5th Biennial Music2Life Songwriting Contest

Musician Activists are invited to submit songs of social and political significance to the 5th biennial Music2Life Songwriting Contest. Winners will perform at the Kerrville Folk Festival in Texas, be connected to relevant, nonprofit causes and qualify for stipends, receive a 1,000 CD package and $1500 donation to charity of choice.
New this year – the Music2Life Fellows program is a highly competitive award that offers select Musician Activitsts a stipend of up to $5,000 to apply their music to an issue of social concern.  Fellows and their projects are also filmed as part of our documentary series on how music makes change.  Apply through the Music2Life Songwriting Contest.

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IBMA Announces International Bluegrass Music Award Nominees

Nashville, TN- IBMA is proud to announce the nominees for the 20th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards, hosted by Grammy^®-winning country artist Kathy Mattea and the legendary bluegrass band, Hot Rize, on Thursday, October 1, 2009, at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee.

Two decades after the very first IBMA Award Show–an intimate industry gathering at the Executive Inn’s Showroom Lounge in Owensboro, Kentucky, hosted by Vince Gill and the Dirt Band’s John McEuen–bluegrass music’s premier night continues to be the most anticipated evening of the year. Now a generation away from that first show, the bluegrass tradition of passing the music on from one generation to the next also continues, evidenced by the six bands nominated for Entertainer of the Year in 2009. All have gained valuable experience as journeymen musicians with established artists in the past, and have now become the band leaders and musical stylists who will inspire future generations.

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Kathy Mattea and Hot Rize to Host 20th International Bluegrass Music Awards

Nashville, TN- Grammy^®-winning country artist Kathy Mattea and the legendary bluegrass band, Hot Rize will co-host the 20^th annual International Bluegrass Music Awards on Thursday, October 1, at 7:30 p.m. at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium.

According to show co-producer Cindy Baucom, “Kathy Mattea and Hot Rize are a perfect fit as our hosts.  With their long musical history, the chemistry between them gives us the elements for a fun show.”

The members of Hot Rize have a long association with IBMA. In fact, they took home the Entertainer of the Year trophy at the very first International Bluegrass Music Awards in 1990. Pete “Dr. Banjo” Wernick served as president of IBMA from 1986-2001. Tim O’Brien, who followed as president from 2001-2004, was also named Male Vocalist of the Year in 1993 and 2006. Bryan Sutton received the IBMA award for Guitar Player of the Year in 2000, and then every year from 2003-2006. The entire group, including bass player/ renowned public radio etown host Nick Forster, took top honors for Song of the Year in 1991, for their performance of “Colleen Malone.”

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1st Annual Mountain Aid Festival to Fight Against Mountaintop Removal and Promote Clean Energy in NC June 19 & 20

Kathy Mattea

Kathy Mattea, Ben Sollee, and Donna the Buffalo to headline festival held at Shakori Hills

Pittsboro, NC – Spending a summer weekend listening to music will help to ensure a safe school for hundreds of children.  How?  The Mountain Aid concert June 19-20, 2009 at Shakori Hills Farm in Chatham County, NC benefits Pennies of Promise, a grassroots campaign to construct a new building for Marsh Fork Elementary School in West Virginia.

Tucked into the heart of Appalachia, Marsh Fork Elementary sits in the shadow of a Mountain Top Removal coal mine, just 225 feet from the coal silo and 400 yards downstream from a leaking dam holding back nearly three billion gallons of toxic sludge.  Independent tests prove coal dust contaminates Marsh Fork Elementary, a direct threat to the children’s respiratory health.  Grandfather Ed Wiley began Pennies of Promise after his granddaughter got sick and West Virginia leaders told him the state could not afford a new school in a safer location.  The goal?  Raise eight million dollars and create a healthy future for the children of Appalachia. That’s where Mountain Aid comes in.

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Best Traditional Folk Album Grammy Poll: Results

Here are the results to our Grammy poll for Best Traditional Folk Album. Voting took place from January 5th through January 11th.

Field 14 — Folk, Category 68
Best Traditional Folk Album (Vocal or Instrumental.)

Who should win the Grammy?

• 33% “Coal” Kathy Mattea [Captain Potato Records]
• 33% “At 89″ Pete Seeger [Appleseed Recordings]
• 22% “Comedians & Angels” Tom Paxton [Appleseed Recordings]
• 11% “Strangers in Another Country” Rosalie Sorrels [Red House Records]
• 0% “Bring Me Home” Peggy Seeger [Appleseed Recordings]

Who WILL win the Grammy?

• 86% “At 89″ Pete Seeger [Appleseed Recordings]
• 14% “Comedians & Angels” Tom Paxton [Appleseed Recordings]
• 0% “Bring Me Home” Peggy Seeger [Appleseed Recordings]
• 0% “Coal” Kathy Mattea [Captain Potato Records]
• 0 % “Strangers in Another Country” Rosalie Sorrels [Red House Records]

Thanks for voting. Try our next poll: Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album.

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Best Traditional Folk Album Grammy Poll

Field 14 — Folk, Category 68
Best Traditional Folk Album (Vocal or Instrumental.)

• “Coal” Kathy Mattea [Captain Potato Records]
• “Comedians & Angels” Tom Paxton [Appleseed Recordings]
• “Bring Me Home” Peggy Seeger [Appleseed Recordings]
• “At 89″ Pete Seeger [Appleseed Recordings]
• “Strangers in Another Country” Rosalie Sorrels [Red House Records]

Vote for your Grammy favorite…

And make a prediction…

January 12: Voting has closed for this poll. See the results.

We’ll run this poll for a week, then do other Grammy categories. Results will be posted each Monday when the next poll starts.

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