Ahh the power of the internet and social media. My column today is fairly focused and to the point; and I am hoping everyone who reads it will help spread the word.
What word? Well at the top of the list, we are moving all the band submission deadlines up, as in earlier. This is important and we would hate it if we start getting band submissions in November for the Showcase or getting them in February for Vern’s Stage. Below is the short summary of information and if a Bluegrass or Old Time band wants to learn more detail about what is needed please use the contact for the appropriate selection committee:
2017 Showcase Band Submissions
Submission deadline: October 1, 2016
Submission Format: CD and MP3
Requirements: Non-touring California Bluegrass and Old Time bands.
Submission Information: Please submit your CDs and other information to CBA c/o Mark Hogan, 3980 Monika Court, Sebastopol, CA 95472. Please submit MP3 files to Maria Nadauld at marianadauld@pacbell.net. For more information contact Mark at hogiemoon@comcast.net or at 707-479-5529, or contact Maria at marianadauld@pacbell.net.
If you would like to part of the Showcase selection committee, which will meet in Hayward in October, please contact Maria at marianadauld@pacbell.net.
2017 Vern’s Stage Band Submissions
Submission deadline: November 1, 2016
Format: MP3
Requirements: Up and coming non-touring California Bluegrass and Old Time bands.
Submission Information: Please submit your MP3 electronic files to your area CBA Vice-President who will forward to the Vern’s selection committee. Links to a website for RECENT live performances would be a huge PLUS!! For more information please email Ron Esparza at esparza1234@sbcglobal.net.
For more general information on Band Selections please visit the CBA webpage on band submissions: https://www.cbaweb.org/Resources/BandSelection
Voting for Directors
Yep it is time to get the vote out. It is important that everyone votes, not just for the usual philosophical reasons of why voting is a right that we should exercise at every opportunity, but for a very practical reason…we need more than just a few votes to empanel a new board. Voting by ten percent of the membership is the standard. So don’t be lazy or complacent with the fact that we have 11 candidates for 11 slots…get off yer fanny and put those ballots in the mail. Otherwise, if we fall short, I will feel compelled to start posting Sunday columns about California and US politics…and we wouldn’t want that would we!
A Train Project to the Great 48
Several of my picking buddies and I took AmTrak to the Great 48 last year from Emeryville to Bakersfield. A round-trip ticket was about the same cost and time as driving from the Bay area, and we were lucky enough to be able to pick for the entire train ride. It was great…the train conductor was into it and actually came to the Great 48 on his layover, the passengers seemed into it, and we certainly were into it, even if we ran out of train songs somewhere south of Stockton.
But here’s the thing about AmTrak…if you call them and ask “can we pick on the train?” the answer you get is “that’s up to the conductor”. We were fortunate because I have heard stories of conductors that were not fond of folks pulling out their instruments to get in a few hours of picking. So the way it currently stands is that you takes your chances.
To make a long story medium, Ted Kuster and I took it upon ourselves to try and get a picking guarantee from AmTrak. At the moment all I can report is that I have been talking to AmTrak for the past 6 weeks about what it would take for us to get in some guaranteed playing for the trip down to Bakersfield. And they are still considering it…if nothing else AmTrak is being very deliberate and thorough in their considerations and conversations to make sure we can come up with a proposal that won’t disturb passengers who don’t want to hear music, or that we don’t block the isles and create a safety situation, etc. Once we have a decision in-hand I will announce it at the top of my lungs, but until then…are there any CBA members that might know someone at AmTrak that could help us push the decision along to fruition? My vision, and hope, is that we will have the Bluegrass Express leaving on track one from Emeryville on Thursday morning January 12, 2017 for Bakersfield. What makes this an even more interesting option is that the Bakersfield Marriott Convention Center is literally across the street from the Bakersfield AmTrak station. Stay tuned and send AmTrak your love and desire to make the Bluegrass Express a reality.
Thanks and see you October 17-23 at the Fall Campout at the Lodi Grape Festival and Harvest Fairgrounds, 413 E Lockeford Street, Lodi, CA 95240.
