Greetings from the IBMA World of Bluegrass in Raleigh, or whatever city this is (it's easy to feel disoriented during this week). A few years ago here, I wrote and recorded a song dealing with the number one problem facing
Author: Chris Jones
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From The Side of the Road… IBMA prep revisited
The IBMA World of Bluegrass is fast approaching, and there are lots of things to consider when preparing for this sometimes overwhelming event. Do you have enough business cards? Do you have any business cards at all? Do you have
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From The Side of the Road… more rejected IBMA seminar topics
This is a big month for lovers of bluegrass music. For one thing, it's Worldwide Bluegrass Month. If it interests you, it's also Falls Prevention Month (for the other 11 months, just go ahead and take as many spills as
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From The Side of the Road… I’ve written this song
I've had the honor of getting to be the curator for the Walnut Valley Festival's NewSong Showcase for the last few years, and I'm looking forward to MCing the winners' showcase at the festival in a week or so. I'm
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From The Side of the Road… what’s in a name?
In these polarized political times (please hold your comments), a new acronym has sprung up to describe politicians who don’t quite tow the party line: "RINO" and "DINO," short for "Republican In Name Only," or "Democrat In Name Only." This
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From The Side of the Road… top bluegrass exit strategies
Well, it's the heart of summer; it's extremely hot in many places, and our thoughts turn naturally to death. This may seem a little morbid, but this is a column about bluegrass music, after all. Aside from the moment when
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From The Side of the Road… I got this email, you see
Unless you’ve never given your email address out to a living soul (I'm starting to think this is a good idea), you've probably received some spam emails of some kind, representing some scam or another. Maybe you've almost fallen for
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From The Side of the Road… really dumb online bluegrass reviews
Do you read online customer reviews before going to restaurants or staying at hotels? As you may have discovered, it's best to judge based on several reviews, looking at the average impressions compared to the averages of your other choices.
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From The Side of the Road… “sweeps week” ideas for IBMA nominees
There's a period between after nominations are announced, and before final voting closes, when nominees become aware they may be being watched and/or listened to more closely. The stakes of what they do become just a little bit higher. Voting has
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From The Side of the Road… vocal tips from our avian pals
Have you ever played in a band with a lead singer who changes the way he or she sings in the presence of an attractive member of the audience, or what might be called a "potential mate?" You know what