Tag Archives: IBMA

The International Bluegrass Music Association has announced the newest members of their Board of Directors, decided in a recent vote of the membership. Each Director is elected for a term of three years, and can serve two consecutive terms.

Directors are chosen either from within different membership constituencies, by at large votes from the full membership, or appointed by the Board.

Joining the Board as of June 7 are:

• Michael Kaiz – Agents, Managers & Publicists (elected)
• Jerry Salley – Recording, Distribution & Marketing (elected)
• Joe Newberry – Artists, Composers, and Music Publishers (re-elected)
• Ariel Rosemberg – Event Production (elected)
• Ben Wright – At Large (elected)
• Ashley Moyer – At Large (board appointed to second term)
• Adam Engelhardt – At Large (board appointed to second term)
• Anna Frick – At Large (board appointed)

From the full Board of Directors, the following were selected to serve as the IBMA’s Executive Committee:

• Board Chair – Mike Simpson
• Board Vice-Chair – Ashley Moyer
• Treasurer – Adam Engelhardt
• Secretary – Michael Kaiz
• Executive Committee Member – Daniel Boner

Simpson, who was re-elected as Chair, comes to the IBMA from serving in that same role for the Bluegrass Hall of Fame and Museum in Owensboro, KY.

After accepting his position, he had this to say…

“I am humbled and honored to be asked by my fellow board members to serve a second term as Chair. Last year was full of challenges and unexpected obstacles, which we overcame as a team; and I look forward to another year of innovative programs for our members, getting back to normal, and keeping our focus on creating and sustaining bluegrass music, which inseparably binds us all together.

I believe that Bill Monroe got it right  – ‘Bluegrass has brought more people together and made more friends than any music in the world’ – and together we can look forward to another fantastic year for growing the love of bluegrass and the IBMA.”

Also announced earlier this week by the IBMA was the full, two-day schedule for their annual Bluegrass Live! festival, held at the Red Hat Amphitheater in Raleigh, NC following the World of Bluegrass convention, September 27-29. They also noted with gratitude that 2022 marks the 10th year that PNC Bank has been the presenting sponsor for the festival, coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the bank’s entry into North Carolina.

Performing this year at Bluegrass Live! are:

Friday, September 30

5:00 p.m. Twisted Pine
6:00 p.m. Balsam Range
7:05 p.m. Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band
8:10 p.m. Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
9:30 p.m. The Jerry Douglas Band with special guests

Saturday, October 1

5:00 p.m. Della Mae
6:00 p.m. The Dan Tyminski Band
7:05 p.m. Dom Flemons & Shultz’s Dream: featuring B.E. Farrow, Dante’ Pope, and Tray Wellington
8:10 p.m. Sierra Hull
9:30 p.m. The Infamous Stringdusters

Tickets for Bluegrass Live! are available for purchase now online as either a two-day pass or as single day tickets. A limited number of free general admission passes will be offered on show days, on a first come, first served basis. This is for seating in the grassy area behind the permanent seats. To ensure admission, reserved seat tickets are recommended.

The International Bluegrass Music Association will be hosting a live, interactive panel discussion on Facebook March 5 about the lasting influence the late J.D. Crowe has had on the five string banjo and bluegrass music. This presentation begins at 3:00 p.m. (EST) and is offered free of charge, though donations will be encouraged with all proceeds going to the IBMA Trust Fund.

Getting together to talk about Crowe for this program, billed as IBMA 365: The Banjo Legacy of J.D. Crowe, will be three of the most prominent banjo pickers on the scene today, Ron Block, Bill Evans, and Ron Stewart. They will be talking about the massive impact Crowe has left on the music, while also demonstrating some of the tunes, licks, and techniques that have set his banjo playing on a pedestal.

Evans has made a name for himself both as a player and composer of banjo music, and an in-demand instructor noted for his ability to make crucial concepts of banjo playing clear to students of the instrument. Block is, of course, known for his many years as banjo and guitarist with Alison Krauss & Union Station, and for his own thoughtful commentary on bluegrass music. Stewart is perhaps the best exemplar and curator of the Crowe style alive today, who played fiddle in The New South for many years before J.D. retired. I have often said that Ron Stewart knows more about J.D. Crowe’s banjo playing than the man himself.

The program being hosted on Facebook Live will allow commenters to pose questions to the three hosts, who will be appearing by video from separate locations. It will be available for all to enjoy on March 5 at 3:00 on the IBMA Facebook page.

Donations to the IBMA Trust Fund are tax deductible, as the Fund is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit charitable institution. Its function is to provide financial assistance to those in the bluegrass industry for emergency needs. All distributions from the Trust Fund are made anonymously and many people have been helped in tough times by this organization since its founding in 1987.

The International Bluegrass Music Association in Nashville has announced the postponement of their 2022 Leadership Bluegrass program until March 6-8, 2023. No class was held during 2021 owing to COVID restrictions in place at the time.

IBMA Executive Director Pat Morris said that a number of ambiguities suggested that they wait another year.

“There were a variety of factors that went into this decision, including the availability of venues, uncertainty around travel and safety measures available or required in early March, and general concerns about putting forth a robust program given the ever-changing health landscape. However, we look forward to welcoming the Leadership Bluegrass 2023 class next year for our normal, full-scale program.”

There will be no need to apply, as the already accepted participants for the 2022 class will be admitted next year. Those class members will be announced in the coming months.

Dustin Boyd, chair of the IBMA Leadership Bluegrass Planning Committee, says that they will take the postponement in stride, and make sure the 2023 class has a strong and positive experience.

“While we are disappointed to not be able to provide a Leadership Bluegrass program this year, we are excited to take this time to further develop and enhance our existing program. We are determined to put on a 2023 event where participants can confidently learn and network in an environment that is safe and accessible for everyone involved.”

The program is designed to help build future leaders in the bluegrass community. IBMA describes Leadership Bluegrass as follows:

Leadership Bluegrass is an intensive three-day program of advanced-level interactive learning experiences designed to build commitment, motivate talents, and instill enthusiasm for addressing the future of the bluegrass music industry. Each year, 25 applicants from around the world are selected to participate in the class, which is held in Nashville and has boasted more than 500 graduates since its inception in 2000

Attendees cover their own expenses to travel to Nashville for the program, along with a fee to attend. Graduates have developed a community of their own, and get together for special events several times each year.

The International Bluegrass Music Association has announced their search for a new Communications Director in their Nashville office. Casey Campbell, who has served in this position since December of 2019, is stepping down as of Friday to focus on his musical career.

In announcing his departure, Casey shared his gratitude to the organization, as well as his continuing support for IBMA and its mission.

“I am extremely thankful to have had the opportunity to work alongside Pat, Paul, Amy Beth, Ethan, and the passionate community of IBMA Board Members, partners, and volunteers for the past two years as Communications Director. Looking back on the experience gained—and, of course, the challenges overcome—I feel proud of our work and excited for the future of our organization. Though I am stepping down from this particular role to spend more time and creative energy on the road and in the studio, I will remain an advisor to this year’s Leadership Bluegrass program and an engaged and devoted Lifetime Member of IBMA for years to come. I look forward to seeing and jamming with you all at IBMA World of Bluegrass 2022!” 

Campbell will have a busy 2022 away from the day job. He will be joining the Reba McEntire tour as an instrument tech for her utility musicians and singers, Carmella Ramsey Vaughan and Jimmy Stewart. He plans to complete a cross-tuned mandolin recording, help out at Bryan Sutton’s Blue Ridge Guitar Camp, and teach at a number of mandolin camps. He will also be available for free lance graphic design and promotion work.

The IBMA says that they prefer Communications Director candidates who will be available to work on site in Nashville, but are willing to consider hybrid/remote situations. The position offers a salary in the $40-$50K range, with a benefits package including vacation, health, vision, dental insurance, and 401k matching.

The following are the posted responsibilities and requirements from the job opening announcement.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Establish and implement a multi-channel communications strategy
• Prepare and manage all communications material
• Help develop IBMA’s voice and visibility and maintain brand integrity across all platforms
• Create, schedule, and manage all social media activities
• Manage the IBMA websites and their content
• Track engagement across various platforms and make data-driven decisions
• Manage media relations, develop contacts with media, influencers, and community leaders
• Assist in leading a diverse team of professional consultants that specialize in media, communication, marketing, and design
• Assist in the creation of digital, video, audio, and print content
• Manage presence at industry events, trade shows, and conferences.
• Develop and manage budget for communications team and ensure compliance
• Communicate with members on a regular basis to announce and promote all IBMA activities; create and distribute IBMA news (e.g., website, newsletter)
• Develop and market association campaigns; maintain industry and association partnerships
• Manage program, publications, photography, and layout for IBMA events
• Generate graphics for communications
• Act as IBMA staff liaison for assigned member committees and task forces
• Other duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS:

• Demonstrated proficiency with communication technologies
• Understanding of copywriting, graphic design, layout, and publishing
• Working knowledge of content management systems, HTML coding, and digital graphics production
• Familiarity with social media platforms and social media marketing
• Experience with search engine marketing, and Google Analytics, impeccable copywriting, and copy-editing abilities
• Excellent verbal communication and presentation skills
• Familiarity with Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, InDesign, Premiere Pro)
• Experience working with deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Creative, flexible, and adaptable

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree preferred, or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience
• 3+ years of communications, marketing or public relations or related experience
• Experience managing digital content
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word)
• Experience in media relations a plus
• Working knowledge of bluegrass music and stakeholders, as well as an overall understanding of the broader music industry a plus

To  be considered for this position, simply submit a cover letter and resume to IBMA Executive Director Pat Morris by email.

The International Bluegrass Music Association has issued their followup report for the 2021 World of Bluegrass week, which ran from September 28 through October 2 in Raleigh, NC. This year’s events, which included the World of Bluegrass Business Conference, IBMA Bluegrass Awards show, and the twin Wide Open Bluegrass festivals in downtown Raleigh, were heavily affected by uncertainty over COVID spread and regulations, but there was some good news amidst the gloom.

Both sides of the great COVID debates had reasons to stay away. Those quite fearful of viral spread avoided WOB entirely, and many others were offended by the vaccine requirement to attend, so IBMA staff went in expecting a lower than normal attendance. Which was borne out in the final numbers.

Even though registered attendance was off by almost 50% over 2019, the last time the event was held in person, the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau still issued a conservative estimate of $5.7 million in direct economic impact in Raleigh and Wake County from World of Bluegrass. This includes hotel stays, restaurants, airline traffic, and the like over the five day period. This estimate is in straight dollars, absent any of the multipliers often added to these figures.

Pat Morris, IBMA Executive Director, who was overseeing the first convention in his new position, says that their first priority was to be back, live in person after holding World of Bluegrass virtually in 2020.

“It was vitally important to get back to live bluegrass music, as both musicians and fans were impacted by the events of the last two years. The IBMA was able to accomplish holding a great weeklong event in a safe environment, and we are so grateful for the lead support of PNC Bank and all of our partners in Raleigh who helped make the event possible, and to the fans that returned, again, to make this the best week of bluegrass in the world. It was a tremendous event, and we can’t wait to be back in Raleigh in 2022!”

Prior to the start of this year’s events, the IBMA, the city of Raleigh, Pinecone, and the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau had announced a three-year extension to their contract, which means that World of Bluegrass events will remain there through 2024.

David Brower, Executive Director of PineCone – the Piedmont Council of Traditional Music – echoed Pat’s sentiment about the need to return to a live, in person status.

“Given all that’s happened over the last two years it was hard to know what to expect from the festival. No matter how you measure it, we are pleased with the 100% increase in attendance over 2020. Virtual was fun—but there’s no comparison to seeing the streets of downtown Raleigh filled with banjos, fiddles, and smiling faces. We’re definitely back and are already looking forward to next year.”

Dates for the 2022 World of Bluegrass are September 27 through October 1. More details will be available online next year.

The International Bluegrass Music Association has announced the full performance schedules for weekend events following World of Bluegrass in Raleigh, NC. The Business Conference, which normally draws industry professionals from all over the world, occurs September 28-30, followed by a massive outdoor event billed as IBMA Bluegrass Live! International attendance may be off this year as many travel restrictions still remain from COVID shutdowns.

Bluegrass Live! consists of two separate events – a big stage show at the Red Hat Ampitheater, adjacent to the Raleigh Convention Center, and StreetFest, held along Fayetteville Street, which runs from the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts down by the Convention Center, and the state capitol, a total of five blocks downtown. The city closes the streets and positions four stages where free bluegrass entertainment is offered all day Friday and Saturday (October 1-2). Food trucks and other vendors will also be set up along Fayetteville, which is the location of many prominent Raleigh eateries. This provides an excellent opportunity for residents of the Triangle region to sample the best of what bluegrass music has to offer, as it does for anyone interested in traveling to town for the weekend.

The Red Hat shows offer a mix of ticketed and non-ticketed admission. The “good seats” up close to the stage are offered for sale in a range between $15-$70 per day, or $30-$140 for two days. The grassy area behind the reserved seats are available at no charge on a first come, first served basis. Capacity limits have been revised with safety in mind, and all seeking admission must show proof of vaccination, though masks are not expected to be worn outdoors.

Proof of vaccination is not required to visit the StreetFest along Fayetteville Street.

Here is the music lineup for the weekend:

Red Hat Amphitheater – Friday, October 1

• 4:00 – Tray Wellington Band 
• 4:55 – Mile Twelve 
• 6:00 – Sister Sadie
• 7:30 – Béla Fleck’s My Bluegrass Heart featuring Michael Cleveland, Sierra Hull, Justin Moses, Mark Schatz, and Bryan Sutton   
• 9:30 – The Del McCoury Band

Red Hat Amphitheater – Saturday, October 2

• 4:00 – The Gina Furtado Project 
• 4:55 – The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
• 6:00 – Jerry Douglas, Odessa Settles, and Edgar Meyer
• 7:30 – Steep Canyon Rangers
• 9:30 – Yonder Mountain String Band

StreetFest Schedule – Friday, October 1

Come Hear NC Stage (Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts parking lot)

• 11:30 a.m. – Welcoming remarks from City of Raleigh, PNC, and IBMA
• 12:00 – Chatham Rabbits
• 1:15 – Sister Sadie 
• 2:30 – Rick Faris
• 3:45 – Jake Blount
• 5:15 – Jim Lauderdale
• 6:45 – Fireside Collective
• 8:15 – Bowregard
• 9:45 – The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys

Davie Street Stage

• 12:00 – Crying Uncle
• 1:15 – Fair Black Rose
• 2:30 – Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers
• 3:45 – Jesse Brock & Streamliner
• 5:00 – Missy Raines & Allegheny
• 6:30 – The Wildmans
• 8:00 – Special Consensus
• 9:30 – Darin & Brooke Aldridge

 Capitol Stage

• 12:00 noon – Bill and the Belles
• 1:15 – Songs From The Road Band
• 2:30 – Hubby Jenkins 
• 3:45 – Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer
• 5:15 – Buffalo Commons
• 6:45 – Henhouse Prowlers
• 8:15 – Anya Hinkle
• 9:45 – Mile Twelve

Youth Stage (located by the Marriott)

• 12:30 – Square Deal
• 1:45 – Eliza Meyer
• 3:00 – Crying Uncle
• 4:15 – Mountain Highway
• 5:30 – Berea College Bluegrass Ensemble (Berea, KY)
• 7:00 – East Tennessee State University Bluegrass Pride Band (Johnson City, TN)
• 8:30 – The Mountain Music Ambassadors from Morehead State University (Morehead, KY)
• 10:00 – The Tigertown Roots – Clemson University Bluegrass Band (Clemson, SC)

StreetFest Schedule – Saturday, October 2 

Come Hear NC Stage

• 12:00 noon – The Burnett Sisters 
• 1:15 – Danny Paisley and the Southern Grass
• 2:30 – Nixon, Blevins & Gage
• 3:45 – The Jakob’s Ferry Stragglers  
• 5:00 – Darin & Brooke Aldridge
• 6:30 – Hank, Pattie & The Current
• 8:00 – The Steel Wheels
• 9:45 – Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen

Davie Street Stage

• 12:00 – Sinner Friends
• 1:15 – Kristy Cox
• 2:30 – Diamond Creek
• 3:45 – Hubby Jenkins
• 5:00 – The Ruta Beggars
• 6:30 – Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road
• 8:00 – Tray Wellington Band
• 9:30 – Barbaro

Capitol Stage

• 12:00 – Terry Baucom’s Dukes of Drive
• 1:15 – Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves
• 2:30 – The Price Sisters
• 3:45 – Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen
• 5:00 – Joe Newberry & April Verch
• 6:30 – Liam Purcell & Cane Mill Road
• 8:00 – Chris Jones & The Night Drivers
• 9:45 – The Gina Furtado Project

Youth Stage

• 12:00 noon – Mountain Highway
• 1:10 – Crying Uncle
• 2:20 – Fair Black Rose
• 3:30 – Square Deal
• 4:30 – The Carolina Bluegrass Band from the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill, NC)
• 5:30 – The Denison University Bluegrass Ensemble (Granville, OH)
• 7:00 – The Warren Wilson College Bluegrass Band (Swannanoa, NC)
• 8:30 – The Colorado College Bluegrass Band (Colorado Springs, CO)
• 10:00 – The Lawrence University Bluegrass Band (Appleton, WI)

Information on tickets for Bluegrass Live! can be found online, as can tickets for other World of Bluegrass functions.

Coming up with rules for holding in-person events in the era of COVID isn’t easy, and no matter what organizers settle on, there is no way to please everyone.

IBMAs board of directors certainly learned that in the wake of its unanimous decision to require World of Bluegrass attendees to show proof of vaccination to gain entrance to the fall extravaganza, and to require masks for all indoor events.

Kudos to the board for trying to make the best of an impossible situation. Board members had to know that whatever they decided, some segment of the membership would protest and some cancellations would result. Certainly, based on social media comments, those offended enough to stay away outnumber those who say they now feel safe enough to attend. But we won’t know the overall impact until the business conference kicks off in late September, in part because a number of folks who are loudly on the I-won’t-attend bandwagon include IBMA critics who wouldn’t attend anyway.

That said, there is one change IBMA’s board can – dare I suggest should – consider before it’s too late for bluegrass fans and artists alike to change their minds. That change is to require a record of being fully vaccinated OR written proof of a negative COVID test performed within 72 hours of entering the convention center in Raleigh.

The change won’t appease some of the critics, but it will clear the way for those who aren’t vaccinated, for whatever reason, to attend what lives up to its billing as the year’s most important week in bluegrass, if they choose. I’m thinking especially of those who have legitimate physician-endorsed reasons for not being vaccinated, and for kids who are just becoming eligible for vaccines or aren’t yet eligible (under 12 years old). 

IBMA is the only major bluegrass gathering I’m aware of to require proof of vaccination with no exceptions. MerleFest recently announced its policy of vaccination or negative test, joining DelFest, FreshGrass, and others. 

I’m especially concerned about the negative impact the vaccine requirement could have on kids, whether they are part of the structured youth programs or are just there to jam and learn and absorb all they can. They are our future, and it’s pretty easy to imagine many of them finding something else to focus on instead of bluegrass if they can’t attend this year’s event after already missing out last year.

If the onus is on potential attendees to prove a negative test, it shouldn’t add much work, if any, to the jobs of the volunteers who have to check vaccine records anyway. IBMA doesn’t have to, and shouldn’t, be responsible for testing.

Is it a perfect solution? Absolutely not. There will still be loud objectors. But it seems a reasonable compromise to the all-or-nothing approach that the board unanimously approved. As for the mask requirement, IBMA’s hands are tied on that one unless the city of Raleigh changes its indoor mandate.

I look forward to the day when we can all gather again safely, enjoy live music and revel in all that is good about bluegrass in general, and World of Bluegrass specifically. And to a day when the toughest disagreement other than style of barbeque is the age-old (or at least decades old) question: Is that bluegrass? 

I look forward to your civil comments.

The International Bluegrass Music Association has announced updated health and safety protocols this afternoon for the 2021 World of Bluegrass Convention and associated events next month in Raleigh, NC. These are in response to heightened concerns about COVID spread, and a recent proclamation from the Mayor of Raleigh mandating the use of face masks in all indoor spaces.

The new protocol for all artists, volunteers, and attendees are:

• Proof of vaccination (without exceptions) will be required for attendance at any IBMA World of Bluegrass activity requiring registration and ticketing: the IBMA Business Conference, the IBMA Bluegrass Ramble showcase series, the 32nd Annual IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards presented by Yamaha, and the main stage at the Red Hat Amphitheater for IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC. As in years past, IBMA World of Bluegrass indoor events will take place at the Raleigh Convention Center, the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, and at various venues downtown.
• Masks will also be required at all indoor activities during IBMA/WOB.
• Attendees will be required to show proof of vaccination upon check-in to the event and issued a wristband that must be worn at all IBMA/WOB events.
• Anyone who has already purchased registration or tickets but prefers not to participate in the updated health protocols for the 2021 event will be given a choice with our updated refund policy, which will be available online at worldofbluegrass.org.

Mike Simpson, IBMA Board Chair, says that they were unanimous in this decision.

“As live bluegrass music begins to re-emerge, our emphasis on a safe return cannot be understated. We have been closely monitoring safety guidelines, and in the interest of everyone’s safety, our Board of Directors has taken the unanimous position that participation in this year’s World of Bluegrass begins and ends with safety – requiring proof of vaccination and indoor mask wearing. I am pleased to say that our discussions were strikingly non-political and focused purely on the best safety measures that we could take for all involved.”

And new IBMA Executive Director, Pat Morris, says that he doesn’t expect this to be a burden to many attendees.

“Our internal surveys – conducted in both March and July – found that more than 90% of respondents planning to attend this year’s World of Bluegrass also planned to be fully vaccinated before getting to Raleigh. We have been working diligently with our partners in Raleigh to bring the community together for an unmatched bluegrass experience in a safe environment, and the health and safety of our attendees is our number one priority. Some of the changes we have already made include planning for less crowding in the Raleigh Convention Center and Red Hat Amphitheater; streamlined scheduling, larger conference session spaces, and careful consideration of bottleneck areas.”

For those not able to attend in person, we will be streaming select content throughout the week on Swapcard. Virtual attendees will have access to the virtual exhibit hall, conference sessions, music performances, and more.”

Expect more details on access to streaming from World of Bluegrass soon.

Morris also shared that IBMA will continue to analyze and adjust safety protocols in conjunction with the health officials in Raleigh as we approach the start of World of Bluegrass, the last week in September.

The International Bluegrass Music Association has announced another ten artists invited to showcase as part of the Bluegrass Ramble during the 2021 World of Bluegrass convention in Raleigh, NC. At the same time, they identified ten additional acts that will participate as showcase artists, but via streaming performances from locations around the globe.

Each of these performers will have opportunities during the convention to showcase before the assembled industry people attending World of Bluegrass. These sets have resulted in record contracts, management opportunities, and touring or booking representation following the event.

Announced today as live performers are:

• Barbaro
• Cedar Hill
• Crandall Creek
• Fair Black Rose
• Hillary Krug
• Hubby Jenkins
• Jake Blount
• Never Come Down
• Special Consensus
• Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike

Those participating by video stream are:

• Bluegrass Stuff
• Hayde Bluegrass Orchestra
• Hot Diggity
• Jackson Hollow
• Louis Gomez FlamencoGrass Quartet
• Radim Zenkl  & Andra Kozák
• Shane Hennessy
• The Fountaineers
• The Often Herd
• Under The Rocks

You can see the acts announced last month in our previous post.

A complete schedule of World of Bluegrass events will be posted soon.

Several years ago I wrote a column about the ceremonial retirement of adjectives at the IBMA World of Bluegrass. This is now an annual event, usually scheduled on Tuesday, right before the event producers’ craft fair and square dance, and every year three more heavily-used bluegrass adjectives are retired for good. After these emotional ceremonies, the adjectives can no longer be used in artist bios or publicists’ press releases. The loss of these adjectives has required an adjustment for bluegrass copy-writers, and for some it’s been downright traumatic.

The first three adjectives were “hard-driving,” “dynamic,” and “tight,” words that were present in virtually every bluegrass press release. Knowing the difficult position some of these writers were now in, I felt duty-bound to try to suggest alternatives to these descriptive terms, which included “captivating,” “distracting,” and “affordable.”

I try to keep up with press releases from various genres, partly for this very purpose: we need adjectives and we need them now. A recent arrival in my inbox contained the adjective “stadium-ready” (the context was the phrase “stadium-ready choruses” because, as everyone knows, no choruses can be sung in a stadium until they’re ready). The same press release used “impactful” twice in two sentences. “Impactful” is handy, because it can be applied to a number of things: you can have “impactful lead singing,” “impactful songwriting,” or “impactful stagewear.” Though now that I think about it, is “impactful” actually a word? Would “impacty” or “impactish” be better? Or maybe a compound version, like “impact-laden,” “impact-dredged,” or “impact-packed.”

No matter the form, they all need to go on the list because these are desperate adjective times, especially with IBMA’s announcement this week that “heartfelt,” “soulful,” and “powerful” will all be retired this year. This is going to make describing vocals especially challenging, so we need to be prepared for a lot of “soaring,” “haunting,” and “impact-saturated” vocals in future press releases.

I really wasn’t intending to revisit adjectives in this column. I was originally planning to turn to the issue of nouns, especially after reading in Bluegrass Today about Jack Tottle taking issue—and I believe he was justified—with a reference to Chris Thile as a “mandolin whiz.” This coincided with another IBMA announcement that in alternating years, one noun would also be retired during the usual adjective retirement ceremony. This is equivalent to the years when the Bluegrass Hall of Fame inductees includes an “early contribution” or “industry” person among its inductees. 

So this year we’ll be losing our first bluegrass noun. The announcement of which one it is is expected in the next few days, and we’ll discuss that next week. News has already leaked that it won’t be “whiz.”

The International Bluegrass Music Association has officially announced this morning the good news we discussed last week, that they are moving full-speed ahead to an in-person World of Bluegrass week in Raleigh at the end of September. There will also be a virtual component to the festivities, with more details about which events will be included to be detailed later this summer.

In addition to that good news, IBMA has extended their contract to host World of Bluegrass in Raleigh through 2024. At this point, it is difficult to imagine a better home for these annual signature events: the three-day IBMA Business Conference and the IBMA Bluegrass Ramble showcase, the gala IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards on Thursday evening, and the IBMA Bluegrass Live! festival over the weekend. The 2021 dates are September 28 through October 1.

The city of Raleigh also holds a free, two-day street festival over this same weekend, with bluegrass music played on a number of stages stretched over several blocks of the downtown area adjacent to the official IBMA action. All area residents are invited to join in the fun, with downtown streets blocked off for the occasion, with ample food and drink vendors on hand. This allows locals to enjoy much of the same entertainment that was offered to conference registrants during the week prior.

Incoming IBMA Executive Director, Pat Morris, says that he looks forward to engaging with everyone in Raleigh this year.

“As our community emerges from some of the most challenging times in modern memory, this year’s IBMA World of Bluegrass takes on added importance. We urge everyone who loves bluegrass to be at this fall’s event and re-engage with others, share fresh ideas, and learn innovations – some launched because of the pandemic. Most importantly, it’s the chance to get fully immersed in what we all sorely missed in 2020: live music.

We’re also excited that World of Bluegrass will continue to call Raleigh home through 2024. Raleigh is welcoming, flexible and creative, and has become the essential stop each year for those in the bluegrass community.”

His excitement is shared by Raleigh Mayor, Mary-Ann Baldwin, herself a bluegrass music lover.

“Raleigh is proud to once again host the IBMA World of Bluegrass. We’re especially thankful that we’ll be in person this year where we can experience the fabulous music, talent, art, and fellowship that this group brings to our city. IBMA is one of our signature events — and my favorite event of the year! It’s so great to see people playing their instruments on street corners throughout downtown, in the convention center, at Red Hat Amphitheater, and at restaurants and bars. It brings our downtown to life. We look forward to seeing you there.”

Also part of today’s announcements is the first round of invited showcase acts who will perform as part of the Bluegrass Ramble. These artists and bands were selected through a highly competitive process to choose acts who are poised to take advantage of the opportunity to shine before the movers and shakers in our industry. As has been their habit in recent years, these include bands from the bluegrass, old time, and Americana scenes.

• Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves
• Armchair Boogie
• Bella White
• Bowregard
• East Nash Grass
• Henhouse Prowlers
• Liam Purcell & Cane Mill Road
• Lindley Creek
• MohaviSoul
• Rock Hearts
• Starlett & Big John
• Stillhouse Junkies
• The Amanda Cook Band
• The Arcadian Wild
• The Martin Gilmore Trio
• The MilBillies
• The New Acoustic Collective
• The Sweet Lillies
• The Wooks
• Twisted Pine

Each invited showcase act will play a set in the Raleigh Convention Center, the headquarters for World of Bluegrass, and another in a downtown club or venue one evening during WOB week. Most will also be featured on one or more stages during the city’s free street festival on the weekend. A second round of Bluegrass Ramble artists will be announced over the summer.

The IBMA also provided a list of artists who will perform at the IBMA Bluegrass Live! festival, October 1-2, at the Red Hat Amphitheater, across the street from the Raleigh Convention Center. In order to ensure that safety protocols are followed, it will be a ticketed event, but the organization says that low cost tickets will be offered to make sure everyone can attend. Set to appear in 2021 are Béla Fleck’s My Bluegrass Heart, featuring Michael Cleveland, Sierra Hull, Justin Moses, Mark Schatz and Bryan Sutton; The Del McCoury Band; Steep Canyon Rangers; Yonder Mountain String Band; Jerry Douglas, Edgar Meyer & Odessa Settles; Sister Sadie; and The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys. Other acts will be announced later this summer.

Tickets are now available to IBMA members to register for World of Bluegrass, and for the IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards and IBMA Bluegrass Live!. Threes tickets will open to non-members one week from today, June 15. Hotel registrations are also open to IBMA members today, and to non-members on the 15th. Lower cost lawn tickets for IBMA Bluegrass Live! will be available later this summer.

Further details about all World of Bluegrass events can be found online.

Here’s some of the best news we’ve reported in a while: hotel rooms and tickets for IBMA’s World of Bluegrass go on sale next week, the surest sign yet that the event will return to in-person status in Raleigh this fall.

The news wasn’t entirely unexpected. The association announced earlier in the spring that some blend of in-person and virtual programming was likely if restrictions from COVID-19 continued to be lifted. But it sure was great to hear!

Tickets for events and registration for hotel rooms will open on Tuesday, June 8, at 11:00 a.m. (EDT). Returning vendors should have already received information for registering the previous day.

The way for the return of the bluegrass extravaganza after a virtual hiatus last year was cleared on May 14, when North Carolina lifted most statewide restrictions, including limits on crowd sizes for both indoor and outdoor events. 

In an email to previous vendors, operations specialist Ethan Charles said that, “IBMA will continue to monitor local guidelines and put safety precautions in place in accordance with state, local, and CDC (Centers for Disease Control) recommendations as those evolve.”

The first day of hotel and ticket availability for members will be a key litmus test for the popularity of the event. In normal years, blocks of rooms at the prime hotels sell out quickly, often on the first day. But with some folks still wary of flying and others perhaps feeling the economic sting of a year without steady income, nobody really knows what to expect.

I, for one, will be in line right at the start, as I always am. I’m fully vaccinated and fully ready to jam and write, see old friends and hear new music. I might be feeling differently if I had to fly in a middle seat, but it’s a reasonable drive for me, and I look forward to making it. Even the Beltway around Washington, DC, at morning rush hour will be a welcome change from the last 15 months.

Dates for this year’s business conference and music festival are September 28-October 2.

Hope to see many of you in Raleigh.

The International Bluegrass Music Association is hosting another of its IBMA365 educational webinars next week on Facebook. This one is focused on the legal issues surrounding offering live streaming events online, and what sort of licenses are required to do so.

Titled Streaming Licensing for Venues, Presenters, and Festivals, the May 18 presentation will include information and comments from attorneys and experts in this burgeoning field, moderated by Patrice O’Neill, Wintergrass founder and Director.

This panel has been assembled to address matters of concern to event producers who would like to offer some or all of their live stage content online as well. While this has been a growing part of the live music business for some time, the COVID19 restrictions since 2020 have brought it front and center, and the legal concerns are ones that many attorneys are not up to date on.

Presenting will be:

• Dr. Richard James Burgess – President and CEO of A2IM
• Ashley Joyce – Senior Vice President, Legal & Business Affairs at National Music Publishers’ Association
• Robert Meitus – Partner, Meitus Gelbert Rose LLP and Co-founder and VP of Industry Relations at Mandolin
• Rusty Weiss – Partner, Sidley Austin LLP

The webinar is scheduled for noon (CDT) on Tuesday, May 18 using Facebook Live. There is no charge to attend, and you do not need to be an IBMA member.

The IBMA has provide these thumbnail bios of the participants.

CEO for the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM), Richard James Burgess Ph.D. has produced, recorded and performed on many gold, platinum, and multi-platinum albums. He was previously head of business at Smithsonian Folkways Recordings where he produced Jazz: The Smithsonian Anthology, chronicling the history of jazz. His career path includes: studio musician, recording artist, producer, manager, and label owner. He is known for his pioneering work with synthesizers, computers, sampling, EDM, New Romantics, early house music, as the inventor of the SDSV drum synthesizer, and for coining the music genre terms EDM and New Romantic. His current books are, The Art of Music Production: The Theory and Practice, 4th Edition and The History of Music Production (Oxford University Press). Burgess has received awards as a producer and musician from Music Week, the British Arts Council, the Greater London Arts Association, the Park Lane Group, and most recently he won the 2016 British Council’s Education UK Alumni Award for Professional Achievement.

Ashley Joyce joined the National Music Publishers Association in 2020 and manages NMPA’s Copyright Royalty Board proceedings, copyright infringement litigation, and all related enforcement efforts. Ashley also negotiates model industry settlement and license agreements, and supports NMPA’s overall legal, business, and policy objectives.

Before joining NMPA, Ashley was a senior associate at DLA Piper in Washington, DC, focusing on trademark and copyright litigation in federal courts throughout the country, as well as proceedings before the United States Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. For nearly a decade, she litigated cases for clients in the retail, media, and technology sectors, handling all aspects of litigation from pre-suit consultations through appeals. In addition to domestic enforcement matters, Ashley advised clients on international conflicts and Internet issues, as well as exploitation of intellectual property assets with strategic registration, licensing, and settlement efforts.

Prior to DLA Piper, Ashley clerked for U.S. District Judge Garland E. Burrell, Jr. in the Eastern District of California and was a corporate associate at King & Spalding LLP in New York City. Ashley graduated cum laude from Duke University and Washington University School of Law.

She is a member of the California, District of Columbia, and New York bars.

Robert Meitus is Co-founder and VP of Industry Development at Mandolin, a new concert livestreaming service. Meitus has practiced entertainment law since the early 2000’s, representing clients, including Cage the Elephant, Sufjan Stevens, John Prine, I’m With Her, Shawn Colvin, Joshua Bell, The Alan Parsons Project, and Third Eye Blind. Meitus is an adjunct professor of law at the IU Maurer School of Law and received his J.D. from Maurer, his masters of international affairs from Columbia University, and his B.A. from Wabash College. He is a GRAMMY voting member.

Rusty Weiss is a partner in Sidley’s Century City office and a member of the Technology and IP Transactions practice and Media and Entertainment industry group. Rusty represents clients in the media, entertainment, music, sports, and technology industries on complex transactions with a particular focus on transactions involving the convergence of entertainment and technology.

In the media and entertainment industries, Rusty represents motion picture, television, video game, cable, mobile, internet, telecommunications, music, toy, eSports, and multimedia companies. He structures, negotiates and drafts a broad range of agreements for these clients, involving the financing, acquisition, development, production, marketing, promotion, branding, distribution, publishing, sale, and other exploitation of motion pictures, television and internet programming, video games, eSports leagues and tournaments, music, and consumer products.

In the technology industry, Rusty represents consumer electronics, cleantech, fintech, software, wireless, and semiconductor companies on their most important matters, including strategic alliances and joint ventures, technology development, licensing and procurement agreements, big data analytics and transactions, outsourcing and services arrangements, mergers and acquisitions, manufacturing and supply arrangements, distribution and reseller relationships, co-marketing agreements and venture capital deals.

Frequently recognized in various legal publications for his achievements, Rusty was recommended in The Legal 500 US (2014, 2016 – 2017), The Best Lawyers in America (2010 – 2021) and Euromoney’s Expert Guides. He was named by Variety in its Legal Impact Report (2017 – 2018, 2020 – 2021) and also by Variety in its 2019 Dealmakers Impact Report. In 2014 the Los Angeles Business Journal named Rusty one of their “Most Influential Lawyers in Digital Media and Ecommerce Law.”

The International Bluegrass Music Association is now accepting applications from artists interested in showcasing during the 2021 World of Bluegrass convention, scheduled for September 28 through October 2 in Raleigh, NC.

These applications are open to any bluegrass acts looking to expand their performance horizons, including emerging artists and established bands with new personnel or music. Selected showcase performers will have at least two chances to play before the WOB audience, once during an official conference event in the Raleigh Convention Center, and once as part of the late night Bluegrass Ramble, which takes place at assorted venues in downtown Raleigh.

Owing to the COVID-19 uncertainties, IBMA will not only choose 30 acts for in-person shows, they will also pick 10 for strictly virtual performances. Preference for the virtual slots will be given to non-US artists in regions where travel restrictions are still in place. Also this year, acts chosen as 2020 showcase artists are eligible to apply again this year, owing to 2020’s showcases being virtual only.

In addition to the live performance opportunities, each Official Showcase artist will receive the following:

• Full conference registration package for performers (value $1000+)
• Priority access to Gig Fair appointments
• Complimentary Exhibit Hall booth space during IBMA Business Conference (value $700+)
• Up to three (3) Individual Memberships (value $225+)
• Featured promotion on IBMA social media channels throughout the summer, ahead of the events
• Featured profile in conference program, WOB app, and printed IBMA Bluegrass Ramble schedules
• Featured pre-event promotion to DJs and talent-buyers via our IBMA Bluegrass Ramble playlists on Noisetrade and Spotify

Food and accommodations during the conference are the responsibility of the artists. 

Applications can be completed online, and are open to all bluegrass acts whether or not they are members of the IBMA. An application fee of $25 is required, along with the following details:

• Name, email, and role (i.e. banjo, fiddle) of each member of the applying act
• One studio recorded song (mp3 format only), an optional second recording may be submitted as well)
• One Hi-Res artist photo
• An artist bio with artist location, names/roles of band members (if known at time of application), description of the artist’s sound, and note of any recently released recordings
• A stage plot, indicating locations of instruments, instrument mics, vocal mics, and any other equipment (i.e. amp, pre-amp)
• Credit card for application fee

These performance opportunities during the World of Bluegrass showcases have been game changers for many up and coming artists, and are highly prized.

The application period ends on April 30, and applicants will be notified by May 31 with the results of their submission.

The International Bluegrass Music Association has announced that they are moving forward with plans to hold their annual World of Bluegrass convention in Raleigh, NC at the end of September, with a mix of in-person and online events, depending on how COVID restrictions evolve over the spring and summer.

In a letter to its membership, the IBMA says that they are “cautiously optimistic” about holding the conference, awards show, and festival in Raleigh, but will make final judgements as federal and state recommendations are revised.

Executive Director Paul Schiminger says that discussions with the professional membership of the organization make clear that the in-person events are their preferred option.

“We’ve heard from many of our members in the past few months, and we share the strong desire to gather in person in Raleigh this year; we wish it were a straightforward decision based on that alone. We remain optimistic but also have to consider CDC, state, and local guidelines to hold an event like ours. We have a strong partnership with the City of Raleigh, and they want to hold the event every bit as much as we do since it benefits both of our communities enormously.”

That said, hotel reservations in Raleigh for the September 28 – October 2 block will be opened on June 1, along with ticket sales for World of Bluegrass and associated functions.

IBMA also stressed some important dates for those interested in submitting for the Bluegrass Ramble showcases, the weekend street festival stages, and other conference proceedings.

Here are the submission periods to keep in mind, falling this year outside the normal WOB entry schedule.

• Official IBMA Artist Showcase: April 5 – April 30
• IBMA Songwriter Showcase: May 3 – May 28
• IBMA Business Conference Call for Proposals: May 3 – May 28
• IBMA Bluegrass Live! Street Stages, Youth Stage, University Ensemble Showcase: June 7-June 30
• Kids on Bluegrass: June 7-June 30

IBMA is in the process of updating the World of Bluegrass web site now, and has an FAQ page up that addresses many questions you may have about the 2021 event. One thing that seems clear is that regardless whether an in-person conference can be hosted, much of the content will be available for online viewing for those unable to attend.

The International Bluegrass Music Association has announced the results of the election held earlier this year for three seats on their Board of Directors. Board members are chosen by professional voting members of the organization, within their constituent category.

Up for consideration this year were representatives for the categories of Print Media and Education, Broadcast Media, and Artist, Composers, and Music Publishers. Only members who have chosen one of these as their membership category are eligible to vote in these elections.

Dan Boner, the current Board representative for Print Media and Education was re-elected. Dan is the director of the Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music Studies program at East Tennessee State University. Until recently, he was also a member of the Becky Buller Band, but has stepped down owing to the demands of his job at ETSU.

New Board members coming in are Brad Kolodner in the Broadcast Media category, and Tristan Scroggins for Artist, Composers, and Music Publishers. Brad is the host of The Brad Kolodner Show on Bluegrass Country, a 24/7 bluegrass streaming service online. He is also a performer, playing old time banjo in the Baltimore area with Charm City Junction.

Tristan is a free-land mandolinist in Nashville who became prominent working alsongside his dad in Jeff Scroggins & Colorado, and for his online presence teaching mandolin on Patreon, He performs with a number of bands and ensembles both in Nashville and on the west coast.

These three will begin serving their three year terms when they are seated at the Board meeting held during World of Bluegrass.

The IBMA expressed its gratitude to departing Directors for their hard work.

“The board and staff of the IBMA, along with its members, thank outgoing board members Kenny Smith and Bob Webster for their outstanding service and contributions to the association and the entire bluegrass music community. As volunteers, they gave considerable time and effort in their service, and did so at their own expense to attend meetings and gatherings.”

More information about the Board of Directors and staff of the organization can be found on the IBMA web site.

Following the plan the International Bluegrass Music Association adopted for their 2020 World of Bluegrass convention, the organization will host its acclaimed Leadership Bluegrass business sessions this year for free online. Missing will be the personal networking opportunities so prized by attendees, but the information shared in small group meetings and seminars will be offered to all virtually in March 2021.

In a typical year, Leadership Bluegrass invites a couple dozen bluegrass professionals from all corners of the business to Nashville for a week. These individuals are chosen through a highly selective process, and they pay their own way plus accommodations to spend time in discussions and information sessions with top industry pros. Of course very little has been typical about the past twelve months, and the organizers of Leadership Bluegrass decided that it wasn’t practical to ask people to travel and spend time in close proximity while COVID-19 restrictions are still in place.

So this year, each Thursday in March will see a live presentation offered online, along with a set of music from an up-and-coming bluegrass group from outside the US. These will be available to everyone at no cost on the IBMA Facebook page, starting March 4 at 1:00 p.m. (EST).

The 2021 program is entitled Leadership Bluegrass Online: Navigating the Digital Jungle, and will run on the following schedule.

• March 4 – The Show Must Go On: Producing Events in Uncertain Times
  Performance by Country Gongbang (South Korea)
• March 11 – The Music Modernization Act: Where Are We Today?
  Performance by The Often Herd (UK)
• March 18 – The Business of Education: 4 Tips to Becoming More Effective & Profitable
  Performance by Johnny & The Yooahoos (Germany)
• March 25 – The Artist’s Perspective: Sarah Jarosz
  Performance by You, Me, Everybody (New Zealand)

All presentations will begin at 1:00 p.m. (EST).

Further details about Leadership Bluegrass can be found online.

The International Bluegrass Music Association has published the job description for their ongoing job search for a new Executive Director.

Current ED Paul Schiminger notified the Board of Directors in December that he planned to retire at the end of his contract in May. Board Chair Ben Surratt has convened a search committee to find someone to take Paul’s spot, and is asking the membership and the wider bluegrass community to help them find suitable candidates.

Schiminger came to IBMA from a career in banking and finance. In fact, he learned of the opening when a headhunter contacted him for suggestions, knowing that he played bluegrass banjo. After thinking about it, he decided to throw his own hat into the ring. The Board is hoping that some other ideal candidate is out there, beyond the typical reach of executive search firms, and has written a letter to IBMA members asking that they help identify potential candidates soonest.

As we communicated in December, the IBMA’s Executive Director, Paul Schiminger, has decided to retire on or about May 31st of this year. As Board Chair, I have formed a search committee to initiate a search for Paul’s successor. We are fortunate to be doing this now since the IBMA is as strong as it has been in my time on the board, and we have an experienced and very capable staff to help make this transition as smooth as possible.

Before engaging a professional search firm, I am reaching out with this letter to encourage interested and qualified individuals to contact us directly. We are confident there are professionals who meet the qualifications of this position and who want to serve this association to help bluegrass music thrive for years to come. It is a dynamic, rewarding, and impactful role in which an ideal candidate generally has (but is not limited to):

• • • Knowledge of, and passion for, bluegrass music
    • Strong business and financial skills to handle detailed budgets as well as strategic and operational plans
    • Strong communication skills
    • Experience working with a board of directors
    • Supervisory experience
    • Sponsorship, fundraising, and development experience
    • Working familiarity with diversity, equity, and inclusion priorities

By clicking this link you can review the full Executive Director job description. It is important our search include a diverse group of candidates so we can ultimately select someone we feel is best suited to lead future of our association.

If you have any questions, please send them to me at EDsearch@ibma.org. If you are interested in being considered, please include your résumé so I may share it with the committee. I look forward to hearing from anyone excited about this opportunity.

My sincere thanks,

Ben Surratt, Board Chair
International Bluegrass Music Association

The complete job description is available as a PDF file online.

The International Bluegrass Music Association has put out a call this morning, seeking candidates interested in serving on its governing Board of Directors. They are looking for people with broad experience within the bluegrass industry, willing to make a three-year commitment to attend meetings and assist in setting both long and short term goals and priorities for the organization.

Candidates must be members of the IBMA, and be willing to provide references from two other professional members who can attest to your participation and expertise within the business of bluegrass.

At this time, three Board seats will be up for selection this year, chosen by a vote of the membership. They will be picked to represent the following IBMA constituencies:

• Broadcast Media (1 seat)
• Artists & Composers & Publishers (1 of 3 seats)
• Print & Media & Education (1 seat)

An online application is available for candidates to be considered, where you will be asked to provide information about yourself, along with your two references. These submissions will then be reviewed by a selection committee who will choose two or more candidates for each open Board seat.

The Association will also choose a pair of Board-appointed seats this spring, and the online application can also be used to express interest in one of those at-large seats.

Seats on the IBMA Board of Directors are volunteer positions, and members are expected to cover their own expenses for traveling to in-person meetings and other IBMA events. Questions about these positions or the process can be posed by contacting Executive Director Paul Schiminger.

Paul Schiminger, Executive Director of the International Bluegrass Music Association, has announced his intention to retire from his position at the end of May 2021.

Schiminger has served as Executive Director since 2015, when he was chosen to lead the organization following the tenure of Nancy Cardwell. He came aboard on a six year contract, and navigated the IBMA’s successful move from Nashville to Raleigh;eigh, NC for its signature annual event, World of Bluegrass. His term has also seen sizable growth in membership, and in the international credibility of the association following a period of board upheaval and instability.

In announcing his imminent departure, which he tells us is a real retirement from all labors, Paul specified how much he values being able to lead IBMA this last six years.

“I was honored and humbled by my selection in early 2015, and I feel more so today knowing the true weight of the responsibilities in my role. It was impossible to foresee the incredible experiences and friendships I have gained throughout this time. I arrived embracing the challenges facing all of us to build upon the IBMA’s successes, and make impactful progress to strengthen and move the association forward for even greater future success. I could not be more proud of the achievements we have all made together.

This was a difficult decision, but one I feel is best for my family and me. I also feel this is excellent timing for the IBMA to make a transition to a new Executive Director. I want to make this process a smooth and successful one, so I am offering a six-month notice and will assist in any way possible with the coordination of the search and transition.”

IBMA Board Chairman Ben Surratt informed his fellow Directors yesterday of Schiminger’s intentions, and will head up efforts to find his replacement. He says that an Executive Search firm will be employed to assist in the transition.

“When Paul was selected to be our Executive Director in 2015, the organization was in a time of transition. He hit the ground running, and brought much-needed, systemic change to many areas of IBMA. There’s no doubt that the organization has flourished under Paul’s leadership; the list of the organization’s accomplishments during his tenure is long. Paul has been a steady hand at the helm for the last 5 ½ years.

Paul’s commitment to our music is strong; I know we will benefit from his expertise in many ways in the years to come. Though Paul will be retiring from our organization, I don’t expect to see him disappear from bluegrass. I hope you all will join me in thanking Paul for the tremendous work he has done for IBMA, the IBMA Trust Fund, and the IBMA Foundation.”

Other successes for IBMA during Schiminger’s tenure include converting the organization into 501(c)(3) status, overseeing their first all-virtual World of Bluegrass in 2020, and the disbursements of funds to industry members who lost any hope of income when all live performances were prohibited by COVID-19 restrictions this year.

Paul is also an avid bluegrass lover and banjo player, and he hopes that retirement will allow him to spend more time on those pursuits next year. At this time, he plans to continue living in Nashville, though traveling to see parts of the US that he and his wife cherish will also be on the docket.

I’ve never celebrated Thanksgiving in my own home. That means 64 holidays at my parents, my in-laws, a West Coast dinner out with an uncle, and a long weekend with my college girlfriends family in Pittsburgh.

That string will be broken tomorrow, when my wife and I dine alone, with the dog patrolling the perimeter of the table in case any food fumbles occur.

It would be easy, given the pandemic, to bemoan not being able to gather together with friends and loved ones, but what’s the use? Instead, we’ll celebrate the birth of a new tradition – Thanksgiving at OUR house. And we’ll look forward to continuing it next year, in the new place now being built in northeastern Pennsylvania, much closer to our families.

The same goes for bluegrass. I know that some bands, players, and venues didn’t survive the shutdown and the upending of an already shaky business model. I mourn those losses.

But 2020 also gave us much to be thankful for in the bluegrass world.

In no specific order, I’m especially grateful this year for:

IBMA. I was skeptical when the association announced plans for a virtual World of Bluegrass in place of the annual gathering in Raleigh. But Executive Director Paul Schiminger and his small but talented staff pulled it off, making it one of the best of the 11 annual gatherings I’ve been part of. 

With few technical glitches and lots of extra preparations, it would have been easy for an outsider to believe IBMA has been living in the digital space all along. The awards show was spectacular. An added bonus was being able to watch the workshops when I had the time. If there are two simultaneous sessions during an in-person World of Bluegrass, you’re out of luck for one of them.

That said, I’m eager to see a lot of old friends and make some new ones face-to-face next year in Raleigh.

MY FRIENDSHIP WITH STEVE GULLEY. During my second IBMA, in Nashville in 2011, Steve Gulley changed my life. As a panelist at a songwriting workshop, he scoffed at that notion that I was only a lyric writer, not a musician. He made me believe in myself and my limited guitar playing, to the point that I attended a song circle that night and wobbled through one of my creations. I met Dawn Kenney in that circle, and we’ve been writing together for years.

Steve and his wife Debbie demoed one of our songs. And Steve and I planned to write together. Those plans were cut short by Steve’s death this year, but he’ll always be in my heart for that little nudge he gave me.

THE PIONEERS. We owe so much to Bill Monroe, of course, but also to Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, Ralph and Carter Stanley, and so many others from the first generation of bluegrass. They paved the way for every note that’s played in bluegrass today, even those that can’t be shoehorned into the traditional definition of the genre.

THE INNOVATORS. Sam Bush, John Cowan, the Steep Canyon Rangers, Béla Fleck, Missy Raines, Molly Tuttle, the Infamous Stringdusters, and others sometimes think way outside the bluegrass box. The result is some of the most refreshing and inventive music I listen to these days. Bluegrass, to me, is just like Thanksgiving, a feast of many tasty dishes.

THE LEGENDS. I never met Bill Monroe or heard him play, but I’ve been lucky enough to be able to see and hear some incredible Hall of Famers, and others who will be, play the music I love: Doyle Lawson, Del McCoury, Larry Sparks, Lynn Morris, Tom Gray, Dudley Connell, Dale Ann Bradley, Ricky Skaggs, Joe Mullins, Hazel Dickens, and many more. 

THE BANDS YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF. While the folks in the previous three categories get nearly all of the attention, bluegrass is home to dozens and dozens of local and regional bands waiting for their big break. For many, that break will never come. But they play on, for the love of the music. One reason I’m eager to get back on the festival circuit, hopefully some time next year, is to discover some of these bands in jam circles and during the non-peak performance hours on stage. Their devotion to the music always sends me away feeling optimistic about the future of the genre.

THE DJs. As a songwriter, I’m obviously indebted to the radio personalities who play the songs I’ve written for others to perform. But I’m also grateful for some of them being traveling companions for many hours on the road in years past (and years to come). Some of them make a living at it. Some of them do it for little or no money. But they’re all important in keeping bluegrass alive and well, especially this year.

YOU. If you’re still reading, you either love bluegrass or need a new hobby to get you through the rest of the pandemic. I’ve been fortunate to write about music since 2010, first for The Bluegrass Blog and, since 2011, for its successor, Bluegrass Today. We’ve shared a lot of highs and lows, laughter and tears, and some fantastic music over those years. I’m grateful to all of you (and to my editor, John Lawless), and look forward to sharing more thoughts and music with you down the road.

Be safe, everyone. Hope to see you soon.

Brooklyn born, San Francisco-based Jody Stecher is an old-time, bluegrass, traditional music artist like no other. He plays mandolin, banjo, fiddle, and guitar and has a long list of credentials, not the least of which is playing mandolin and singing in the Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band. Jody and spouse/duet partner Kate Brislin, who are twice Grammy-nominated, have recently stopped touring, but that hasn’t slowed Jody down one bit, as he still keeps a full-time teaching schedule and has a new release he talks about here. His voice is as mountain as mountain can be, and the new release Dreams From The Overlook can be purchased from he and Kate’s web store.

Hi Jody, congratulation on the new release. Tell us about Dreams From The Overlook.

It’s a double CD. I composed everything on it – let me qualify that, I co-wrote two songs and one instrumental –  and a good number of the pieces came to me in dreams. Does dreaming qualify as composing? Maybe I “arranged” the dream music. The title is Dreams From The Overlook. Near where I live there’s a path uphill about a mile to a spot that overlooks San Francisco Bay, Oakland, Berkeley, the Golden Gate Bridge, and an old cemetery. That’s the Overlook. I’ve been walking up there a lot since the pandemic arrived.

How far back do the songs go?

Some are 20 years old. Most were put together in the past five years.

Who are the players?

Kate Brislin and Keith Little play guitar and sing harmony. Banjo was Tony Trischka, and Keith played a bit too. Bass was Ethan Jodziewicz and Paul Knight. The fiddlers were Chad Manning, Tashina Clarridge, and Tristan Clarridge. Tristan also played tenor guitar and cello. I sang lead and played mostly mandolin, but also mandola, guitar, banjo, and even uke on one tune. From this giant pool there are solos, duets, and up to octets. In addition, two songs were previously released on Bill Martin’s album, Out On A Limb, which I co-wrote with Bill. On those songs Sharon Gilchrist plays bass, Scott Nygaard plays guitar, and Bill Martin is on mandolin.

What’s the mix of songs versus tunes, and which comes easier for you?

More tunes than songs, which is why I asked Bill Martin for permission to include Fast Track To Richmond and Ragtop Ford. I needed more songs to create a balanced playlist, and since I wrote the greater part of those two songs Bill readily agreed.

Songs and tunes come with equal ease or difficulty. My previous solo album, Wonders and Signs, was all songs except for one instrumental, so I’d already recorded a lot of songs, and I had these tunes that people liked and wanted to learn. So that was an impetus to get this recording done.

Where was Dreams From The Overlook recorded?

It was recorded in three sessions in July, August, and September of 2019 at 25th Street Recording in Oakland. Scott Bergstrom engineered it and did some editing. The rest of the editing and all of the mixing was done by Dave Luke at Opus in Berkeley, with my input of course. 

The mastering was done at Coast Mastering by Michael Romanowski. I was scheduled to master, and a few days before it was going to happen the COVID lockdown happened. Eventually, I asked Michael to do the mastering without me in the room – the first time I’ve allowed that in 30 years. No problem! Each engineer made a significant contribution to the final sound and Michael put on the finishing touches. I’m delighted and thrilled with how it sounds.

Why did you do a double CD? It seems like a wealth of material that could have been spread out over two releases.

I did a double CD because I thought I was going to die. I wanted to record and release all my compositions. I did record them all, but some did not come out well. And now I have enough new songs and tunes to make yet another album. Eventually I discovered that my demise is probably not imminent after  all.

Good to hear. I love that catchy tune, The Snoring Sassenach, which has an ambiguous chord progression.

Thank you. The chords are normal major chords and the progression is regular and repeated. It’s the key that is ambiguous. Kate thinks it’s in F. You hear it as in G. I composed it thinking it is in C. I still hear it that way.

How are you able to achieve that wonderful balance between old-time and bluegrass styles?

You know I grew up hearing early bluegrass back when it contained a lot of old time musical elements. Many years ago I was given a cassette of about 30 instrumentals, culled from live recordings of Flatt and Scruggs & and The Foggy Mountain Boys in the 1950s and early ’60s. The fiddle is central and it sounds very much like an old-time band. So the first bluegrass I heard already had that integration. A few years ago I read Lonesome Melodies. It’s a history of the Stanley Brothers. It’s got a lot of details I’ve never seen elsewhere, like the story of the pet alligator the Clinch Mountain Boys kept at the boarding house where they stayed in Bristol. And who do you suppose toured with the Stanleys, playing fiddle in the band? None other than the legendary Cowan Powers, who they admired. Apparently Cowan Powers died on stage while playing old-time fiddle with the Stanley Brothers. I could give you more examples. But my point is that early on, these were not quite separate musics as they are now. Old-time music and bluegrass are both inside me and they are integrated. I can separate them when appropriate.

Will this release be available on streaming services?

Not if I can help it. If it appears on streaming services it means it has been stolen. I’m trying an experiment with this release. The only way to get this recording is from me. Either directly when this pandemic is over, or through the website. I’ve put a bargain price on the double CD which has 31 tracks, several of which are medleys. MP3 downloads are also available at the website. Unfortunately, WAV downloads weren’t working right. Personally I recommend the CD as the sound quality is magnificent, thanks to the engineers.

Do you still have a lot of music students? I’m guessing you’ve had to move lessons online.

I have more students now than I’ve had in years. Yes, all online. That’s the simple answer. The compli-ma-cated answer is that I’d stopped taking new students except for people who live in my neighborhood, and I also kept old students. I wanted time to concentrate on some other projects that were not directly musical. Then last year three of my close friends died. I started thinking I might be next. This caused me to drop all inessential projects and get down to work on recording my songs and tunes, and concentrating on other musical things. This decision released energy. A lot of energy. I was relieved of a burden and I got right down to work. When lockdown arrived a lot of people were stuck at home and wanted to practice music. Old students and new students began to contact me for lessons. So now I’m teaching via Skype and FaceTime. There’s no impact on the household. I’m earning income, the students are happy, and, gosh, I don’t even have to wear pants! (I do though).

I’ve been enjoying your YouTube videos. What was the tipping point for you after all these years to start a YouTube channel?

I’ve had a semi-private YouTube channel for a long time. I decided to post some public videos because my old computer died. I got a new one and found I could make videos comfortably using it. Setting up a camera or a cell phone to make videos is a bit tedious for me. This new way is easy. I just sit down in the chair where I answer emails, and I push a red button play and talk, and then I push Stop. Easy! Also since the lockdown, I’ve been doing more online teaching, and I found that there were certain things I could tell all my students at once using YouTube. So it started that way. But then I got a new idea. Instead of teaching anything or telling anyone how I think they should play, I’ve made some videos where I show my learning process. I show the choices I make and play Not-Too-Terribly Wonderfully because this is repertoire I’m learning and people like to see that. Also, I’ve shown something of my process of creating a new tune or creating a new arrangement. 

When composing a tune, what is your approach to finding the chords?

If the tune is chord-based, I already know the chords. If it’s modal or some other kind of melody where chords are not obvious, I try different chords and see what I like best. Sometimes I chose chords for their harmonic function but sometimes their prime use is to move the tune along or to help define the shape, and I’ll use those chords even though there may be a bit of dissonance.

Can drone notes be used in most any fiddle tune or does it depend on the key, tempo, time signature, mode, etc.?

An unchanging pitch played at the same time as an ever-changing melody is used in all sorts of North American fiddle music, not just the archaic-sounding older music set in microtonal modes. For instance, look at the Texas contest version of Sally Goodin. The pinky holds down A on the D string while the melody moves up and down on the A string. When A natural is played on the open A string the pinky remains on A on the D string and you get a “rhyme” of the same two pitches. Some old-time fiddlers will avoid playing a single open D, A or E string. They play it in unison with the fingered note of the same pitch found one string below. You hear that a lot from old-style fiddlers in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia as well. 

Can drone notes can be used in vocals as well?

Kate and I use drones in our duet singing sometimes. I’ll sense that she’s about to sing something brilliant that’s just a little different from the obvious harmony note, so I simplify my melody part so that it stays more on one note. In effect, I’m providing a drone below her flight of fancy. And the same thing will happen when I’m singing harmony. I’ll hold out one pitch so that her melody has a sort of platform below it. And she does the same when I sing variations. A drone — which is to say an unchanging note sounded along with changing notes — is used in any kind of music. 

How do you decide on the arrangement?

Things suggest themselves.

Can you expand on that?

An “arrangement” usually means the setting of an existing piece of music. The word does not pertain to structure. Some arrangement elements are key, pace, chords, instrumentation, vocal vs. instrumental, what sort of harmony, if any, use or absence of instrumental solos, and overall style. So for instance take something like Jingle Bells. It could have an infinite number of arrangements in myriad styles, but that would not affect the structure. Jingle Bells will still be Jingle Bells whether it’s done in Calypso style, or as a military march, or a bluegrass tune, or whatever. 

So when I’m arranging a tune or song, either myself or together with Kate, we try different keys and different instrumentation and different phrasing and pacing until we think it’s starting to sound good. Then we sing it again. And again and again. But then sometimes we find some things don’t work as well as we imagined they would. Maybe it goes on too long, so we cut one instrumental break or make it half as long. Maybe it seemed good to us fast in our imaginations, but when we try singing it we stumble on the words, so we slow it down.

Is it a similar process with fiddle tunes?

When it comes to composing a fiddle tune and determining the structure (AA BB or otherwise), this is more fundamental than arrangement. In the 19th century, and maybe the late 18th century as well, the four strings of the fiddle (the violin) were called fine, course, counter, and bass. The E string is thin, so that is “fine.” The A string is thicker, so that is “coarse,” and so on. The high part of a fiddle tune always includes some notes on the E string, so that part was called “fine.” The low part was called the “coarse.” But some tunes have more than two parts. Highland bagpipe tunes often have four parts, especially (but not only) marches. When they get played on the fiddle, the four parts are retained. I’ve composed tunes with two parts and others with more parts. I put in more parts when I still have more to “say” musically, if the two parts don’t complete my musical idea. 

Here’s where arrangement and how many parts there are come together: Every now and then I’ve come across a traditional fiddle tune that has two versions I like. One of the parts (usually the low part) is the same in both versions. But the high parts are very different. If I like both of these high parts, I’ll play the piece as a three-part tune. 

Have you ever composed a tune that you don’t feel is suited to your playing? 

I’ve composed some tunes that are hard for me to play. I practice them until I can play them.

Talk about your relationship with Warren Hellman (founder of the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival in San Francisco).

He’d played five-string banjo several decades earlier and wanted to get back to it. So I took him as a student and we enjoyed each other’s company. He always had great jokes and true stories to tell. And I was able to help him out with his banjo technique and repertoire. We even wrote a song together. It was based on the disappearance and reappearance of a Fairbanks Whyte Laydie banjo. Warren’s wife Chris wanted to give him a Christmas present of a Whyte Laydie banjo. She remembered that he once had one and loved it. But he’d loaned it to a feller who’d married a member of his family. He had reservations about this person, and when the couple divorced Warren was so happy to be rid of him that he never asked for the banjo back. So Chris Hellman enlisted my help. I’m pretty good at finding instruments and assessing them from a distance. I did find a nice Whyte Laydie and the order was placed. Warren drove around for a while with that banjo (in its case) in the trunk of his car without him ever knowing it was there! 

While looking for a Whyte Laydie I came upon a reasonably priced Bacon FF Professional banjo that was exactly what I’d wanted for years. So I bought it. The two banjos were delivered to my home within days of each other. Now something amazing was apparent when I looked at the necks of these two banjos. They were both made in 1909 in the Vega shop from when David Day (of Bacon & Day fame) was shop foreman. These two necks were not only identical in shape (though the fingerboards and inlay differed), but they were clearly made from the same piece of wood. But that’s not all. Warren found his new Whyte Laydie to be very much like his old one. And then he discovered a few old dings and marks and so on that were exactly like his old one. We looked into how this banjo had gotten into the shop that sold it. The original banjo borrower had consigned it there. So Warren got back his old banjo and I got its fraternal twin. We had fun writing the song. 

Much has been made in recent years about the “International” in IBMA, but you were playing Indian and other international music as far back as the ’70s. How did that evolve?

I would have arrived at playing different kinds of music one way or the other because I had so many personal connections with musicians, fans, and connoisseurs of different music from around the world. One big door was the fiddle. There’s hardly a place in the world that hasn’t incorporated the violin into its music. So when I was a teenager and in my early 20s if I heard a fiddle, I listened and I got curious.

As much as we all love the traditional sound, most musicians of any genre wander from the path.

Most working bluegrass musicians I’ve met are at least curious about other music. Many are seriously interested in other kinds of music, and often are good players in other genres. It’s always been like that, as bluegrass itself is a confluence of many streams. Most keep their musical interests separate. Who wants to hear a fiddler that sounds like a violinist? A guitarist who plays jazz chords in a bluegrass band is going to ruin the music. Each music has its own special beauty and musical toolbox. In my case, I’ve mostly kept my interests apart. But occasionally I’ve found a few things from music from other lands that can beautify my American music. I’ve used some rhythm patterns from Greece, Rumania, India, and other places in my solos. Only a person well-schooled in those musics would even notice. I’ve sometimes used a pick grip that I observed Armenian and Nubian oud players use when I was a teenager. One thing I picked up from the Indian sarod player Ali Akbar Khan was drawing a wide variety of tone qualities from whatever instrument I’m playing in any genre. The most blatant borrowing I’ve done can be heard on two songs on disc 2 of Dreams from The Overlook –  Snowball Blues and If I Die In California. When a Greek guitar player accompanies a singer or instrumentalist playing a zeibekiko (which is in 9/8 time), he uses one of several common patterns. I use one of these patterns on one song and another on the other. Snowball Blues started out in the 1970s or ’80s when I was playing in a duet with Hank Bradley. We were mixing guitar riffs from rockabilly and blues music with Greek ones, and setting it to the zeibekiko framework. We were half joking but also half serious. If I Die In California, as the title suggests, is not meant to be funny. I recorded the two as a medley with the band, combining –  as I’ve done before, for better or worse –  tragic and comic elements in one musical performance. There are other small borrowings from other lands in my music. This is what musicians in all lands do and have always done. We’re always happily stealing from each other. This can be done well and it can be done badly.

What if anything do you do to avoid plagiarism when composing?

It’s been said that every possible melodic phrase has already been composed and played. That may be so, but some phrases are no longer remembered, so if you recompose ’em that’s ok. The problem with well-known or copyrighted music is that using more than a little is against the law, if you claim it as your own and get paid for what you stole instead of what you created. So if I compose something and then discover that, WHOOPS… it seems like I may have accidentally stolen it, I’ll change a note or two, or change the phrasing so that it becomes something else. Basically, I mess around and try different things until I get something that’s musically satisfying and not illegal.

Thank you Jody for your time and congratulations on the new release.

Copy editing by Jeanie Poling.