NIBGA Board meeting minutes March 21, 2010

March 21, 2010

The February meeting of the Northern Indiana Bluegrass Association was held at the South West Conservation Club, 5703 Bluffton Rd., Fort Wayne, IN. (260) 747-4677 beginning at 1:00 P.M.

The meeting was called to order by President Jim Winger.

Officers present were: Pres. Jim Winger, V. Pres. Joe Steiner, Treasurer Linda Winger, Secretary Barbara Collins, Board Directors – T.J. Collins, Joe Wyandt, & Paul Saurborn.

Board Officer – Pam Keiper was in attendance by conference call. Jeanette Young – Vendor Chair was present. Chris Cooperrider – Taxi Chair was also present. There were 3 other members present.

Minutes of the February meeting was sent by E-Mail to all officers soon after the March meeting.

Paul Saurborn motioned to accept. Joe Steiner second. All accept. Motion carried.

February Financial Reports sent by E-Mail to officers from Treasurer Linda Winger. Finances were reviewed at the meeting.

Joe Wyandt motioned to accept. Paul Saurborn second. All accept. Motion carried.

                                               INFORMATION ITEMS     

Dues Reminder --- Dues are $5.00 for single, $10.00 for family until April 30, 2010.

   New and Renewal memberships for 2010/2011 are $10.00 single, $15.00 for families. New dues run from May 1, 2010 to April 30, 2011.

The jobless rate is still high in Noble County, Indiana

News Sun will provide NIBGA with 2,000 copies of the insert for the spring festival with the program in it.

Dennis Narkter = News Sun usually adds to the Friday entertainment page listings about a month before the festival event.

                                      OLD BUSINESS

TABLE:   How many port-a-jons

TABLE:   Settle on how many golf carts at April 18^th meeting.

501c3 Investigation – Jim W. & Chris C.

      A lawyer friend of Jims spoke with a corporate attorney at his firm and they can help with the switch to the 501c3. They would need the application along with a $900 retainer.

NIBGA will be a International Bluegrass Music Association sponsor for the 2010 World Convention in Nashville, Tennessee next fall.  Joe Steiner reports.

New fair grounds contract for 2011 / 2014. Jim Winger reports. No contract received yet.

Sleeping in the barns. No response yet from Don Moore. (second request)

2010 NIBGA T-Shirts. Linda Winger showed two designs she has been working on. One she named “Main Street’. The other ‘Rainbow’s End”. The final design will be presented at the April meeting.

Chris Cooperrider reported that she has not been able to confirm any extended workshops yet. She has had some offers to help.

Joe Steiner – Band Chairman. Joe reviewed the final band list and reports show all bands hired, and scheduling is complete. New fliers for Spring/Memorial Day festival are printed and being circulated. Bands need to be picked and matched with Host for meals. Volunteers to host a meal can still be accepted.

Mosquito spraying - Board voted to pay for spraying at the fair grounds in the Spring and Fall. The city of Kendallville is not able to afford the bill so NIBGA will be paying for the chemical. The city will be using their equipment to do the spraying. Jim will find out from Don Moore what the next step is.

Paul Saurborn motioned to pay for the Mosquito spray. Joe Steiner second. All agree. Motion carried.

Notify Bands that there will be two tickets per member at the gate. They need to sign for their tickets. Joe Steiner – Band Chairman.

TABLE:  Electronic sign that Noble Co. Fair board is considering until new contract is signed.

Vendor Chair – Jeanette Young has been working on vendors for the spring festival. She is getting calls from people wanting to sell a variety of items. Some food vendors and some non-food items. Some items considering are: Hand made hats, jewelry, Quilts, Framed pictures, Soy Candles.

Some for sure vendors are: Roger Shultz strings (Sandy will be selling), Lemon shake-ups, funnel cakes, Jones music stand, the Lions Club food stand and several others.

The yard sale will be allowed again up until noon on Friday of the concert.

                                                                    NEW BUSINESS

Coffee houses are not interested in having bands but will put up fliers.

It was decided that large road signs are to expensive. Run about $600 for a month. Chris will investigate the smaller signs.

Possible places to place ads: What’s Up?, Senior Life.

Summary of meeting with John Bry, NCCVB:

       Discussion on Dusenberg Drags event coming to Kendallville Labor Day Weekend.

       April visit date from National Director of Route 6 Tourist Association

       Bus tour companies

       Include us in ad work for ‘See Ya There, Guest Quest, and Indiana Toll Road. (Where to go in Indiana. Paid for by Ads.)

       Savor Indiana TV show new Indiana Lakes Guide for Noble county + Bar-b-que cook off.

John will get updates our “what to do” information on the web.

Jim Egoff, owner of Backstage Promotions will do the posters this year.

Expenses for a taxi phone for Chris Cooperrider for Thursday to Sunday approved.  Since after 9p & weekends are free, there may not be any expense.

Paul Saurborn motioned to pay for the phone minutes. Pam Keiper second. All approve. Motion carried.

Joe Wyandt motioned to adjourn the meeting. Paul Saurborn second.

President calls the meeting adjourned at 2:50 P.M.

             Secretary – Barbara Collins

                                    Next NIBGA meeting is April 18^th, 2010 at Noon

Update from Danny Bryant

Hello all my Kendallville friends this is Danny Bryant.

I'd like to send out a note for all to check out our web site for our schedule so you can come and visit with us for some down home Bluegrass. I'd also like to invite you to our facebook, which is under my name and our myspace.

We are playing a few places in the area, April 23rd at the Kentuckians of Michigan, May 1st is a special night we are at the Elks in Findlay, Ohio for a benefit for our Veterans for Honor Flight and then May 7th at the Maumee Theater in Maumee, Ohio with Valerie Smith and Liberty Pike.

Things are going great for the band and we're still working of finishing our first CD.

We are also introducing 2 new members Dave Riffle on banjo and Gil Evans on the Upright bass. Mary has taken over a lot of vocal responsibilities and I couldn't be happier.

By the way Mary is about to add a junior member to her family, she is due to have a baby on May 22nd.

Be safe and enjoy life,
Danny

Dyer Switch Band update

Hi NIBGA,

This is JoAnn from the Dyer Switch Band.  We have played at your festival once or twice before and we have had such a good time making new friends there we would love to come again.  We have accumulated an extensive fan database from our trips to Indiana, Illinois and Ohio and are looking forward to adding to it.  I would like to start talking with you all about coming out to play for you folks in 2011.  I realize it's too early yet to book for 2011, we're just touching base with old friends.  We hope you'll keep us in mind for future festivals and shows. 

Our latest singles "Just Can't Stay" and "You Say You Love Me" have been played on many stations in the Midwest.  Please call your local radio station to request a tune from Dyer Switch.  Also, please check out our website at www.dyerswitch.com and our face book where you can view video clips. 

I'm not sure if this is Joe's email address.  If it's not, could you please forward it to me.  

Many thanks, 

JoAnn

Fike Brothers in Auburn, IN

This came in too late for the newsletter.



03/26/2010 Fike Brothers, 7:30-9:30p The Cupbearer Coffee House, 531 North Grandstaff Drive, Auburn, IN 46706 260-925-8466

Claude "Red" Leroy Ovenden

Claude "Red" Leroy Ovenden, 1-18-32 3-6-10, passed away due to complications from multiple myeloma. He and Shirley enjoyed 58 years together. Red and Shirley owned Town and Country Appliance for 26 years, serving Lansing, MI and the surrounding areas.

Red's love besides Shirley, was his music. From the guitar to the fiddle, to the steel guitar. Playing country and bluegrass was his passion. For the last eight years Bluegrass Festivals were where you found Red and Shirley.

(Red could usually be found with the "Down Yonders" up on Michigan hill at Kendallville. J.W.)

NIBGA membership city map

Where are the NIBGA members cities located? This site has all of our members. For some reason it showed some locations as outside the US and it miscalculated the AK person.

There is one pin regardless the number of members in that city.

Activities at the festival for “non-musical” members

Would you like to see additional activities at the festival for “non-musical” members of your family?  I’m trying to come up with some ideas for additional activities for children and spouses.  General areas include:

1. Children's activities, such as Ultimate Frisbee Challenge, volleyball, organized games and activities.
2. "Non-musical Spouse" activities, such as organized sessions on various topics, a "tea party" lounge area for sharing crafts, etc., a book swap, dancing/clogging lessons, etc.
3. Music for Non-musician workshops, etc.

I could sure use people that would like to get together and share ideas, and possibly be in charge of a particular area or event.

1. Want to host an hour or two of a tea party? 
2. How about share how to do your favorite craft? 
3. Maybe lend your teenager to instruct youngsters on the fine art of kazoo for a hobo band or supervise a volleyball game?

You get the idea....

I need people to be on the planning committee, people to demonstrate crafts, supervise games/activities, teach instruments to rank beginners, and I need IDEAS.  I can be reached via email at cooperrider@yahoo.com, phone at 419-721-8016 (after 9 p.m. only, please!), or mail at C. Cooperrider, 253 Madison Ave., Findlay, OH  45840.   

If you think these activities would be worthwhile, please let me know.  Without support, it can’t happen. 

Chris Cooperrider

Scotty Smith & Twenty-Three on Utube

This site (click here) has several videos of Twenty-Three taken at a recent performance at the Foundry in South Haven, MI.

Twenty-Three is a band that is based out of Niles, MI, but the players come from both Michigan and Indiana.

Kentucky's Bluegrass Music book released

The Bluegrass Blog highlighted the new book Kentucky’s Bluegrass Music, which features more than 200 images of bluegrass’ most famous and not-so-famous practitioners. Be sure to click through to view pictures of young, mustachioed Ricky Skaggs with Jerry Douglas in the band Boone Creek, an adolescent Chris Thile taking a lesson from Bill Monroe, and Marty Stuart as a youngster performing with Lester Flatt.

Jayco beefing up production

On March 3, 2010, Jayco announced that it will be hiring back workers and reopening one of its plants. Back in November, Jayco rehired 130 workers at its Middlebury plant. On Wednesday we learned that Starcraft RV -- a division of Jayco -- will resume production in Topeka in May.

That plant has been closed since January of last year, but now 50 jobs will be created as production of one Starcraft model moves to Topeka. Over time, it is expected that all Starcraft production will be back in LaGrange County.

(Bluegrass festivals generally have a lot of campers so improvement in the RV industry is important. In Northern Indiana, the RV industry hiring means more folks working and lower unemployment, good news for our Kendallville, IN festivals. J.W.)

April 17, 2010 Benefit Concert in Franklin, Indiana

Bean Blossom Jamboree Foundation Announces
April 17, 2010 Benefit Concert in Franklin, Indiana

Indianapolis, IN (March 4, 2010):  The Bean Blossom Jamboree Foundation has announced the details of the upcoming BBJF Bluegrass Benefit Concert to be held April 17, 2010 from 3:00 pm - 10:00 p.m. at the Historic Artcraft Theatre located in Franklin, Indiana.  The concert includes performances by acclaimed bluegrass veteran and Rounder Recording artist, Charlie Sizemore with his band; Jett’s Creek, a national touring act based in Ohio; plus local favorites, New Harmony, Birch Creek, and Sugar Creek.  Tickets prices are: $20, $10 (ages 6-12) and free (under the age of 6) and can be purchased in advance or the day of the show at the Artcraft Theatre.  

All proceeds from the event will go to the Bean Blossom Jamboree Foundation – a non profit foundation formed with the intent to purchase the Bill Monroe Memorial Music Park and Campground located in Bean Blossom, Indiana and help preserve the park’s numerous music festivals and traditions.  Bluegrass music fans around the world, even those who have never been to the park, appreciate the significant role this historic landmark continues to play in the evolution of Bluegrass music.  All proceeds from this event will go toward purchasing the music park.

MBOTMA winter concert March 4-7, 2010

Plymouth, MN will host the annual Winter Bluegrass Festival this weekend, drawing musicians from throughout the Upper Midwest.

They'll be pickin' in the halls and grinnin' all over the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center this weekend as more than 50 bluegrass bands, amateur and professional alike, descend on Plymouth for the annual Winter Bluegrass Weekend.

The event, organized by the Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association on the first weekend of March each year, attracts several thousand music fans who come to enjoy a break from the winter doldrums in the form of a three-day indoor music and dance festival.

Ah, we so bad wanted to go but it is a 600 mile drive. (J.W.)

Rounder Records at 40

The Wall Street Journal highlights Ken Irwin and Rounder Records success in the recording industry on March 3, 2010.

Airing on PBS stations this month (beginning Saturday) is Rounder Records 40th Anniversary Concert, a celebration of the storied and thriving Massachusetts-based independent music label. Artists performing range from bluegrass superstars Alison Krauss and Union Station to New Orleans soul queen Irma Thomas, singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter, rocking actress Minnie Driver, multigenre banjo virtuoso Béla Fleck and Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas. They're all on the Rounder label—in some cases, for decades. (A companion CD with additional performances included is being released Wednesday, and an extended DVD on May 4.)

Read the full article on the WSJ web page.

Joe Mullins signs with Rebel Records

Wednesday, March 3, 2010 – Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers, led by the founder of Traditional Grass two decades ago, is back with a new album on Rebel Records, the label announced today. The band's first project for the label, "Rambler's Call," will be out March 30 with a mix of old and new songs done in traditional bluegrass style.

A native of southwestern Ohio and son of bluegrass DJ, fiddler and pioneer Paul "Moon" Mullins, Mullins founded Traditional Grass, a band which recorded four albums for the label in the early 1990s. His new group has been together since 2006 with Adam McIntosh on guitar and vocals, Evan McGregor on fiddle, Mike Terry on mandolin and vocals and Tim Kidd on bass.

I've Heard Worse - Kent Roe CD

At the January NIBGA meeting Kent handed me his latest CD. On the way home we played it. Wow is an understatement. His banjo picking is the cleanest we have ever heard. Each note rings true and crisp. Although the songs are mostly traditional he makes them sound new. Each song has multiple solos with the banjo not repeating the previous break. Just for good measure Kent slips in doublets and triples tastefully throughout.

Unlike some artist, Kent does not try to play at break neck speed but plays such that the melody rings clear and the listener is not overwhelmed by a flurry of notes. This doesn't mean each tune is the same pace. Each tune gets the proper rhythm that seems to be "just right."

Playing his banjo is what you mostly see Kent doing but on this album he also plays guitar backup and occasional break. He demonstrates on the guitar the same clean picking that he does on the banjo.

Just when you think that all the tunes are worn traditionals, he delicately plays Paganini's Caprice #21, a song that is usually played on a violin or cello. A search of Google could not find any others playing this song on a banjo.

Nine of the 10 songs are instrumentals but Kent shows his versatility by singing Take Me Back to Tulsa.

Others on this find album are 15 year old Caleb Cobb on fiddle who won the Arkansas state championship when he was only 13. His brother 13 year old Samuel Cobb is on mandolin. The Cobb Brothers play regularly at the Ozark Folk Center, Cash's White River Hoedown, Silver Dollar City and many other bluegrass venues around Arkansas. The Cobb Brothers are also state and national clogging champions. Gresham McMillon, an artist who also plays at the Ozark Folk Center, is on the dog house bass.

The CD was recorded at Fiddleworks Recording Studio, Mountain View, AK.
Kent regularly attends the winter NIBGA meetings and the Tri-State festivals in Kendallville, IN. For banjo lessons, bookings or CDs call 260-489-4204.

In last months NIBGA newsletter his number was incorrectly published. The correct number for Kent is 260-489-4204

Tracks:
1 Breakin' It Down
2 Gal I Left Behind
3 Eighth Of January
4 Turkey In The Straw
5 Red Haired Boy
6 Paganini's Caprice #24
7 June Apple
8 Take Me Back To Tulsa
9 Snow Deer
10 Farewell Blues

Thank you for the get well cards

Jim;
Could you print a thank you to the members for the cards they sent me?  I would like to express a sincere and appreciative thank you to one and all who sent cards during my recent surgery and recuperation. The cards meant a lot to me and family.  

Again. Thanks so much, 

Joe Wyandt
NIBGA Director


(Joe had a cancerous growth removed in February and is cancer free.)