bluegrassVol. 30 No. 7 July 2015

iNterNatioNal

IB

From the executive Director’s Desk

Follow the crookeD roaD

top Youtube tips

Alison Krauss & Union Stationjoi n Wide Open Blu egra ss li n eu p

STAFF

boArd

inFo

International BluegrassVol. 30 | No. 7 | July 2015

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.”

Editor: Taylor Coughlintaylor@ibma.org

Designer: Erin Faith Erdoserinfaitherdos@gmail.com

IntErnatIonal BluEgrass(ISSN #1095-0605)

IBMa: IBMA is the trade association that connects and educates bluegrass professionals, empowers the bluegrass

community, and encourages worldwide appreciation of bluegrass music of yesterday, today and tomorrow.

ContaCt usThe monthly emailed publication of the

International Bluegrass Music Association

608 W. Iris Drive, Nashville, TN 37204 USA615-256-3222 | 888-GET-IBMA

Fax: 615-256-0450 Email: info@ibma.org Website: www.ibma.org

Jon Weisberger/Board Chairperson

taylor CoughlinCommunications and Professional

Development Director

Paul schimingerExecutive Director

Eddie HuffmanConvention Services

and IT Systems Director

Alan Bartram/Director, Artists/Composers/PublishersBecky Buller/Director, At Large

D.A. Callaway/Director, At LargeDanny Clark/Director, At Large

Jamie Deering/Director, Merchandisers/LuthiersRegina Derzon/Director, Associations, Secretary

Mike Drudge / Director, Agents, Managers & Publicists

John Goad /Director, Print Media/EducationWilliam Lewis/Director, At LargeSteve Martin / Director, At Large

Stephen Mougin/Director, At Large Joe Mullins / Treasurer

Joe Mullins, Director, Artists/Composers/PublishersLeah Ross/Director, Event Producers

Ben Surratt/Director, Recording/Dist./Marketing Tim Surrett / Vice Chair

Angelika Torrie/Director, InternationalBob Webster / Director, Broadcasters

Junior Williams / Director, Artists & Composers

CONtENts

Ju;lyTable of

From the executive director’s desk04

toP 5 Ways to improve your Youtube12

Follow the crooked roadmusic & more in virginia (sponsored content)

08

ramble Wants You!05

C over courtesy of Alison Krauss

Bluegrass industry News16

International Bluegrass www.ibma.org4

editorial

I would like to say “hi” to each of you individually, but the time and travel costs to do so might be a little exces-sive! I’m sure I will get to meet many of you over the coming months, so for now I hope you will accept my collec-tive greeting here in the IB. As I write this, I have been on the job for a little over three weeks and it’s been both a lot of work and a blast. Already, we have been honored to host 19 amaz-ing guests from Japan who brought lunch and live music to our office. It was a special day that included a jam with Carl Jackson, Roland White and his wife Diane, David Grier, Becky Buller, Craig Duncan, Eddie & Mar-tha Adcock, Ethan Ballinger, Jeremy Darrow, and others. And in these first three weeks we also visited our partners in Raleigh, NC to announce the amazing lineup of artists perform-ing at this year’s Wide Open Bluegrass festival as part of the weeklong World of Bluegrass event – like no other anywhere.

It is an honor to be selected for the Executive Director position at the IBMA as we try to help the music and musicians that mean so much to me. While my professional career has been in financial services, bluegrass has been an important part of me for the better part of 40 years. I feel for-tunate to combine my experience and my passion in this exciting new career opportunity, especially at a time when the popularity of bluegrass is growing so rapidly.

I see the role of the IBMA, and my position within it, as having great responsibility. We are a trade as-sociation focused on connecting and educating bluegrass professionals and raising the overall appreciation for this great music. The growth and health of bluegrass depends on artists being able to take their well-honed talent and develop a successful career. Many artists make it look easy, but I assure you it is not. Their love of the music

and creativity drives them to make it work in an entertain-ment world filled with many audience choices, endless road trips filled with budget meals and hotels, countless conversations with promot-ers and agents, and fewer music venues other than the terrific festivals that have become key to the live music experience. The IBMA exists to help them navigate this process and connect them with the avid fans of blue-grass all over the world.

My highest priority is to continually look for ways to improve our service to members.

The World of Bluegrass in Raleigh, NC this September 29th through October 3rd captures so many aspects of what the IBMA does in seeking to help our members and fans. The Business Con-ference for our professional members on September 29th through October 1st will offer a greatly expanded choice of peer-to-peer education sessions and band showcases. The Awards Show on October 1st is our 26th an-nual and recognizes the top talent in bluegrass as voted by professional peers. And then on that Friday and Saturday, October 2-3, we hold the Wide Open Bluegrass festival that has to be seen to be believed. By looking at the cover of this issue and reading the article on page 8, you can see why we are so excited about this year’s festival. Please buy your tickets before we are sold out.

I look forward to helping you and the music for which we care so deeply. Thank you.

Paul Schiminger Executive Director

from the desk ofexecutive director Paul Schiminger

Paul with wife Alys, and kids Elly and Erik in Austria

RAMBLE WANTS YOU!

tuesday, sept 29-saturday, oct 3, 2015

raleigh convention center and wide open bluegrassdowntown raleigh locations

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:

• 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 atibma.org/world-of-bluegrass/volunteeror email volunteer@ibma.org for more information!

International Bluegrass www.ibma.org6

Follow the crooked road

The Crooked Road, the 333-mile trail of pure Virginia Heritage Music, will take you on a journey through the history of the origins of country, blue-grass, gospel and more.

As you travel, pull off at any of the 26 Crooked Road wayside exhibits, where you can learn more about the music and musicians who have made their mark in each location.

Home of the Birthplace of Country Music, Bristol, Virginia brings musi-

cians, scholars and fans alike to pay homage to country music’s past. The 1927 Bristol Recording Sessions were the first country music recordings to be mass produced and distributed. Known as the ‘Big Bang’ of country music, the recording sessions are credited with bringing country mu-sic to the masses, helping the Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers and others reach stardom. Johnny Cash famous-ly called the recordings “the single most important event in the history of country music.”

The songs, many of which have been passed from generation to genera-tion, inspire travel to a region which music lovers have long revered as sacred ground. The music still comes out of the hills as a new generation of performers take mountain music back into the mainstream. It can be heard at general stores, barber shops, small town theaters, and front porches throughout the region.

Sponsored content

www.ibma.org International Bluegrass 7

There’s nine major venues throughout the trail, each telling the story of The Crooked Road’s history.

• Ralph Stanley Museum

• Country Cabin

• Carter Family Fold

• Birthplace of Country Music

• Heartwood

• Old Fiddlers Convention & Rex Theater

• Blue Ridge Music Center

• Floyd Country Store & County Sales

• Blue Ridge Institute & Mu-seum

Jams are abound throughout the trail. Stay the night around one of the venues and take in the excitement of the music.

• Grundy Music Jam on Tues-days

• Rabbit Ridge Thursday Night Jam

• Sound of the Mountains at the Lincoln Theater in Mari-on, Saturdays

• Radford Fiddle & Banjo Jam, Mondays

• Smyth County Jam, Mondays

Experience The Crooked Road’s treasure Heartwood, the gateway to Southwest Virginia culture. Heart-wood is also a performance place for the frontiers of this music, as perform-ers explore new instruments, fuse with other musical traditions or push their horizons toward new forms of expression in special concerts and other events.

The Crooked Road will lead you on an adventure through the history of country music. This experience is not manufactured. It is unquestionably an authentic Virginia-and American-experience.

International Bluegrass www.ibma.org8

Wide Open BluegrassAdditional details revealed for

Chiesi USA, Inc. announced as presenting sponsor for five-day World of Bluegrass event; PNC to extend their presenting sponsorship of the two-day weekend festival Wide Open Bluegrass for three more years.

The North Carolina Pork Council’s Whole Hog Barbecue Championship to be part of the World of Bluegrass festivities for a third year.

At a press conference in Raleigh on June 18, more details were revealed for the 2015 World of Bluegrass. Not only did the IBMA have an exciting presenting sponsorship to announce, but the entire remaining lineup for the Wide Open Bluegrass Festival was announced.

Alison Krauss & Union Station Featuring Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush Band, Jerry Douglas Presents Earls of Leicester, The Gibson Brothers, Blue Highway, and O’Connor Family Band will round out the list of performers at Red Hat Amphitheater during Wide Open Bluegrass, the weekend festival that takes place as part of the World of Bluegrass event.

Performers previously announced for Red Hat Amphitheater at this year’s Wide Open Bluegrass, presented by PNC, include Steep

Canyon Rangers, The Infamous Stringdusters, Balsam Range, Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen, The Wailin’ Jennys, The Kruger Brothers (with special guests), The Claire Lynch Band, Flatt Lonesome, Band of Ruhks, and performances from the critically acclaimed Orthophonic Joy: The 1927 Bristol Sessions Revisited project. The full Wide Open Bluegrass lineup at Red Hat Amphitheater can be found at ibma.org.

Wide Open Bluegrass includes both ticketed main stage performances at Raleigh’s Red Hat Amphitheater and the free Street Festival. Up to half of the net proceeds from the ticket

sales of Red Hat Amphitheater go to the Bluegrass Trust Fund, a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization that provides financial assistance to individuals in the bluegrass music community in times of emergency need.

The free Street Festival will include 80+ bands, five music stages, a dance tent, vendors, an arts market, concessions, youth performances and activities - including programming set up by IBMA’s Youth Council, and programs in the Raleigh Convention Center, including free access to the Exhibit Hall, a Masters Workshop Stage, and more. The full list of performers for the Street Festival will be announced in the coming months;

Alison Krauss & Union Station Featuring Jerry Douglas,

The Sam Bush Band, Jerry Douglas Presents Earls of Leicester,

The Gibson Brothers, Blue Highway, and O’Connor Family Band

added to lineup at Raleigh’s Red Hat Amphitheater

Feature

www.ibma.org International Bluegrass 9

once announced, the free Street Festival lineup will be available at www.wideopenbluegrass.com.

Wide Open Bluegrass is part of IBMA’s World of Bluegrass event, a five-day annual bluegrass music homecoming and convention. World of Bluegrass also includes the IBMA Business Conference, September 29 – October 1; the 26th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards, scheduled for Thursday evening, October 1, and the Bluegrass Ramble, an innovative series of showcases, taking place September 29 – October 1.

The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau reported that last year’s World of Bluegrass event generated $10.8 million in direct visitor spending for that region, with total attendance for the week’s activities estimated to be over 180,000. Over 100 unique sets were performed in just two days during the Wide Open Bluegrass Festival, and more than 80 individual acts performed in showcases, the IBMA Awards Show, and festival throughout the entire World of Bluegrass week combined.

Speakers at the World of Bluegrass press conference were Paul Schiminger, new Executive Director of IBMA; Denny Edwards, President & CEO of Greater Raleigh Convention & Visitors Bureau; Ann Edmondson, Director of Communications and Marketing, North Carolina Pork Council; William Lewis, director of PineCone—The Piedmont Council of Traditional Music and Wide Open Bluegrass producer; Josh Franklin, Vice President, Strategy & Business Development, Chiesi USA, Inc.; Jim Hansen, Regional President, PNC Bank, and IBMA Board chair Jon Weisberger.

International Bluegrass www.ibma.org10

liNeup additioNs

Also announced at the press conference was the naming of Chiesi USA, Inc. as the presenting sponsor of the World of Bluegrass event. The Cary, North Carolina-based specialty pharmaceutical company is the first presenting sponsor for the five-day event.

“As a growing global company with deep local roots, Chiesi USA is proud to join IBMA in sponsoring World of Bluegrass in our hometown,” said Josh Franklin, Vice President, Strategy & Business Development.

“An ongoing commitment to our local community is of paramount importance to Chiesi,” Franklin said. “It’s part of our corporate culture worldwide, and it’s one of the promises we make to our employees -- to enhance the community in which we live and work. This is a great way for us to live up to that promise, and the entire community benefits.”

“We’re particularly proud to be working with our partners at the IBMA in this endeavor. When you join two world-class organizations together in

pursuit of an extraordinary event, great things are going happen. The world is coming to our home for this exciting event, and the Chiesi family will be here to help them celebrate.”

As noted earlier, PNC returns, for the third year, as the presenting sponsor for the two-day Wide Open Bluegrass festival; at the press conference it was announced that the financial services company has committed to sponsoring this festival for three more years.

“We are excited to continue our involvement with IBMA and Wide Open Bluegrass for three more years, bringing unique arts and cultural experiences and economic development opportunities for our region,” said Jim Hansen, PNC regional president, Eastern Carolinas.

The North Carolina Pork Council announced that the Whole Hog Barbecue Championship – a weekend of bluegrass-flavored fun for the whole family – will be part of the World of Bluegrass festivities for a third year. The annual cooking championship is the culmination of a series of 20 to 25 local barbecue competitions. These qualifying cook-offs are conducted as part of community events in cities and towns across North Carolina from March to October. Spectators will be able to watch the entire aromatic cooking process in the parking area between the Raleigh Convention Center and the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts. The Pork Council will once again donate the authentic, championship North Carolina pork barbecue to the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle who will sell it in sandwiches to around 4,000 bluegrass fans. It will be first-come, first-served in the outdoor, downtown setting.

International Bluegrass www.ibma.org12

liNeup additioNs

“The interest in bluegrass is soaring across the country, as is underscored by the extraordinary success of the IBMA’s World of Bluegrass in Raleigh,” said IBMA’s Schiminger. “This year, the IBMA and the City of Raleigh are preparing another ‘can’t miss’ experience, with an entire week of activities, events and performances celebrating and highlighting this important art form. For the business conference, we’ve added more

band showcases, along with more educational and networking content for professionals to enhance their careers. We have another sparkling Awards Show planned to present the top talent in bluegrass as recognized by their peers. And finally, this year’s Wide Open Bluegrass festival at the end of the week celebrates our music by offering fans another incredible line-up of performers, including Alison Krauss& Union Station. “

“We want to thank the Local Organizing Committee in Raleigh and the entire state of North Carolina for its hospitality and energy,” Schiminger added. “IBMA deeply values our important partnership. And, we are so grateful for the support of our sponsors, including Chiesi USA, PNC, and the North Carolina Pork Council.”

“The 2015 IBMA World of Bluegrass will be an event like no other. I invite you to join us for the fun!” said Schiminger.

“The City of Raleigh is delighted to host the IBMA World of Bluegrass again this fall,” said Raleigh Mayor Pro Tem John Odom. “This event showcases Raleigh’s strengths and growing reputation as a world-class venue for festivals, conferences, and other special events revealing why we are one of the best places in the country not only to live and work but play! Thanks to the continued support from one of Raleigh’s most engaged corporate citizens – PNC – Wide Open Bluegrass will continue to be a

www.ibma.org International Bluegrass 13

highlight on the City’s festival cal-endar as it attracts thousands of local residents and visitors to downtown Raleigh.”

As last year, events during World of Bluegrass will take place at the Greater Raleigh Convention Cen-ter, the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, the Red Hat Amphitheater and at various venues in town.

Single day general admission for per-formances at Red Hat Amphitheater during Wide Open Bluegrass starts as low as $50 for the general public and $40 for IBMA members. Addi-tional details and pricing information - including member discounts – for Red Hat Amphitheater performances, Bluegrass Ramble Showcase passes, IBMA Business Conference registra-tion, IBMA Award Show tickets and hotel reservations are available at IBMA’s website, ibma.org.

WoB NeWs release

International Bluegrass www.ibma.org14

Top 5 ways to improve your

by Molly Slemp

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Turn your band into a brand. Similar to marketing for a busi-ness, building a brand for your band is essential for the success and promotion of your music. Being a musician is the perfect

opportunity in which you can freely express yourself, so make sure your YouTube channel does that, as well! Ensure that viewers know whom they are listening to by posting your band name and logo (if you have one) in a hard-to-miss position on your YouTube channel. It is also important to post a URL to your band’s website so that viewers have easy access to your music.

Stay consistent. Make sure all of your videos have a sim-ilar structure. This means adding logos, titles, and color schemes to each of your videos so that they are easily recognizable. By doing so, the viewers will be more likely to subscribe to your channel and listen to your music! At the same time, it is important to have a variety of videos

(live concerts, cover songs, music videos, etc.) Here’s an example of a good quality live video from Dailey & Vincent: https://youtu.be/Dw-uklIlQE0 Consistency also means regularly uploading vid-eos. When you are actively engaging with your YouTube channel and subscribers, your fans will be more likely to respect you and the music you have to offer.

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While we can’t all be like The Infamous Stringdusters, there is always room for improvement when it comes to showcas-ing your band’s talent through various social media outlets. Many bands have a fantastic personality, but are failing to portray that to viewers through their online YouTube music videos. A combina-tion of poor quality videos, lack of artist information, and zero brand representa-tion presents the opportunity for an an-ecdote, and we’ve got one! For example, here are the top five ways in which you can improve your YouTube channel!

www.ibma.org International Bluegrass 15

improVe your youtuBe

Link your social media! At the end of every YouTube video, it is a good idea to incorporate links to your other social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, NoiseTrade, etc. This will help your

fans to better engage with your music, as well as keep up to date with upcoming shows or album releases.

Quality is key. This is a big one. A good music video does not incorporate a tree branch or the back of someone’s head. If the only video foot-age your band has is that which was taken from a fan’s page or your mother’s video camera, it is about time you invest in some good quality

videography. Seek out a professional and invest in a good music video! It will be worth the time and money. The Infa-mous Stringdusters know a little something about making a music video: https://youtu.be/0iWzr4PCV0o Your fans want to see good-quality footage of your music, not some shaky iPhone video every few months. With high quality videos come more subscribers.

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Remember to engage! YouTube is a social media platform, and with that comes interactions with fans and com-mentators. Reply to comments, wheth-er they are positive or negative feed-back. Listen to your fans and give them

what they want, like a cover song, or even behind the scenes footage. It is very important to stay active with your YouTube channel and respond to viewers who are watching your videos for the first time.

“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

”

“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

”

June 2015Industry newS

On the charts - as reflected at press time

International Bluegrass www.ibma.org18

Standing o!

Associations AssertionsThe Bluegrass Music Association of Iowa is about to host their 31st Annual Stratford Stride Bluegrass Festival on July 9-12 in Stratford, Iowa. The line-up includes Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Nu-Blue, Bluegrass Martins, and many more! For more infor-mation, visit www.stradfordbluegrass.com.

The Southern Wisconsin Bluegrass Music Association, Inc. will be hosting the 6th Annual Bluegrass in the Pines Festival on August 27-29. The event will be held in Rosholt, WI, and will feature performances by The Seeger Boys, Tommy Brown, Sloppy Joe, and Art Stevenson & High Water, among others. For more information, go to http://swbmai.org/Drupal/.

Billboard: The Muscle Shoals Recordings by The SteelDrivers (Rounder) at num-ber one; Alive! In Concert by Dailey & Vincent (Cracker Barrel) at number two; Black Sheep by Yonder Mountain String Band (Frog Pad) at number three.

Bluegrass Unlimited Songs: “Big Black Train” by Earls of Leicester (written by Stanley Johnson, George Sherry) at number one; “Her Love Won’t Turn on a Dime” by Lonesome River Band (writ-ten by B. Butler, T. Johnson, S. Minor) at number two; “Honky Tonked to Death” by Junior Sisk and Ramblers Choice (written by Bill Castle) at number three.

Bluegrass Unlimited Albums: Earls of Leicester by Earls of Leicester (Rounder) at number one; Tried & True by Spinney Brothers (Mountain Fever) at number two; ‘Tween Earth and Sky by Becky Buller (Dark Shadow) at number three.

Bluegrass Today songs: “The Rock” by Terry Baucom (written by Thom Case) at number one; “Ain’t That Crazy” by Gold Heart (written by Jocey Gold) at number two; “That’s What’s Good in America” by Shannon and Heather Slaughter (written by Shannon Slaughter and Ger-ald Ellenburg) at number three.

Singing News songs: “The Last Parade” by Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers at number one; “He Arose” by Bama Blu-Grace at number two; “Stacking Up the Rocks” by Balsam Range at number three.

Roots Music albums: Happy Prisoner: The Bluegrass Sessions by Robert Earl Keen (Dualtone Music) at number one; Never Just a Song by Shannon and Heather Slaughter (Elite Circuit) at num-ber two; Traveling Show by Songs From the Road Band (Lucks Dumpy Toad) at number three.

IBMA award winning group Balsam Range was honored with praise from the House and Senate of the State of North Carolina last month. The band will receive a Representative Statement and a Senatorial Statement honoring their various awards and contributions to the North Carolina region. The public was invited to share in the celebrations of these five talented musicians.

Mando extraordinaire Chris Thile has been announced as the successor to Garrison Keillor as full-time host on “A Prairie Home Companion.” Keillor will

retire next year, and Thile will take on the duties.

The Helen Highwater Stringband has just announced their representation by Jim Roe of Roe Entertainment, a full-time booking agency that represents some of the best-known all-acoustic bands out there today. This particular bluegrass “supergroup” consists of Shad Cobb, Mike Compton, and multi IBMA award-winning artists David Grier and Missy Raines. Here’s to new opportuni-ties!

Gruhn Guitars has just announced the promotion of their new President and General Manager, Eric C. Newell. Newell will assume the duties of the company namesake and founder George Gruhn, who will not be stepping down, but will be functioning as Chairman and CEO of the company. Gruhn Guitars has been active since 1970, and continues to be Nashville’s premiere destination for the highest quality new and vintage instru-ments. Congratulations to Mr. Newell!

IndUSTry newS

For the record - need to know

In remembrance

www.ibma.org International Bluegrass 19

Three-time IBMA award winner Jesse Cobb has just announced the launch of a Kickstarter campaign to help fund his new album. The mandolin extraor-dinaire has just spent four years in Ontario writing new songs for this new project, and now he needs your help to release these songs! For more infor-mation on how you can help Jesse, visit www.wherescobby.com or www.kickstarter.com.

The Lonesome River Band has an-nounced the newest member to the band. North Carolina native Jesse Smathers has now joined the group, contributing his mandolin skills and lead & harmony vocals. We look for-ward to hearing LRB with their newest addition!

Red Rock Radio has announced their newest launch: a radio program that is set to feature only regional bands in the Pine City, MN area. The station, Upper Midwest Bluegrass, will air on Sunday mornings, but cannot begin until enough music has been submit-ted! Visit redrockonair.com if you are a

band in that region and want to submit radio-quality music for consideration.

A new film featuring Kelley Gibson, the son of one half of the infamous Gib-son Brothers, is about to be released. Written by Sean Ackerman, “The Kel-ley Gibson Story” follows the family through various struggles, ultimately telling about the remedial qualities of family and music. If you are intrigued and would like to help Sean finish and distribute the film, consider making a donation via Kickstarter.

Monroe Mandolin Camp is looking for video submissions for their first Annual Video Scholarship Competition. The contest winner will receive free tuition, lodging, and meals to the camp, which will be taking place September 9-13 in Kingston Springs, Tennessee. The competition is open to all ages and all playing levels. For more information on how to submit your video, visit monro-emandolincamp.com

Lonesome River Band’s Sammy Shelor and Mike Hartgrove were invited to

perform at the 43rd American Film In-stitute’s Life Achievement Awards late last month. The event featured the two artists on stage singing Friend of Mine, and was filmed for later broadcast at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

Grazztrio, a Spanish string band, com-plete with banjo, mandolin, and bass, have just released a couple new tunes. The group is made up of Lluis Gomez on banjo, Maribel Rivero on bass, and Oriol Gonzales on mandolin. Both new songs are available for download through CD Baby.

Infamous Stringduster fiddler, singer and songwriter Jeremy Garrett has a new project out titled The RV Sessions, his first solo effort since 2009. Garrett and his wife Connie sold their home in Tennessee to travel and live in an RV while the ‘Dusters toured, and The RV Sessions are a product of songs writ-ten on the road. Engineered by ‘Dust-ers sound man, Drew Becker, The RV Sessions are available now at www.garrettgrass.com.

Slim Richey passed away early last month at the age of 77. Among Richey’s many contributions to bluegrass includes the development of a company called Warehouse Music in the early 70s and 80s, which sold instructional materials intended for students of bluegrass music. Richey also ran a few record labels including Ridge Runner Records, which produced early records from artists like Marty Stuart and Sam Bush, to name a few. Slim will be remembered fondly.

Steve Waller of the Sawtooth Mountain Boys has passed away in Oregon at age 69. Considered to be a pioneer of bluegrass music in Oregon, Waller started the Sawtooth Mountain Boys in ‘70s with his friend Mike Eisler at Oregon State University. Waller helped form the Oregon Bluegrass Association and hosted many picking parties at his home. He will surely be missed.

IB