The nominees for the 35th Annual IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards have been announced
By Steven Brodsky
The following press release was issued by the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA):
Nashville, TN, July 17, 2024 – – Nominees for the 35th annual IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards were announced today in a live event at the SiriusXM studios in Nashville, Tennessee. The five nominees for “Entertainer of the Year” are Billy Strings (reigning recipient), Del McCoury Band (Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame member, and nine-time Entertainer of the Year), Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway (third nomination), Sister Sadie, and The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys (fourth nomination).
Also announced today were three inductees into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame: Alan Munde, Jerry Douglas, and Katy Daley. Additionally, the following were named as recipients of the IBMA Distinguished Achievement Award: Cindy Baucom, Laurie Lewis, Richard Hurst, ArtistWorks, and Bloomin’ Bluegrass Festival.
Results of the balloting will be revealed at the IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards on Thursday, September 26, at the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Awards are voted on by the professional membership of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), the professional nonprofit association for the bluegrass music industry.
The complete list of nominations:
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Billy Strings
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
Del McCoury Band
Sister Sadie
The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Authentic Unlimited
Sister Sadie
Blue Highway
Del McCoury Band
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Billy Strings
Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
Travelin’ McCourys
East Nash Grass
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
SONG OF THE YEAR
“Fall in Tennessee” – Authentic Unlimited
Songwriters: John Meador/Bob Minner
Producer: Authentic Unlimited
Label: Billy Blue Records
“Willow” – Sister Sadie
Songwriter: Ashley McBryde
Producer: Sister Sadie
Label: Mountain Home
“Too Lonely, Way Too Long” – Rick Faris with Del McCoury
Songwriter: Rick Faris
Producer: Stephen Mougin
Label: Dark Shadow Recording
“Forever Young” – Daniel Grindstaff with Paul Brewster & Dolly Parton
Songwriters: Jim Cregan/Kevin Savigar/Bob Dylan/Rod Stewart
Producer: Daniel Grindstaff
Label: Bonfire Music Group
“Kentucky Gold” – Dale Ann Bradley with Sam Bush
Songwriters: Wayne Carson/Ronnie Reno
Producer: Dale Ann Bradley
Label: Pinecastle
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
City of Gold – Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
Producers: Jerry Douglas/Molly Tuttle
Label: Nonesuch
Last Chance to Win – East Nash Grass
Producer: East Nash Grass
Label: Mountain Fever
Jubilation – Appalachian Road Show
Producer: Appalachian Road Show
Label: Billy Blue Records
No Fear – Sister Sadie
Producer: Sister Sadie
Label: Mountain Home
So Much for Forever – Authentic Unlimited
Producer: Authentic Unlimited
Label: Billy Blue Records
GOSPEL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
“When I Get There” – Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
Songwriter: Michael Feagan
Producer: Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
Label: Independent
“Thank You Lord for Grace” – Authentic Unlimited
Songwriter: Jerry Cole
Producer: Authentic Unlimited
Label: Billy Blue Records
“Just Beyond” – Barry Abernathy with John Meador, Tim Raybon, Bradley Walker
Songwriters: Rick Lang/Mike Richards/Windi Robinson
Producer: Jerry Salley
Label: Billy Blue Records
“God Already Has” – Dale Ann Bradley
Songwriter: Mark “Brink” Brinkman/David Stewart
Producer: Dale Ann Bradley
Label: Pinecastle
“Memories of Home” – Authentic Unlimited
Songwriter: Jerry Cole
Producer: Authentic Unlimited
Label: Billy Blue Records
INSTRUMENTAL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
“Rhapsody in Blue(grass)” – Béla Fleck
Songwriter: George Gershwin arr. Ferde Grofé/Béla Fleck
Producer: Béla Fleck
Label: Béla Fleck Productions/Thirty Tigers
“Knee Deep in Bluegrass” – Ashby Frank
Songwriter: Terry Baucom
Producer: Ashby Frank
Label: Mountain Home
“Panhandle Country” – Missy Raines & Allegheny
Songwriter: Bill Monroe
Producer: Alison Brown
Label: Compass Records
“Lloyd’s of Lubbock” – Alan Munde
Songwriter: Alan Munde
Producer: Billy Bright
Label: Patuxent
“Behind the 8 Ball” – Andy Leftwich
Songwriter: Andy Leftwich
Producer: Andy Leftwich
Label: Mountain Home
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
East Nash Grass
Bronwyn Keith-Hynes
AJ Lee & Blue Summit
Wyatt Ellis
The Kody Norris Show
COLLABORATIVE RECORDING OF THE YEAR
“Brown’s Ferry Blues” – Tony Trischka featuring Billy Strings
Songwriters: Alton Delmore/Rabon Delmore
Producer: Béla Fleck
Label: Down the Road
“Fall in Tennessee” – Authentic Unlimited with Jerry Douglas
Songwriters: John Meador/Bob Minner
Producer: Authentic Unlimited
Label: Billy Blue Records
“Forever Young” – Daniel Grindstaff with Paul Brewster, Dolly Parton
Songwriters: Jim Cregan/Kevin Savigar/Bob Dylan/Rod Stewart
Producer: Daniel Grindstaff
Label: Bonfire Music Group
“Bluegrass Radio” – Alison Brown and Steve Martin
Songwriters: Steve Martin/Alison Brown
Producers: Alison Brown/Garry West
Label: Compass Records
“Too Old to Die Young” – Bobby Osborne and CJ Lewandowski
Songwriters: Scott Dooley/John Hadley/Kevin Welch
Producer: CJ Lewandowski
Label: Turnberry Records
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Dan Tyminski
Greg Blake
Del McCoury
Danny Paisley
Russell Moore
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Molly Tuttle
Jaelee Roberts
Dale Ann Bradley
AJ Lee
Rhonda Vincent
BANJO PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Kristin Scott Benson
Gena Britt
Alison Brown
Béla Fleck
Rob McCoury
BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Missy Raines
Mike Bub
Vickie Vaughn
Todd Phillips
Mark Schatz
FIDDLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jason Carter
Bronwyn Keith-Hynes
Michael Cleveland
Stuart Duncan
Deanie Richardson
RESOPHONIC GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Justin Moses
Rob Ickes
Jerry Douglas
Andy Hall
Gaven Largent
GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Billy Strings
Molly Tuttle
Trey Hensley
Bryan Sutton
Cody Kilby
MANDOLIN PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Sierra Hull
Sam Bush
Ronnie McCoury
Jesse Brock
Alan Bibey
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
“Willow” – Sister Sadie
Label: Mountain Home
“Fall in Tennessee” – Authentic Unlimited
Label: Billy Blue Records
“The City of New Orleans” – Rhonda Vincent & The Rage
Label: Upper Management Music
“I Call Her Sunshine” – The Kody Norris Show
Label: Rebel Records
“Alberta Bound” – Special Consensus with Ray Legere, John Reischman, Patrick Sauber, Trisha Gagnon, Pharis & Jason Romero, and Claire Lynch
Label: Compass Records
2024 Inductees to International Bluegrass Music Association Hall of Fame:
Alan Munde has been at the forefront of bluegrass music as a banjo player, bandleader, and educator for over five decades. Hailing from Norman, Oklahoma, he played in his first band, The Stone Mountain Boys, in 1965. A subsequent jam session with Byron Berline, Sam Bush, and Wayne Stewart led to the recording of the highly acclaimed instrumental album Poor Richard’s Almanac. Starting in 1970, Munde began a two-year hitch with the King of Bluegrass, Jimmy Martin. From there, it was off to California and the country-rock group, the Flying Burrito Brothers. Munde scored a 20-year run with the progressive West Coast group Country Gazette. One of the Gazette’s seminal early releases was A Traitor in Our Midst. Other career highlights include Munde’s teaching bluegrass at South Plains College in Texas, serving as a columnist for Banjo Newsletter, and sitting as member of the IBMA board of directors. He was a 2008 recipient of an IBMA Distinguished Achievement award.
Jerry Douglas has reigned as bluegrass music’s preeminent Dobro player ever since the middle 1970s when he started with the Country Gentlemen. His fascination with the instrument began at age six when he saw Dobro legend Josh Graves perform on a Flatt & Scruggs show. Throughout the 1970s and ‘80s, Douglas rotated through a series of bands including J. D. Crowe’s New South, Boone Creek, and The Whites. This same period found Douglas becoming an in-demand session player, for both bluegrass and country music albums. In time, he amassed credits on literally thousands of recording sessions. In 1998, he was asked to join Alison Krauss’s Union Station and in 2014 he launched the award-winning Flatt & Scruggs tribute band, the Earls of Leicester. Douglas has earned numerous IBMA Awards, including ten for Dobro Player of the Year. He also won fourteen Grammy Awards, and was selected the CMA’s Musician of the Year in 2002, 2005, and 2007. He is also a former vice president of IBMA’s board of directors.
Katy Daley (Patricia Cole Meloon Brown) made her mark as a bluegrass broadcaster in the Washington, D.C., metro area, starting in the early 1970s. Her entry to bluegrass radio came in a circuitous way. She jokingly told WAMU-FM broadcaster Gary Henderson that listening to his program was part of her work assignment at the CIA! A short time later, she signed on at WAMU, preparing and announcing a weekly “Who’s Playing Where” segment. This was followed by a weeknight disc jockey spot from 10:00 to midnight. In November 1978, Daley collaborated on a 13- part series which traced the development of the music: Bluegrass Anthology. In 1980, Daley joined WMZQ, a 24-hour country station in Washington, where her broadcast work included hosting a bluegrass program for three years. Eventually, Daley returned to WAMU’s offshoot, bluegrasscountry.org, and served as a morning air personality. She received two IBMA awards for Bluegrass Broadcaster of the Year and one for Distinguished Achievement. As part of her giving back to the community, she established the Katy Daley Broadcast Media/Sound Engineering Scholarship which is presented each year by the IBMA Foundation.
2024 IBMA Distinguished Achievement Award Recipients
Cindy Baucom – Cindy Brooks Baucom rates as one of the most widely heard radio presenters of bluegrass of the last 30 years. Her syndicated program, Knee Deep in Bluegrass, is broadcast each week on more than 60 radio outlets and a dozen internet stations. Each program is an artful mix of bluegrass, old and new, and insightful artist interviews. Cindy began her full-time journey in broadcasting fresh out of high school in the early 1980s. A series of moves to several regional North Carolina radio stations eventually brought her to the attention of the John Boy & Billy network; an offer came shortly afterwards to syndicate the program. Cindy’s other credits include 30-plus years as a master of ceremonies at MerleFest, a past two-term member of the IBMA’s board of directors, and induction to the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame.
Laurie Lewis – Laurie Lewis is a bluegrass triple-threat: superb fiddler, expressive vocalist, and engaging songwriter. A native of California, she honed her early talents by performing with others in the San Francisco Bay area. Lewis has been at the forefront of numerous groups including the Grant Street String Band, her own Laurie Lewis and Grant Street, the Bluegrass Pals, and the Right Hands. She launched her solo career in the middle 1980s with a series of excellent releases on the Flying Fish label. Her efforts netted her two IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year awards and her recording of “Who Will Watch the Home Place” won Song of the Year. She is also the recipient of two Grammy nominations. As a performer who gives back to her community, Lewis is a frequent instructor at various music camps.
Richard Hurst – Richard Hurst was the driving force behind the long-running Appalachian and Bluegrass Music Festival that is held each year in Omagh, County Tyrone, in Northern Ireland. The event was first staged in 1992 and is heralded for fostering interest in bluegrass throughout all of Ireland. In time, the event grew to attract 10,000 attendees. The festival, which was recently re-named Bluegrass Omagh, features a mix of entertainers from the United States, from Europe, and from Ireland. Hurst used the festival as a vehicle to educate attendees about bluegrass with lectures by North Carolina columnist Jack Bernhardt and Omagh native and collector Rodney McElrea. Hurst was a 2008 graduate of Leadership Bluegrass and was a past chairman of the European Bluegrass Music Association.
ArtistWorks – Since 2008, ArtistWorks has been making it possible for anyone with an internet connection to learn to play music. The company’s stated mission is to “Teach the World Music.” They have done this by building a massive inventory of 50,000 instructional videos that are taught by a team of 47 master musician instructors. A key feature of the system is that it allows students, through their own video uploads, to have their work critiqued by an instructor. Additionally, student uploads – over 100,000 of them – are also made available for other aspiring pickers to learn from. Of particular interest to bluegrass pickers are lessons from Alison Brown, Noam Pikelny, Tony Trischka, Sierra Hull, Mike Marshall, Chris Eldridge, Darol Anger, Alex Hargreaves, and Missy Raines.
Bloomin’ Bluegrass Festival – The Bloomin’ Bluegrass Festival is an annual event that takes place in an area not generally thought of as a bluegrass hot-spot: Dallas/Ft. Worth. Within the last five years, the festival has garnered three IBMA nominations for Bluegrass Event of the Year. The event is co-sponsored by the city of Farmers Branch, Texas, and the Dallas-based Bluegrass Heritage Foundation. It takes place in Farmers Branch Historical Park and features a stellar line-up of top-tier performers. Adding to the ambiance is a wide variety of festival food, including tasty Tex-Mex offerings. A robust merchandise area, and a well-oiled staff and volunteers complete the picture. It all comes together to make for one of the premier bluegrass festivals in, not only Texas, but the entire USA.
Posted 7-19-24
The 2024 IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC lineup was announced today
By Steven Brodsky
… in this International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) press release:
NASHVILLE (April 24, 2024) – The International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) and local host PineCone (Piedmont Council of Traditional Music) have announced the lineup for IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC. Sierra Ferrell, Steep Canyon Rangers with special guests Chatham County Line, Sierra Hull, Sam Bush, Rhonda Vincent & the Rage, Danny Paisley, Amythyst Kiah, and Crying Uncle will headline the festival Sept. 27-28, 2024. The live weekend performances will take place at Red Hat Amphitheater and on stages all around downtown Raleigh.
In addition to the Red Hat Amphitheater, there are six more stages at IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC. Performers on those stages include:
Balsam Range; Barefoot Movement; Broken Compass; Compton & Newberry; Chris Jones & the Night Drivers; Country Current (US Navy Band); Dewey & Leslie Brown; Earl White String Band; Evans, Smith & May, Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen; From China to Appalachia (Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer with Chao Tian); Golden Shoals, The Gospel Jubilators; The Gravy Boys; Hank, Pattie & the Current; Henhouse Prowlers; Jacob Jolliff Band; Jake Blount; Jake Leg; Jim Lauderdale; Junior Appalachian Musicians; Kaia Kater; Laurie Lewis & the Right Hands; Liam Purcell & Cane Mill Road; New Dangerfield; Nixon; Blevins & Gage; Raised in Raleigh All Star Jam; Sister Sadie; Songs From the Road Band; The Tan & Sober Gentlemen; Tray Wellington Band; Union Grove Old Time Fiddlers’ Convention 100th Anniversary; Unspoken Tradition; The Williamson Brothers; Wyatt Ellis; and more.
As in years past, events during IBMA World of Bluegrass will take place at the Raleigh Convention Center, the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts, the Red Hat Amphitheater and at various venues in town.
“This is our favorite time of year. I just love seeing everyone coming down to Raleigh with guitars and banjos slung over their shoulders,” says David Brower, festival producer and executive director of PineCone. “In addition to all the bands playing the big stages, there’s also something special for the everyday pickers. We’re dedicating a stage to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Union Grove Old Time Fiddlers Convention. We’ll have contests for fiddlers, banjo, mandolin and guitar players, plus a great big square dance to cap off the afternoon each day. Lifting up North Carolina’s musical traditions is something we’ve been proud to do with the festival over the last decade.”
For the 12th year, PNC Bank returns as the presenting sponsor of IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC. “Since helping bring this festival to Raleigh during the early days of PNC’s local growth story, all of us at PNC have been committed to making this event a success for visitors, residents and local businesses,” says Jim Hansen, PNC regional president for Eastern Carolinas. “We look forward to this year’s event, the community togetherness it will foster and the economic impact it will create.”
IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC is part of the five-day IBMA World of Bluegrass event, billed “The Most Important Week in Bluegrass,” which also includes the IBMA Business Conference, the IBMA Bluegrass Ramble showcase series and the 35th Annual IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards, Sept. 24-28.
Tickets and hotel reservations will open for IBMA members May 8 and to the general public May 15. More information is available at the IBMA World of Bluegrass website, www.worldofbluegrass.org.
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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. IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC, featuring the best of the best in bluegrass today, helps benefit the IBMA Trust Fund—a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that assists bluegrass professionals during financial emergencies—and introduces the music to thousands of new fans every year.
PineCone is the Piedmont Council of Traditional Music. It is a Raleigh-based nonprofit that serves as the official local host and festival producer for IBMA’s World of Bluegrass. It was founded in 1984 by a group of friends looking to preserve, present and promote music and dance that’s rooted in the Piedmont. PineCone hosts year-round events that highlight rich and diverse musical traditions that’ve been passed down informally for generations. There’s more about PineCone’s concerts, jam sessions, workshops, camps, youth programs and weekly radio show at pinecone.org.
Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex is home to four pristine venues in Raleigh, North Carolina. Owned and operated by the City of Raleigh, the Raleigh Convention Center, the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts, and Red Hat Amphitheater are located within a two-block radius in the heart of Downtown Raleigh and welcome approximately one million visitors annually. Nearby, the City of Raleigh-owned Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek welcomes roughly 300,000 people each season.
Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Raleigh) — As the official destination marketing organization for Wake County, the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Raleigh), is responsible for promoting Wake County as an attractive travel destination and enhancing its public image as a dynamic place to live and work. Through the impact of travel, the organization strengthens the economic position of and provides opportunity for people throughout Wake County. Raleigh, N.C./Wake County welcomes nearly 16 million visitors annually whose spending tops $2.3 billion. The visitor economy supports more than 21,000 local jobs in Wake County and generates $243 million in state and local tax revenues, saving each Wake County household $592 in taxes annually. visitRaleigh.com
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.
The City of Raleigh is the capital of North Carolina, home to several colleges and universities, with a vibrant performing arts community. Fueled by an impressive mix of education, ingenuity and collaboration, North Carolina’s capital city has become an internationally recognized leader in life, science and technology innovation.
Posted 4-24-24
Information about Earlier Bird tickets for the 52nd annual Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival is now online; the Festival will take place on August 30 – September 1, 2024 at the Salem County Fairgrounds in New Jersey
By Steven Brodsky
…The stellar lineup of performers scheduled to appear on the Festival’s main stage and information about Earlier Bird tickets are at: https://delawarevalleybluegrass.org/.
The Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival was founded by Bill Monroe and Ralph Stanley.
Posted 4-5-24
‘Wayfaring Stranger’
By Steven Brodsky
… as performed by Bill Monroe And His Bluegrass Boys, linked here today in memory of Bill Monroe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMrBCJObQOk&ab_channel=SmithsonianFolkways.
Bill Monroe passed away 26 years ago at age 84 on September 9, 1996.
Posted 9-9-22
Revisiting With Carl Goldstein, Director of the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival and Treasured Pillar of Bluegrass
By Steven Brodsky
Few have done nearly as much for the bluegrass genre and its fans as has Carl. He co-founded the Brandywine Friends of Old Time Music in 1971 and has served in a leadership role ever since. Carl has been the director of the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival throughout its history, including when it was known as the Delaware Bluegrass Festival. He is chair of the Brandywine Friends. The Brandywine Friends produces the Festival and a concert series. Carl is an inductee into the WVUD Radio Hall of Fame; he has hosted WVUD’s Fire on the Mountain show since it went on the air in 1977. Carl has also significantly contributed to the history, present-day vibrancy, and future of bluegrass music in other ways.
We’re coming upon the 47th Annual Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival, Labor Day weekend. This Festival is one of the nation’s best (and was recognized as the 2016 IBMA Event of the Year). Carl, when did you have confidence that this Festival was going to have longevity and would reach and maintain the highest level of stature?
We had no idea how successful we would be for the first several years, even though we had the greatest possible lineup of bluegrass talent headed by Bill Monroe and Ralph Stanley. The uniqueness of the concept in the Northeast and weather problems made the first several years tough, but after about year 3 or 4 we started to increase attendance. Of course national attention took a few more years to attain but our progress was steady.
The website of the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival contains a list of performers who have appeared at the Festival: http://delawarevalleybluegrass.org/legacy-of-performers/. Many of the greatest names in the history of bluegrass and country music have been on the Festival’s main stage. Which of the artists might you rank among your personal favorites and what songs of theirs do you most enjoy?
Of course Monroe and Stanley were pioneers of this music. We were incredibly fortunate to have them as our founders and to this day they rank among my favorites. Others would include the Osborne Brothers, Jim & Jesse, Lester Flatt, the Country Gentlemen, Doc Watson, and our local heroes Ted Lundy and Bob Paisley. In recent years, the Seldom Scene, Alison Krauss, Del McCoury, Sister Sadie, and Patty Loveless would be among my favorites, but let me add, this is a very difficult question to answer. There would be many more if space allowed. To pick specific songs would require even more time and space—so let’s just say a huge number of songs from each of their repertoires remain my favorites.
Let’s talk about the upcoming Festival. Artists and festival attendees appreciate the capabilities of the Festival’s stage management. Who is involved and for how many years have they stage managed the Festival? What does the role of stage manager at the Festival entail?
In the early days a very few of us did everything, including MC, stage management, ticket sales and more. More recently Archie Warnock and Howard Parker have adroitly handled stage management. They coordinate all backstage activity, monitor the artists’ performance times and generally get things to run smoothly and on time. Their roles are vital.
Tell us about the stage announcers.
We are very fortunate to have two very fine MCs for our festival. Katy Daley is a legend among bluegrass DJs and personalities. She hosted a longtime radio program on WAMU Bluegrass Country and has written widely on the music. She and her co-host Bill Foster, also of WAMU fame, have a deep knowledge of the artists and present and provide a context to the audience to enhance their enjoyment.
Please touch upon the music and performance lineup of the 47th Annual Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival.
We have always tried to provide variety, with a view to emphasizing traditional bluegrass and showcasing its roots in old-time and related fields like western swing, traditional country, Cajun, etc. This year we feature two of the hottest acts in bluegrass, Hot Rize with Tim O’Brien, and Jerry Douglas’ Earls of Leicester, who recreate the classic sounds of Flatt and Scruggs. We also feature four of the six IBMA nominees for Emerging Artist of the Year: Mile Twelve, Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, Sister Sadie, and High Fidelity. For variety we have western swing artists the Quebe Sisters, Dom Flemons (formerly of the Carolina Chocolate Drops), Mick Kinney (old-time/ragtime from Georgia), and early 20th century Tin Pan Alley style performers Bill and the Belles. There are a host of other great acts and I encourage your readers to check out our web site where there are not only bios but music clips to enjoy as well.
What do you most enjoy about Festival weekend, given that you attend to your responsibilities as festival director?
In addition to hearing as much great music as time allows my greatest satisfaction is watching our audience appreciate and enjoy our offerings, especially those new and unexpected acts we slip in, including folks who rarely and in most cases have never appeared at a bluegrass festival like last year’s Tuba Skinny—Dixieland from New Orleans, or Asleep at the Wheel, or Patty Loveless.
What are some of your fondest all-time Festival memories?
There are numerous outstanding memories but I think a couple of them would be the Bill Monroe and Doc Watson duet at our first year at the Salem County Fairgrounds, and the infamous year that Hurricane Edouard hit us head-on and yet, pros that they were, bands like Riders in the Sky played on (with comments like, “Hey those lawn chairs blowing past us look just like tumbleweeds!”). It was a financial challenge but a victory of heart and soul for performers and audience alike.
The website address of the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival is: http://delawarevalleybluegrass.org/.
The Fire on the Mountain radio show is on WVUD: http://www.wvud.org/.
Posted 8/1/2018, Updated 6-13-20
A Conversation With Carl Goldstein, Champion of Bluegrass Music
By Steven Brodsky
Among those who’ve done the most to preserve bluegrass music and further its appreciation is Carl Goldstein. Consistent with the informal yet respectful norm of the bluegrass community, I’m not using the title “The Honorable” before his name; he was a judge in Delaware for 40 years before retiring in 2013. With two others, Carl founded the Brandywine Friends of Old Time Music in 1971. He’s provided leadership for the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival since its start in 1972. (The Festival was called the Delaware Bluegrass Festival until it moved to New Jersey in 1990.) Since 1977, Carl has hosted the Fire on the Mountain radio show on WVUD FM. In 2011, he was inducted into the WVUD Hall of Fame.
Carl, what are your official roles at the Brandywine Friends of Old Time Music and the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival?
I’m Chair of the BFOTM and Director of the Festival.
How long have you served in these capacities?
Since the organization and Festival’s inception.
How did you get introduced to bluegrass music?
I became interested in folk music during the “folk music scare” of the ’60s although I had listened to country music and blues even before that time. I found the more earthy and honest music of early Appalachian music to be even more to my liking.
When you first got involved in bluegrass music, where did you travel to hear the music and to learn more about it?
I travelled with companions to southwest Virginia, western North Carolina and Tennessee to fiddlers’ conventions and the earliest bluegrass festivals.
What drew you to the music and how did it engage you?
The soulful, powerful and yet down to earth nature of the music drew me in. I started collecting the music and eventually learned to play guitar.
In your early years as a fan of bluegrass music, who were some of your favorite musicians?
The Stanley Brothers/Ralph Stanley, Bill Monroe, Doc Watson, Mississippi John Hurt, and the Country Gentlemen were among some early favorites.
What were some of your favorite songs?
Too many to single out I’m afraid.
What memories do you have of Sunset Park (the iconic country music venue that was located in Chester County, Pennsylvania)?
I lived only a half hour or so from Sunset Park. I went there many Sundays during the summer months and was lucky enough to hear many of the greats of bluegrass and country music. In addition, each week musicians would jam out in the field.
What caused the Delaware Valley to become a hotbed of bluegrass music?
During the tough economic years of the ’30s many families from the mid south relocated to the area (NE Maryland, Southeastern PA and Delaware) in search of work bringing with them their culture and music. Among these families were the Paisleys, the Lundys, and the Campbells (Ola Belle Reed) and many others.
How were Ralph Stanley and Bill Monroe responsible for the first annual Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival?
Ralph Stanley, whom I had known from years of following his music, came to us on behalf of himself and Bill Monroe in 1971 asking whether our organization would host a festival – the first in the northeast. They were to supply the talent (although we did have some limited input) and we were to supply the venue and publicity. We were delighted to agree. The Festival was set for Labor Day weekend 1972. That first year it was in a KOA campground but moved to a newly constructed music park – Gloryland Park – the second year.
After the third year Bill and Ralph decided to start their own festivals that weekend in their respective home places. From that point on we produced the Festival ourselves and after their festivals ended in a few years we had each of them back nearly every other year.
Did you believe that the first Festival was going to become an annual event?
We had high hopes but that first year was a muddy mess. They (Bill and Ralph) and we persevered.
Please tell us about a few of your most valued memories associated with the Festival.
It was Lester Flatt who stepped up that 4th year at a fee we could afford so we were able to present a fine lineup our first year on our own.
Doc Watson and Bill Monroe did a rare and historic set together in 1990, our first year in New Jersey.
We had some legendary folks perform for us over the years. In addition to nearly all of the great bluegrass musicians, we have presented Merle Travis, Hank Thompson, and a number of special tribute sets and reunions that were very memorable like, for example, Ricky Skaggs and Ralph Stanley.
I should mention that the Brandywine Friends and hence the Bluegrass Festival is run by a Board of Directors of 16 members. They are all interesting, smart and funny human beings. I mention it here because part of the joy of the Festival is doing it with these exceptional folks.
Congratulations on the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival winning the award for 2016 IBMA Event of the Year. What components make the Festival a favorite of musicians and attendees year after year?
I think that because we are nonprofit and all volunteer we have the luxury of presenting a top-notch lineup of talent – top to bottom each year. While our main focus is bluegrass, we have always presented some variety with comparable genres like old-time music, traditional country music, Cajun and French Canadian.
We also include features like a Children’s Stage and a Kids’ Academy where youngsters can gain instruction in every bluegrass instrument during the course of the weekend. We are also known as a great jam festival. Our campground is filled with folks playing day and night.
Please speak about the lineup for the 46th Annual Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival taking place on Labor Day weekend.
Once again we have a great lineup featuring some of the best acts in traditional music – Del McCoury, the Gibson Brothers, and a host of others. We have the perennial favorites: The Grascals, Blue Highway, and IBMA 2016 Male Vocalist of the Year Danny Paisley. All that in addition to relative newcomers like Becky Buller and Flatt Lonesome and powerful old-time music from the Foghorn Stringband and April Verch – not to mention Asleep at the Wheel who I will in a moment.
Are there performers that you are especially looking forward to seeing this year? If so, why?
It’s always a treat for us to surprise our audience with an act that may be unexpected but is fully within our view of traditional music. This year it is Asleep at the Wheel – the legendary Texas Western Swing band. That’s gonna be fun.
What do you most enjoy about hosting the Fire on the Mountain radio show?
I think it’s the audience. Each week I get calls from interesting and informed people. They have been very loyal over these 40 years and each year those folks lead all programs on the station for our fundraising efforts. They’re just great. Besides, if I weren’t playing that music on the air, I’d be home doing the same thing.
What does the future look like for bluegrass music and the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival?
If you’d asked me that question 15 or so years ago I might not have been as optimistic as I am now. There are a great number of younger folks playing bluegrass and old-time music these days. That in turn bodes well for the festivals.
Information is available at: www.delawarevalleybluegrass.org.
Information about the Brandywine Friends of Old Time Music is at: www.brandywinefriends.org.
Posted 5/27/17