Nancy Cardwell moves into representation

Jesse McReynoldsNancy Cardwell, former Executive Director of the International Bluegrass Music Association, has announced that she will be representing bluegrass legend, Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys, for dates in 2016, 2017, and beyond.

Jesse has been playing, writing, and singing bluegrass most of his life. With his brother Jim, they performed worldwide as Jim & Jesse, and have been Grand Ole Opry members since 1964. They’ve been inducted into almost every meaningful Hall of Fame for their illustrious career, including the IBMA’s and the National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship Award.

Since Jim’s passing in 2002, Jesse has continued to perform their music with the band, and at 86 years old, is still recording, working now on a new instrumental album that highlights his unique cross-picking mandolin style that has become a staple element of bluegrass music.

Jesse has been enjoying a resurgence in his lengthy career through being adopted by fans of more modern, alternative bluegrass, and the former dead heads who had passionately followed The Grateful Dead.

Working with BuckleDown Productions, Cardwell will also be offering booking representation for Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike and Ray Cardwell. BuckleDown is owned by Valerie along with J. Gregory Heineken. Valerie has been a prominent artist in bluegrass for many years, with a rich catalog of albums featuring her original music.

Following her many years of service to IBMA, where she she had previously served as interim Executive Director and Special Projects Director, Nancy says that she now relishes being able to divide her time among a variety of passions.

Nancy Cardwell“I am enjoying doing a combination of things these days—working on projects that I find interesting.

I work part-time for Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee as their Hispanic Community Consultant, I spend some hours each week at the BuckleDown Productions office working with Valerie Smith, and I still do a lot of freelance writing for Bluegrass Unlimited magazine. I’ll also be handling promotion for my brother’s new band when it gets up and rolling.

I’m thrilled to represent a diverse trio of bluegrass artists who have some important things in common: an innate talent for entertaining and capturing an audience’s heart, along with and original, creative streak a mile wide.”

Her brother is the aforementioned Ray Cardwell, who is returning to bluegrass after some time away. In the mid ’90s Ray performed as a member of New Tradition, and is currently recording a new album produced by Pat Flynn of New Grass Revival.

For information on dates for Jesse McReynolds, Valerie Smith, or Ray Cardwell, Nancy can be reached by phone (615-260-4807 or 931-389-0222) or by email.

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About the Author

John Lawless

John had served as primary author and editor for The Bluegrass Blog from its launch in 2006 until being folded into Bluegrass Today in September of 2011. He continues in that capacity here, managing a strong team of columnists and correspondents.