When the Board of Directors of the International Bluegrass Music Association meets next week in Nashville, three new Directors will be seated. They were elected in a special election to fill the seats of Board members who resigned late last year.
Chosen by the members as new Directors:
- Junior Williams – Junior will fill the Artists & Composers seat vacated by Tim Surrett when Tim was elevated to Vice Chair. His term expires this Fall. He is the banjo player with NewTown.
- Bob Webster – Bob takes the Broadcast Media seat vacated by David Smith’s resignation. He is a longtime bluegrass radio host, with more than 10 years at WAMU’s Bluegrass Country, now broadcasting weekly for Rockingham County Radio in North Carolina. His term expires in the Fall of 2017.
- Mike Drudge – Mike was elected to the Agents, Managers & Publicists seat vacated by Brian Smith’s resignation. He is the principal agent at Class Act Entertainment, a well-established Nashville agency booking bluegrass and Americana acts. His term will expire this Fall.
Board Chair Jon Weisberger said that he and the rest of the Board welcome the new members, and appreciate their willingness to attend next week’s meeting with relatively short notice.
And don’t forget the debut performance of the IBMA Board Band, next Monday at The Station Inn. If you’re in Nashville, be sure to stop in to see Alan Bartram, Becky Buller, Danny Clark, John Goad, Stephen Mougin, Joe Mullins, Tim Surrett, and Jon Weisberger jamming on stage. Other special guests may appear as well, and one doubts that they could keep Jr. Williams off that stage.
The show is scheduled for 5:30-7:30 p.m. (CDT) on May 11, and all proceeds from the $12 admission fee will go to support the IBMA Youth Council. This is an officially-sanctioned IBMA agency but which receives only very limited funding. Their mission is generic outreach to young pickers and fans, and they assist in organizing youth-oriented events for World of Bluegrass week in Raleigh.
It should be a loose, jammy atmosphere, and loads of fun for all involved.
