IB bluegrass international
Vol. 30 No. 8 August 2015
The Gibson Brothers
to host IBMA Awa rds Show!
Artistworks All Bluegrass night
at Music City Roots Songwriters Showcase
International Bluegrass
Vol. 30 | No. 8 | August 2015
Editor: Taylor Coughlin taylor@ibma.org
Designer: Erin Faith Erdos erinfaitherdos@gmail.com
STAFF
Paul Schiminger Executive Director
board
Taylor Coughlin Communications and Professional Development Director
Eddie Huffman Convention Services and IT Systems Director
Jon Weisberger/Board Chairperson
Alan Bartram/Director, Artists/Composers/Publishers John Goad /Director, Print Media/Education Becky Buller/Director, At Large William Lewis/Director, At Large D.A. Callaway/Director, At Large Steve Martin / Director, At Large Danny Clark/Director, At Large Stephen Mougin/Director, At Large Jamie Deering/Director, Merchandisers/Luthiers Joe Mullins / Treasurer Regina Derzon/Director, Associations, Secretary Joe Mullins, Director, Artists/Composers/Publishers Mike Drudge / Director, Agents, Managers & Publicists Leah Ross/Director, Event Producers
Ben Surratt/Director, Recording/Dist./Marketing Tim Surrett / Vice Chair Angelika Torrie/Director, International Bob Webster / Director, Broadcasters Junior Williams / Director, Artists & Composers
info Contact us
International Bluegrass
The monthly emailed publication of the International Bluegrass Music Association
(ISSN #1095-0605) IBMA: IBMA is the trade association
608 W. Iris Drive, Nashville, TN 37204 USA 615-256-3222 | 888-GET-IBMA Fax: 615-256-0450 Email: info@ibma.org Website: www.ibma.org
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.�
August Table of CONtENTs Cover photo by Jim McGuire
04 06 08 10 12 14 16
Songwriter ShowcaSE: The songs, songwriters and hosts at WOB All Bluegrass Night at Music City Roots
Artistworks: WOB Sponsors talk techsavvy format The Gibson Brothers: This year’s Award Show
Fresh Sounds: August
Industry news
New Members
WOB news
Songwriter Showcase Artists, songs, and hosts announced! Each year, the Songwriter Showcase at World of Bluegrass draws in some of the best up-and-coming songwriters in bluegrass and roots music. With over 60 applications this year, only ten are chosen to perform their song during World of Bluegrass. It is a great event each year that provides a platform for songwriters to get their songs heard on a wider scale!
This year, the hosts for the Songwriter Showcase are The Darrell Brothers! With a viral, side-splitting hit “Mountain Twerker” the Darrells know how to craft a witty song that can capture attention like no one else. Be there in person at the Songwriter Showcase on Wednesday, September 30 at 9:40a.m. on the Workshop Stage in the Raleigh Convention Center.
The invited songwriters and their songs are: Lisa Bushman & Dale Ann Bradley
“Grandpa’s Overalls”
Annalisa Tornfelt “Rules of My Heart”
Melody Williamson “Someday”
Louisa Branscomb “Anyway”
Teresa Neal “Ain’t No Good Goodbye”
Gary Alan Ferguson “Southern Train”
Andrew Preston “The Mountain Wayfarers”
Buddy Guido “Deer in the Headlights Look”
Rob Russell “How Alone”
David Morris & Chris Dockins “So Long, Lindytown”
The following are alternates and will be called upon accordingly: Carley Arrowood “Jesus Drive the Train”
Steve Kunzman “Lucy Brown”
Bruce Jepson “Just Like Yesterday”
Bruce Allinder “The Old Clunker”
4
International Bluegrass
Walt Williams “Soldier’s Cry”
www.ibma.org
RAMBLE WANTS YOU! IBMA’s World of Bluegrass (WOB) 2015 is around the corner, and we are looking for energetic and enthusiastic volunteers to make this the best WOB ever! Volunteer perks include:
tuesday, sept 29saturday, oct 3, 2015 raleigh convention center and wide open bluegrass downtown raleigh locations
• • • • • •
Free parking on the days you volunteer Volunteer t-shirt Volunteer-only hospitality room Admission to the business conference Admission to the Bluegrass Ramble More fun than you can shake a stick at!
Volunteers are the backbone of the event and we need 300 of you to make WOB another huge success! Please consider volunteering with IBMA and encouraging your staff to do the same. Become an IBMA volunteer and register at
ibma.org/world-of-bluegrass/volunteer or email volunteer@ibma.org for more information!
All Bluegrass Night at MCR The Gibson Brothers, Sierra Hull, Travelin’ McCourys, and Chris Jones and the Night Drivers to play all-bluegrass show at Music City Roots Bluegrass bands will play at The Factory in Franklin, TN, on August 12, in celebration of the IBMA Award nominations being released earlier that day.
6
International Bluegrass
www.ibma.org
WOB News
Top-tier bluegrass performers Gibson Brothers, Sierra Hull, Travelin’ McCourys and Chris Jones and the Night Drivers will play a special all-bluegrass show at Music City Roots (at the Factory in Franklin) on Wednesday night, August 12 at 7p.m. CDT. Tickets are $10 and available online at www.musiccityroots.com, and the event will be livestreamed on the same website. The all-bluegrass show will follow a day of award nomination announcements for the 26th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards, which take place Thursday, October 1 in Raleigh, North Carolina during World of Bluegrass week. The annual all-bluegrass show at Music City Roots is in celebration of bluegrass, the award nominees’ announcements, and a great partnership between the IBMA and Music City Roots. “Music City Roots and the International Bluegrass Music Association share many of the same goals,” said Ashlee-Jean Trott, producer for Music City Roots. “It is very important to us as a company to support the branches of roots music, and bluegrass music is one of those branches. We have hosted the IBMA nominations ceremony for the past several years and love the fact that we can continue our partnership this year with another great lineup!” This year, nominees for the 26th Annual IBMA Awards will be announced on SiriusXM Bluegrass Junction at 10 a.m. CDT/ 11 a.m. EDT. The announcements will include interviews and in-studio performances from the Nashville studio.
More details will be released in an upcoming press release. The Gibson Brothers are a hot act for the Music City Roots show because not only are they two-time Entertainer of the Year recipients and Grammy nominees, they are also the hosts for this year’s awards. The International Bluegrass Music Awards will take place in Raleigh’s Memorial Auditorium (in the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts) at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, October 1. Those planning on attending the Music City Roots show on August 12 from Nashville can catch a free ride on the Roots bus (with the purchase of a $10 show ticket), which includes beer tastings from Blackstone, and bites from Monnell’s. Patrons can catch a ride from The 5 Spot (1006 Forrest Avenue, Nashville, TN) in East Nashville at 5:30 p.m. or Soulshine Pizza Factory (1907 Division Street, Nashville, TN) at 6:00. The bus will take folks back to those spots after the show ends. This is an ongoing event that Music City Roots hosts. The IBMA Awards is part of IBMA’s World of Bluegrass event, presented by Chiesi, an annual bluegrass music homecoming. The event consists of four parts: the IBMA Business Conference, September 29 – October 1; the 26th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards, scheduled for Thursday evening, October 1; Wide Open Bluegrass presented by PNC, October 2-3 (which includes both free stages and ticketed festival performances) and
www.ibma.org
International Bluegrass
the Bluegrass Ramble, an innovative series of showcases, taking place September 29 – October 1 in downtown Raleigh and at the Raleigh Convention Center. Additional details and pricing information are available through IBMA’s website. Music City Roots, Live From The Factory, is a weekly, two-hour radio show that revives the historic legacy of live musical radio production in Nashville. Broadcast on Wednesday nights from 7p.m. to 9p.m., CDT, Music City Roots, Live From The Factory showcases Nashville’s astonishing music scene, from country and Americana to more progressive interpreters of tradition — a “roots and branches” format that brings together fans of different tastes and generations. Presented live from the stage of the The Factory, this show will showcase purveyors of authenticity across many genres. IBMA – the International Bluegrass Music Association – is the professional trade organization for the global bluegrass music community. The organization’s six-year stay in Raleigh is the result of a partnership with The Greater Raleigh Convention & Visitors Bureau, PineCone—The Piedmont Council of Traditional Music, the City of Raleigh and a local organizing committee.
Official hashtags: #WOB, #IBMA, #Raleigh
7
Some of the Biggest Names in Bluegrass Stand on the Shoulders of Pioneers ArtistWorks Academy of Bluegrass bridges the traditions of the past with today’s high-tech ability to reach bluegrass enthusiasts and players worldwide. Over the past six years, six legendary players have built the largest, most historically significant bluegrass instruction available today around an exciting, constantly evolving online community passionate about bluegrass music. The ArtistWorks’ Academy of Bluegrass Who’s Who are:
8
Tony Trischka* – Banjo / Carrying on the tradition of Earl Scruggs, Tony has taught everyone from Steve Martin to Béla Fleck and continues to explore the roots of bluegrass. Bryan Sutton* – Guitar / In the tradition of Doc Watson, Bryan has mastered the art of flatpicking. He’s also the guitarist for Hot Rize, replacing original guitarist Charles Sawtelle. Mike Marshall – Mandolin / After David Grisman took Mike under his wing in 1978, things haven’t been the same for mandolin. Mike helps carry the torch that Bill Monroe first sparked. Darol Anger* – Fiddle / Darol grew up studying Vassar Clements, played with the David Grisman band, and pioneered “the infamous chop,” which is now a widely used technique. Missy Raines – Bass / Missy has more IBMA awards than any other bass player and celebrates her deep bluegrass roots in her band the “New Hip.” Andy Hall – Dobro & Lap Steel / Principle Dobro-ist with the Infamous Stringdusters, Andy brings a unique modern approach while maintaining an authentic bluegrass attitude. Mike Block – Multi- Style Cello (unofficial faculty) / Mike has broken new musical barriers standing shoulder to shoulder with fellow Silk Road Ensemble alum Yo-Yo Ma to expand the versatility of cello. Each musician has chosen to pass on the legacy of bluegrass music by teaching their musical art online at the ArtistWorks Academy of Bluegrass. Online players get personalized video feedback from these masters through Video Exchange® Learning at http://artistworks.com/ bluegrass.
International Bluegrass
www.ibma.org
www.ibma.org
International Bluegrass
9
The Gibson Brothers to Host 26th International Bluegrass Music Awards October 1 in Raleigh, NC
T
he Gibson Brothers – twotime IBMA Entertainer of the Year recipients and one of the hottest touring acts in contemporary bluegrass –will host IBMA’s 26th annual International Bluegrass Music Awards, scheduled for October 1 at Raleigh, North Carolina’s Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts.
10
Known as bluegrass music’s biggest night of the year, the International Bluegrass Music Awards acknowledges the year’s outstanding talent and achievements, honors new Hall of Fame inductees, and waves the worldwide flag for bluegrass music. “Eric and I are honored and excited to be hosting the IBMA awards this
International Bluegrass
fall,” said Leigh Gibson, who will host along with his brother Eric. “When we got the call asking for our participation it bowled us over. I was filled with a warm sense of pride and accomplishment quickly followed by fear. What will I wear? Should I grow out my bangs? Will they expect Eric to talk? Brother Eric believes these are not the most
www.ibma.org
press release
pressing things to think about right now and that we should focus on making the evening as fun and energetic as the music it honors. So that’s what we’re going to do. See you in Raleigh!” “This year’s awards show is all about family, community, and coming home. Who better, then, than one of the genre’s premiere families and most celebrated entertainers to emcee the biggest night in bluegrass?” said Amy Reitnouer, Executive Director of The Bluegrass Situation, who returns to the International Bluegrass Music Awards for the second year as co-producer, alongside Rounder Label Group’s Megan McNair Bedford.
Over the past twenty years, Eric and Leigh Gibson have garnered critical acclaim as musicians, writers and performers - causing an ever-growing legion of bluegrass fans to take notice. Their peers have noticed, too: in addition to earning IBMA’s Entertainer of the Year Award in 2012 and 2013, the Gibson Brothers’ celebrated history with the Bluegrass Awards includes Vocal Group of the Year (2011, 2013), Song of the Year (2010, 2013), Album of the Year (2011), Gospel Performance of the Year (2010, 2012), Songwriter of the Year (presented to Eric Gibson in 2013) and even Emerging Artist in 1998.
“When we got the call asking for our participation it bowled us over.” “In addition to illustrating our theme, Leigh and Eric are dynamic performers with such quick wit and wonderful natural stage presence,” said Bedford. “We know they’ll keep the audience entertained and on their toes!”
On their latest release, Brotherhood, Eric and Leigh chose fifteen songs from country, bluegrass, and early rock ‘n’ roll brother acts, reflecting nearly a century of American music history.
The International Bluegrass Music Awards is part of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA)’s World of Bluegrass 2015 event, presented by Chiesi USA, which takes place September 29 – October 3 in Raleigh, North Carolina. IBMA’s World of Bluegrass event, an annual bluegrass music homecoming, consists of four parts: the IBMA Business Conference, September 29 – October 1; the 26th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards, scheduled for Thursday evening, October 1; Wide Open Bluegrass, presented by PNC, October 2-3 (which includes both free stages and ticketed festival performances) and the Bluegrass Ramble, an innovative series of showcases, taking place September 29 – October 1. Tickets for the Award Show, as well as for the ticketed portion of Wide Open Bluegrass (which takes place at Red Hat Amphitheater), Bluegrass Ramble Showcase passes, IBMA Business Conference registration and hotel reservations – along with additional details and pricing information – are available through IBMA’s website, ibma.org.
Official hashtags: #WOB, #IBMA, #Raleigh High-resolution images of the above photos available upon request.
www.ibma.org
International Bluegrass
11
August 2015
Fresh Sounds
The RV Sessions Jeremy Garrett
Coffee Creek Slocan Ramblers Indy
Run Away Tonight Chris Jones & the Night Drivers Mountain Home Music Company
Eat the Moon Finders and Youngberg Swing Fingers Records
12
International Bluegrass
www.ibma.org
Feature “AirPlay Direct is an incredibly valuable tool for artists and their teams to utilize in efforts to promote their music to radio,” said IBMA Consultant Nancy Cardwell. “And for broadcasters, it’s a convenient, free, online service where they can download new music for their terrestrial, satellite and internet-based radio programs. If you’re not already taking advantage of this service, I urge you to check it out at ”
www.ibma.org
International Bluegrass
13
Industry news
August 2015
On the charts - as reflected at press time Billboard: Dailey and Vincent, Alive! In Concert at number one; The SteelDrivers, The Muscle Shoals Recordings at number two; Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn, Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn at number three.
Bluegrass Unlimited albums: The Earls of Leicester, Earls of Leicester at number one; The Gibson Brothers, Brotherhood at number two; Darin and Brooke Aldridge, Snapshots at number three.
Bluegrass Today Monthly Airplay: Terry Baucom, “The Rock” (written by Thom Case) at number one; Steep Canyon Rangers and Edie Brickell, “Test of Time” (written by Edie Brickell and Woody Platt) at number two; Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out, “Brown County Red,” (Written by Kyle Burnett) at number three.
Singing News songs: Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers, “The Last Parade,” at number one; Heaven’s Mountain Band, “Somebody Prayed,” at number two; Balsam Range, “Stacking Up the Rocks,” at number three.
Bluegrass Unlimited songs: The Earls of Leicester, “Big Black Train” (written by Stanley Johnson, George Sherry) at
number one; Spinney Brothers, “My Music Comes From Bill,” (written by Steve Watts, Bill Castle) at number two; Becky Buller, “Southern Flavor,” (written by B. Monroe, G. Stevenson, D. Mize) at number three.
Roots Music Report: The Earls of Leicester, The Earls of Leicester at number one; Hot Rize, When I’m Free at number two; Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, In Session at number three.
Standing o! It was announced last month that Sam Bush has been chosen to receive the National Award for Kentuckians. This award is a 2015 Kentucky Governor’s Award in the Arts from Kentucky Governor, Steve Beshear. Bush is among nine noted Kentuckians receiving special recognition from the state. Bush is a Kentucky native, hailing from Bowling Green, and residing in Louisville as a young man. Congratulations to Sam and the rest of the winners!
14
The 19th annual Podunk Music Festival, held in Hebron, Connecticut, has just announced the winners of this year’s songwriting competition! The finalists are as follows: Geoff Bartley from Framingham, MA with his song “Sunny Side of Town”, Eben Salter from Gales Ferry, CT with the song “Call of the Crow”, and Greg Blake from Conifer, CA with “50 Miles From Nowhere”. Congratulations to the winners! For more information about the competition festival this year, visit http://podunkbluegrass.com/.
International Bluegrass
www.ibma.org
Industry news For the record - need to know Daily & Vincent will host a new 30-minute talk and music show on RFD-TV starting in September. The Daily & Vincent Show will air for an initial 26 weeks, with weekly new episodes starting on September 5. Fans are invited to attend the taping as studio audience members at the Franklin Theatre in Franklin, TN. The 15th Annual Rhythm & Roots Artist Day Schedules has been released! This informs fans of which days their favorite artists will be performing during the three-day event. Among the lineup includes bluegrass favorites like Balsam Range, The Church Sisters, and Kripplekrunk.
Summergrass San Diego, the annual 3-day bluegrass festival, will be held on August 14-15 at the Antique Gas and Steam Engine Museum. The fantastic lineup includes Becky Buller, Box Canyon, and High Mountain Road, among others. Visit www.summergrass.net for more details. The international trio St. Beaufort has just released some fresh, new bluegrass & folk music into the world. The members come from Germany, Canada, and the US, and their music is the perfect blend of European and North American influence. Learn more about their music at www.stbeaufort. com.
The Board for the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass Music has just announced its newest member. Noam Pikelny, banjoist with Punch Brothers, will join the Board, aiding in the process of choosing the 2015 recipient. Pikelny was the inaugural winner of this award in 2010. We are excited to hear who will receive the honor this year!
In Remembrance J.B. Prince, noted fiddler from North Carolina, died early last month at the age of 58. Prince was known for his prodigious fiddle playing, as well as many other instruments. Prince began winning prizes at various fiddlers conventions in North Carolina while he was still a young boy, and
he recorded with the Green Valley Ramblers with Tony Williamson when he was just 16. In the late 1980s, Prince played with The Bluegrass Cardinals, while simultaneously maintaining a reputation for being a remarkable music teacher. J.B. will be terribly missed.
Associations Assertions The Walnut Valley Association has announced the lineup for the Walnut Valley Festival, happening September 16-20 in Winfield, Kansas. The artist lineup includes Della Mae, Scenic Roots, and The Steel Wheels, among many others. For more information about this event, visit https://wvfest. com/.
www.ibma.org
The Kansas Bluegrass Association (KBA) has announced their 35th Annual Kansas State Fiddling & Picking Championships. The event will be held on Sunday August 23 in Lawrence Kansas, and will feature live performances by the Vogts Sisters and the Wheatbenders, among others. For more information and a complete schedule, visit www. fidpick.com.
International Bluegrass
15
New members
August 2015
Blll Wier Barry Abernathy Laura Lukens-Parker Bridget Pleines Sean Crowe Steve Bennett Chad Castle Robert Sachewicz Jacob Carroll Harry Hyatt Kyser George Bennett Boswell Guy Stevenson Brian Walker Drew Gottlieb Abby Floyd Nancy Hawley Betty Harford Ken Donnell William Howell Josh Scott Gordon Nye Paul Eaton Dorothy Critzer 16
Mary Koons Lana Mansfield Lillemor Ross David Schickedantz Barb Heller Pat Snow Holly Riley Whitaker Diller Brian Whitaker Thomas Bryant Robert Beattie William Rudd Claire Clyburn Serena Boyd Deborah Robinson Owen Snyder Ron Moran Yvonne Moran Larry Davis Arthur Stevenson Maggie Rainwater-Budd Philip Chorney Michael Geraghty J Kevin Borgstedt International Bluegrass
www.ibma.org
Erin Youngberg Sarah Church Savannah Church Jr Johnston Teresa Randolph Deann Metz David Nesbit Teresa Hight Lee Kotick Scott Kotick Phil Paschal Nancy Mccormick Michael Moffitt Will Mcintyre Jackson Earles Andy Holloway Rita Mcdaniell Rush Burkhardt Beth Harrington Gary Coble Jesse Smathers Thor Goodrich Abby Hollander
IB