International Bluegrass: April 2016

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It’s time forworld of bluegrass

Special SessionsSongwriters track

Talent buyers’ trackContinuing legal education

New Attendees

6 Reasons Not to Miss

World of Bluegrass

How Can you Get

discounts to world of

bluegrass?

Plus, everything You Need to Know About Hotels, the showcase Ramble, World of Bluegrass Business Conference, Wide Open Bluegrass Festival

AND MuCH MORe!

Leadership BLuegrassWhat’s that all about?

tickets On sale to Members APRiL 5!

stAFF

BOARD

iNFO

International BluegrassVol. 31 | No. 3 | April 2016

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: Shannon [email protected]

Designer: Erin Faith [email protected]

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: [email protected] Website: www.ibma.org

Tim Surrett - Board Chairperson

shannon turnerDirector of

Communications and Professional

Development

leah JamesDirector of Member

Services

Paul schimingerExecutive Director

Eddie HuffmanConvention Services

and IT Systems Director

Alan Bartram-Artists/Composers/PublishersBecky Buller-At Large

Jamie Deering-Merchandisers/LuthiersRegina Derzon-Secretary, Associations

Mike Drudge-Agents, Managers & PublicistsJohn Goad-Print Media/Education

Denise Jarvinen-At LargeMarian Leighton Levy-Recording/Distribution/Marketing

William Lewis-At Large

Steve Martin-At LargeStephen Mougin-At Large

Joe Mullins-Treasurer, Artists/Composers/PublishersBen Surratt- Vice Chair

Wayne Taylor-Artists-Composers/PublishersAlan Tompkins-At Large

Angelika Torrie- InternationalBree Tucker-Myers- Event Production

Bob Webster-Broadcast Media

I n t e r n a t i o n a l B l u e g r a s s | A p r i l 2 0 1 6 3

I n t e r n a t i o n a l B l u e g r a s s | A p r i l 2 0 1 64

ta B l e o f c o n t e n t s

10 World of Bluegrass Discounts

6 6 Reasons not to Miss World of Bluegrass

Cover story

Taylor Coughlin makes a compelling case for all that awaits those who come to Raleigh for World of Bluegrass.

April 2016

12 Business conference: education at IBMa“Not Just Some Boring Classroom.” IBMA presents dynamic panels, interactive conversations and music workshops designed to make your career in bluegrass soar. Jeremy Darrow, chair of the Education Committee, shares a sneak peek at just a couple of the experts that will be available during World of Bluegrass. There’s so much more to come!

“Your Road to Membership and IBMA Savings.” Looking to save some money on your World of Bluegrass tickets prices, PLUS get early-bird access to make your purchase in advance of the general public? IBMA Member Services Director Leah James outlines membership guidelines that grant IBMA members preferred status to World of Bluegrass ticketing prices and on-sale dates.

INTERNATIoNAL BLUEgRASS

14 the songwriter’s track“Inspiration through Collaboration.” There is no bluegrass music with-out songwriters, and the IBMA knows it. That’s why we have created a track, or series, of educational opportunities devoted specifically to the needs of songwriters. Songwriting Committee chair and IBMA 2015 Songwriter of the Year Becky Buller talks about the seminars, Song Circles, workshops and receptions in store for songwriters at WoB.

Table of Contents photos provided by Todd Gunsher and Willa Stein

Cover Photo by Todd Gunsher


20 the talent buyers’ track“getting the gig.” If you’re an event producer, booking agent or band looking for gigs, the Talent Buyers’ Track is for you! Talent Buyer’s Committee member William Lewis shares the specialized events for bands and buyers – the gig Fair, the Bluegrass Ramble, the After-noon Showcases and the new-for-this-year Business-to-Breakfast Agents’ Pitch.

18 “HolD WHat YoU Got”Continuing Legal Education. Ron Raxter introduces the national legal experts who will be with us to explain the details behind music and intellectual property rights, as well as other legal concerns.

21 Moment of the MonthJoe Craven Wows at Leadership Bluegrass.

22 World of bluegrass tickets!The details of when, where and how to buy World of Bluegrass, IBMA Awards Show and Wide open Bluegrass tickets, plus discounted hotel rates, on April 5 for IBMA members. To purchase tickets, visit ibma.org or call 1-800-514-ETIX (3849). If you’re not already an IBMA member, you’re running out of time to get the early-bird pre-sale date and discounts!

neXt issue...leadership bluegrass.What is it? Who goes? What happens there? A look inside the three-day summit, and how you can be a part of Leadership Bluegrass in 2017.

24 welcome march new membersWe open our arms to the newest members of the IBMA family.

16 the songwriters’ showcase“A Success Story: Steve Bonefel Writes His Way to the Top.” Rick Lang shines the spotlight on award-winning songwriter Steve Bonafel, whose poignant tune, “The Last Parade,” moved Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers to record a future Song of the Year.


COveR stORY

Top Six Reasons Not to Miss World of Bluegrass 2016

by Taylor CoughlinIBMA’s

Photo by Taylor Coughlin

WORLD OF BLuegRAss sPeCiAL


How do you succeed in bluegrass music? Well, the fact that you’re reading this article in International Bluegrass means you already know something

about it! Most of the time, to get from Point A to Point B in a career, a good investment must be made. Besides the obvious investments of instruments and tools to do your job every day, there’s one investment you maybe haven’t considered.

We’re talking about the IBMA’s World of Bluegrass in Raleigh, North Carolina (September 27-October 1, 2016). Joining fellow industry professionals at World of Bluegrass could truly be the best investment in your busi-ness you will ever make.

Need more convincing? Here are the top six reasons World of Bluegrass is a worthwhile investment.

1. Increase Your Knowledge and Network at the IBMA Business Conference (Sept. 27-29).

Whether you’re a talent buyer, songwriter, festival producer, artist, publisher or even a legal professional, you’ll find seminars, workshops and networking opportunities that will equip you with the knowledge and tools you need. This year there will be an in-depth discussion with Sound Ex-change that could greatly impact your income level. Experts on streaming will share what you can’t even Google the answer to.

The conference also features focused content tracks for Talent Buyers, Songwriters (New!), and CLE Training. And while music can cure just about anything, it’d probably be a good idea to take advantage of the enhanced Health Fair, featuring free dental screenings, custom earplug fit-tings and more.

Back by popular demand will be the pop-up studio, DJ Taping Sessions, Agent Pitch Session, Gig Fair and

Song Critique Session. Plus, After-noon Showcases, networking recep-tions and happy hours (your best chances to rub elbows or swap Bill Monroe quotes).

You’ll have the good problem of an such an overflowing schedule and expanded contact list, that by the time Friday rolls around all you’ll want to do is, well, probably listen to more bluegrass.

Photo by Bluegrass Today


2. Face-to-Face Business and InteractionsPut the phone down. Come to the place where business is done - not Facebook, not FaceTime - but face-to-face. The World of Bluegrass Expo is a chance for business to be conducted in person. The best part? The Expo is broken out for more efficiency for vendors: The B2B Expo (Wednesday-Thursday), Wide Open Bluegrass Festival (Friday-Saturday), or full week (Wednesday-Saturday). Pick your best option and watch your business soar!

4. Witness Bluegrass History in PersonRemember the “speech heard ‘round the world” in 2013? Yeah, when Tony Rice spoke at the International Blue-grass Music Awards. Were you there in person? Would you like to have been? What about when Bill Keith accepted his Hall of Fame plaque in person, just weeks before he passed away, or when Alison Krauss inducted Larry Sparks into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame? Mo-ments like these only happen once in a lifetime, and they happen at the IBMA Awards. With affordable ticketing op-tions, your dream chance of seeing Del McCoury’s famous pomp up close in-creases exponentially! Be a part of the night where bluegrass stars trade their Levi’s for bow ties, and don’t miss the show on Thursday, September 29.

3. The Best in Bluegrass and Roots Music Showcases

The Bluegrass Ramble, September 27-29, is seven stages, 90 acts over three days, dominating downtown Raleigh. That’s a lot of set lists, jams, string changes, tune-ups and handshakes. The Bluegrass Ramble has consistently been the best way for bands to be discovered and for the talent buyers, agents, record labels, producers and fans to discover them. And while we are not ready to release the lineup yet, this year’s roster of official Bluegrass Ramble Showcase bands will be one of the best ever! Plus, it’s just a darn good time.

Photo by Alane Anno

WORLD OF BLuegRAss


Tickets and registration for IBMA Members will be on sale April 5, 2016 at 10 a.m. Central Time at www.ibma.org.

Tickets and registration for Non-IBMA Members will be on sale April 19, 2016 at 10 a.m. Central Time at www.ibma.org.

Forbes reported in January that Raleigh is considered one of the top cities in America to prosper in the next decade. Why? It has emerged as a tech hot-spot, according to the website article. But wait, why does that matter for you and bluegrass? Because you’ll see some of those tech experts sharing their know-how at the Business Conference. Like it or not, tech is changing the way busi-ness is done and you likely have a bit to learn, whether you write songs or run an association. Tech is titanic – make friends with the giants.

In 2015, Raleigh was named number two behind Austin, Texas on the list of top music cities besides Nashville by Music from the Row. The City of Oaks’ unabashed love of music permeates its venues. You can feel the music-loving vibes when you walk down Fayetteville Street. Fact: Good things happen when your livelihood is music and you spend some time in a town that loves music.

Whatever aspect of World of Bluegrass you gravitate toward the most, be confi-dent in the fact that being there will give you more opportunities to better your bluegrass business. The power of music has brought us all here, right now, read-ing this. What can the power of a confer-ence surrounding bluegrass music do for you? There’s only one way to find out.

5. We make it easy for you to support your fellow bluegrass music professionals. All you have to do is enjoy the best bluegrass on the planet!What only danced in our imaginations developed into reality in 2013, thanks to the help of our friends in Raleigh. Wide Open Bluegrass, presented by PNC Bank, is the urban bluegrass music festival that closes out World of Bluegrass week. The festival features the best in our traditional and acoustic music com-munity on the Red Hat Amphitheater Main Stage. In addition to the stellar ticketed main stage, the festival also includes a FREE street festival with five additional stages! All told, Wide Open Bluegrass boasts over 100 acts, ven-dors, workshops and so much more! Up to half of the net proceeds support the Bluegrass Trust Fund, a non-profit organization helping bluegrass professionals in times of need.

6. It’s in Raleigh, NC

Photo by Todd Gunsher

Photo by Todd Gunsher

http://www.ibma.org

http://www.ibma.org

http://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/morning_call/2016/01/forbes-raleigh-is-no-5-among-americas-next-boom.html

http://www.musicfromtherow.com/home/top-10-music-cities-other-than-nashville

https://www.pnc.com/en/

https://www.pnc.com/en/

http://www.wideopenbluegrass.com/

https://ibma.org/bluegrass-trust-fund


Organizational - $205/year

• up to 3 votes in IBMA awards process

• additional members at the rate of $65/individual/year

• 4 promotions per year through IBMA me-dia outlets

• recognition at World of Bluegrass

• priority access and discounts to World of Bluegrass tickets

• IB: International Bluegrass publication

• access to IBMA database lists

• instrument/health/event insurance

Individual - $75/year

• 1 vote in IBMA awards process





Grass Roots - $40/year



• IBMA email list

Become an IBMA Member and SAVE MONEY on World of Bluegrass!! by Leah James, Membership Services Director

The International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) offers different levels and categories of membership in order to fit the needs of its constituents. No matter what category you choose, as a member of the IBMA you can participate in and take advantage of many valuable member incentives. Your membership connects you to a bluegrass community that can aid you in reaching other bluegrass professionals, opportunities to expand your industry knowledge and much more!

The IBMA has been working to expand and enhance its membership offerings. Below are the different categories an individual can choose from, as well as some of the benefits that are included with each membership. Recently, we have made changes to the Organizational membership, as well as implemented a new College Student membership for college-age students 18-22. You can find more information about our membership levels on the IBMA website (ibma.org).

IBMA MeMBeRShIp LeveLS



College Student - $25/year






Youth - $15/year






Friends - $25/year

• IBMA email list


WORLD OF BLueGRASS in Raleigh, North CarolinaWorld of Bluegrass is the annual business conference and festival of the IBMA. This event offers unending opportunities for professionals to expand their network, learn the latest in industry practices, and discover new bluegrass music. This week in Raleigh includes the business conference, the IBMA Awards show, of-ficial showcases to introduce talent to the bluegrass community and much more.

This is an event you do not want to miss!!! Each level of membership, exclud-ing the Friends category, offers priority access and discounts to World of Blue-grass. Tickets will go on sale for IBMA members only April 5, 2016. There is a limited block of rooms available for mem-bers attending the conference; therefore, it is extremely important to get your con-ference tickets and hotel room booked as soon as the ticket window opens. Don’t wait! Join today and take advantage of all that IBMA has to offer!



Hello, fellow bluegrassers! My name is Jeremy Darrow, I am currently the chair for IBMA’s Education Committee. I’ve had the pleasure of serving on the commit-tee for four years, and this is my first full year as chair. As our name suggests, the Ed. Committee’s role is to spearhead the plan-ning and programming of most of the educational and professional development sessions during the World of Bluegrass business conference and Wide Open Blue-grass festival weekend events. With oversight by the IBMA Board of Directors, we work in conjunc-tion with the IBMA office staff, the Songwriters Committee, and the Talent Buyer Committee to put the offerings together and bring them to you.

I’m pleased to say that World of Bluegrass 2016 is shaping up to have one of the best sets of edu-cational and professional develop-ment sessions the event has ever offered. This year we’re going to draw extra focus to several “tracks” within the general work-shop and session offerings. This special emphasis will fall on topics of particular interest to new at-tendees, and talent buyers. These tracks have been knit into the of-ferings in years past, but for 2016 the schedule will be easier to inter-

pret so that attendees can quickly find these sessions amongst other events in the conference program. Also, the Songwriter’s track will re-turn, and so will the Continuing Le-gal Education Track (CLE), which offers professional development for law professionals. CLE was a popular new addition last year and we’re really pleased to offer it again. Specific offerings are still taking shape, but I’m very excited to share that we have already confirmed Linda Bloss-Baum from SoundExchange and Allen Bargfrede from Berklee’s Rethink Music Project as speakers.

Many bluegrass musicians are aware that our music receives most of its ‘airtime’ via satellite radio, but some may not be aware that satellite radio is also one of the most lucrative sources of air-play royalties for bluegrass artists. SoundExchange is the organiza-tion tasked with distributing those royalties. Linda Bloss-Baum will join us to explain how SoundEx-change works, and how artists and bands can take advantage of the service. Familiarity with SoundEx-change is crucial for all of today’s recording artists, particularly so for bluegrass artists. For artists who are not yet connected to SoundEx-change but are played on Sirius/XM, this session may literally re-

sult in leaving the session having found money they didn’t know was theirs!

There are few concrete answers to questions about music-streaming services like Spotify, but the more musicians can understand and make sense of what’s happening now, and what is likely to hap-pen in the future, the better. Allen Bargfrede, from Berklee’s Rethink Music Project, is one of the top au-thors and speakers on the topic of music streaming. I haven’t heard anyone else demystify stream-ing services, and the role they play in the rapidly changing music industry, as clearly and effectively as Mr. Bargfrede. Sitting in on the conversation will give attendees a much clearer idea of the issues and opportunities associated with this very new model of music delivery.

There is much more to come, and the Education Committee is work-ing hard to get all of it lined up. Please stay tuned for more news from IBMA regarding the offerings at World of Bluegrass and Wide Open Bluegrass. The 2016 conference and festival will be the best yet!

by Jeremy Darrow“Not Just Some Boring Classroom.”Education at IBMA’s Business Conference

HeADLiNe HeRe



sONgWRiteR tRACK

Publishing 101Hosted by song-plugger and publisher guru Sherrill Blackman of Nashville, Tennessee, he and his team will give you the skinny on the PROs, setting up your publishing company, basic licensing and more.

Turning Writer’s Block into a Stepping StoneBring along that song you’ve been working on for the last seven years and our panel will give you creative tips on how to break through, finish it up and write a bunch more.

Creating Well With OthersGet the skinny on how successful co-writing happens from the best in our industry. There’s more to it than making an appointment and a pot of coffee. This was such a popular session last year that we had to bring it back.

Writing For TV, Movies & TheaterAs writers of bluegrass music, we tend to think only in terms of having our tunes cut by bands. The legendary Si Kahn (“Aragon Mill”) is slated to head up this seminar and get you thinking bigger in terms of marketing your music.

Getting Cuts & Getting PaidSherrill Blackman and his team are back to go deeper into what you need to know about doing your own publishing, with tips on how to get your songs to the folks you’d like to hear them and what happens when those tunes are cut.

In addition to these seminars, we’re also offering the following events:

Song CritiquesBring a demo of your current “greatest hit” along with lyric sheets for our panel. Demos will be chosen at random as time allows; writers will remain anonymous. Our panel will give constructive critiques on composition and presentation.

Songwriter Meet & MingleThis is a great way to casually network with other writers, publishers, label owners, producers and artists. We had over 100 folks in atten-dance last year. Let’s triple it this year! Light refreshments and cash bar available.

We, your IBMA Songwriter Committee, are excited to announce the formation of the brand-spankin’ new Songwriter Track at the 2016 World of Bluegrass! The conference is packed with op-portunities for both newbie AND seasoned writ-ers to hone their craft while upping their music business game and showcasing new material.

Our seminar sessions are:

World of Bluegrass Songwriter Track by Songwriter Committee

Chair and Board of Directors Member-at-Large Becky Buller

2016



Songwriter ShowcaseSince 1999, the Songwriter Showcase has introduced many a killer new writing talent to our industry. Look for it on the workshop stage Thursday afternoon.

Song CirclesThese are low-key performance and net-working opportunities to meet potential co-writers and share what you’ve been working on. Each of our three Thursday afternoon circles will be hosted by a pair of our member writers.

Youth Council Room Songwriter WorkshopThis one is specifically for our ‘grassers who are under the age of 25. Look for it later in the week in our IBMA Youth Council room.

I look forward to seeing you all in Raleigh come September.

Becky BullerIBMA Songwriter Committee, chairIBMA Board of Directors

Photos by Daniel Boner


IBMA Songwriter Steve Bonafel takes SPBGMA

Congrats to IBMA songwriter Steve Bonafel, who walked away with Song of the Year honors at the 42nd Annual SPBGMA Awards for his self -penned composition “The Last Parade.” The awards ceremony took place on Feb 7th at the Sheraton Music City hotel, Nashville, Tennessee. The song was popularized by Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers, who released it as a single off their new album, Another Day from Life.

Since 2002, Steve has fronted his own band, Steve Bonafel and One Iota. Based in the northern Kentucky area, they perform and have recorded several of Steve’s originals. “The Last Parade” is based on a real life story that took place back in 2007. Steve had heard on the radio that a local family from Dayton, Kentucky, had lost their son, Army Sergeant Nicolas Carnes, in a firefight in Afghanistan. Steve actually knew Sergeant Carnes’ mother from back in his high school days.

“I heard the news they were bring-ing Sergeant Carnes home on Dixie Highway, in northern Kentucky, from the airport to the funeral home on a Saturday afternoon,” said Steve. “I wanted to go and just stand along the route to show respect, not wanting to invade the privacy of the family at the funeral. As I left my home, I looked at the big flag hanging off my front porch and took it with me. When I got down to Dixie Highway, I did not really expect many people, if any, to

be there. But much to my surprise, there were hundreds. When the police escort came through with the hearse and Carnes family, the restaurants and businesses emptied. People left their food on the table and cooks left their kitchens. I was greatly impressed by how much people still care. It turned out there were a lot of people with the same idea as me. People lined the street as though it was Memorial Day. There were many flags of all sizes. It was just a spontaneous show of appre-ciation for one family’s sacrifice.” Very moved by that experience, Bonafel decided to attend Sergeant Carnes’ funeral, scheduled to take place near his home that next week. The governor was there, and there was a flyover by some Army helicopters.

“I just watched from afar, and then somebody in the middle of the action near the family saw me and motioned for me to come closer,” remembers Bonafel. “It was my cousin. I did not know it, but he lived right next door to the family and Sergeant Nick Carnes was his best friend. He wanted me to stand with him, and he told me Nick’s story. After that, all I did was tell that story in this song. “The Last Parade” pretty much wrote itself, like one of those that just fall out of the sky. I kept the music very simple, quiet and low, as if we’re sitting in a living room with that grieving family, quietly trying to bring a small piece of comfort at a very bad time.”

Steve began singing “The Last Parade” for live audiences, and started getting standing ovations even before they finished the song. In 2009, One Iota recorded the song on its Anthem of a Family Tree album. In 2011, Steve was invited to the IBMA Songwriter Show-case to perform the song. He tried to pitch “The Last Parade” to a few coun-try artists and several bluegrass bands without success, being told by some that “war songs are not in style anymore.”

In March of 2014, Steve went to see Blue Highway perform in Ohio. Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers were opening the show.

“Joe saw me in the hall after the show and said he’d been listening to my CD, Dream Catcher from 2003, and he complimented me on my songwrit-ing, said Bonafel. “I was surprised he remembered me. Joe asked if I had anything new, as they needed one more song for their new album. I immediately thought of “The Last Parade” and e-mailed it to them. “I heard back right away that they re-ally liked and were cutting the song. Joe’s band did a great job! In May 2014, they released it as a single ahead of the CD and sang it at the Grand Ole Opry. They invited me to come, and I brought a guest - Wray Gene, the mother of the soldier for whom the song was writ-ten. Wray, the song and Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers got a standing ova-tion that night. It was a very spiritual moment that I will never forget.”

by Rick Lang“The Last Parade”withsong of the year

http://radioramblers.com/store.html

http://radioramblers.com/store.html

https://ibma.org/world-of-bluegrass/songwriter-track/songwriter-showcase-application-information

https://ibma.org/world-of-bluegrass/songwriter-track/songwriter-showcase-application-information

NeWs ReLeAse


That July, the song went to #3 on the Bluegrass Now radio chart, and in 2016, was nominated for the SPB-GMA Song of the Year, eventually winning the award.

“I went to the awards show just to watch, as it was Joe’s version and the band that was actually up for the award,” Bonafel recalled. “That night Joe couldn’t attend, but told me bandmate Jason Barie would be there. He then asked if I would go up with Jason if it won, and tell how the song came about. I did exactly that, and thanked the Lord and Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers for taking “The Last Parade” to a national audience. Joe’s band does a wonderful job with the song and has been very inclusive to me along the way. They’re good guys, I’m proud that they are the ones who took it and ran with it. I do take the greatest satisfaction from knowing the song ministers to those fami-lies who have sacrificed so much. It’s not the prettiest or most clever song I’ve written, but it has the most purpose.”

For his part, Mullins had this to say about his experience with “The Last Parade.”

“I had never actually heard Steve’s song until early 2014,” he said. “Our band was playing at a college in Ohio, and Steve Bonafel came to the show. I recognized him and we talked a second. I told Steve we were finishing a new CD, and to send me any songs for consideration. He sent a demo with just him and a guitar of “The Last Parade.” I was really moved by the mood and message

of the song, and it’s 100 per cent true. Steve told me the entire story of Sgt. Nicolas Carnes of Dayton, Kentucky. “We went to the studio immediately and recorded it. The song is not politi-cal at all; it’s just a story song honoring the life and sacrifice of a fallen hero. I tell audiences that it reminds us that freedom is not free and the spiritual

message is there, too. Greater love has no man than he lay down his life for his friends.

“Our band enjoys music with a message, and ‘The Last Parade’ has spoken to thousands of people. We are grateful the song has been memorable.”


by Ron Raxter

The revolution hitting the music industry challenges all blue-grass professionals with how to make a living when the financial structure around us feels like it is constantly changing. For the first time, last year IBMA World of Bluegrass offered sessions open to all WOB attendees that qualified as legal education for attorney-artists, yet was de-signed to provide information useful to any artist on strategies to deal with these challenges. For our second year of CLE (Continuing Legal Education), the attorney volunteers on the CLE Committee developed a program that provides advice on ways to fund your bluegrass career, presented by national legal experts in language that does not require you to be a lawyer.

There will be four one-hour ses-sions. We were blessed to be able to attract national expert speakers who have appeared at other conferences that cost far more than IBMA’s Business Conference. Among the pre-senters are:

Duke University law professor Jennifer Jenkins will discuss lawsuits over soundalikes. Lots of songs sound the same, but when do the similarities amount to copyright infringement? She will discuss the legal doctrines (some intuitive, some bizarre), and play lots of audio examples to illustrate the decisions so far.

Professor Jenkins is Director of Duke’s Center for the Study of the Public Domain. She leads the Center’s “Arts Project” which focuses on the protec-tion of intellectual property. She writes frequently on intellectual property issues, and has been quoted in The Economist, The New York Times, USA Today and NPR’s “Marketplace.”

National digital rights expert Evan Carroll will offer strate-gies for transferring your digital assets to your heirs or others. Many states are drafting new laws that address the owner-ship and transfer of digital property. His discussion will address how artists can protect the economic interest in their creative property under these new rules.

Caroll is the author of Your Digital Afterlife, and is a frequent speaker on the digital experi-ence. He has appeared on “CBS Sunday Morning,” NPR’s “Fresh Air,” The New York Times, The Atlantic, Popular Science and the PBS “Newshour.”

Hold What You GotThe 2016 CLE Sessions

Jennifer Jenkins Evan Carroll



Entertainment law bloggers David Oxenford and Coe Ramsey will discuss how the music licensing system is be-ing impacted by streaming, which is overtaking other forms of music consumption. How will artists get paid? How are the music industry battles for diminishing revenue streams being played out? This presen-tation will discuss the current state of play.

Oxenford is the author of the Broadcast Law Blog. He is a partner at the law firm of Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP, in its D.C. office. His regulatory expertise includes all areas of broadcast law, including ap-pearing regularly before the Federal Communications Com-mission.

Ramsey operates DJ Counsel.com, which has a focus on music copyright law. He is a

partner at Brooks Pierce in its Raleigh office. He is also an Adjunct Professor at Wake Forest Law School, where he teaches Entertainment Law and is a past Chair of the Sports and Entertainment Law Section of the North Carolina Bar Association.

Entertainment attorney and author Rob Monath will dis-cuss how to license and mon-etize creative property beyond just our music. Our songs and recordings are not the only creative property that can be protected. His presentation will highlight other creative prop-erty that can be used to fund a musical career.

Rob Monath is a Raleigh enter-tainment attorney whose prac-tice is devoted to the protection of intellectual property. He is the author of By the Book:

A Simple Copywriter Compli-ance Method for Musicians and Music Professionals, one of the leading guides in the field.

If making money by recording music in today’s music busi-ness has you concerned about paying for your future, plan to spend some time in beauti-ful downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, to attend the 2016 edition of the CLE sessions at the WOB Business Confer-ence. Hopefully, our national experts will help you identify ways to “hold what you got” and give you ideas on how to make money from the other things you do for your career.

Coe Ramsey David Oxenford

http://www.wbklaw.com/

http://counsel.com/

http://counsel.com/


The World of Bluegrass Talent Buyer Track is back for 2016! Get all the information you need, register for the conference and sign-up NOW for the Gig Fair and the new “Breakfast to Business” Agent Pitch Sessions!

Is the Talent Buyer Track right for me?If you are responsible for purchasing talent for concerts, festivals or live music events, then the answer is YES!

By participating in IBMA’s Talent Buyer Track, you will:

Register for the Business Confer-ence to take advantage

of some or all of the Talent Buyer Track. After you’ve registered, make sure you sign up for the Gig Fair on Tuesday (Note: new day of the week) and the “Breakfast to Business” Agent Pitch Sessions on Wednesday - spots fill up quickly!

Calling all talent buyersevent producers, arts presenters & promotersby IBMA Talent Buyer Committee & IBMA Board of Directors Member-at-Large William Lewis

• Discover the hottest new talent and catch some of the industry’s most decorated artists performing live at The Bluegrass Ramble and The Afternoon Showcases.

• Discuss and learn more about key issues & hot topics affecting the business of Event Production and Talent Buying at Ed-ucational Panels.

• Discover what’s new on bluegrass rosters around the globe during the “Breakfast to Business” Agent Pitch Sessions.

• Experience the thrill of The Gig Fair – the bluegrass equivalent of speed dating. Fast-paced, roundtable format, one-on-one appointments with emerging artists. A perennial favorite among participants, filled with new discoveries and lasting connections.

• Meet and Network with our industry’s top Agents in the relaxed, informal set-ting of the Agent-sponsored Happy Hour Reception.

AND! Don’t miss the Bluegrass Ramble Showcase - the

premiere event to see some of the best up-and-coming bands perform in venues around downtown Raleigh. A pass is included with a Business Conference registration.


IBMA Moment of the MonthJoe Craven Wows Leadership Bluegrass 2016 March 23, 2016 – BMI, Nashville, Tennessee

Photo by Shannon Turner

The LeADeRShIp BLueGRASS CLASS OF 2016 convened at BMI headquarters in Nashville March 21 – 23 for an epic three days of learn-ing, networking, camaraderie and of course, jamming. On Tuesday, March 22, musician and creativity educa-tor Joe Craven led the class in an exercise on “Intui-tive Improvisation.” Here, Joe is coach-ing Jocey Gold of Goldheart in the freeform style of feeling and ex-pressing music.

There will be much more about Leader-ship Bluegrass in next month’s issue!


I M P O R T A N T T I C K E T I N F O R M A T I O N :Tickets/Registration and Hotel Reservations will be available online at www.ibma.org beginning at 10 a.m. Central on April 5 for members only, April 19 for non-members. Tickets may also be purchased by calling 1-800-514-ETIX (3849)

The Raleigh Marriott City Center and Sheraton Raleigh are once again host hotels for IBMA’s World of Bluegrass. Discounted World of Bluegrass hotel reservations at the Marriott & Sheraton are contingent upon the purchase of a ticket/registration to at least one WOB event (excluding Bluegrass Ramble tickets). Other local hotels will be available for reservation without prior purchase.

The IBMA proudly presents World of Bluegrass, a multifaceted industry event and festival with scores of offerings for every bluegrass professional and fan! World of Bluegrass provides unmatched opportunities for expanding your professional networks, learning the latest in industry best practices and discovering the finest bluegrass music in the world! Explore the opportunities:

TICKETS ON SALE APRIL 5!A bluegrass experience like no other in the world!

Become a part of IBMA today at www.ibma.org for members’ access and discounts!

IBMA Business Conference (Sept. 27-29)Network, promote and discover the latest business trends in the bluegrass music industry

Bluegrass Ramble Showcase Series (Sept. 27-29)90 showcase acts on 7 stages

International Bluegrass Music Awards (Sept. 29)Recognizing outstanding achievements in bluegrass, featuring once-in-a-lifetime performances

Wide Open Bluegrass Festival (Sept. 30 – Oct. 1)The one-of-a-kind urban bluegrass music festival with the preeminent artists in bluegrass music

http://www.ibma.org

http://www.ibma.org


Susan AdamsBruce Beatus

Carl BoyceCindy BrossJim Burris

Duane EstepMollie Farr

William GibsonRobert Ireland

Deborah JacksonRenee Kendall

Alan Long

Arlene McCownDavid Miller

George NapierFrances PhillipsKaren Preddy

John SherwoodJames Wills

Peggy MearesRobert MearesMarsha Graham

Robyn Crisenbery

Mike AndersonAlan Dyer

Marcus HaynesMichelle HiserParks Icenhour

Gracie LoveJohn Moody

Ed NelsonGarrett NewtonDonna NewtonScott SeiersenRachel WhitneyOliver Apitius

…and a tremendously grateful welcome to our newest Lifetime member Sterling harrison for his devotion, dedication and loyalty to bluegrass

music and the IBMA. Welcome, Mr. Harrison!

If you are not yet a member of the IBMA, what are you waiting for?! Be a part of all that is great about bluegrass - yesterday, today and tomorrow. Visit www.ibma.org/membership, or call to speak with our Membership Services Director, Leah James, at 615-256-3222.

We’d like to welcome the following friends who joined the IBMA or renewed their memberships in March. They will each get a chance(s) to win the autographed Grammy-winning CD from The SteelDriv-ers, The Muscle Shoals Sessions.

If you didn’t get in on this particular contest, don’t worry – we’re gonna do more! Watch this space in upcoming issues to see how you might be a winner with IB: International Bluegrass!

Brad Bulla Mike Cloonan Eric Lindberg

Grass Roots Members

Organizational Members

IndividualMembers

neW KIDs on tHe BlocK

http://www.ibma.org/membership


On March 21 - 23, these 26 people from around the coun-try descended on BMI’s Nash-ville headquarters for three intense, focused, challenging days of activities, lectures and discussions about the present and future of bluegrass.

Leadership Bluegrass was un-derway!

But what is Leadership Blue-grass? Is it a class? A group? A program? Is it anything IBMA members should be interested in? What is it all about, exactly?

In the May issue of IB: International Bluegrass, we will take a look at the Leader-ship Bluegrass experience. We’ll get perspective from past graduates, newly-minted par-

ticipants, presenters, those who plan it, and the alumni who keep it alive long after gradu-ation. We’ll find out just why a Leadership Bluegrass seat is one of the most hotly-contested chairs in IBMA. And, we will find out what drove the 26 people in the photo above to this edge of composure!

Stay tuned!

Would you trust these people with the future of bluegrass music?

L E A D E R S H I P B L U E G R A S S

Photo by Riley Mathews

International Bluegrass: April 2016

Documents

Transcript of International Bluegrass: April 2016