Right now – right NOW, the IBMA World of Bluegrass is going on in Raleigh, North Carolina. You remember Raleigh, right, from the Andy Griffith Show? If Sheriff Andy Taylor had important state business, he had to go to Raleigh to do it. County stuff could could be handled in Mt. Pilot, but state matters – that goes to Raleigh. And this week, Raleigh is the International Capital of Bluegrass, something Andy Griffith could appreciate.
I’ve written often on the community, grass-roots nature of bluegrass and that is the heart of the music. It’s a folk art, after all, and it’s just folks playing it. But any bluegrass is fully aware that there are those for whom bluegrass music is their business. Like any business, there is competition for your dollar.
As it turns out, there’s an industry side to bluegrass too. There are fan-based membership organizations along the line of our beloved California Bluegrass Association, and they benefit from the IBMA’s body of experience, just as the IBMA benefits from the “boots on the ground” work that the CBA does.
Hundreds of aspiring bluegrass bands come to the IBMA World of Bluegrass event to be heard and maybe get festivals around the country interested in hiring them. It’s a thrill. They get to measure their skills against the best in the country and learn the finer points of presenting a professional, consistent show.
The top pros make the rounds at IBMA – they perform and they nurture their industry contacts. Many a bluegrass super group has been formed by acquaintances made at IBMA. There are also promoters and record company people at these events.
There has been some controversy over the years regarding the CBA presence at IBMA. It may seem frivolous, when you see the pictures of CBA volunteers hanging out with bluegrass stars and hobnobbing with industry execs – and of course, jamming all night.
But there’s no law that says important work can’t be fun. And believe me, the volunteers from the CBA are cheap labor, and they work HARD. The work they do it important, too, for the Association, and the business of bluegrass. The CBA benefits by having quality acts lined up for the annual Father’s Day Festival. Deals are done with the biggest names, and new up-and-coming acts are discovered, giving CBA members a scoop on the Next Big Thing in bluegrass.
IBMA benefits too – it’s an international industry organization – NOT a fan-based group, so it’s local associations like the CBA that reach the last mile from the industry to the stages. And the CBA is one of the premier bluegrass organizations in the world – I kid you not. If you don’t believe me, volunteer to be part of the IBMA team next year. You’ll work very hard and have the time of your life, and you will come away with a deep appreciation for the CBA’s place in the bluegrass firmament.
