IBMA News

Changes To 2019 World of Bluegrass Announced

14 Mar, 19 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

Organisers of this year’s International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA)’s World of Bluegrass, brought to you by Chiesi USA and taking place September 24-28 in Raleigh, North Carolina, have announced a change to the annual event’s weekend festival, PNC presents Wide Open Bluegrass. Beginning this year, in addition to the 7 stages of music that are available for free in downtown Raleigh during Wide Open Bluegrass, the performances at Raleigh’s Red Hat Amphitheater will also be open to the public for free.

A limited number of seats, in prime sections, will be available for those who want to ensure entrance and reserve preferred seating for every performance. Ticket prices for these seats will be offered at two reduced price points, $60 and $50 per ticket (per evening) for IBMA members or $70 and $60 for non-members. Additional sections and lawn seating will all be open for general admission, and available free on a first-come-first-served basis. Free general admission is limited by the size of the venue; once capacity has been reached, venue staff cannot permit non-ticketed attendees to enter until space is available.

Audiences at the Main Stage at Red Hat Amphitheater will be treated to six hours of performances by premier bluegrass acts, beginning at 5pm each evening.

With the help of our Raleigh partners and key sponsors, IBMA is transitioning our festival to a free, mission-forward event – taking bluegrass to the masses by reducing all barriers to participation. All are welcome to come hear the best in bluegrass music today – Paul Schiminger, Executive Director IBMA.

Wide Open Bluegrass will continue to be a fundraising vehicle for the IBMA Bluegrass Trust Fund, which provides direct financial assistance to bluegrass artists and other industry professionals in times of emergency need. (To date, the Trust Fund has given more than $800,000 in direct aid.)

Additional details about World of Bluegrass 2019 will be announced in the coming weeks.

Information about Red Hat Amphitheater limited reserved seating, Bluegrass Ramble Showcase passes, IBMA Business Conference registration, IBMA Award Show tickets and hotel reservations are available at IBMA’s World of Bluegrass website, WorldofBluegrass.org.

More info about IBMA’s World of Bluegrass and the Wide Open Bluegrass Festival

IBMA’s World of Bluegrass, whose Principal Sponsor is Chiesi USA, is a five-day annual bluegrass music homecoming and convention. World of Bluegrass encompasses four events: the IBMA Business Conference, September 24-26; the Bluegrass Ramble, an innovative series of showcases, taking place September 24-26 in downtown Raleigh and at the Raleigh Convention Centre; the 30th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards, scheduled for Thursday evening, September 26; and PNC presents Wide Open Bluegrass, September 27-28, a two-day festival. Wide Open Bluegrass features the best of the best in bluegrass today, benefiting the IBMA Bluegrass Trust Fund—a 501(c)(3) charitable organisation that assists bluegrass professionals during financial emergencies—and introducing the music to thousands of new fans every year.

As in years past, events during World of Bluegrass will take place at the Raleigh Convention Centre, the Duke Energy Centre for the Performing Arts, the Red Hat Amphitheater and at various venues in town.

The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau reported that last year’s World of Bluegrass events generated $12.7 million in direct visitor spending for that region, with total attendance for the week’s activities estimated to be a record-breaking 223,000 people. Over 220 acts performed throughout the entire week of World of Bluegrass.

About Chiesi USA

Chiesi USA, Inc. is a specialty pharmaceutical company committed to research, development, and commercialisation of innovative products in the areas of cardiovascular, neonatology, respiratory, rare disease and special care therapeutics. Our primary focus is on people: the people we serve in the healthcare community; the people whose lives are touched by our products and services; and the people who work at Chiesi USA, as they strive to build their company, their family and their community. Chiesi USA, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A.

About PNC Bank

PNC Bank, National Association, is a member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC). PNC is one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the United States, organized around its customers and communities for strong relationships and local delivery of retail and business banking including a full range of lending products; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management. For information about PNC, visit www.pnc.com.

About IBMA

IBMA – the International Bluegrass Music Association – is the nonprofit professional organisation for the global bluegrass music community. The organization’s successful run in Raleigh is the product of their partnership with The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau, The Raleigh Convention Centre, PineCone—The Piedmont Council of Traditional Music, the City of Raleigh and a local organising committee.

Bluegrass Ramble Applications Now Open.

19 Jan, 19 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

Here is an opportunity to appear before a host of Bluegrass Music agents, producers, recording companies and other folk providing opportunities to emerging bluegrass artists.

Official showcase performances at the IBMA’s annual Bluegrass Ramble during World of Bluegrass week form the premier platform for introducing talent to the bluegrass community. The Bluegrass Ramble will take place September 24-26, 2019, once again in downtown Raleigh, NC, and all emerging bluegrass bands, as well as established bands with new music or new personnel, are encouraged to apply.

Showcase Package:

Each selected showcase act will perform at least twice during the week—once on a convention center stage and once at a Bluegrass Ramble venue. Convention Center sets will be 25 minutes, and Bluegrass Ramble venue sets will be 45 minutes.

In addition to the two showcase opportunities, the IBMA showcase package includes:

Full conference registration package for performing members of group (value $1000+).
Priority access to “Gig Fair” appointments.
Complimentary booth space during business conference (value $700+).
One organizational membership for group (value $205).
Featured promotion on IBMA channels throughout the summer, ahead of the events.
Featured profile in conference program, WOB app, and printed Bluegrass Ramble schedules.
Inclusion of one mp3 on the 2019 Bluegrass Ramble mixtape via Noisetrade, available for free and promoted to DJs and talent buyers pre-event.
Download the mixtapes from prior years.
Inclusion in the Bluegrass Ramble Spotify playlist, promoted to DJs and talent buyers pre-event.

Eligibility:

All artists playing bluegrass and closely related genres are encouraged to apply. Applicant does NOT have to be an IBMA member.

All non-U.S.-based artists must be legally able to enter the United States and are responsible for acquiring all necessary travel permits including visas when necessary. Learn more.

Official IBMA showcase acts from the 2018 Bluegrass Ramble are NOT eligible for 2019. If the act performed on sponsored showcases during the Bluegrass Ramble or elsewhere during 2018, it IS eligible to apply for an Official IBMA Showcase for 2019.

Application Process:

All applications will be made online, through this page. Up to 30 artists will be invited to participate in the Bluegrass Ramble as Official IBMA Showcase Acts. Artists are chosen through a juried selection process that takes into consideration the applicant’s entertainment value, level of professionalism, potential appeal, quality of work, and potential of act to benefit from the opportunity.

All applicants will receive a response from the IBMA via email by April 15, indicating whether the act has been selected for an official showcase, selected as an alternate, or not selected for an official showcase. Apply Here.

Application Materials:

In addition to general applicant contact information, the following materials will be needed to complete the application:

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.
Application Deadlines & Fees

Online application for IBMA showcases must be submitted by FEBRUARY 28, 2019. All applicants are required to submit a $25 fee to help defray selection process costs. If invited to participate as an official showcase artist, there is an additional fee of $500 to offset costs of services and showcase production.

2019 Blue Ridge Banjo Camp Applications Now Open

15 Jan, 19 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

Applications are now being accepted for Blue Ridge Banjo Camp.

The Blue Ridge Banjo Camp is presented by Béla Fleck and will be held at the Brevard Music Center in Brevard, NC on August 14-18, 2019.

The camp will feature 3 days and 4 four nights of diverse banjo instruction by Béla himself along with a cast of world-class banjo players/instructors. The week will culminate with a finale concert held in the beautiful Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium. The instructional focus will be on the three distinct styles of three-finger banjo playing: Scruggs, melodic, and single string. The Blue Ridge Banjo Camp will provide banjo players with the tools to improve their playing and aims to contribute to the overall growth of the fine art of the 5-String banjo.

The IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) will partnering with the Blue Ridge Banjo Camp again this year. IBMA will be offering a full scholarship to an IBMA member who is accepted into this amazing camp.

More details to come about how to apply for this scholarship. To become eligible for the IBMA Member Scholarship, become an IBMA member here.

For more information, visit Blue Ridge Banjo Camp’s website here.

20198 Leadership in Bluegrass Announced

24 Dec, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

The International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) has announced the 2019 class of Leadership Bluegrass, an intensive three-day program of advanced-level interactive learning experiences designed to build commitment, motivate talents, and instil enthusiasm for addressing the future of the bluegrass music industry. This will be its 20th year since its inception in 2000.

Leadership Bluegrass boasts more than 400 graduates, and each year 25 individuals are invited to take part.

“Leadership Bluegrass has become one of the most impactful programs in the bluegrass music industry to connect and develop professionals who have made a strong commitment to advance both their careers and the ongoing efforts of the IBMA,” says IBMA Executive Director Paul Schiminger. “This year’s class has an impressive collective resumé and demonstrated ability to lead across a broad cross-section of our music. Congratulations to the Class of 2019 for being selected out of such a strong group of candidates.

The members of the class of 2019 are:

Anni Beach	Jam Park ‘n’ Blues Neighbourhood Band	Chandler AZ
David Benedict	Mile Twelve	Cambridge, MA
Andrea Berman	Pacific Pickin’, CiTR (101.9 FM)	West Vancouver, BC
Sam Blumenthal		Charlotte, NC
Philip Chorney	Charm City Bluegrass / Baltimore Management Agency	Rosedale, MD
Michelle Conceison	Market Monkeys	Nashville, TN
Deborah Fillman	Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum	Owensboro, KY
Sophie Galep	Minnesota Bluegrass	Elizabethton, TN
Michele Gourley		Durham, NC
Philip Graham	Ear Trumpet Labs	Portland, OR
Rick Greene	SamJam Bluegrass Festival	Waverly, OH
Katie Hogue	John Hartford Enterprises	Nashville, TN
John Lowell	John Lowell Music	Livingston, MT
Alex Mallett	Folk Alliance International	Kansas City, MO
Mary Beth Martin	Earl Scruggs Center	Shelby, NC
Jana Mougin	Dark Shadow Recording	Goodlettsville, TN
Kali Nowakowski	Straight Up Strings	Atascadero, CA
Forrest O’Connor	The O’Connor Band / Kate Lee & Forrest O’Connor	Nashville, TN
Thomas Pritchard	Rhode Island Bluegrass Alliance	East Greenwich, RI
Gregory Reish	MTSU Center for Popular Music	Murfreesboro, TN
Kim Robins	Kim Robins and 40 Years Late	Worthington, IN
Matt Royles	Man About a Horse / Philly Bluegrass	Philadelphia, PA
John Strohm	Rounder Records	Nashville, TN
Maria Wallace	True North Music	Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, UK
Melanie Wilson	Wilson Pickins Promotions	Westminster, SC

Leadership Bluegrass 2019 takes place from the 4th to 6th March at BMI in Nashville. The course will be facilitated by Trisha Tubbs for the eighth consecutive year. Leadership Bluegrass is made possible through the generous support of its Platinum Sponsors: BMI, the Bluegrass Heritage Foundation, Williams Mullen, and the Wintergrass Music Festival (Acoustic Sound).

Davidson Brothers Selected for 2018 Bluegrass Ramble

17 May, 18 by Greg McGrath

IBMA Selects Official Showcase Artists for 2018 Bluegrass Ramble

The International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) has announced its 30 Official Showcase Artists for the Bluegrass Ramble, the IBMA’s innovative showcase series which will take place at select venues throughout downtown Raleigh, North Carolina September 25-27. The Bluegrass Ramble is one element of the IBMA’s World of Bluegrass 2018 event, September 25-29.

The following artists were selected by the IBMA Showcase Selection Committee as Bluegrass Ramble Official Showcase artists:

Amanda Cook – Jay, Florida
Appalachian Road Show – Ellijay, Georgia
Ashleigh Caudill – Nashville, Tennessee
Bill and the Belles – Johnson City, Tennessee
Cedar Hill – Hillsboro, Missouri
Charm City Junction – Baltimore, Maryland
Circus No. 9 – Johnson City, Tennessee
Colebrook Road – Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
David Davis & The Warrior River Boys – Cullman, Alabama
Davidson Brothers – Bendigo, Victoria (Australia)
Flats and Sharps – Brighton, Cornwall (United Kingdom)
Hawktail – Nashville, Tennessee
Jeff Scroggins & Colorado – Parker, Colorado
JigJam – Fermoy, Cork (Ireland)
John Reischman and the Jaybirds – New Westminster, British Columbia (Canada)
Kim Robins and 40 Years Late – Bloomington, Indiana
Kristi Stanley & Running Blind – Coeburn, VA
Lonesome Ace Stringband – Toronto, Ontario (Canada)
Man About a Horse – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Missy Raines – Nashville, Tennessee
Rebekah Long – Nashville, Tennessee
Special Consensus – Oak Lawn, Illinois
The Band of Kelleys – Spring Hill, Tennessee
The Barefoot Movement – Hendersonville, Tennessee
The Honey Dewdrops – Baltimore, Maryland
The Jakob’s Ferry Stragglers – Stockdale, Pennsylvania
The Plate Scrapers – Hagerstown, Maryland
The Trailblazers – Mount Ulla, North Carolina
The Wooks – Lexington, Kentucky
Wood & Wire – Dripping Springs, Texas

These artists were selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants from all over the world, with the goal of presenting the broad spectrum of styles, regions and personalities who represent bluegrass today. Each act will perform at least two times over the course of the three-night Bluegrass Ramble event, at one of five downtown Raleigh clubs plus the Raleigh Convention Center, providing multiple opportunities to see each act.

Each year, there is a great deal of anticipation to learn who was selected as Official Showcase Bands for the upcoming World of Bluegrass out of an incredibly competitive field. Once again, the Showcase Selection Committee faced difficult decisions but did a terrific job. It is fun to see a mixture of well-established bands with new material along with bands who are achieving success in the earlier stages of their careers. There is no better opportunity for talent buyers and other industry professionals to connect with new music and new talent than the showcases at IBMA’s Business Conference and Bluegrass Ramble – Paul Schiminger, IBMA Executive Director.

Access to Bluegrass Ramble shows is included with an IBMA Business Conference registration. Those not attending the conference may buy a full-access wristband to all Ramble venues for $75.00 or a single-day wristband for $30.00 on the World of Bluegrass website. Members of the IBMA receive a discount on regular registration fees. Early Bird registration for the Business Conference is just $225 for IBMA members and $265 for non-members. Conference attendees have until May 31 to take advantage of ALL that the Business Conference has to offer at this discounted rate.

The Bluegrass Ramble showcases will be held in the following venues:

Pour House Music Hall
Vintage Church
Raleigh Convention Center

The Architect Bar & Social House
Kings
Lincoln Theatre

More info about World of Bluegrass and the Wide Open Festival
IBMA’s World of Bluegrass, whose principal sponsor is Chiesi USA, is a five-day annual bluegrass music homecoming and convention. World of Bluegrass encompasses four events: the IBMA Business Conference, September 26-28; the Bluegrass Ramble, an innovative series of showcases, taking place September 26-28 in downtown Raleigh and at the Raleigh Convention Center; the 28th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards, scheduled for Thursday evening, September 28; and PNC presents Wide Open Bluegrass, September 29-30, a two-day festival. The ticketed Wide Open Main Stage features the best of the best in bluegrass today, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Bluegrass Trust Fund, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that assists bluegrass professionals during financial emergencies. The free Wide Open StreetFest brings bluegrass into the community and introduces the music to thousands of new fans every year.

The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau reported that last year’s World of Bluegrass events generated $11.7 million in direct visitor spending for that region, with total attendance for the week’s activities estimated to be a record-breaking 221,000 people. Over 220 acts performed throughout the entire week of World of Bluegrass.

As in years past, events during World of Bluegrass will take place at the Raleigh Convention Center, the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, the Red Hat Amphitheater and at various venues in town.

About Chiesi USA
Chiesi USA, Inc. is a specialty pharmaceutical company committed to research, development, and commercialization of innovative products in the areas of cardiovascular, neonatology, respiratory, rare disease and special care therapeutics. Our primary focus is on people: the people we serve in the healthcare community; the people whose lives are touched by our products and services; and the people who work at Chiesi USA, as they strive to build their company, their family and their community. Chiesi USA, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A.

About IBMA IBMA – the International Bluegrass Music Association – is the nonprofit professional organization for the global bluegrass music community. The organization’s six-year run in Raleigh is the product of their successful partnership with The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau, The Raleigh Convention Center, PineCone—The Piedmont Council of Traditional Music, the City of Raleigh and a local organizing committee.

2018 Blue Ridge Banjo Camp Scholarship

1 Feb, 18 by Greg McGrath

The IBMA has partnered with the Blue Ridge Banjo Camp to offer a full scholarship to one lucky IBMA member for this first-ever banjo camp.
This scholarship, valued at $1,100, will cover cover tuition, lodging and meals at the idyllic Brevard Music Center in North Carolina.

Students will have a chance to study with Béla Fleck, Tony Trischka, Kristin Scott Benson, Mike Munford and Steve Cooley. The instructional focus will be on the three distinct styles of three-finger banjo playing: Scruggs, melodic, and single string. Designed with intermediate and advanced students in mind, this camp will feature three days and four nights of diverse banjo instruction as well as a a finale concert held in the beautiful Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium.

Indeed this is a rare opportunity. World-class banjoist Béla Fleck has never taught at a banjo camp. Yet this August at Blue Ridge Banjo Camp, in addition to teaching, he is hand-picking the teachers and hand-crafting the course work. He is tailoring it, he says, “to students who are just as excited about the banjo as we are, and that are banjo nerds to the core!”

How do you apply for a scholarship?

First, you apply to the camp. Blue Ridge Banjo Camp is taking a new approach: they are looking for intermediate and advanced players, and they ask all potential students to submit an audition video. There’s no fee for submitting. Béla will then select this year’s camp students, and design the curriculum taking into account their styles and levels of ability. All students selected for the camp will be sent instructions on how to apply for this full scholarship. There is no fee for the scholarship application.

You must be an IBMA member in good standing to be considered for this scholarship.

Learn more about Blue Ridge Banjo Camp here.

Learn about the application process here.

Blue Ridge Banjo Camp
Brevard Music Center
North Carolina
August 15-19, 2018.

IBMA Showcase Applications Now Open

17 Jan, 18 by Greg McGrath

Here is an opportunity for bluegrass bands and artists to showcase their talents before an audience of bluegrass industry professionals.

IBMA’s Official Showcase Artists at 2018’s World of Bluegrass receive a package of promotional support and opportunities valued at over $2000. You don’t want to miss this.

It’s a competitive process and applications are accepted today through February 28. Only 30 acts are selected.

Official showcase performances at the IBMA annual Bluegrass Ramble during World of Bluegrass week form the premier platform for introducing talent to the bluegrass community. The Bluegrass Ramble will take place September 25-27, 2018 in Raleigh, North Caroliona, and all emerging bluegrass bands, as well as established bands with new music or new personnel, are encouraged to apply.
Each showcase band will perform at least twice during World of Bluegrass Week; once on a convention centre stage and once on a local Bluegrass Ramble venue.

In addition to the two showcase opportunities, the IBMA showcase package includes:

Full conference registration package for performing members of group (value $1000+)
Complimentary booth space during business conference (value $600+)
One organizational membership for group (value $205)
Featured profile in conference program and on the WOB smart phone app
Inclusion of one mp3 on the IBMA Bluegrass Ramble Mixtape via Noisetrade. (Download mixtapes from prior years for free.)
Featured promotion on social media by IBMA
Priority access to Gig Fair appointments
Scheduled consultation in advance of events on maximising showcase opportunities

Learn more here.

IBMA Joins In Giving Tuesday

16 Nov, 17 by Greg McGrath

Get Your BGTF Facebook Frame for your profile photo.

Giving Tuesday, a worldwide fundraising event to kick off the end-of-year giving season will be on November 28 this year. IBMA will be taking part, and we’ll be reaching out to members to help us spread the word.

You can start by shining a light on the fine work the Bluegrass Trust Fund does. Let all your friends and followers know, too, by adding this brand new Facebook Frame to your profile picture.

Here’s how you do it:

1. Click “Update your profile photo” on (you guessed it) your profile photo.
2. Click “Add frame”, and then search for “Bluegrass Trust Fund”.
3. Click on the Bluegrass Trust Fund frame, and tell the world you care about having a safety net for bluegrass pros when emergencies strike. We’ll keep you in the loop for more ways to spread the word on giving to the Trust Fund. Together we can make some very good things happen.

IBMA Breaks Attendance and Economic Records for 2017

25 Oct, 17 by Greg McGrath

International Bluegrass Music Association’s fifth Annual World of Bluegrass has broken all past attendance and economic impact figures.

The International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) has seen its World of Bluegrass conference reach new heights since relocating it to Raleigh five years ago. Figures released today by the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (GRCVB) show this year’s World of Bluegrass week was record-breaking, with 221,596 people attending the events associated with World of Bluegrass and generating $11.7 million in direct economic impact.

This means World of Bluegrass has now drawn 856,821 total attendees and generated an estimated $48.88 million in direct economic impact over its five years in Raleigh, N.C, dating back to 2013 when the event moved from Nashville to the Oak City.

Year

2103
2014
2015*
2016
2017
Total

Attendance

140,000
180,000
98,000
217,225
221,596
856,821

Economic Impact

$9.28 M
$10.8 M
$5.6 M
$11.5 M
$11.7 M
$48.88 M

_{* In 2017 rain forced the Wide Open Bluegrass festival portion of the event to be moved inside the Raleigh Convention Centre.}

The week-long World of Bluegrass, brought to you by Chiesi USA, was held in Raleigh from Sept. 26-30 and included: the three-day IBMA Business Conference, the International Bluegrass Music Awards Show, Bluegrass Ramble and the two-day PNC presents Wide Open Bluegrass, as well as the North Carolina Whole Hog Barbecue State Championship.

It is important to note that the $11.7 million is a conservative estimate that does not include locals’ spending, nor does it include a multiplier of indirect or induced impacts. It represents tourism economic impact only, which is new money coming into the local economy.

“World of Bluegrass has grown into the world’s largest urban bluegrass festival and no doubt is a huge reason Raleigh has the growing reputation as a leading live music destination in the Southeast,” said Loren Gold, executive vice president of the GRCVB and tri-chair of Raleigh’s Local Organizing Committee. “The event, now the largest annually in Raleigh, draws visitors from all over the world who patronize our restaurants, retailers and live music venues and take home lasting memories from their experiences here each year. They call it a “homecoming,” and we’re glad they all consider Raleigh a second home.”

Raleigh continues to embrace the IBMA and World of Bluegrass as well as the entire bluegrass community. The City of Raleigh, the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Local Organizing Committee and PineCone are wonderful partners, working together to create a business conference, band showcases, the Bluegrass Ramble, exhibit hall and two-day festival – an unparalleled week devoted to bluegrass music. This year’s big jump in the business conference, Wide Open festival and exhibit hall attendance numbers are proof that the genre continues to grow at both professional and fan levels. The IBMA looks forward to 2018 and hopefully well beyond in Raleigh – Paul Schiminger, IBMA Executive Director.

“With five years under our belts, IBMA’s events in Raleigh now have a proven track record of sharing bluegrass music with a growing and appreciative audience,” said William Lewis, IBMA Board member and Executive Director of PineCone, the local nonprofit organization that produces the music component of both the festival’s ticketed Main Stage and the free StreetFest. “When the Raleigh Convention Center and the City of Raleigh made the bid to IBMA to move the World of Bluegrass to Raleigh and pitched turning FanFest into a larger event, no one knew whether it would take off. But IBMA believed in the vision, as did corporate and community partners like PNC and the City, and now the event has grown into a destination that music fans from around the world love and plan their travel around. And we’ve been able to make it better every year thanks to the support of both PNC and Chiesi, along with strong North Carolina brands like Lowes Foods and Boone, global brands like Chevy, and many others, as well as all the volunteers and people in our community who take such pride in hosting this event in our state’s capital city.”

The festival has also received national recognition for the local organizing committee’s efforts to make the festival accessible to people with disabilities, led by PineCone. In 2016, PineCone launched a pilot program to recruit sighted guides to help blind people or people with low vision to be able to navigate through the festival crowds. Earlier this year, PineCone staff member Jamie Katz Court received an Emerging Leaders in Arts & Disabilities Award from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. In addition to the sighted guides program (which grew in 2017 and received front-page coverage in the Raleigh News & Observer ), PineCone also helped to coordinate having a wheelchair and scooter rental company on-site at the festival, and established quiet areas around the festival footprint for anyone attending who might need a place to go for less sensory stimulation, away from the hustle and bustle of the festival. In addition, PineCone staff work with City of Raleigh event staff to ensure that each stage on the StreetFest has a designated seating area for people with mobility concerns where they can sit and still enjoy an unobstructed view of the stage. Volunteers are typically stationed at those seating areas to help festival-goers and to ensure that the spaces are used as intended.

About 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 (contracted through 2018) is the result of a partnership with GRCVB, the Raleigh Convention Center, PineCone—The Piedmont Council of Traditional Music, the City of Raleigh and a local organizing committee. All parties involved are actively pursuing an extension to keep the event in Raleigh for 2019 and beyond.

About the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (GRCVB)

The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (GRCVB), as the official destination marketing organization of Raleigh and Wake County, accelerates sustainable economic growth and development by increasing visitor and convention business. Raleigh, N.C./Wake County welcomes more than 15 million visitors annually whose spending tops $2.4 billion. The visitor economy supports more than 25,500 local jobs in Wake County and generates more than $242 million in state and local tax revenues, saving each Wake County household $663 in taxes annually.

2017 IBMA Awards Announced.

2 Oct, 17 by Greg McGrath

IBMA has announced the winners of this year’s International Bluegrass Music Awards hosted at the International Bluegrass Music Awards show on 28th Sept., at the Duke Energy Performing Arts Centre in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Awards are voted on by the professional membership of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), the trade association for the bluegrass music industry. The International Bluegrass Music Awards is the centre-piece of the IBMA’s World of Bluegrass week.

Here are the individual awards announced this week. For a full list of awards and recipients visit our 2017 IBMA Awards page.

Entertainer of the Year: The Earls of Leicester.

Female Vocalist of the Year: Brooke Aldridge.

Male Vocalist of the Year: Shawn Camp.

Vocal Group of the Year: Flatt Lonesome.

Instrumental Group of the Year: Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper.

Banjo Player of the Year: Noam Pikelny

Bass Player of the Year: Alan Bartram

Dobro Player of the Year: Josh Swift

Fiddle Player of the Year: Patrick McAvinue

Guitar Player of the Year: Molly Tuttle

Mandolin Player of the Year: Sierra Hull