Last year we dedicated a good many pixels to a film project called Generation Bluegrass. It was the brainchild of Corey Smith, an 18 year old filmmaker and bluegrass guitarist. His idea was to highlight some of the stellar young musicians about to break out in the bluegrass world, and demonstrate the appeal the music holds for younger folks – in their own words and music.
And it seems to have been prophetic. Two of the acts profiled in the film, The Church Sisters and The Snyder Family, have since made significant career gains, and seemed poised to leave a mark in the music business. Savannah and Samantha Church, set to turn 18 later this year, have been turning heads on the country and Gospel music scenes, while Zeb and Samantha Snyder (18 and 14) will be featured on the upcoming Adam Steffey album, and have a new record of their own on the way.
Generation Bluegrass was screened during World of Bluegrass 2012, and generated quite a bit of buzz in the biz.
Just one year later, Smith is working on a follow-up entitled Generation Bluegrass 2: The Grass Roots Up. Like the first project, Corey has the help of Zeb Snyder as assistant director.
But unlike the first one, he doesn’t plan to try and finance it himself from the money he earns with The Smith Family Band. Corey said that they turned a profit on Generation Bluegrass, selling copies on DVD, but has decided to go the crowd sourcing route for volume two. He and Zeb are hoping to raise $5000 through Indiegogo to finish the work on GB2.
Smith shared a few thoughts about this new effort, along with the video appeal he created for Indiegogo.
“I am very excited about Generation Bluegrass 2, mainly because its a new video project with new artists and new songs, but also because of the slightly different focus than the last film. We are really focusing on the ‘grass roots’ of bluegrass and the Irish influence in the bluegrass genre. We are bringing in a band that has mastered Irish music and is incorporating it into their bluegrass.
But we aren’t stopping at the roots, we are also bringing in some more contemporary young bluegrass artists to show how far the music has come, and what each generation brings to the plate to develop bluegrass music.
This film is for all ages; the young and the old will enjoy seeing these youth musicians playing together at a professional level.
We hope this film will not only provide quality entertainment, but will encourage aspiring bluegrass musicians.”
Featured in Volume 2 are The Willis Clan, Lonesome Meadow, and The Meyer Family Bluegrass Band, along with Cory Piatt, Jonah Horton, Gavin Largent, Brandy Miller, Matt Love, Zeb and Samantha Snyder, and Jacob Burleson.
This strikes us as a very worthy project, and can assure anyone considering a donation that the final product will be something you can be proud to support.
To make a pledge, visit the GB2 page at Indiegogo.
You can read our review of the first film here at Bluegrass Today.
