NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, May 2 – The International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) announces its 30 Official Showcase Artists for the Bluegrass Ramble, the IBMA’s innovative showcase series which will take place at select venues throughout downtown Raleigh, North Carolina September 25-27. The Bluegrass Ramble is one element of the IBMA’s World of Bluegrass 2018 event, September 25-29.
The following artists were selected by the IBMA Showcase Selection Committee as Bluegrass Ramble Official Showcase artists:
Amanda Cook – Jay, Florida
Appalachian Road Show – Ellijay, Georgia
Ashleigh Caudill – Nashville, Tennessee
Bill and the Belles – Johnson City, Tennessee
Cedar Hill – Hillsboro, Missouri
Charm City Junction – Baltimore, Maryland
Circus No. 9 – Johnson City, Tennessee
Colebrook Road – Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
David Davis & The Warrior River Boys – Cullman, Alabama
Davidson Brothers – Bendigo, Victoria (Australia)
Flats and Sharps – Brighton, Cornwall (United Kingdom)
Hawktail – Nashville, Tennessee
Jeff Scroggins & Colorado – Parker, Colorado
JigJam – Fermoy, Cork (Ireland)
John Reischman and the Jaybirds – New Westminster, British Columbia (Canada)
Kim Robins and 40 Years Late – Bloomington, Indiana
Kristi Stanley & Running Blind – Coeburn, VA
Lonesome Ace Stringband – Toronto, Ontario (Canada)
Man About a Horse – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Missy Raines – Nashville, Tennessee
Rebekah Long – Nashville, Tennessee
Special Consensus – Oak Lawn, Illinois
The Band of Kelleys – Spring Hill, Tennessee
The Barefoot Movement – Hendersonville, Tennessee
The Honey Dewdrops – Baltimore, Maryland
The Jakob’s Ferry Stragglers – Stockdale, Pennsylvania
The Plate Scrapers – Hagerstown, Maryland
The Trailblazers – Mount Ulla, North Carolina
The Wooks – Lexington, Kentucky
Wood & Wire – Dripping Springs, Texas
These artists were selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants from all over the world, with the goal of presenting the broad spectrum of styles, regions and personalities who represent bluegrass today. Each act will perform at least two times over the course of the three-night Bluegrass Ramble event, at one of five downtown Raleigh clubs plus the Raleigh Convention Center, providing multiple opportunities to see each act.
“Each year, there is a great deal of anticipation to learn who was selected as Official Showcase Bands for the upcoming World of Bluegrass out of an incredibly competitive field,” said IBMA Executive Director Paul Schiminger. “Once again, the Showcase Selection Committee faced difficult decisions but did a terrific job. It is fun to see a mixture of well-established bands with new material along with bands who are achieving success in the earlier stages of their careers. There is no better opportunity for talent buyers and other industry professionals to connect with new music and new talent than the showcases at IBMA’s Business Conference and Bluegrass Ramble!”
Access to Bluegrass Ramble shows is included with an IBMA Business Conference registration. Those not attending the conference may purchase a full-access wristband to all Ramble venues for $75.00 or a single-day wristband for $30.00 on the World of Bluegrass website. Members of the IBMA receive a discount on regular registration fees. Early Bird registration for the Business Conference is just $225 for IBMA members and $265 for non-members. Conference attendees have until May 31 to take advantage of ALL that the Business Conference has to offer at this discounted rate.
The Bluegrass Ramble showcases will be held in the following venues:
The Architect Bar & Social House
Kings
Lincoln Theatre
Pour House Music Hall
Vintage Church
Raleigh Convention Center
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More info about World of Bluegrass and the Wide Open Festival
IBMA’s World of Bluegrass, whose principal sponsor is Chiesi USA, is a five-day annual bluegrass music homecoming and convention. World of Bluegrass encompasses four events: the IBMA Business Conference, September 26-28; the Bluegrass Ramble, an innovative series of showcases, taking place September 26-28 in downtown Raleigh and at the Raleigh Convention Center; the 28th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards, scheduled for Thursday evening, September 28; and PNC presents Wide Open Bluegrass, September 29-30, a two-day festival. The ticketed Wide Open Main Stage features the best of the best in bluegrass today, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Bluegrass Trust Fund, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that assists bluegrass professionals during financial emergencies. The free Wide Open StreetFest brings bluegrass into the community and introduces the music to thousands of new fans every year.
The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau reported that last year’s World of Bluegrass events generated $11.7 million in direct visitor spending for that region, with total attendance for the week’s activities estimated to be a record-breaking 221,000 people. Over 220 acts performed throughout the entire week of World of Bluegrass.
As in years past, events during World of Bluegrass will take place at the Raleigh Convention Center, the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, the Red Hat Amphitheater and at various venues in town.
About Chiesi USA
Chiesi USA, Inc. is a specialty pharmaceutical company committed to research, development, and commercialization of innovative products in the areas of cardiovascular, neonatology, respiratory, rare disease and special care therapeutics. Our primary focus is on people: the people we serve in the healthcare community; the people whose lives are touched by our products and services; and the people who work at Chiesi USA, as they strive to build their company, their family and their community. Chiesi USA, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A.
About IBMA
IBMA – the International Bluegrass Music Association – is the nonprofit professional organization for the global bluegrass music community. The organization’s six-year run in Raleigh is the product of their successful partnership with The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau, The Raleigh Convention Center, PineCone—The Piedmont Council of Traditional Music, the City of Raleigh and a local organizing committee.
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