The Venue

In the same vein that “Man Bites Dog” is bigger news than “Dog Bites Man,” a soundtrack that eclipses its own blockbuster movie makes for better headlines. On February 28, a packed house at the Grand Ole Opry celebrated the 25th anniversary of O Brother, Where Art Thou? The impact of the movie’s music, however,…

40 Years of Bluegrass Music Advocacy Written By Pat J Ahrens and Larry Klein Photos by Staci Jones It’s been over 40 years since the late Bill Wells placed an advertisement in the South Carolina State Newspaper inviting local musicians to bring their instruments for a “Friday night bluegrass jam session.” Despite moving into “bluegrass country” in…

This sure is one high-octane, peak-performance musical experience. Carson Peters and Iron Mountain are firing on all cylinders, and what a joy it is to listen to all the gears turning together.  They manage to convey a friendly front porch pickin’ session feel while absolutely ripping along at top speed. Bonus points for picking out…

Nancy Cardwell is passing the baton for the IBMA Foundation. She has been a lifelong supporter, educator, and player of bluegrass music and is in no way losing her passion for the genre. After ten years, the IBMA Foundation Executive Director feels it is the right time for her to take another path in her…

Building Bridges Through Bluegrass Photos by Elliot Siff My journey began with a text from mandolin legend Christopher Henry: “Do you want to teach mandolin in Nepal?” I said yes. Less than a week later, I was on a plane headed for Kathmandu with my mandolin case in hand. It happened very fast for me…

A Bluegrass Adventure This is a story about how a two groups of young people learning to play bluegrass music connected across 2,003 miles to share 13 banjos, 4 mandolins, 6 guitars, and 20 fiddles. In September 2024, immediately after the IBMA Business Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina, the world was just beginning to hear…