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Nominees for IBMA’s 2023 Industry Awards and Momentum Awards announced

The International Bluegrass Music Association announced the nominees for this year’s IBMA Industry Awards and IBMA Momentum Awards, which will be presented during the IBMA World of Bluegrass on Sept. 26-30 in Raleigh, North Carolina. The announcement was made earlier this morning on SiriusXM Bluegrass Junction.

From the good folks at IBMA:

The Momentum Awards will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 27 at 11 a.m. (EST) at the IBMA World of Bluegrass Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina. The IBMA Industry Awards will follow on Thursday, Setp. 28, at 11 a.m. (EST), and also includes the IBMA Distinguished Achievement Awards presentations. Both awards luncheons will feature music and memorable presentations to and by this year’s recipients.

IBMA Interim Executive Director Paul Schiminger says, “The IBMA’s Industry Awards and Momentum Awards are important to recognize the exceptional contributions by those who are dedicated to furthering bluegrass music behind the scenes and those who are successful rising stars in our music. I can’t wait for the luncheons in Raleigh to honor them all. Congratulations to these nominees who are lifting bluegrass music to new heights!”

IBMA INDUSTRY AWARDS

The Industry Awards recognize outstanding work in categories including Broadcaster of the Year, Event of the Year, Graphic Designer of the Year, Liner Notes of the Year, Writer of the Year, Sound Engineer of the Year, and Songwriter of the Year.

Nominees in each category are selected by specially appointed committees made up of bluegrass music professionals who possess significant knowledge of that field. The recipient of each award is decided on by the Panel of Electors, an anonymous group of veteran bluegrass music professionals selected by the IBMA Board of Directors.

2023 IBMA INDUSTRY AWARDS NOMINEES

WRITER OF THE YEAR

Chris Jones

Craig Havighurst

Garret K. Woodward

Gary Reid

Stacy Chandler

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

Becky Buller

Jon Weisberger

Rick Faris

Thomm Jutz

Tim Stafford

SOUND ENGINEER OF THE YEAR

Aubrey Shamel

Brad Benge

Dewey Boyd

Key Chang

Steve Chandler

BROADCASTER OF THE YEAR

Barb Heller

Brad Kolodner

Michelle Lee

Ned Luberecki

Peter Thompson

GRAPHIC DESIGNER OF THE YEAR

Eric Barie

Gina Dilg

Grace van’t Hof

Pharis & Jason Romero

Tim Kapustka

LINER NOTES OF THE YEAR

Birthright: A Black Roots Music Compendium

Written by Ted Olson

Dom Flemons – Traveling Wildfire

Written by Dom Flemons

Jake Blount – The New Faith

Written by Jake Blount

Pharis & Jason Romero – Tell ‘em You Were Gold

Written by Pharis & Jason Romero

Sam Bush – Radio John: The Songs of John Hartford

Written by Sam Bush and Jon Weisberger

EVENT OF THE YEAR

Blue Highway Fest

Big Stone Gap, Virginia

Bluegrass in La Roche

La Roche-sur-Foron, France

Doc at 100

Various locations

Durango Bluegrass Meltdown

Durango, Colorado

Pickin’ in the Pines

Flagstaff, Arizona

IBMA MOMENTUM AWARDS

The Momentum Awards recognize both musicians and bluegrass industry professionals who, in the early stages of their careers, are making significant contributions to or are having a significant influence upon bluegrass music. These contributions can be to bluegrass music in general, or to a specific sector of the industry. The Mentor Award, in contrast to the other Momentum Awards, recognizes a bluegrass professional who has made a significant impact on the lives and careers of newcomers to the bluegrass industry.

Nominees are chosen through a multi-stage process by committees made up of respected musicians and industry leaders in the bluegrass world.

2023 IBMA MOMENTUM AWARDS NOMINEES

MOMENTUM BAND OF THE YEAR

Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band

The Fretliners

Hayde Bluegrass Orchestra

Never Come Down

MENTOR OF THE YEAR

Austin Scelzo

Dan Boner

Louisa Branscomb

Ruth McLain Smith

Scott Napier

INDUSTRY INVOLVEMENT

Daniel Mullins

Katie Kirchner

Maggie Rainwater

Matt Hutchinson

Mike Kaiz

INSTRUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR

Anthony Howell

Alex Genova

Gavin Largent

Jake Eddy

Josiah Nelson

Maddie Dalton

Michael Prewitt

VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

Carley Arrowood

Crystal Lariza

Nick Dumas

Starlett Austin

Tianna Lefebvre

IBMA World of Bluegrass is the most important week in bluegrass! The week encompasses four events: the IBMA Business Conference, September 26-28; the IBMA Bluegrass Ramble, an innovative series of showcases taking place September 26-28 in downtown Raleigh and at the Raleigh Convention Center; the 34th Annual IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards scheduled for Thursday evening, September 28, and IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC, September 29-30, a two-day festival. IBMA Bluegrass Live! features the best of the best in bluegrass today, benefiting the IBMA Trust Fund—a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that assists bluegrass professionals during financial emergencies—and introducing the music to thousands of new fans every year. Tickets are now on sale for all IBMA World of Bluegrass events; visit worldofbluegrass.org for details.

About IBMA

IBMA – the International Bluegrass Music Association – is the non-profit music association that connects, educates, and empowers bluegrass professionals and enthusiasts, honoring tradition and encouraging innovation in the bluegrass community worldwide.


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Jo Dee Messina to perform at The Ritz in Raleigh on Friday, June 23

A 2017 cancer diagnosis forced country superstar Jo Dee Messina to cancel tour dates and focus on her health and her family. But as she has proven over and over, life can’t keep Messina down. Now cancer-free and thanks in part to last year’s hit remix by Cole Swindell, “She Had Me at Heads Carolina,” that borrowed from Messina’s hit “Heads Carolina, Tails California,” the 52-year-old is back on tour and headed to Raleigh.

Messina has six No. 1 hits — including “Heads Carolina” her first — on the Billboard country music charts, two Grammy nominations and accolades from the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association. She was the first female country artist to have three songs from the same album reach the top for multiple weeks. 

She is scheduled to perform at 8 p.m. on Friday, June 23, at The Ritz, 2820 Industrial Dr. General admission tickets are $35. Questions? Call (919)424-1402.

In 2015, I wrote this update about Messina, under the headline: “Whatever happened to Jo Dee Messina”?

UPDATE: Why don’t you see for yourself? Jo Dee Messina is scheduled to perform July 8 at the Carolina Theatre in Durham.

I was listening to Prime Country on Sirius XM the other day and Jo Dee Messina’s “I’m Alright” came on. Hearing the familiar strains of one of the singer-songwriter’s biggest hits made me realize I hadn’t heard anything new from her in a while. I had the opportunity to interview her in 2000 when she was on top of the country charts and her career. Las Vegas-philes may recall that she was the first country star to perform in the Aladdin Theatre on the Strip after the popular concert venue reopened in 2000.  Turns out, according to a recent interview with Rolling Stone Country, Messina is back to doing alright after a few bumps in the road. After breaking off the engagement mentioned in my following interview and her relationship with Curb Records, she married businessman Chris Deffenbaugh, with whom she has two young children. She also released a new album last year, “Me,” which was primarily fan-funded through Kickstarter. You’ll find her current tour schedule here. Give a listen to “A Woman’s Rant” and you’ll see that she’s still writing clever lyrics, she’s still sassy and she’s still doing “alright.”

Jo Dee Messina is doing better than all right

 Lisa Snedeker, The Associated Press

Saturday, Oct. 7, 2000 | 3:47 a.m.

LAS VEGAS – The last time Jo Dee Messina was a headliner in Las Vegas she played to about 700 people in the off-Strip Silverton hotel-casino’s Opera House during the 1998 National Finals Rodeo.

Friday night she debuted her third album in the Neon City as the first country star to perform in the newly opened, 7,000-seat Aladdin Theatre for Performing Arts.

What a difference two years makes.

“We’ve never been the first act to play anywhere,” Messina said during Friday afternoon’s rehearsal.

In between headlining at Vegas resorts, Messina played with her friend and mentor Tim McGraw and others in George Strait’s Country Music Festival at Sam Boyd Stadium and she opened for the legendary mother-daughter duo The Judds at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

The double-platinum redhead laughed as she reminisced about tripping in her heels while trying to walk through sand at a Texas Station beach party where she opened for crooner Sammy Kershaw in 1996.

That’s when she had two hits, “Heads Carolina, Tails California,” and “You’re Not in Kansas Anymore.”

And while she still plays her first hit on the road, she’s dropped “You’re Not in Kansas Anymore” in favor of her No. 1 hits off her sophomore album “I’m Alright.” Thanks to “Bye Bye,” “I’m Alright,” and “Stand Beside Me,” Messina’s lilting voice was heard on country radio stations more than any other woman singer in 1999.

“Country radio has been the foundation of my career,” she said, adding it was through radio that she gained all her fans. “I couldn’t get the fans’ support if it wasn’t for radio.”

Friday was Messina’s first performance since her appearance on the Academy of Country Music award show Wednesday, where “I’m Alright” was nominated for album of the year and she was nominated for female vocalist of the year.

It still hasn’t sunk in that she belongs at the CMAs despite winning last year’s prestigious Horizon Award.

“I feel like a fan with an all-access pass,” she said.

Even though she didn’t walk away with an award, Messina said she received an even greater honor. She got the chance to meet one of her idols – Merle Haggard – and to discover that he and his son are some of her biggest fans.

“It was like coming full circle,” she said. “I was listening to him in my little room 15 years ago thinking he’s the bomb.”

Friday’s performance was sort of a live dress rehearsal for her new tour that kicks off in February to promote her latest album “Burn,” Messina said.

“It’s overwhelming,” she said of her solo tour that is sponsored by Jerzees and features new choreography with four dancers.

With the tour, her third album shooting up the charts and a 5-carat engagement ring from her tour manager Don Muzquiz, the 30-year-old seems to be doing more than all right.

“These are the days I will always remember,” she said, quoting a line from one of her songs off her new album. “This is it.”

Read the original post here: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2000/oct/07/jo-dee-messina-is-doing-better-than-all-right/


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Visit ‘The Power of Women in Country Music’ exhibit for free on Saturday, Dec. 3, at the N.C. history museum

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA — Christmas is coming early to the North Carolina Museum of History, which is celebrating its 120th birthday on Saturday, Dec. 3.

In honor of the occasion, the museum is featuring free admission all day to its current ticketed exhibit “The Power of Women in Country Music.” And from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. there will be live on-site broadcasting from the Triangle’s country music station WQDR, specially themed treats, a special birthday promotion in the Museum Shop, and more, according to the museum’s website.

From international superstars, including Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Rosanne Cash, Shania Twain and Taylor Swift, to contemporary North Carolina artists, such as Rhiannon Giddens, Rissi Palmer and Kasey Tyndall, “The Power of Women in Country Music,” is on loan from the GRAMMY Museum® in Los Angeles. The exhibit highlights the past, present and future of country music’s greatest female trailblazers.

Artifacts include Swift’s white “Mean” dress and banjo as well as a replication of the wooden cabin the pop star performed in front of at the 2021 Grammy awards. Palmer’s microphone she uses on her podcast, “Color Me Country.”

The exhibit opened to rave reviews on Oct. 28 and runs through Feb. 26, 2023. “This empowering exhibition will be amplified with a special concert series, author series, family events and activities, and much more,” the museum website states.

One of the concerts, Southern Songbirds: Alice Gerrard and Friends, is free and set for 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 11, at the museum. “Gerrard will join us with special guests for a screening of her biopic, “You Gave Me a Song,” followed by a short performance and Q & A with the artist. Gerrard will be joined by Tatiana Hargreaves and Dashawn Hickman. This event will be emceed by legendary North Carolina native Jim Lauderdale,” the museum stated in an email.

Watch a video about the exhibit here.

Photo of Chatham Rabbits


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The Lincoln Theatre presents ‘An Evening With Chatham Rabbits’ on Dec. 4

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA — Fans of the North Carolina duo, Chatham Rabbits, have a chance to hear some new music at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 4, at the Lincoln Theatre in downtown Raleigh.

“An Evening with Chatham Rabbits” is part of the group’s album-release tour for “If You See Me Riding By,” their third full-length studio album.

Co-written during the height of the pandemic and honed through the reflection and challenges the crisis demanded, this album is absolutely a piece of pandemic art, according to the RALToday event listing. “If You See Me Riding By” was recorded at both Bedtown Studios (Watchhouse, Libby Rodenbough) and Betty’s (Sylvan Esso, Dead Tongues) with producer Saman Khoujinian.

Tickets start at $19.50 and can be purchased at this link.


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IBMA moves indoors for second time in 10 years in anticipation of Hurricane Ian

In 2015, bands of rain from Hurricane Joachin came down on Raleigh, soaking artists, vendors and attendees of bluegrass music’s biggest week and leaving organizers scrambling to move the International Bluegrass Music Association’s IBMA Bluegrass Live! festivities indoors to the relative comfort of the city’s convention center.

Fast forward seven years and IBMA’s organizers announced today all of the outdoor festivities associated with this week’s IBMA Bluegrass Live! will move indoors, due to expected rain and wind from Hurricane Ian as it approaches the western shores of Florida.

“The music will go on,” said IBMA Executive Director Pat Morris at this afternoon’s IBMA welcome reception celebrating the festival’s 10th year in North Carolina’s capital city. “We have a fantastic week lined up.”

This year, however, will be different than 2015, when the ticketed festival and the free street events were all suddenly forced into the confines of the convention center. What won’t change is several days of bluegrass tunes ringing throughout the facility — some planned in ballrooms and convention rooms, others spontaneously erupting into  jam sessions filling up the facility’s not-so-hidden corners and even in hallways and on staircases.

One major difference will be the ticketed Main Stage performances, originally planned for the outdoor Red Hat Amphitheater adjacent to the convention center, will take the stage in the Raleigh Memorial Auditorium at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts. Reserved seating bought in advance will be honored. Unfortunately, fans hoping for a free general admission ticket to see headliners such as the Infamous Stringdusters, Jerry Douglas and Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway may be out of luck. Organizers are still working out details to try to make some free seating available.

On a positive note, there is still a lot of free entertainment to take in. All previously scheduled performances at the five free Street Stages are moving into the Raleigh Convention Center  along with all 115 vendors including the Art Market, Shop Local and Black Friday Market. Also on tap indoors will be the beer garden, PNC Porch, jam “tents” and other activities planned for this weekend.

Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin said the resiliency of the organizers and the City of Raleigh is similar to that often sung about in bluegrass music as well as the genre itself, which celebrated its 75th anniversary during the height of the pandemic.

“Whether you have been here before or it’s your first time, you are in for great entertainment,” she told the crowd in the RCC ballroom. “We did this in 2015 and it turned out great, and it’s going to be great again.”

Baldwin added she hopes IBMA will return to Raleigh for another 10 years. “The best part of IBMA is you get to be part of this unique experience and community,” she said. “It’s about bringing people together.”For tickets and more information, visit https://worldofbluegrass.org.


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Full lineup, schedule announced for 2021 IBMA Bluegrass Live in downtown Raleigh

From the good folks at IBMA:

Organizers of the 2021 IBMA World of Bluegrass have revealed the full lineup of artists and daily schedule of performances for IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC. This live festival will take place at Red Hat Amphitheater and four additional stages in downtown Raleigh, NC, Fri., Oct. 1, and Sat., Oct. 2. Additionally, Capitol Broadcasting Company, which includes WRAL-TV, an NBC affiliate serving the Raleigh, Chapel Hill and Durham region, will be the exclusive media partner for the ticketed Main Stage performances at Red Hat Amphitheater, as well as the free performances at StreetFest Stages downtown.

Main Stage performances at Red Hat Amphitheater will include sets from bluegrass luminaries such as Béla Fleck’s My Bluegrass Heart featuring Michael Cleveland, Sierra Hull, Justin Moses, Mark Schatz & Bryan Sutton; The Del McCoury Band; Steep Canyon Rangers; Yonder Mountain String Band; and Jerry Douglas, Edgar Meyer & Odessa Settles. Main Stage performances at Red Hat Amphitheater for this year’s festival will begin at 4pm each day, and will feature premier bluegrass acts for seven hours.

Proof of vaccination will be required for entry to the Main Stage performances at Red Hat Amphitheater. Additionally, all sections of the Amphitheater will be ticketed, allowing organizers to control venue capacity.

In addition to access and capacity adjustments at Red Hat Amphitheater, changes are being instituted at other festival venues:

  • StreetFest Stages are moving to give attendees more space and reduce street congestion. The popular City Plaza Stage is moving to the parking lot across from the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts. The stage area will be surrounded by food trucks, a beer garden and spots for families to gather.
  • The Youth Stage, which provides a venue for youth and college bands to share their talent, is moving to City Plaza.

“We are overjoyed to be bringing the bluegrass festival back to Raleigh as an in-person event this year,” said David Brower, festival producer and executive director of PineCone, a Raleigh-based non-profit music organization. “There’s a magic that happens when our streets are filled with music that’s played from the heart. For folks who’ve never experienced this event, it’s a joyous sight to see when it all comes together. After this past year, we all could use a little bit of that festival magic.”

Schedules are subject to change and will be posted at each stage. QR codes will be posted throughout the festival, allowing festival-goers to access the full schedule and festival map on their phones. Participants who want a printed schedule and map are encouraged to print one ahead of time from the World of Bluegrass website.

For the ninth year, PNC Bank returns as the presenting sponsor of IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC. “This two-day festival brings so much spirit and enjoyment to the community, while supporting our local economy and tourism,” said Jim Hansen, PNC regional president for Eastern Carolinas. “All of us at PNC look forward to participating in this festive time again.

“We are excited to announce the full performance schedule for this year’s IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC,” said Pat Morris, executive director of IBMA. “It will be great to gather again to celebrate live music! Music fans will be able to enjoy artists ranging from Hall of Famers to award-winning rising stars to special collaborations with amazing guests. We’ve taken specific measures to safeguard the health and safety of attendees, so it’s our hope that these protocols will allow everyone to join us in downtown Raleigh this year.

“Partnering with Capitol Broadcasting Company, a respected media company in the region, is a great way to elevate our outreach, and make sure the music fans in the Triangle are aware of the many ways they can experience bluegrass during this year’s festival,” added Morris.

“Capitol Broadcasting Company is once again thrilled to join IBMA, PineCone, and the City of Raleigh as the exclusive media partner for IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC,” said Joel Davis, WRAL-TV/FOX 50 vice president and general manager. “Bluegrass Live! is such an important event in our community and WRAL-TV, wral.com and That Station all want to support this beloved event in a safe and responsible way.”

A portion of the proceeds from IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC supports the IBMA 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 distributed more than $800,000 in direct aid.

The schedule for the Main Stage performances at Red Hat Amphitheater:

Friday, October 1
4:00    Tray Wellington Band
4:55    Mile Twelve
6:00    Sister Sadie
7:30    Béla Fleck’s My Bluegrass Heart featuring Michael Cleveland, Sierra Hull, Justin Moses, Mark Schatz & Bryan Sutton
9:30    The Del McCoury Band

Saturday, October 2
4:00    The Gina Furtado Project
4:55    The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
6:00    Jerry Douglas, Odessa Settles & Edgar Meyer
7:30    Steep Canyon Rangers
9:30    Yonder Mountain String Band

Friday, October 1 StreetFest Schedule:

Come Hear NC Stage (located on the flat parking lot in front of the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts)
Sponsors: Come Hear NC; Bud Light; WRAL
11:30am    Welcoming remarks from City of Raleigh, PNC, and IBMA
12:00  Chatham Rabbits
1:15    Sister Sadie
2:30    Rick Faris
3:45    Bluegrass Pride Presents: Jake Blount
5:15    Jim Lauderdale
6:45    Fireside Collective
8:15    Bowregard
9:45    Bluegrass Pride Presents: The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys

Davie Street Stage (located near the intersection of Davie and Fayetteville streets)
Sponsors: Booze It and Lose It; Central Carolina Chevrolet Dealers; Bud Light Seltzer; WRAL
12:00  Crying Uncle
1:15    Fair Black Rose
2:30    Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers
3:45    Jesse Brock & Streamliner
5:00    Missy Raines & Allegheny
6:30    The Wildmans
8:00    Special Consensus
9:30    Darin & Brooke Aldridge

Capitol Stage (located on Fayetteville Street between Martin & Hargett streets)
Sponsors: Ron and Nancy McFarlane; Stella Artois; That Station
12:00  Bill and the Belles
1:15    Songs From The Road Band
2:30    Hubby Jenkins
3:45    Bluegrass Pride Presents: Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer
5:15    Buffalo Commons
6:45    Henhouse Prowlers
8:15    Anya Hinkle
9:45    Mile Twelve

Youth Stage (located on Fayetteville Street across from the Marriott)
Sponsors: Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM); WRAL
12:30  Square Deal
1:45    Eliza Meyer
3:00    Crying Uncle
4:15    Mountain Highway
5:30    Berea College Bluegrass Ensemble (Berea, KY)
7:00    East Tennessee State University Bluegrass Pride Band (Johnson City, TN)
8:30    The Mountain Music Ambassadors from Morehead State University (Morehead, KY)
10:00  The Tigertown Roots – Clemson University Bluegrass Band (Clemson, SC)

Saturday, October 2 StreetFest Schedule:

Come Hear NC Stage (located on the flat parking lot in front of the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts)
Sponsors: Come Hear NC; Beverage: Bud Light; Media: WRAL
12:00  The Burnett Sisters
1:15    Danny Paisley and the Southern Grass
2:30    Nixon, Blevins & Gage
3:45    The Jakob’s Ferry Stragglers
5:00    Darin & Brooke Aldridge
6:30    Hank, Pattie & The Current
8:00    The Steel Wheels
9:45    Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen

Davie Street Stage (located near the intersection of Davie and Fayetteville streets)
Sponsors: Booze It and Lose It; Central Carolina Chevrolet Dealers; Bud Light Seltzer; WRAL
12:00  Bluegrass Pride Presents: Sinner Friends
1:15    Kristy Cox
2:30    Diamond Creek
3:45    Hubby Jenkins
5:00    The Ruta Beggars
6:30    Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road
8:00    Tray Wellington Band
9:30    Barbaro

Capitol Stage (located on Fayetteville Street between Martin & Hargett streets)
Sponsors: Ron and Nancy McFarlane; Stella Artois; That Station
12:00  Terry Baucom’s Dukes of Drive
1:15    Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves
2:30    The Price Sisters
3:45    Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen
5:00    Joe Newberry & April Verch
6:30    Liam Purcell & Cane Mill Road
8:00    Chris Jones & The Night Drivers
9:45    The Gina Furtado Project

Youth Stage (located on Fayetteville Street across from the Marriott)
Sponsors: Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM); WRAL
12:00  Mountain Highway
1:10    Crying Uncle
2:20    Fair Black Rose
3:30    Square Deal
4:30    The Carolina Bluegrass Band from the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill, NC)
5:30    The Denison University Bluegrass Ensemble (Granville, OH)
7:00    The Warren Wilson College Bluegrass Band (Swannanoa, NC)
8:30    The Colorado College Bluegrass Band (Colorado Springs, CO)
10:00  The Lawrence University Bluegrass Band (Appleton, WI)

Health and safety measures in effect for this year’s event include: 

  • Proof of vaccination (without exceptions) will be required for attendance at any IBMA World of Bluegrass activity requiring registration and ticketing: the IBMA Business Conference, the IBMA Bluegrass Ramble showcase series, the 32nd Annual IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards presented by Yamaha, and the main stage at the Red Hat Amphitheater for IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC. As in years past, IBMA World of Bluegrass indoor events will take place at the Raleigh Convention Center, the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, and at various venues downtown.
  • Masks will also be required at all indoor activities during IBMAWOB. During the festival, masks will be required indoors (e.g., bathrooms, hallways, green rooms, etc.) and strongly recommended for outdoor shows.
  • IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC: For both the main stage at Red Hat Amphitheater and the StreetFest, all artists, stage managers, crew and staff will be vaccinated.
  • Frequent sanitation and enhanced cleaning protocols will be in place at all World of Bluegrass locations.
  • Hand sanitizer and free mask stations will be provided at various World of Bluegrass locations.
  • For those not able to attend in person, IBMA will be streaming select content throughout the week on Swapcard. Virtual attendees will have access to the virtual exhibit hall, conference sessions, music performances, and more. Details for virtual tickets will be announced in the coming weeks.
  • Anyone experiencing a fever, cough, shortness of breath, loss of taste or smell, or other symptoms related to COVID-19 will be asked to stay home or leave the venue.
  • For more information on the IBMA World of Bluegrass and IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC safety protocols, please visit the Health and Safety page on the IBMA World of Bluegrass website.

Additional sponsors who helped make this year’s festival and World of Bluegrass week events possible include: PNC, Come Hear NC, WRAL, That Station, Stella Artois, Wicked Weed, Appalachian Mountain Brewery, Bud Light, Bud Light Seltzer, Babe, Devil’s Backbone, Ron and Nancy McFarlane, Martin Guitar, Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM), Yamaha Guitar Group, WakeMed, Parker Poe, Catapult, NC Lottery, NCDOT, Central Carolina Chevrolet Dealers, Virginia is for Music Lovers, D’Addario, Pepsi, Cheerwine, Nature’s Twist, Deep Eddy Vodka, Lunazul Tequila, Larceny Bourbon, Art Menius Radio, Evan Williams, Fishman, Deering Banjos, Compass Records, Calton Cases, The Recording Academy, ETSU, Lowes Foods, Yep Roc Music Group, The Pit, Campbell Law School, Peterson Strobe Tuners, Duke Energy, Rounder, Boston Bluegrass Union, BMI, Ear Trumpet Labs, and Pre-War Guitars.

More info about IBMA World of Bluegrass and the IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC Festival 

IBMA’s World of Bluegrass is a five-day annual bluegrass music homecoming and convention. World of Bluegrass encompasses four events: the IBMA Business Conference, September 28-30; the IBMA Bluegrass Ramble, an innovative series of showcases, taking place September 28-29 in downtown Raleigh and at the Raleigh Convention Center; the 32nd Annual IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards, scheduled for Thursday evening, September 30; and IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC, Oct. 1-2, a two-day festival that features the best of the best in bluegrass today, benefiting the IBMA Trust Fund—a 501(c)(3) charitable organization 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 Center, the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, the Red Hat Amphitheater and at various venues in town.

Volunteer for IBMA Bluegrass Live! and other World of Bluegrass events: https://worldofbluegrass.org/participate/volunteer/

Learn more about accessibility efforts that are part of the whole World of Bluegrass, including IBMA Bluegrass Live!: https://worldofbluegrass.org/accessibility/

IBMA – the International Bluegrass Music Association – is the non-profit music association that connects, educates, and empowers bluegrass professionals and enthusiasts, honoring tradition and encouraging innovation in the bluegrass community worldwide.

PineCone, the Piedmont Council of Traditional Music, is the largest, most active presenter of home-grown music in the state. Since 2013, PineCone has served as the official Local Host organization for the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) and its World of Bluegrass events, and as the producers of the two-day IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC. Founded in 1984 with a mission to preserve, present and promote all forms of traditional music, dance and other folk performing arts, PineCone programs highlight and celebrate the rich and diverse musical heritage of Raleigh and the greater Piedmont region by focusing on music traditions that have been passed down informally through generations within our various cultural communities. PineCone presents more than 200 programs annually, including concerts, youth programs, participatory jams and sessions, workshops, documentary projects, a weekly radio show and more. pinecone.org.


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Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes to kick off NCMA 2020 Concert Series

From the good folks at the North Carolina Museum of Art (NCMA) :

RALEIGH — Summer concerts and movies have been a North Carolina Museum of Art (NCMA) tradition for two decades, and we’re excited to launch another season of great music and entertainment. Our venue—the Joseph M. Bryan, Jr., Theater in the Museum Park—is situated in the heart of the Museum campus amid gardens, meadows, woodlands, and sculpture.

Presented with Cat’s Cradle, Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes will perform at 8 p.m. on Sunday, April 26. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Nü Mangos will open the show. Continue reading →