IB bluegrass INTERNATIONAL
Vol. 32 No. 7 July 2017
NASHVILLE Renaissance
International Bluegrass Editor: Kelly Kessler kelly@ibma.org
Vol. 32 | No. 7 | July 2017
Designer: Erin Faith Erdos erinfaitherdos@gmail.com
STAFF
Paul Schiminger Executive Director
Kelly Kessler Director of Communications and Professional Development
Amy Beth Hale Director of Member Services
Eddie Huffman Director of Convention Services
BOARD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD
Joe Mullins, Chair Ben Surratt, Vice Chair Denise Jarvinen, Treasurer Regina Derzon, Secretary Alan Tompkins, Executive Committee member
Becky Buller-Artist/Composer/Publisher Jeremy Darrow-Artist/Composer/Publisher Jamie Deering-Merchandisers/Luthiers Mike Drudge-Agents/Managers/Publicists Silvio Ferretti- International John Goad-Print Media/Education Marian Leighton Levy-Recording/ Distribution/Marketing
William Lewis-At Large Steve Martin-At Large Stephen Mougin-At Large Mike Simpson-At Large Wayne Taylor-Artists/Composers/Publishers Bree Tucker-Myers- Event Production Bob Webster-Broadcast Media
INFO CONTACT US
INTERNATIONAL BLUEGRASS
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that connects and educates bluegrass professionals, empowers the bluegrass community, and encourages worldwide appreciation of bluegrass music of yesterday, today and tomorrow.
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, staff or members of IBMA. Portions of International Bluegrass may be reprinted provided that explicit citation of the source is made: “Reprinted with permission from International Bluegrass, the publication of the International Bluegrass Music Association, www.ibma.org.�
TA B LE O F C ON T E N T S JULY 2017
INTERNATIONAL BLUEGRASS
Photos: Justin Hiltner, Deone Jahnke, additional by Maria Camillo
World of Bluegrass 4 Fleck & Washburn to Host Awards Show; Theme is Bluegrass Songbook 5 Track: Broadcaster 7 Track Highlights: Talent Buyer, CLE, Songwriter
IBMA 10 Leadership Bluegrass Announces Schedule Change 11 Deering and Elderly Hold Auction for Bluegrass Trust Fund
Feature 12 Nashville Renaissance – A Hotbed for Young Bluegrass Pickers
other news 18 International Star-Studded Project Features Balsam Range 19 Bluegrass Music Museum Needs Artifacts
other news 20 new releases 22 Industry News
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We value our members. This newsletter is our primary conduit for sharing news across our trade organization. Our goal is to carry news each month from all constituencies of IBMA’s membership. Deadline info: news items and press releases are due at the IBMA office via snail mail or email by the 18th of the month. Submitting before the deadline is encouraged. Email all materials to Kelly here, or mail to 4206 Gallatin Pike, Nashville, TN 37216. International Bluegrass
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Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn Announced as IBMA Awards Show Hosts Theme is “The Bluegrass Songbook” 16-time Grammy-winning banjoist Béla Fleck and oldtime-meets-Far-East banjoist Abigail Washburn will host the IBMA’s 28th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards Show, scheduled for September 28 at Raleigh, North Carolina’s Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts. Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn have delighted audiences the world over. Few have done more to raise the stature of banjo than Béla Fleck, or had more fun doing it. Fleck has immersed himself in the work of bluegrass icons Earl Scruggs and J.D. Crowe, helped define a new genre with New Grass Revival, followed the banjo’s roots back to Africa, and sought out every new frontier with his cornerstone band, Béla Fleck and the Flecktones and in recordings with jazz greats like Chick Corea and McCoy Tyner. Partner Abigail Washburn shares Fleck’s adventurous spirit, delving into Appalachian music with string band Uncle Earl, and heading East to build bridges between Chinese and American musical roots. Washburn has the earthy sophistication of a postmodern, old-time singer-songwriter, winning critical acclaim for her solo albums. Together, Fleck’s and Washburn’s self-titled duo album took home last year’s folk album GRAMMY. Paul Schiminger, executive director of the IBMA says of this event, “The annual IBMA Awards Show is truly the biggest night in bluegrass music. The unforgettable moments, the unique and incredible performances, and the overwhelming feeling of community, make this a must-attend event for both bluegrass professionals and fans. And, having Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn as hosts will send this one way over the top. I can’t wait!” Fleck and Washburn add, “We are thrilled to be the hosts of the 2017 IBMA Awards, celebrating the bluegrass canon!” The Awards Show’s theme this year is The Bluegrass Songbook, referring not to a published work, but to the body of music all bluegrass players have in common around the world. This shared repertoire has allowed generations of musicians - from casual front porch pickers to hard-working Hall of Famers – to spend hours making music together with perfect strangers. In fact, Béla Fleck met Abigail Washburn through this shared music at a square dance. They began collaborating musically and, in time, fell in love—thanks in part to the Bluegrass Songbook.
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Abigail Washburn, Béla Fleck and their son Juno, photo credit Jim McGuire
“The 2017 IBMA Awards Show will pay homage to this great body of music,” says Amy Reitnouer, who returns as executive producer of the show, “by gathering unlikely artistic combinations around the familiar tunes of the Bluegrass Songbook – bridging across generations, styles, backgrounds, and geographic boundaries, bringing life to the ‘I’ in the organization’s name and honoring the writers and musicians who paved the way for today’s vibrant, interconnected bluegrass community.” Known as bluegrass music’s biggest night, the International Bluegrass Music Awards Show acknowledges the year’s outstanding achievements, honors new Hall of Fame inductees, and waves the worldwide flag for bluegrass music. The International Bluegrass Music Awards is part of the International Bluegrass Music Association’s World of Bluegrass, brought to you by Chiesi USA, which takes place September 26 – 30 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Information about the 28th IBMA Awards Show, including ticket availability, can be found at here.
TRACK: BROADCASTER Announcing the Brand New Broadcaster Track Are you a broadcaster looking to cultivate your craft, keep up on radio trends, expand on peer-to-peer learning opportunities, and connect with artists and labels? The Broadcaster Track, the IBMA Business Conference’s newest track, is geared for you. This focused track is designed to enable real industry connections during World of Bluegrass week - when all of bluegrass gathers in one place. We encourage you to attend and experience why the World of Bluegrass is an indispensable event for professional development and new business generation, featuring these highlights: • All-new professional development seminars geared for broadcasters, covering topics from the essentials of broadcasting, to content and formatting, to vocal coaching, running Tuesday through Thursday. • All-new Broadcaster/Label Relations event on Thursday, designed to build and strengthen relationships and information exchange. • Artist-DJ Reception on Wednesday evening, a comfortable setting to network and connect with artists. Light refreshments and cash bar provided. • DJ Taping Sessions on Wednesday, enabling broadcasters to conduct short live interviews with artists, and collect station IDs and other content.
To participate in the Broadcaster Track, register for the IBMA Business Conference. Conference registration includes all Broadcaster Track events, plus all other conference events, including the Bluegrass Ramble, keynote reception, awards luncheons, and exhibit hall. Plus, we offer a special discount for all First-Time Attendees: $25 off the price, available to members and non-members alike!
Register now.
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TRACK HIGHLIGHTS Talent Buyer Track IBMA delivers an optimal setting for talent buyers and agents to get business done during IBMA’s World of Bluegrass Business Conference. • IBMA’s Gig Fair (RSVP only) Tuesday, September 26, 2:15 pm. Meet artists before the showcasing begins! • Breakfast2Business (RSVP only) Wednesday, September 27, 9 am. Rosters are constantly changing, and B2B is a productive way for talent buyers and agents to keep up on our evolving bluegrass world. • Agent/Talent Buyer Reception (RSVP only) .Wednesday, September 27, 5 pm A relaxing and engaging networking session. The first drink is on IBMA! • The Bluegrass Ramble & Official Artist Showcases, Tuesday-Thursday, September 26-28, 6pm-1 am (Official Showcases at 7, 8, and 9 pm). The hottest new talent and the diversity of big-tent bluegrass, conveniently showcasing at the conference. • Talent Buyer Track Educational Panels, Tuesday-Thursday, September 26-28. Seminars focused on the latest trends and specific interests of buyers, promoters and agents.
Talent buyers, RSVP here for the Gig Fair, Breakfast2Business, and the Agent/Talent Buyer Reception. Agents, RSVP here for Breakfast2Business and the Agent/Talent Buyer Reception. Artists’ sign-up for the Gig Fair begins later this summer
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TRACK HIGHLIGHTS CLE (Continuing Legal Ed) Track Highlights Developed by a panel of volunteer attorneys, these sessions highlight current legal issues and the pitfalls to be avoided when developing alternative sources of revenue. This year, we welcome the Campbell University School of Law as our CLE (Continuing Legal Education) sponsor!
Seminars include: • Legal obligations when broadcasting live performances on the internet or other media; • Blockchain, the technology behind bitcoin. Major music industry players like Spotify have adopted Blockchain for their operations, but what does it mean for the individual artist? • New rules for crowdfunding campaigns through Kickstarter, Indiegogo and the like. • How to operate sweepstakes and contests in social media, and issues associated with the use of event tickets as prizes.
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TRACK HIGHLIGHTS Songwriter Track Highlights This track, brought to you by a committee of seasoned bluegrass songwriters, delivers a variety of seminars and song-centric events, offering a wealth of opportunities and information. • Seminars like Publishing 101, The Essence of Good Songwriting, and Getting Cuts and Getting Paid: Connecting the Dots • Songwriter/Mentor One-on-One Sessions. Learn from some of the most accomplished songwriters in our genre, face to face. • Youth Songwriter Workshop. Designed specifically for our younger IBMA songwriters (under 25). • Song Critiques. A panel of accomplished writers give constructive evaluations for song demos. • Song Circles. Share songs with other writers, network, and meet potential co-writers. • Songwriter Showcase. A juried selection of songwriters will perform their songs.
All these tracks, plus many more essential seminars and networking opportunities, are available only at the World of Bluegrass Business Conference. Register now and invest in your professional development!
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Schedule Change for Leadership Bluegrass 2018 Leadership Bluegrass, IBMA’s annual professional development program, is an intensive three-day course which regularly receives rave reviews from participants. The process for entry is competitive. The dates for the both the application deadline and next year’s class are being shifted earlier in the calendar year. Those new dates are:
Deadline for applications: Tuesday, October 31 Leadership Bluegrass 2018: Monday, March 5 to Wednesday, March 7, 2018 BMI, host and sponsor of Leadership Bluegrass since its inception, will continue supporting Leadership Bluegrass in both roles. The Platinum Sponsors for the 2017 Class were BMI, Williams Mullen, Bluegrass Heritage Foundation and Wintergrass/Acoustic Sound.
Appearing in photo:Front: Bobby Rymer, Justin Hiltner, Craig Reed, Irene Kelley, Laura Mainer, Kathryn Jenkins, Uri Kohen. 2nd Row: Ashley Moyer, Rachel Whitney, Kris Truelsen, Anna Frick, John Smith, Corrina Rose Logston. 3rd Row: Lee Bidgood, Ricky Gene Powell, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, Akira Otsuka, Adam Engelhardt. 4th Row: Brennen Leigh, Barb Heller, Erik Alvar, John Meyer, Jeff Burke. Back Row: Bill Thibodeau, CJ Lewandoski, Joe Newberry. Photo credit: Alane Anno
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Deering Banjos and Elderly Instruments Auction Milestone Banjo with Proceeds to Bluegrass Trust Fund Deering has been making great banjos since 1975, and Elderly Instruments has been selling Deering Banjos for almost that long. A few years back, when it became clear that Deering’s production line was coming up on building their 100,000th banjo, they decided to make it a very special commemorative model, custom built for Elderly owner Stan Werbin. While the engraving and inlays make it striking to look at, the commemorative banjo was built to be a player, as Jens Kruger demonstrated in a video to accompany the auction. (See below.) Instruments have a way of having a life beyond their first owners. Werbin and Jamie Deering came up with the idea of auctioning off the milestone banjo to raise money for the Bluegrass Trust Fund. The fund, of course, is the charitable arm of IBMA that offers emergency support for bluegrass professionals in dire need. Word went out, and on May 11 a ten day Ebay auction was launched. The 100,000th Deering banjo drew 22 bids and was auctioned off for $8100. The banjo now has a new owner, and all proceeds have gone to the Bluegrass Trust Fund. In her blog post on the auction, Jamie Deering says she hoped to raise awareness about the Fund. She noted, “An important aspect to take to heart is that the funding for the Trust primarily comes through IBMA’s Wide Open Bluegrass Festival (formerly Bluegrass Fan Fest) and donations from individuals. That means your purchasing a ticket for Wide Open Bluegrass contributes to the Trust and is felt and appreciated by those who have been helped. Thank you to those who have attended over the years, and who will attend in future years.”
Greg and Janet Deering, Stan Werbin and Cynthia Bridge
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Nashville Renaissance A Hotbed for Young Bluegrass Pickers
Nashville Renaissance A Hotbed for Young Bluegrass Pickers
by Mollie Farr
From the comfortable perch of my home office on the second floor, on any given day I can hear the distant sounds of flatpicking guitar, bubbly mandolin solos, or fiddle tunes. Oftentimes I gaze out my window and watch a small group of people playing music on the porch across the street. Here in East Nashville, this isn’t an uncommon sight. Over the past few years, it seems East Nashville has become a mecca for young musicians of all kinds, and for bluegrass musicians in particular. Young folks have packed up their banjos and flocked here in droves from all over the country. Here at my home office - where I live within a stone’s throw of two IBMA Momentum Awards recipients and one nominee (Molly Tuttle, Billy Strings, and Lindsay Lou, respectively), where we host jams more nights a week than not, and house concerts once a month - it’s hard not to feel like we live right at the very center of the bluegrass universe. But why Nashville? What in the world has happened here in recent years that has drawn so many young bluegrassers? For my neighbor Molly Tuttle, who won an IBMA Momentum Award Instrumentalist last year as a guitarist, it was always her plan to move to Nashville once she graduated from Berklee College of Music. “It’s where people who graduated years before me were gravitating – Boston is where people study, but Nashville is good for action,” she told me as we sat down one afternoon to chat about this so-called Renaissance of the Nashville Bluegrass Scene. “I feel very connected with people that I’ve looked up to for a long time, and I feel like moving here made my career feel more serious, or like I was more closely involved in the industry.”
Molly Tuttle
Nashville is known as Music City for a reason, with the offices on Music Row cranking out the country hits and people flocking to Broadway to go honkytonking on the weekends. But for bluegrass musicians, their living was never made in those stoic Music Row offices, and their rent certainly has never been paid by playing for drunk tourists on Broadway. For bluegrass musicians, their inclination to move towards Nashville is less motivated by the cliché ideal of “making it in the music business”. On the contrary, due to the ever-increasing cost of rent in East Nashville, these days musicians actually have to leave town and tour furiously in order to afford living here. It seems to me that what Tuttle means by being “closer to the industry” is more like being “close to other people in the industry who do what I do.” Tuttle said her favorite part of being in Nashville is that there is lots of collaboration between musicians – lots of co-writing and experimenting with different styles. She said, “Everyone is very eager to learn and share.” It’s less about bolstering your career, and more about the music itself. It seems the bulk of the appeal for young bluegrassers here today is more about the camaraderie of the community, and the music that takes place between people in living rooms. It’s more about living in a place where
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...The appeal for young bluegrassers here today is more about the camaraderie of the community, and the music that takes place between people in living rooms. It’s more about living in a place where everyone around you understands your touch-and-go lifestyle, the trials of the road, the dedication to art and, most importantly, everyone knows just as many obscure Bill Monroe tunes as you.”
NASHVILLE RENAISSANCE Missy Raines
everyone around you understands your touch-and-go lifestyle, the trials of the road, the dedication to art and, most importantly, everyone knows just as many obscure Bill Monroe tunes as you. Everyone is part of the same traveling circus, and the line between being out on the road and at home becomes softer and transitioning between the two is more natural. It keeps the spirit of why we ever got into being professional musicians in the first place alive. To get some perspective on how the climate of the bluegrass world in Nashville is different today, I spoke to Missy Raines, 7-time winner of the IBMA Bass Player of the Year award. Raines and her husband Ben Surratt moved to Nashville in 1990, although she told me that when she was just starting to play bluegrass, she never expected she would move to Nashville. “Why in the world would I ever move to Tennessee?” she remembered thinking. But as time went on, and the initial wave of the modern bluegrass leaders like Béla Fleck, Sam Bush, and Jerry Douglas moved to town, word spread throughout the bluegrass world that an acoustic scene was brewing in Nashville. It started to get a buzz. So if this buzz started way back in the 1980s, why does it only just now feel like there has been this huge rebirth in the bluegrass music scene? “It used to be that you’d go to the Station Inn and see your friends, and hear bluegrass that you liked, but there wasn’t really anywhere else in town where you would see bluegrass like that, or a place for people in the community to naturally gather. Now there are so many different places around town to go see that music.” Raines credits organizations like Music City Roots for changing the climate around bluegrass and Americana music in Nashville by creating awareness for locals and tourists about acts they might
Joshua Rilko and Lindsay Lou in a kitchen jam
Sledding trip (rare in Nashville) with [L-R] Molly Tuttle, Robbie Lynn Hunsinger, Cory Walker, Cody Martin and David Benedict
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NASHVILLE RENAISSANCE otherwise never see. “Places like this created a hospitable environment for musicians.” Raines also pointed out that one of the most special things about Nashville for musicians. It’s one of the only places in the world where you can walk into a bar, and already know everyone there. “Everyone already knows each other from their time out on the road, so you automatically have a network.” Now, with the increase in hospitable venues for bluegrass, most markedly in East Nashville, there is quite a bit more opportunity for that feeling of community to develop. Speaking in strictly geographical terms, up until about 15 years ago East Nashville was not a developed or hospitable place for young people. Raines mentioned to me that when she first moved to town, all the musicians
lived out in western or southern neighborhoods like White Bridge or Antioch because those were the only safe neighborhoods musicians could afford. Now we see not only a massive increase in the number of young musicians, but a new trend where they are all living in a much more concentrated area than ever before. Nowadays we’re all neighbors, which makes it very easy for the energy behind the community to build and perpetuate. Raines said, “When Jerry, Béla, Sam, and all those guys moved to town it felt ripe; it felt great and exciting then, too, and it felt like a great place to be as an acoustic musician, and a great place to tour from. It’s just that there were less of us and we were spread out.”So perhaps it would be more apt to think of the current bluegrass phenomenon in Nashville as less of
Mollie Farr, independent owner and operator of booking agency Lost Buffalo Artists, has lived in Nashville for three years. Born and raised in SW Florida, Mollie grew up at bluegrass festivals across the Eastern US. Mollie received a degree in ethnomusicology from the New College of Florida, writing her thesis on the origins of the accordion in Cajun music, leading her into the archival field where she maintains a side job today as an assistant to Cajun musician/scholar Ann Savoy. Mollie worked as a booking assistant at Myriad Artists before starting her own company, Lost Buffalo Artists, as a response to her fellow musicians and friends seeking help in the industry from a true peer.
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a true Renaissance and more of the continued growth of a community. It’s movement that has now reached a peak because of the perfect timing of young, eager musicians on the scene and a hospitable city environment. Will this bursting energy in the community that we are feeling right now start to fade away as the price of rents rise and expensive cocktail bars take over Five Points, the heart of East Nashville? Will young bluegrass musicians once again get priced out of the area and be forced to move back to the outskirts of town, or on to another town entirely? And will the energy behind this wave again recede? Only time will tell, I suppose, but for now, we’re lucky to ride this wave, and to be a part of the music festival that never ends.
JULY 1 LAST DAY FOR PRO MEMBERS TO SUBMIT NOMINATION TO IBMA BOARD JULY 18 LAST DAY TO JOIN/RENEW AS A PRO MEMBER TO VOTE ON FINAL BALLOT MID TO LATE JULY ANNOUNCEMENTS: WIDE OPEN MAIN STAGE LINEUP, KEYNOTE SPEAKER, CONFERENCE SEMINARS, YOUTH STAGE JULY 26 IBMA AWARDS NOMINEES AND HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES ANNOUNCED VIA SIRIUS XM AUGUST 1 FINAL BALLOT GOES OUT
International Star-Studded Project Features Balsam Range Award-winning band Balsam Range has been chosen to represent bluegrass on a landmark international project, Goldenhair, by artist, conductor, arranger, pianist, and producer Brian Byrne setting the poems of James Joyce to music. The album covers a range of genres - from country, bluegrass and big band, to spoken word, classical, and jazz. In addition to Balsam Range, Byrne has tapped Globe-winning actress Glenn Close, Prince’s singer/songwriter protégé Judith Hill, British musician/ songwriter Julian Lennon, Irish singer and composer Gavin Friday and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. “Brian Byrne called me after having spent hours one night pouring over various bluegrass bands on YouTube and other online searches,” says Mike Drudge of Class Act Entertainment, “looking for the just the right band to call upon to participate in ‘How Cool Is The Valley’. He landed on Balsam Range and we are glad he did. The guys had fun being a part of the project and we are excited for the doors it will open for the band.”
Byrne’s original songs were inspired by select poems from renowned Irish writer James Joyce’s 1907 collection, Chamber Music. The release date for Goldenhair, June 16, 2017, coincided with Bloomsday, the holiday celebrated worldwide to commemorate the life and works of Joyce. Node Records artist Brian Byrne composes in all media and across all genres, as Goldenhair showcases. Byrne co-wrote “The Mystery of Your Gift” with Josh Groban for Dustin Hoffman’s film Boychoir. He also wrote the end-title song “The Cry Inside” for Jim Sheridan’s film The Secret Scripture, which was recorded for the soundtrack by Kelly Clarkson. Glenn Close is another collaborator of Byrne’s. She first worked with him as the lyricist for his song “Lay Your Head Down” for the film Albert Nobbs, and most recently on Goldenhair. You can find Goldenhair now on Amazon and iTunes.
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Help Preserve Bluegrass History: A Call for Artifacts from the International Bluegrass Music Museum In preparation for their move to a new location in spring of 2018, the International Bluegrass Music Museum (IBMM) is reaching out to the greater bluegrass community in search of artifacts and objects to highlight in the new museum. “We are looking for objects that inspire the story of bluegrass over the years, from its early beginnings to present day,” museum curator Savannah Hall explained. “We are reaching out to the community for items that were owned by artists or prominent bluegrass figures. Ideally, a collector would approach us with instruments, clothing, unique memorabilia, or any object that features bluegrass’s captured or unseen past.” Items can be loaned on a temporary basis or gifted permanently to the museum. The IBMM is a non-profit 501(c)(3) and all donations are taxdeductible. All objects will be kept in temperature and humidity controlled environments and will be secured under 24/7 surveillance. The mission of the IBMM is to gather, preserve, exhibit and disseminate artifacts, history, collections and the performance art of the global history of bluegrass music through an educational experience. While the museum seeks to share the story of the objects in their collection, they value the importance of telling new histories of objects that remain in the homes of fans and friends.
“We see this as an opportunity to work collaboratively with the bluegrass community to share treasured artifacts with the world,” Executive Director Chris Joslin said. “We want our friends in the bluegrass community to join us in this important preservation work, so we hope you will consider partnering with us to loan, or gift, one of a kind bluegrass related items that will surely attract people from across the globe.”
IBMM, located in downtown Owensboro, KY, is the only full-scale Bluegrass Music Museum in the world. The new building will include a 450-seat concert hall, recording studio, an outdoor concert area to seat 2,000, an expansive museum store, research library, teaching rooms and a rooftop restaurant overlooking the Ohio River. Learn more about the Museum’s call here.
The fully funded Bluegrass Center is a collaboration between the City of Owensboro, the State of Kentucky and IBMM. The $15.4 million project will allow IBMM to house the world’s foremost collection of bluegrass artifacts, memorabilia, and music recordings in a safe environment for generations to come.
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NEW RELEASES
CD Reviews by Bob Webster, Ethan Charles and Grant Waldron
Bobby Osborne Original [Compass Records]
Nightbird The Bankesters [Compass Records]
Eyes Brand New Zoe & Cloyd [Z & C Records]
1964 Grand Ole Opry inductee Bobby Osborne still amazes audiences today at age 85. His latest solo release, Original, is no exception to a career of excellence. Producer, Alison Brown assembled a cast of wonderful pickers and singers, include Trey Hensley, Stuart Duncan, Todd Philips, Rob Ickes, family members Wynn, Robby and Bobby Osborne, Jr, Jim Lauderdale, Darrell Scott, David Mayfield, Bryan McDowell, Missy Raines and Kenny Malone.
Twelve years in, the Bankesters offer a distinct brand of contemporary bluegrass. “Nightbird” brings a variety of styles, always giving the listener a fresh sound. Sisters Alysha, Emily, and Melissa trade off lead and harmony vocals. Father Phil Bankester contributes guitar and vocals, while brother-in-law Kyle Triplett plays a multitude of instruments. In “If It Wasn’t the Rain”, the Bankesters balance thankfulness and pain, with Emily singing lead. Phil broadens their sonic range in “Nothing But Sky” and “Never Give the Devil a Ride”. The soprano harmonies cannot be ignored as they flow so easily for Alysha, Emily, and Melissa. Phil Bankester’s guitar chops come through in the cover of the White Stripes’ famous “Seven Nation Army”, where he careens through a driving guitar solo.
With their diverse musical backgrounds, it’s no surprise such a unique collection of recordings could come from IBMA 2016 Official Showcase artists Zoe & Cloyd. Eyes Brand New, the Appalachian duo’s second full-length album, combines their inspirations from original folk, country, old-time, and bluegrass with awardwinning songwriting and fine-tuned harmonies. Add in bass player Kevin Kehrberg and you’ve got a beautiful fullband sound.
The Osborne Brothers were never timid about expanding the boundaries of bluegrass. Bobby remains true to this, exemplified by the Bee Gees’ “Gotta Get A Message To You.” Sierra Hull features on “Kentucky Morning” and “Country Boy.” Osborne reaches back to Eddy Arnold’s “Make the World Go Away”, with Vince Gill, Molly Tuttle, and Buddy Spicher and Matt Combs’ fiddles. The Rocky Top X-Press, joins in on “Just In Case” and “Pathways Of Teardrops.” Don’t overlook Sam Bush on “Don’t Be Cruel”, and Michael Cleveland on “Eight More Miles”, and Del, Rob and Ronnie McCoury, joining Josh Williams on “Goodbye Wheeling.” Bobby has said “…this is the best one that I’ve ever done. It’s a first-class CD. I’ve never made one any better….” and that shows. As Monroe would say, it’s powerful. [BW] Website
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The Bankesters’ ability to tell a story grows with every album, and the listener learns more about the ups and downs, the twists and turns and consolations of life fully lived. The Bankesters’ dependence upon their faith is evidenced in the phenomenal closing hymn “He’s Always Been Faithful”, where the Bankesters carry listeners into a comforting aura to round out the album with praise to their God. [GW] Website
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Kicking it off with the title track “Eyes Brand New,” the duo’s vocal lines intertwine to form perfect harmonies, accompanied by Jens Kruger on banjo. John Cloyd Miller then begins “Jewel of the Caspian Sea” with a haunting a capella solo. His gorgeous voice shines like cold steel by itself but melts into silk when joined by Natalya Zoe Weinstein later in the track. Will Straughan of Red June lends a hand on dobro for songs “You Light My Way” and “Fast Air.” Zoe & Cloyd also shine on instrumental tracks like “Frontier Waltz,” with its smooth fiddle melody creating images of fireflies dancing in the fields on a warm summer night. All together this album represents every aspect of the duo’s roots and inspirations. Each track breathes its own life into the album, and by the end of it you’ve experienced something truly magical. [EC] Website
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NEW RELEASES
Burn Another Candle Jenni Lyn [Katherine Street Records]
Vagabonds Nu-Blu [Voxhall Records]
Other Love Songs Front Country [Organic]
Jenni is not new to bluegrass fans, since she is also a member of the all-female band Della Mae. However, “Burn Another Candle” is her first solo project and a big step early in her career. Self-produced, the project includes eight original songs out of the dozen. In addition to Jenni, additional players include Mike Bub on bass and vocals, Kyle Tuttle on banjo and vocals, Frank Rische on guitar and vocals, and members of Della Mae. We also enjoy Ron Stewart, Jason Carter, and Christian Sedelmeyer on fiddle and Joel Timmons on percussion.
This first project for Nu-Blu on the Voxhall Records label has a more country sound than their previous six releases. From Siler City, NC, Nu-Blu’s core is husbandand-wife duo Daniel and Carolyn Routh. T. J. Honaker on vocals and banjo, and Clint White on mandolin fill out the band. Songs were gathered from writers Jimmy Fortune, Shawn Lane, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Bob Dylan, among others. Carl Jackson’s “The Bridges That You’ve Burned” is a barn-burner.
Front Country describe themselves as “roots pop”. I couldn’t agree more. With influences ranging from bluegrass to classic rock and modern country, “Other Love Songs” refuses to conform to genre standards. The opener “If Something Breaks” definitely falls into the “other” category when it comes to love songs, focusing on aspects of a real-life relationship rather than fairy-tale romanticism. Jeremy Darrow leads us into the powerful “I Don’t Wanna Die Angry” with a catchy bass line, and the song grows and grows until Melody Walker’s vocals explode in the chorus. It will just make you want to move. Covers include the Carter Family’s “Storms are on the Ocean” and David Olney ‘s “Millionaire”, with Jacob Groopman taking the lead vocal. Mandolinist Adam Roszkiewicz contributes “T.H.A.T.S.”, where a rolling mandolin line builds to an avalanche, sweeping up every member of the band into a beautiful storm of strings that showcases fivestring violinist Leif Karlstrom. On a more mellow note, “Good Side” is an a capella masterpiece that opens with a chilling line from Melody Walker. As thick harmonies layer in, Walker’s voice pours out of her soul, giving you goosebumps. The uplifting closer, “Keep Travelin’,” rounds out the album’s musical message. You’ll be left with a mix of emotions but, above all, a feeling of completion. Front Country’s stunning blend of musical elements creates life-filled songs. [EC]
The songs touch on bluegrass (“Hickory Holler”), newgrass, gospel (“Can We Find Forgiveness?”), and typical symbols of life in the slow lane reminding one of sweet tea and fresh tomatoes. She also includes her instrumental “Runnin’ from the Law.” “Burn Another Candle At Both Ends,” the title track, has that newgrass feel, as somewhat does “Only Turned You Down.” On “Tell Me” we get more of a modern approach to a love song. “Long Long Gone” has the most traditional bluegrass drive among the tracks. Jenni is off to a good start with this effort and listeners will appreciate vocal work that seems to be solid, assured, and distinctive enough not be confused with other female solo recordings. [BW] Website
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The CD is titled after their Sawyer Brown cover, “Gypsy Trade”, recollecting their travels on the road, singing “vagabonds have it made.” “How Many Rivers” is a good bluegrass tune from Blue Highway’s Shawn Lane that fits the band, and is the only track to feature Daniel singing lead. The Jennings/Nelson hit “Good Hearted Woman” and “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door”, a Dylan composition, are audience favorites. “Still Small Voice” was released as the single prior to the release of the entire project and features former Statler Brother Jimmy Fortune as well as Ben Isaacs. The band continues to grow stronger with each recording and despite a couple of personnel changes; their 2003 beginning seems just a short time ago. This latest effort will appeal to listeners from a wide variety of background and musical tastes. [BW] Website
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INDUSTRY NEWS
July 2017
ARTISTS, COMPOSERS & PUBLISHERS JIM SMOAK AND THE LOUISIANA HONEYDRIPPERS RE-ISSUE Bayou Bluegrass, recorded in 1961 at Baton Rouge, LA, released again in 1972 on Arhoolie, and then again by them in CD format in 2002, is now at Smithsonian Folkways. Learn more at Jim Smoak’s website. Pictured left to right: Jim Smoak, banjo; Bucky Wood, fiddle; V.J. Myers, guitar; J.C. Myers, mandolin; Lum York, bass. Not pictured is Dewey Edwards, fiddle.
BROADCAST MEDIA BELL BUCKLE RADIO LAUNCHES Valerie Smith has created a new online radio station, Bell Buckle Radio, that features a variety of music, including bluegrass, folk, gospel, country, and Americana. The station can be found at BellBuckleRadio.com and provides a home to her music as well as many other great recordings from a variety of artists. Some of the music is homegrown in Bell Buckle, and the station carries the spirit that the town has always held, “Dare to be Different (and have fun doing it!)” Bell Buckle Radio shows include Bill Foster’s “Foster’s Corner” “Del McCoury’s Blue Side of Town”, “Bell Buckle Confidential with J.Gregory and Tori Taff”, Lisa Kay-Howard Hughes’ “Bluegrass-Country” and Valerie Smith’s “Afternoon of Music”. Broadcasting 24 hours a day, the station is not yet available outside the US, but will be available to download on iTunes very soon.
EVENT PRODUCERS THE WANDER DOWN MUSIC FESTIVAL LAUNCHES OCTOBER 13-15 International touring act, the Way Down Wanderers, announces a unique camping festival in southern Illinois this fall. While countless festivals offer impressive live music lineups, and music camps focus solely on participant jamming and workshops, the Wander Down Music Festival combines the two for an all-inclusive experience nestled in the woods at Camp Manitowa. The Wander Down Music Festival boasts the appeal of an all-inclusive old time girl/boy scout camp serving up chefprepared meals in a dining hall with all workshops and campfire jam sessions included. Other unique features include a Barn Dance, children’s workshops, workshops led by The Way Down Wanderers, hike-to remote concerts, and yoga with live music.
Workshops and jam sessions are designed to appeal to all ability levels - even non-musicians and total beginners. The festival’s inaugural year line-up includes 3 sets by the Way Down Wanderers, plus The Barefoot Movement, Chain Station, Chicago Farmer, Edward David Anderson, The Mighty Pines, Violet & the Undercurrents, Taylor Steele, and Will Maring & Robert Bowlin. This is an all-ages, family friendly event with on-site camping, hotel and RV park shuttle service and dry instrument storage. A limited number of large yurts, with a housing capacity of up to 18, are available for rental with ticket purchase. Other on-site activities include kayaking, ziplining, a children’s show with The Way Down Wanderers,
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and a band scramble, where musicians and festival ticket-holders form bands to compete against each other on stage for a fun, light hearted experience are available here.
BLUEGRASS MUSIC ASSOCIATIONS FIRST-EVER BLUEGRASS FLOAT IN A PRIDE PARADE On Saturday, June 24, 2017, the California Bluegrass Association entered a “Bluegrass Pride” float in the 47th San Francisco Pride Parade. Bluegrass and old time musicians played on the flatbed, fitted out with a stage, sound system and a picket fence. Their music was heard by many thousands of people; the event is estimated to have drawn between one to two million people. The float crew also passed out promo materials about bluegrass. It is believed this is the first time a bluegrass float has been entered in any pride parade anywhere. The Bluegrass Situation reported, “The initiative was an effort to broaden the audience for bluegrass and roots music…while celebrating the growing, diverse community that is built around this music we all cherish.” The decision to enter the Bluegrass Pride float was originally made in January, with the CBA board voting 10-1 in favor. The regional member spearheading the effort proposed it as part of a larger plan to participate in major parades, including the St. Paddy’s Day and the Chinese New Year’s Day parades, as a way of building visibility for the CBA. The San Francisco Pride Parade is one of the largest public celebrations in northern California. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the association’s membership, numbering around 3,000, is made up of a wide spectrum of people, and news of the board vote brought an intense response for and against. After months of discussion on the association’s message board and elsewhere, 30 members gathered at the next board meeting in April. Strong opinions were voiced at this second meeting, yet no motion was made to rescind the board’s original vote. By this time, the Association had received a handful of membership cancellations in protest of the Bluegrass Pride float, and about 100 new CBA memberships had come in. The CBA board member with the lone dissenting vote objected to “inserting politics into music”, saying, “It was great to have a place to escape the daily bombardment of such things, and because of that, it made the experience oh so much better.” An association member who canceled her membership in protest voiced a similar opinion. “The people who are for it don’t see it as a political or social issue. I do…It just goes against what I think is appropriate for families. It’s a political issue.” In contrast, another member posted on CBA’s message board, “Participating does not constitute a ‘political statement.’ As for whether it advances the CBA’s goals, I think that putting bluegrass/ old-time/gospel music on display during one of the largest public celebrations in Northern California… [is] certainly consistent with the mission of fostering the growth of the music. Does it set a precedent? Not really. I would hope that the Board evaluates any and all requests to participate (or to provide support to CBA members who want to participate) in a public, nonprofit event on its own merits. This particular event is sponsored or includes participation by some of the largest companies in the Bay Area (and indeed in the world).”
Several fundraising events were held to pay for the float, and a GoFundMe campaign exceeded its goal of $10,000. The GoFundMe page outlined the Bluegrass Pride mission: “We will have several live bands playing on the CBA float, and a whole bunch of us bluegrass pickers will be marching (or riding personal mobility scooters) alongside to spread the gospel of bluegrass and celebrate our community’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity.”
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Bluegrass professionals built the IBMA.
Bluegrass professionals build careers with the IBMA .
IB
International Bluegrass Music Association empowering the global bluegrass community
-from the cover article on Blue Highway in the July 2017 issue of Bluegrass Unlimited