wanted my first round draft pick to be. Then, I thought about a fantasy bluegrass lineup and wondered who everyone else would have on theirs. So, I turned to IBMA’s Facebook page and asked the question: “Who is in your dream bluegrass lineup?”

Taylor Coughlin

Here were some of the responses: “I’ll take Sam Bush, Bela Fleck, Pat Flynn and John Cowan.” – Rich Geidt “Rhonda Vincent, Matt Munsey, Chad Graves, Todd Phillips, Steve Martin, Alison Krauss, Carl Jackson.”

– Loretta Lightningbolt “Tony Rice guitar and vocals, Sammy Shelor banjo, Ron Stewart fiddle, Jesse Brock mandolin, Edgar Loudermilk bass and vocals.” – Charlie Butler “Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson, Lester Flatt, Alison Krauss, Junior Huskey, Jerry Douglas, Adam Steffey.”

– Wes Mason “The Gibson Bros., Audie Blaylock & Redline, The Spinney Bros., and of course, Jimmy Martin and Bill Monroe.” – Sandy Blankenship “The Punch Brothers, Steve Martin, The Waybacks, Assembly of Dust, The Kruger Brothers, Donna the Buffalo, Del McCoury, and of course, Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn.” – Lucy Spain If you had to pick your ultimate bluegrass lineup, who would it be?

At World of Bluegrass this September, we have a wealth of muses for your own fantasy lineups. From the Wide Open Bluegrass Festival, to the Bluegrass Ramble Showcases, to the Awards Show – there are so many performances by some of the very best in bluegrass, your depth chart will be knee-deep!

Beef up your game plan by attending our dynamic World of Bluegrass business development seminars – over 20 in all! With panelists and topics from all aspects of the music industry, there is something engaging and unique to help everyone succeed even further in their business and personal goals – or, just to enjoy, be entertained or learn something new! These seminars feature top-notch professionals in the industry and are sure to enrich your World of Bluegrass experience.

We hope to see you in Raleigh September 24-28 as you experience – first hand – your fantasy bluegrass experience. Chances to see old friends (and make new ones), all-night jam sessions rendering you sleep deprived, business seminars giving you the information and ideas you need to be successful in your ventures, over 200 opportunities to take in amazing live music, and waving the flag for bluegrass music – it will all be waiting for you at World of Bluegrass. This is no fantasy league – it’s the real deal!

See you in Raleigh!

Taylor 3

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Behind Alan Jackson’s Bluegrass Album

By Taylor

Coughlin

Like a lot of good stories in bluegrass do, this one started at The Ryman.

Country superstar Alan Jackson was at The Mother Church in Nashville filming videos when he was sitting with his longtime guitarist Scott Coney during a break. Sitting on a stool, Jackson started playing a bluegrass guitar lick and asked Coney, “What do you think about this?”

Six weeks later, The Bluegrass Album would be recorded, with that song (“Long Hard Road”) kicking it all off. But like a lot of good stories in bluegrass, there’s more to it than that.

Jackson’s chart topping career in country has made him a household name, whether that house worships 650 AM WSM, or doesn’t have a country record on its shelves. Under his belt, Jackson has two Grammys, 16 CMA Awards, 17 ACM Awards, is a member of the Grand Ole Opry and the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, and is credited for 4

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penning many of his own hits, of which he has 35 Number Ones, according to Billboard.

Growing up in rural Newnan, Georgia, Jackson’s early musical influences were gospel and country, but he heard bluegrass the way many did: through watching The Dillards on The Andy Griffith Show and hearing Flatt & Scruggs at the start of every Beverly Hillbillies episode. When he later became a songwriter, he found a hero in the Father of Bluegrass.

“I’ve always been a fan of Bill Monroe’s songwriting,” Jackson said. “A lot of songs he wrote were really cool.”

While Jackson’s country records have always included fiddle, Dobro, and mandolin, he has never made an album that was strictly bluegrass.

Since working with Alison Krauss on what turned out to be more of an acoustic contemporary album than bluegrass, Jackson has toyed with the idea of making a full bluegrass album.

Back to the Ryman, where self-described “bluegrass diehard” Coney sat with Jackson.

“I said, ‘If you ever want to do a bluegrass album, I would love to play on it,’” Coney said, and the foundation for Jackson’s bluegrass album was laid.

growing up in Arkansas) were called up. On the album, there would be Rob Ickes (Dobro), Tim Crouch (fiddle), Tim Dishman (bass), Sammy Shelor (banjo), Adam Steffey (mandolin), Scott Coney (guitar), and Don Rigsby and Ronnie Bowman on harmony vocals.

The recording process reflected a bluegrass jam, which is heard in the energy of the album. “We put everybody in a circle and we just recorded

Jackson talked to producer and songwriter (and nephew) Adam Wright, and longtime producer Keith Stegall about finally doing the album, and said he wanted to get a band together to make it happen. When Wright told Jackson about Coney’s deep love of and experience in bluegrass, everything seemed to fall into place.

“Scott Coney is a bluegrass die-hard at heart and he helped me put the band together for [the album],” Jackson said. “I really wanted the cream of the crop in bluegrass because I wanted to make something that would make bluegrass fans proud.”

Coney said it was a dream for him to help put the band together for Jackson’s project, and he gives Wright the credit for getting the fire going.

“Bluegrass is one of the last traditional American music genres that has stuck to its roots.”

“It was a combination of Adam [Wright] telling Alan, ‘You’ve got a bluegrass guy right under your nose,’ and Alan saying, ‘Let’s get a band together for this album’ and I realized he was very serious about doing a bluegrass album,” Coney said, adding, “when [Jackson] gets something on his mind, he’s bound and determined to make it happen.”

With Coney behind the Band Recruitment Wheel, some of the best musicians in bluegrass (some of whom he had listened to and been a fan of for years 5

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the tracks all live,” Jackson said. “I wanted the harmony vocals to be recorded live, and I wanted the album to feel like it was live.”

With the leadership of Jackson and Wright in the studio, and the sheer talent on the record, it is not surprising to learn that in a matter of two session days, all the tracks were laid down.

Each track took less than three takes, which is rare, but as Coney put it: “When you have the caliber of people [we had], you have the best and it doesn’t take long.”

Coney said the sessions felt like a living room jam, saying, “We literally had some acoustical foam in between us and we cut that record live like it was a jam. When we got done at the end of the second day, we didn’t want it to end and I really think it came across on the record,” he said. “There was some really fabulous playing, and people are going to be impressed that Alan brought those songs to the table.”

Jackson’s transition to bluegrass songwriting for the record is impressive, covering familiar themes and essential traits of bluegrass. Each song brings out a different side of human emotion and channels life experiences. “Blacktop” challenges the nostalgic sentiments of dirt roads often heard in bluegrass and country songs for the convenience of having a more conventional blacktop road:

Coney recalled hearing Don Rigsby talk about working with Jackson and that Rigsby said: “He’s always been a cheerleader for traditional music.

When he made a bluegrass record his biggest concern was to pay homage to true bluegrass roots. His main concern was to make a bluegrass record where people would respect him.”

Sammy Shelor said he truly enjoyed working on the album.”It was a great experience recording with “This ain’t no song ‘bout the good old days, the some of the best musicians and singers in the simpler times, or easy ways, or how I long industry,” he said in an email, adding, “Doing the for an old dirt road, a blade of grass or a songs I had never heard before and cutting them lighter load. I was glad to see the blacktop live was quite a challenge for me, but I am very when they laid it down in ’65. I was glad to happy with how it turned out and I know bluegrass see the blacktop, no more dust in my eyes.” fans are going to love this collection.”

“It seems like I’ve heard so many songs about ‘dirt road this and that,’ which plays on nostalgic factors, and I get it,” Jackson explained, “ but I just remember growing up with all the dust, dirt, rocks and all, and I didn’t like it. [When we got the blacktop,] I got to ride my bicycle up and down the way I liked. [The song] just came out there. It was just my own experience and what I remember some about growing up.”

Another highlight on the album is The Dillards’ “There Is A Time,” that Jackson wanted to cover because he said, “I started thinking about where I first heard bluegrass and I wanted to include The Dillards, and I always loved that song. [Bluegrass] made an impression on me with that song.”

Other stand-out songs are heartbreaking ballads “Blue Ridge Mountain Song,” and “Blue Side of Heaven,” the bluesy “Way Beyond the Blue,” and an originally country song by Jackson “Let’s Get Back to Me and You.” Jackson wrote eight out the 14 tracks on the album.

The closing track is appropriate with Jackson paying homage to Bill Monroe. “I wanted to pay my respects to Mr. Monroe by covering ‘Blue Moon of Kentucky,’” Jackson said. What’s even more special about Jackson closing The Bluegrass Album with that song is his shout out to each musician and his producers on the record, solidifying the relationships he made, and declaring the time he cherished while making the record.

“Everyone there was a great player, just great people,” Jackson said. “I felt like I wanted to say something at the end of the album. I just felt like thanking everyone.”

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Jackson said he wanted to do this album for a couple of reasons, but primarily, “I really made this album for me. I wanted to do something that I was proud of, and that the bluegrass world wouldn’t be ashamed of,” he said. “[Bluegrass] is one of the last traditional American music genres that have stuck to its roots.”

Jackson and the recording band previewed the album live at The Station Inn in Nashville on August 27. In addition, Coney hinted at future tour dates: “Alan’s goal is: if we do this live, to make sure that every guy on the record is able to play on the live dates,” he said. “He wants to reproduce that magic and energy we had in the studio, and for it to be authentic.”

Between the ideas for the record hatching at The Ryman, the stories sung on The Bluegrass Album and the magic behind the two-day recording session with a heroic cast of characters, there is a lot to tell. But like a lot of good stories, it doesn’t sound like this one is over yet.

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IBMA Announces 2013 Inductees to International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame: Tony Rice & Paul Warren IBMA announced that bandleader/singer/guitar innovator TONY RICE and fiddler PAUL WARREN will be inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame at its Awards Show in Raleigh, North Carolina on Thursday, September 26, 2013.

TONY RICE is an American master of the acoustic guitar whose music has provided inspiration and a

benchmark of excellence for musicians from a variety of genres and across a variety of instruments, and enchanted countless listeners around the globe.

Over a career that has spanned more than 40 years, Tony Rice has recorded and performed with a list of legends that includes Dolly Parton, Jerry Garcia, David Grisman, Emmylou Harris, Ricky Skaggs, Stéphane Grappelli, Doc Watson, Norman Blake, and Peter Rowan.

The roster of artists who have been influenced by Rice expands constantly as new generations and players of all ages and from a wide range of styles discover his music.

Artists from other genres (Zac Brown, Vince Gill, Mary Chapin Carpenter) and artists known for brilliance on instruments other than guitar (fiddlers Alison Krauss and Mark O’Connor, banjoists Béla Fleck and Mark Johnson) count themselves as Rice scholars and friends. Guitarists around the globe have studied Rice’s impeccable technique, tone, and timing as they worked to discover their own styles.

Known as much for his gorgeously warm, expressive vocals as for his guitar virtuosity, Rice sadly lost his voice to a condition called muscle tension dysphonia, singing live for the final time at a festival in May 1994. He simply channeled that expression into his playing. Rice won the first award for Instrumental Performer of the Year—Guitar from the International Bluegrass Music Association in 1990, and has been nominated in this category every year since, winning it again in 1991, 1994, 1996, 1997, and 2007.

It is difficult to overstate the value of Tony Rice’s contribution to guitar music, the bluegrass and acoustic jazz songbooks, and the fundamentals of tone, taste, and timing. He transformed the way guitar is played in bluegrass music, an American art form that has built cultural bridges and captured the hearts of listeners around the world.

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Regarding inductee PAUL WARREN, music historian/musician Eddie Stubbs said,

“I think it’s important to recognize that Paul is being honored by the IBMA for his bluegrass contributions as a musician and bass vocalist, but his role with the fiddle went beyond bluegrass.”

The majority of his career occurred when the lines of country and bluegrass weren’t really as rigid. After rock and roll emerged in the middle 1950s, the fiddle went on life-support, and has really been there ever since. There were only a handful of bands that consistently kept a fiddle on board. The instrument became a luxury and not a necessity--even in bluegrass. Because of Paul’s visibility with Flatt & Scruggs, and later Lester by himself, the instrument remained present to a wider audience that was not exclusively bluegrass from the late 1950s through Paul’s retirement in 1977.”

In 1954, Warren began his long association with Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs when he replaced Benny Martin in their Foggy Mountain Boys; he appeared on all of their recordings between 1954 and 1969. When Flatt and Scruggs broke up in the late ‘60s, Warren played in Flatt’s Nashville Grass through early 1977. In an interview, Lester Flatt stated, “Paul Warren is one of the solidest, most dependable musicians that ever played.”

Before Flatt & Scruggs, Warren participated in many recording sessions with Johnnie & Jack, appearing on just under one-half of the duo’s entire recorded output. Warren also helped define Kitty Wells’ instrumental sound on record. His numerous sessions with her included the classic “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels.”

About The International Bluegrass Hall of Fame & IBMA Founded in 1991, the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame, housed in the International Bluegrass Music Museum in Owensboro, KY, is an institution devoted to the recognition of noteworthy individuals for outstanding contributions to bluegrass music. Each year a nominating committee, consisting of music industry leaders, creates a slate of 10-15 candidates. From these names, a panel of more than 200 electors in the music industry cast ballots to narrow the nominees to five finalists. The panel votes a final time to select the inductee(s) for that year.

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IBMA Announces 2013 Distinguished achievement awards Each year, IBMA honors five individuals for their pioneering contributions to bluegrass music.

This year’s recipients of IBMA’s Distinguished Achievement Awards include: Keith Case has presented some of the finest acts in bluegrass and roots music for over 30 years, with a professional career that began in Denver, Colorado in 1970. As a talent agent, manager and promoter, he has represented legendary singer songwriters and musicians like John Hartford, Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Tony Rice, and the Nashville Bluegrass Band. He has been instrumental in breaking notable new acts that went on to amass both popular and critical acclaim—like Alison Krauss & Union Station, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and Robert Earl Keen. In addition to leading the premiere traditional music agency in Nashville, Case is also a founding member of IBMA. The East Mountain Boys are known as the “fathers of bluegrass music” in Japan. Organized in 1958, the East Mountain Boys featured Yasushi Ozaki (guitar), Hisashi Ozaki (mandolin), the late Don Sano (banjo), Yoshinobu Kakegawa (fiddle), Hirokazu Uneno (accordion), Shozo Nakamura (bass), and manager Tatsuo Arita. They learned to play by listening to US Armed Forces radio during World War II. As Japan’s first bluegrass band, they influenced later important Japanese groups like the Bluegrass 45, The Nakashima Sisters, and many others.

Vic Jordan is an influential banjo player who toured and recorded with Jimmy Martin, Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys, Lester Flatt & the Nashville Grass, Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper & the Clinch Mountain Clan, Jim & Jesse, James Monroe and the Midnight Ramblers, and The Wayne Newton Orchestra—along with decades of television and studio work. That’s Vic’s banjo you hear on Monroe’s recordings of “Gold Rush,” “Sally Goodin,” Virginia Darlin’,” “Is the Blue Moon Still Shinin’,” “Train 45,” “Kentucky Mandolin,” “I Want to Go with You,” “Crossing the Cumberland,” and “Walls of Time.” He also played banjo on the soundtracks for Coal Miner’s Daughter and Smoky & the Bandit II, and he was in the 1992 Hee Haw band.

The McLain Family Band, of Berea, Kentucky, began performing in 1972. One of the first bluegrass bands to perform with symphony orchestras, the group performed in more than 80 countries for the U.S. government as “America’s Ambassadors of Traditional Music.” They hosted their own festival in Berea for 13 years, and they recorded more than a dozen albums on their own Country Life Records label.

Fans will remember Raymond W. McLain as a banjo player with Jim & Jesse and mandolin player with Reno and Harrell, and Michael McLain on guitar and banjo with the Claire Lynch Band. The entire family has been involved in teaching bluegrass music for decades, beginning with the elder Raymond K. McLain, who was a professor of musicology at Berea College in Kentucky, and continuing with Raymond W. McLain’s work at East Tennessee State University and Morehead State University in Kentucky, Michael McLain’s work with the bluegrass program at Belmont University in Nashville, Ruth McLain Smith’s teaching at Berea College Morehead State University, and Al White’s (husband of Alice McLain and a former member of the McLain Family Band) teaching at Berea College.

Charley Pennell, a library cataloger by trade at the D. H. Hill Library at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, has quietly and professionally documented an online list of every known bluegrass music recording in existence. His “Bluegrass Discography” site includes info on hundreds—maybe tens of thousands—of bluegrass recordings, including singles, LPs, tapes and CDs. These awards will be presented at a Special Awards Luncheon on Thursday, September 26 during IBMA’s World of Bluegrass events.

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The 24th Annual International Bluegrass Music Nominees for the 2013 International Bluegrass Music Awards were announced today at a press conference at Nashville’s Loveless Barn, with The Gibson Brothers leading the pack with eight nominations for the band and their individual members. They’re followed by Balsam Range with seven nominations, and The Boxcars, Alison Krauss & Union Station, and Russell Moore & IIIrd Time Out with six nominations each. (A full list of nominations appears at the end of this press release.)

Awards are voted on by the professional membership of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), the trade association for the bluegrass music industry. Results of the balloting will be revealed at the International Bluegrass Music Awards on Thursday, September 26, hosted by the Steep Canyon Rangers. The Awards Show is the centerpiece of World of Bluegrass Week (#WOB13), to be held September 24 – 28 in Raleigh, NC. Individually and as an ensemble, members of The Gibson Brothers received eight nominations, including Entertainer of the Year, Vocal Group, Album of the Year (They Called It Music), Song of the Year (“They Called It Music”) and Gospel Recorded Event. Eric Gibson received two nominations, as songwriter for Song of the Year “They Called It Music” (along with co-writer Joe Newberry) and in the Bluegrass Songwriter category. Band member Jesse Brock also earned a nomination for Mandolin Player of the Year Balsam Range captured seven nominations, including Entertainer of the Year, Vocal Group, two Song of the Year nods – “Any Old Road (Will Take You There)” and “Papertown” – Album of the Year (Papertown), Gospel Recorded Event and Recorded Event (band member Buddy Melton for “What’ll I Do” with Terry Baucom).

The IBMA Awards Show will be broadcast live on Sirius XM Satellite Radio (Bluegrass Junction) and syndicated to more than 300 U.S. markets and 14 foreign networks, thanks to the sponsorship of John Pearse Strings, Compass Records, Deering Banjos, the International Bluegrass Music Museum, BluegrassToday.com and Music City Roots. Program directors and station managers may sign up to be affiliates online at www.ibma.org.

A complete list of nominees, this year’s Hall of Fame inductees, and the recipients of the Distinguished Achievement Award are listed below.

2013 DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENTS Keith Case The East Mountain Boys Vic Jordan The McLain Family Band Charley Pennell

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2013 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES Tony Rice Paul Warren

Award Nominees ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

Balsam Range Blue Highway Dailey & Vincent The Gibson Brothers The Del McCoury Band

INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR

Blue Highway The Boxcars Sam Bush Band Punch Brothers Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR

EMERGING ARTIST OF THE YEAR

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

Balsam Range Blue Highway Dailey & Vincent The Gibson Brothers Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver

Della Mae Flatt Lonesome Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen The Spinney Brothers The Darrell Webb Band

Jamie Dailey Russell Moore Tim O’Brien Marty Raybon Junior Sisk

Dale Ann Bradley Sonya Isaacs Claire Lynch Amanda Smith Rhonda Vincent

INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMERS OF THE YEAR BANJO

J.D. Crowe Mike Munford Sammy Shelor Ron Stewart Scott Vestal

BASS

Barry Bales Mike Bub Missy Raines Mark Schatz Marshall Wilborn

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FIDDLE

GUITAR

Jason Carter Michael Cleveland Stuart Duncan Bobby Hicks Ron Stewart

Jim Hurst Tony Rice Kenny Smith Bryan Sutton Josh Williams

dobro

MANDOLIN

Mike Auldridge Jerry Douglas Rob Ickes Randy Kohrs Phil Leadbetter

Wayne Benson Jesse Brock Sam Bush Sierra Hull Adam Steffey

SONG OF THE YEAR “Any Old Road (Will Take You There),”

Balsam Range, written by Carl Jackson, Marc Pruett & Jerry Salley

“Gentle on my Mind,” Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, written by John Hartford “Papertown,” Balsam Range, written by Milan Miller “The Story of the Day that I Died,” Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice, written by Ashby Frank “They Called It Music,” The Gibson Brothers, written by Eric Gibson & Joe Newberry

ALBUM OF THE YEAR Dear Sister, Claire Lynch, produced by Garry West, Compass Records Hammer Down, The SteelDrivers, produced

by The SteelDrivers & Luke Wooten, Rounder Records The Old School, Peter Rowan, produced by Alison Brown, Compass Records Papertown, Balsam Range, produced by Balsam Range, Mountain Home They Called It Music, The Gibson Brothers, produced by Eric & Leigh Gibson and Mike Barber, Compass Records.

Gospel Recorded Event of the Year “Beulah Land,” Marty Raybon, written by Squire Parsons, produced by Marty Raybon, Rural Rhythm “Home on the River,” The Gibson Brothers, written by Austin Taylor, produced by Eric & Leigh Gibson and Mike Barber, Compass Records “Row by Row,” Balsam Range, written by Ashleigh Caudill, produced by Balsam Range, Mountain Home “Say Hello to Heaven,” Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, written by Lewis N. Hyatt, produced

by Doyle Lawson, Mountain Home “When He Beckons Me Home,” Darin & Brooke Aldridge, written by George Shuffler, produced by Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Mountain Home.

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instrumental recorded PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR (tied with six nominees) “By the Waters of the Clinch,” Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, written by Doyle Lawson, produced

by Doyle Lawson, Mountain Home “Foggy Mountain Rock;” Tom Adams, Ron Block, J.D. Crowe, Charlie Cushman, Kenny Ingram, Jim Mills, Joe Mullins, Larry Perkins, Craig Smith, Ron Stewart, David Talbot & Tony Trischka; written by Louise Certain & Gladys Stacey; produced by Tim Austin, Rounder Records.

“New Jerusalem,” Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, written by Ricky Skaggs, produced by Ricky Skaggs, Skaggs Family Records “Newton’s Grove,” Audie Blaylock & Redline, written by Richard Underwood, produced by Audie Blaylock, Rural Rhythm “NoraBelle,” Darrell Webb Band, written by Darrell Webb, Rural Rhythm “Pilgrim’s Knob,” Alan Bibey & Wayne Benson, written by Bill Monroe, produced by Alan Bibey & Wayne Benson, Pinecastle

RECORDED EVENT OF THE YEAR “Another Night,” Alan Bibey, Wayne Benson and Russell Moore, produced by Alan Bibey & Wayne Benson, Pinecastle “Golden Ring,” Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out with Sonya Isaacs, produced by Barry Bales, Cracker Barrel “On the Edge of Letting Go,” Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen with Tim O’Brien and Rob Ickes, produced by Frank Solivan & Brent Truitt, Compass Records “This Old Guitar and Me,” Grasstowne with Ronnie Bowman, produced by Ronnie Bowman & Grasstowne, Mountain Fever Records “What’ll I Do;” Terry Baucom with Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Wyatt Rice, Steve Bryant & Buddy Melton; produced by Terry Baucom, Cindy Baucom and Ed Lowe; John Boy & Billy

2013 International Bluegrass Music Special Award Nominations BLUEGRASS BROADCASTER OF THE YEAR

BEST LINER NOTES FOR A RECORDED PROJECT

Joe Mullins, WBZI, Xenia, Ohio Ronnie Reno, Reno’s Old Time Music Festival, BlueHighways TV and RFD Wayne Rice, KSON, San Diego, California David Smith, North Dakota’s Prairie Public Radio Tim White, Song of the Mountains, PBS

Tom Adams; Foggy Mountain Special; Tom Adams, Ron Block, J.D. Crowe, Charlie Cushman, Kenny Ingram, Jim Mills, Joe Mullins, Larry Perkins, Craig Smith, Ron Stewart, David Talbot & Tony Trischka; Rounder Records Fred Bartenstein, They’re Playing My Song, Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers, Rebel Records Jamie Lynn Brinkman, God Didn’t Choose Sides, Various Artists, Rural Rhythm Records Carl Jackson, Grace Notes, Carl Jackson, Voxhall Records Don Rigsby, Doctor’s Orders, Don Rigsby, Rebel Records.

BLUEGRASS EVENT OF THE YEAR The 2013 Bluegrass First Class, Asheville, North Carolina The 2012 Father’s Day Festival, Grass Valley, California The 2012 Huck Finn Jubilee, Ontario,California The 2012 Jenny Brook Bluegrass Festival, Tunbridge, Vermont Bill Monroe Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival, Bean Blossom, Indiana

BEST GRAPHIC DESIGN FOR A RECORDED PROJECT Dak Alley, Carl Jackson & Jimmy Metts (designers); Grace Notes; Carl Jackson; Voxhall Records Erick Anderson (designer), Music To My Ears, Ricky Skaggs, Skaggs Family Records Sue Meyer (designer), Doctor’s Orders, Don Rigsby, Rebel Records Pharis Romero (designer), In Good Company, Bill Evans, Native & Fine Records.

Tom Rozum, Catherine Manning & Dave Weiland (designers); Chicken on a Rocketship; Chad Manning; Manning Music and Arts

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BLUEGRASS PRINT/MEDIA PERSON OF THE YEAR Fred Bartenstein, editor, Bluegrass Bluesman: A Memoir by Uncle Josh Graves (book) Derek Halsey, writer for the Herald Dispatch in Huntington, West Virginia and Bluegrass Unlimited magazine Chris Jones, writer for Bluegrass Today Ted Lehmann, blogger for Ted Lehmann’s Bluegrass, Books & Brainstorms Amy Reitnouer, editor of The Bluegrass Situation

BLUEGRASS SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR Louisa Branscomb Paula Breedlove Mark “Brink” Brinkman Eric Gibson Donna Ulisse

Momentum Awards INDUSTRY, NEW PROFESSIONAL Danny Clark, The Bluegrass Bus & LeRoy Troy PR Martha Dantzic, Quicksilver Productions Amy Reitnouer, The Bluegrass Situation

INDUSTRY, NEW FESTIVAL OR VENUE Bluegrass on the Plains, Auburn, AL The Festy, Roseland, VA The Outer Banks Bluegrass Festival, Roanoke Island, NC

INDUSTRY, MENTOR Stephen Mougin Denise Stiff Jon Weisberger

PERFORMANCE, VOCALIST Amber Collins, Amber Collins & Turning Point Robert Greer, Town Mountain Sarah Harris, Trinity River Band Col. Isaac Moore Isaac Moore, The Moore Brothers Celia Woodsmith, Della Mae

PERFORMANCE, BAND The Bankesters Cumberland River Front Country Snyder Family Band Town Mountain

PERFORMANCE, INSTRUMENTALIST Bobby Britt, Town Mountain Kimber Ludiker, Della Mae Chris Luquette, Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen Bryan McDowell, Claire Lynch Band Zeb Snyder, Snyder Family Band Special Awards and Distinguished Achievement Awards will be presented at a luncheon on Thursday, September 26 from 10:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. at the World of Bluegrass Business Conference in Raleigh, NC. The Momentum Awards will be presented at the Showcase Luncheon on Wednesday, September 25. For information and tickets, visit ibma.org.

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International Bluegrass

Initial Award Show Performers and Presenters Announced An initial list of performers and presenters for the 24th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards, held on Thursday, September 26 at 7:30 p.m. EST, has been announced. The Awards Show, held at Raleigh, North Carolina’s Duke Energy Center for the Performing Artist (Memorial Auditorium) will feature performances and award presentations from some of the genre’s brightest stars.

Announced performers include all five of 2013’s “Entertainer of the Year” nominees - Balsam Range, Blue Highway, Dailey &Vincent, The Gibson Brothers and The Del McCoury Band as well as Female Vocalist nominee Rhonda Vincent and her band the Rage, and Awards Show hosts the Steep Canyon Rangers.

Presenters will include Terry Baucom, a Recorded Event nominee; the Boxcars’ multiple nominee John Bowman; Female Vocalist nominee Dale Ann Bradley; Silvio Ferretti, founding member of Italy’s seminal bluegrass band Red Wine; Mandolin Player nominee Sierra Hull; multiple nominee Claire Lynch; veteran banjo award winner Jim Mills; Punch Brother – and nominee - Noam Pikelny; chart-topping duo The Roys; Frank Solivan, a multiple nominee with his band, Dirty Kitchen; Canada’s The Spinney Brothers, Emerging Artist nominees; Ron Stewart, a multiple nominee for his work with The Boxcars, and banjoist Pete Wernick, a former IBMA president whose celebrated career with Hot Rize and as a solo artist helped earn him a Distinguished Achievement Award.

A finalized lineup of performers and presenters will be announced in the coming weeks.

“We’ve upped the game for our first year in Raleigh, with some very special performances and presentations,”” said Chris Stuart, who is co-producing the Awards Show with Jon Weisberger.

“We’ll have more news in the next few weeks as we finalize the list of performers and presenters for the evening, but I’d recommend people get tickets now because we may be looking at a soldout show. There is already huge buzz about it. Raleigh has come up with a world-class venue for us that I think everyone’s going to love.”

IBMA Announces New Board Members IBMA is pleased to announce new board members in the following categories: At Large: Stephen Mougin, Sam Bush Band/ Dark Shadow Recording Artist, Composers & Publishers: Alan Bartram, The Del McCoury Band/ Travelin’ McCourys Merchandisers & Luthiers: Jamie Deering, Deering Banjos International rep: Angelika Torrie, European Bluegrass Music Association/ Bluegrass Europe magazine Steven Mougin will take his seat on the board immediately, replacing Donica Christensen, who resigned from the board this year. The other members will begin their three-year terms.

There was a tie between Alan Tompkins and Regina Derzon for the Associations board seat.

There will be a run-off election this month to determine the new board rep in this category.

Thanks to all the candidates who ran for board seats. We appreciate your support of IBMA and bluegrass music.

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International Bluegrass

International Bluegrass

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NC State Museum Programming during WOB For the next three years, Raleigh will be home to the International Bluegrass Music Association annual World of Bluegrass convention. When you’re in the Raleigh area, join the Museum of History in welcoming IBMA by stopping in at these programs: Tuesday, September 24 1-3 p.m.

5-7 p.m.

North Carolina is the Banjo State, with Bob Carlin Bluegrass in North Carolina, with Tommy Edwards

Wednesday, September 25 1-3 p.m.

5-7 p.m.

Bluegrass Music: How North Carolinians Have Contributed, with Art Menius The Earl Scruggs Center: Music and Stories from the American South

Thursday, September 26 1-3 p.m.

5-7 p.m.

The Story of Bluegrass and Raleigh’s Contribution, with Ron Raxter Bluegrass Jam, with Pinecone

Friday, September 27 1-3 p.m.

5-7 p.m.

A talk with Wayne Martin Gibson, Scruggs, and the Three-Finger Style, with Jim Mills

The current NC Museum of History opened in 1994 between the Legislative Building and the historic State Capitol (walk out of the Convention Center on the Fayetteville Street side and look left. You can’t miss it). The new museum has a research library, a variety of classroom spaces, and a large and well-equipped, 315-seat auditorium. Large gallery spaces total 55,000 square feet, nearly four times the exhibit area available in the old building. Design shops, storage areas for over 250,000 items, and conservation labs are now all under one roof.

Find out more information on the Museum of History here at http://www.ncdcr.gov/ncmoh/ or by calling (919)870-7900.

You are cordially invited to

the Foundation for Bluegrass Music Awards After Party, Thursday, Sept 26, at the Tir Na Nog in Raleigh, NC at 10 p.m.

Featuring: Blue Highway, Cumberland River Band and Jim Gaudet Tickets available at the Foundation booth and at the door.

Eddie Huffman joins IBMA staff Eddie Huffman moved to Nashville last September with his wife Sarah and their two-year old daughter, Katie, to be near family (Sarah is a native Middle Tennessean). He is extremely happy to join the IBMA staff as Technology and Office Systems Manager, and he is dedicated to working hard for the bluegrass community.

Eddie has studied bluegrass, old-time string band music, and oral tradition in the American South for nearly a decade. He earned a Master of Arts in Folklore and was working on his PhD in Cultural Anthropology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill prior to relocating to Nashville. Along with his graduate research, Eddie worked as an assistant editor on several traditional arts documentaries and also participated in heritage tourism initiatives of the Folklife Section of the North Carolina Arts Council. Most recently, he and a colleague curated Carolina Rhythm Roads, a compilation CD to accompany a guidebook to the rich African American musical heritage of eastern North Carolina.

Prior to graduate studies, Eddie worked as an engineer, developing hardware and software diagnostics for a telecommunications equipment manufacturer. Most recently, he made hula hoops for Discount Hoop Supplies, a small family business in East Nashville. The opportunity to join the IBMA team allows him to draw on his diverse background to fulfill his passion—contributing to the vitality of the bluegrass world and the wider music and arts community in Nashville and beyond.

BROADCAST AFFILIATE INFO: Sign Up Now for 2013 International Bluegrass Music Awards!

Share bluegrass music’s biggest night with your radio listeners!

The 2013 International Bluegrass Music Awards are once again being offered for rebroadcast to radio stations around the world. More than 300 stations worldwide take advantage of this free offering each year, making it bluegrass radio’s most widely distributed show!

Recorded live at Memorial Auditorium at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh, NC, the two-hour show is available to commercial, webcasting and non-commercial radio.

The digital show will once again be distributed on CD and via AirPlay Direct. Commercial stations will have eight minutes of local spot avails within the program. The show will be available for broadcast free of charge, thanks to our sponsors John Pearse Strings, Deering Banjos, Compass Records, the International Bluegrass Music Museum, Bluegrass Today, and Music City Roots.

To receive the show, broadcasters must register with IBMA. Prior recipients of the program are required to register each year; there is no automatic renewal. Confirm your station’s network affiliation at http://www.ibma.org/ibma.awards/broadcast.affiliation.asp or contact Joe Lurgio at joe@ibma.org, 888-438-4262 or 615-256-3222. CDs will be mailed out within two weeks after the Sept. 26 show.

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International Bluegrass

Bluegrass Music Industry News | September 2013 On the Charts as reflected at press time Billboard: Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby Cluck Ol’ Hen: Live debuted at number 1. The Isaacs’ Living Years at number 2 in its second week on the charts. Steve Martin & Edie Brickell’s Love Has Come For You is at Number 3.

Bluegrass Today Weekly Airplay Chart: Dailey & Vincent “Brothers of the Highway” is at number 1, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver “Fiddlin’ Will (Uncle Will Play the Fiddle),” and Terry Baucom’s “What’ll I Do” at number 3.

Bluegrass Unlimited Songs: The Gibson Brothers “They Called It Music” is at Number 1, Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice “The Story Of The Day That I Died” at Number 2, Dailey & Vincent “Steel Drivin’ Man” Number 3.

Bluegrass Unlimited Albums: The Gibson Brothers They Called It Music is 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.

For the Record Al Batten & the Bluegrass Reunion have signed with Deep River Management.

Dark Shadow Recording has released a first single to radio from Double Or Nothin’, their first project for The Rigneys. The single is called “Double or Nothin’,” written by Andrew Rigney (who also sings) and Dark Shadow Records producer/owner Stephen Mougin.

Dave Adkins & Republik Steele have have signed with Mountain Fever Records.

Smithsonian Folkways has released Classic Banjo, a 30-track compilation showing off the great versatility of the banjo and its part in shaping American musical identity, including the instrument’s vital role in the 1960s folk revival. Visit Classic Banjo at Smithsonian Folkways for a free download sample, The Hillbenders have moved to Keith Case & Associates for representation and booking.

WAMU’s Bluegrass Country will present its sixth annual live broadcast from the World of Bluegrass. Selected by a committee of Bluegrass Country hosts from a pool of 75 applicants, 24 bands will be featured during the four days of live broadcasting. Interviews and performances will air on 105.5 FM in Washington, D.C., 93.5 FM in Frederick, Md., and WUNC 91.5 FM in Raleigh, N.C., from noon-3 p.m., ET. Highlights of this year’s performances include the September 25 broadcast, featuring Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, The Grass Cats and Joe Newberry and Big Medicine. Presented in conjunction with WUNC, the performance will take place from 8-10 p.m., ET, at WUNC’s studio in Raleigh’s Natural History Museum.

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International Bluegrass

Warm Welcomes • • • •

Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver bassist Corey Hensley has left the band to pursue other interests.

Multi-instrumentalist Eli Johnston has since joined the band and will be primarily playing bass.

Cory Piatt has joined the Sleepy Man Banjo Boys as their new mandolin player.

Josh Woods is the new banjo player for Kim Robins & 40 Years Late.

Standing O! George Shuffler will be inducted into the Bill Monroe Bluegrass Hall of Fame during the 39th Annual Bluegrass Hall of Fame & Uncle Pen Days Festival in Brown County, Indiana on Saturday, September 21. George toured 20 years with the Stanley Brothers where he developed his unique cross picking guitar style that has been a big influence to many musicians.

The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA) announced six finalists for their inaugural $10,000 band contest held during the FreshGrassfestival September 20-22 in North Adams, MA. The finalists are Chasing Blue; Six Deadly Venoms; The Vickie Vaughn Band; Cricket Tell The Weather; Molly Tuttle, John Mailander, and Ethan Jodziewicz; and The Lonely Heartstring Band. The finalists were selected from applications received by a panel of music industry experts, who will judge the finalists’ live performances at the festival on September 22.

Jonathan Maness and Wendy Crowe of WestWend, were married in August.

Old Crow Medicine Show was invited to join the Grand Ole Opry. The group will formally be inducted into the Opry at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville on Tues., Sept. 17.

Congratulations to former Blue Grass Boy Blake Williams, and his wife Kimberly of East Public Relations, on the birth of their third grandchild. Aiden Blake Cantrell, first child for their daughter Alicia and her husband Houston Cantrell, was born August 14. Everyone is healthy and happy!

Associations’ Assertions The Southeastern Bluegrass Association has announced Adriana “Danette” Kellner has been newly appointed to the Board of Directors, Mike Wood is the new Publications Committee Chairman, and Walter Stark is the new VP of SEBA Central.

The Northern California Bluegrass Society reported The Strawberry Music Festival, held at Camp Mather in West Yosemite Aug. 29-Sept.2, has been canceled due to the Rim Fire. At press time, all buildings on site were safe. No word yet on if or when the Festival will be re-scheduled.

The Intermountain Acoustic Music Association announced Rob Harmon, Bri Ray, and Roy Matthews won first, second, and third place, respectively, in the Susanne Millsaps Performing Songwriter Showcase. All three winners reside in Utah.

The Colorado Bluegrass Music Association is looking for used acoustic instruments to be used in its Bluegrass Education and Outreach Program. Please contact Suzie Solomon by calling 303638-3725. Instruments must be in good working condition.

The 11th annual Summergrass festival in Vista, CA was presented by the SDBS and the North San Diego County Bluegrass & Folk Club. This year’s event was stellar, with perfect weather, great stage shows, jamming ‘till your fingers bled, Kids Camp, workshops, and more.

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International Bluegrass

Lean on Me Jesse McReynolds, mandolin pioneer and bluegrass songwriter, was recently diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat and is resting at home. Cards and words of encouragement can be sent to: Jesse McReynolds PO Box 1385 Gallatin, TN 37066 John Miller is getting some help from his great friends as he deals with the financial costs of fighting cancer and not being able to perform for a while. Every donor will be entered in a drawing to win an Eastman E10D guitar, the same model John plays on stage and in the studio. Eastman Strings is donating the instrument to honor John, who endorses the company’s guitars, and John will sign the label. The drawing for the guitar will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, at the Eastman Strings booth at the World of Bluegrass in Raleigh and will be shipped to the winner from there.

Checks made out to John Miller can be sent to him in care of: Carter Bank and Trust 370 Arbor Drive Christiansburg, VA 24073

In Remembrance Leo Duffy, one half of the English bluegrass duo, the Duffy Brothers, passed away from cancer.

Bobby Slone of Kentucky passed away from cancer on August 12. Slone was a longtime fiddler and bassist, best known for his legendary work with J.D. Crowe and the New South and many years on staff at Renfro Valley Entertainment Center in Kentucky.

Cowboy Jack Clement passed away at age 82 on August 8 at his home in Nashville. He was to be officially inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame during ceremonies later this year.

During his life he was a record and movie producer, songwriter, performing and recording artist, studio engineer, dance instructor and vibrant personality.

September is World Wide Bluegrass Music Month!

Celebrate With

Random Acts of Bluegrass Have you Practiced yet?

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International Bluegrass

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International Bluegrass

Fresh Sounds | September 2013

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Chris Jones & The Night Drivers Lonely Comes Easy:

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For a band with its members working in multiple arenas in the bluegrass music industry, it’s amazing to hear an album so well played and produced, simply because they all found the time to write the songs, practice them together, and record such a solid album. Chris Jones (lead vocals, guitar), Ned Luberecki (banjo, vocals), Mark Stoffel (mandolin), and Jon Weisberger (bass, vocals) individually shine. Emily Bankester, Jeremy Garrett, Ron Block, Dan Tyminski, Claire Lynch, and Sierra Hull all serve as guests. www.chrisjonesgrass.com, www.rebelrecords.com Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Flying: The sweethearts of bluegrass, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, have come out with their self-produced album and hit all the marks. Outstanding vocals that fans have come to expect of Brooke, and solid instrumentation and vocals by Darin are centerpiece on this album. A solid backing band of Becky Buller (harmony vocals, fiddle), Collin Willis (Dobro), Dwayne Anderson (acoustic bass), Matt Love (banjo), Tony Creasman (percussion), and Leah Bowen (harmony vocals) give Flying its mighty wings. www.darinandbrookealdridge.com, www.organic-records.com Growling Old Men, Chicken Feed & Bailing Twine: The sign of a versatile and pleasing artist is one who listens to his or her fans. That’s what Growling Old Men did for this album: the songs on Chicken Feed & Bailing Twine have all been requested by fans that the Old Men record either because they’re old favorites, or have only been played live.

One thing is for sure: These men are neither growling, nor old. They’re men who write, self-produce, and play a great bluegrass album. www. growlingoldmen.com, www.snakeriverrecords.com Locust Ridge, Healed: Rich harmonies, humble melodies, and themes of redemption and healing abound in Locust Ridge’s new album on Rural Rhythm Christian. Soothing voices of the three Allen brothers: Larry (baritone vocals, and bass), Russell (lead vocals, guitar), and Josh (tenor vocals, mandolin) rise up and give great conviction to each song with well crafted lyrics. Blending like another Allen brother is Andy Blalock on rhythm guitar. Dale Ann Bradley, Larry Riddle and Mike Riddle of Primitive Quartet and Archie Watkins are special guests. www.locustridge.org, www.ruralrhythm.org

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International Bluegrass

Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road, Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road: The band’s first album with Pinecastle Records is a solid representation of what LJ&CR do best: present striking songs, deliver textured harmonies, and make Carolina proud. The band’s original material prove why LJ&CR are consistent chart toppers and award winners. Ben Greene (banjo, vocals), Josh Goforth (fiddle, mandolin, guitar), Tommy Long (guitar, vocals), and John Bradley (bass) round out Carolina Road with Jordan on lead vocals and mandolin. www.carolinaroadband.com, www.pinecastlemusic.com Missy Raines & The New Hip, New Frontier: The aptly-titled album from seven-time IBMA bass player of the year Missy Raines speaks volumes to the direction Raines goes on this entirely vocals album, encouraging exploration in each song. Longtime fans of Raines’ bluegrass work will be surprised to know this is an entirely vocal album, showcasing her emotive alto, and underpinned by resonator guitar (Ethan Ballinger), mandolin/acoustic guitar (Jarrod Walker), and percussion (Josh Fox). The result is a testament to Raines’ wide-reaching talent as an artist. www.missyraines.com, www.compassrecords.com Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby, Live: Cluck Ol’ Hen: With two different musicians, both successful and stars in their own separate genres, it’s refreshing to hear the excitement and chemistry between Ricky Skaggs and pop legend Bruce Hornsby playing together live. The way Hornsby’s piano blends with Skaggs’ mandolin on traditionals like “Bluegrass Breakdown,” and “Sally Jo,” and Hornsby’s “The Way It Is,” and “Gulf of Mexico Fishing Boat Blues” are genre-transcending and an audible delight. Skaggs and Hornsby will tour together in the fall. The visual treat is the album cover with Bill Monroe picking his mandolin in front of his white limousine, with his chickens pecking the ground on his farm on the outskirts of Nashville taken years ago. www.skaggsfamilyrecords.com, www.rickyskaggs.com, www.brucehornsby.com Tom Neal, Banjoland: With a distinct Scruggs-meets-Crowe style, Neal puts banjo first in Banjoland.

Along with melodic fiddle tunes, gospel, ballads, and spritely breaks, Banjoland is a well-put-together album by a musician whose expertise is steeped in a firm traditional background. Some of the guests on the album include Michael Cleveland (fiddle), Frank Solivan (mandolin), Mark Cosgrove (guitar), Marshall Wilborn (bass), and Russ Hooper (Dobro). www.pxrec.com, www.bluestonebluegrass.com Brian Vollmer, Old Time Music Party: Instrumentals shine on this album of old time fiddle and clawhammer banjo-laden tunes. Brian Vollmer recorded Old Time Music Party live with no overdubs, making the record sound like a front porch jam session in Appalachia. Also on the album are Joseph DeJarnette, Sarah Jamison, Nate Leath, Rosie Newton, Liz Pickard, Mark Schimick, Max PaskinFlerlague, and Ben Townsend. The CD looks like a mini vinyl record, mirroring the nostalgic feel of the album. www.pxrec.com

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International Bluegrass

Heard Round the World Jimmy Rush (guitar and vocals) and Nigel Lever (mandolin, guitar, vocals and CD artwork) have released a new 16 track CD Inspirations recorded in three cities: Nashville, Sydney and Melbourne. A group of friends on the album includes: Tom White (North Carolina banjo), Jenny Shimmin (banjo), Martin Louis (banjo), Quentin Fraser (bass), Hunter Owens (guitar), Suzy Owens (bass), Duggie Wallace (guitar), Peter Fidler (dobro), Kat Mear (fiddle) and Gary Brown (dobro).

The Dorrigo Folk and Bluegrass Festival in northern New South Wales, Australia, have added 2-day workshops on Oct. 24-25 preceding the Festival proper. Ross Nickerson will teach Bluegrass Banjo 9am-3pm at a venue close to the Dorrigo Showground and camping - $150 not inclusive of meals. The Foghorn Stringband will teach fiddle, mandolin, harmony, double bass and guitar workshops at the Seventh Day Adventist Church, prices TBA. http:// www.dorrigofolkbluegrass.com.au The Bunratty Banjo Pickers Festival will be held at Bunratty, Co. Clare, Ireland, on Sept.

28-29. Aimed at musicians and listeners, the festival will celebrate the diversity of the banjo.

Visiting musicians are invited to join in the many ‘Fleadh Style’ sessions which are free to the public from noon on Saturday in Bunratty village. These will feature Irish traditional musicians as well as bluegrass, Dixieland jazz, old-timey, American roots, and folk music.

Lilly Drumeva (Bulgaria) reports from Kentucky: “The first month of my Fulbright scholarship is drawing to an end. I spent it mainly in Western Kentucky University (WKU), where I researched the history of bluegrass music. I worked closely with Prof. Erika Brady, Dept. Folk Studies at WKU. I studied many books from the extensive library collection and had informal conversations with professors and fellow students.

My research also involved traveling to Owensboro, KY, taking in the International Bluegrass Music Museum and of course the birthplace of Bill Monroe. I attended a small bluegrass festival in the town of Annetta near Leitchfield, as well as several jam sessions around Bowling Green.”

Tony Friel, broadcaster and bluegrass historian in Strabane, Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland has a two-hour internet radio show every week on Strabane Radio (www.strabaneradio. com). The new times scheduled for the show are 7.00-9.00 p.m. (UK time) every Tuesday evening. Tony adds: “Still playing the best bluegrass on internet radio. Let’s hope you can all join me.”

Australian-based band The Davidson Brothers (www.davidsonbrothersband.com) received state funding from the Arts Division in Victoria, Australia to fund the recording and promotion of their new bluegrass record. The state supports the arts with up to $250k per year in support to artists and festivals.

Third round IBMA Awards ballots close September 9 for professional members.

Remember to Vote!

Call 888-438-4262 for assistance if needed.

IB

International Bluegrass Vol. No. S e pt . 2013