The annual IBMA elections concluded recently with the addition of four new board members.

Only professional members vote in board elections. Elected representatives serve for a period of three years beginning with their installment on September 29, 2008.

Here are the four new board members, the constituency they represent, and a little background info about them.

Carl Jackson, an award-winning artist, songwriter and producer from Gallatin, Tennessee, was elected to represent artists and composers.

Ronnie McCoury, an award-winning artist, producer and member of the Del McCoury Band from Hendersonville, Tennessee was elected as an “at-large” representative for all members.

Cindy Baucom, from Elkin, North Carolina, is an award-winning broadcast personality who hosts the nationally syndicated program “Knee Deep in Bluegrass,” was elected to represent the broadcast media.

Craig Havighurst, an award-winning independent journalist, author and producer whose company (String Theory Media) is located in Nashville, Tennessee, was elected by IBMA’s print media and education members.

These new board members join the existing board members (replacing four who previously held these posts) to compose the 17 member policy-making, governing body of the organization.

The IBMA has announced that Cindy Baucom and Ned Luberecki will be the producers for the 2008 International Bluegrass Music Awards show. They will be tasked with coordinating the artists who will perform and the many presenters who will announce the awards at the gala awards show at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on October 2, 2008.

Both are experienced radio professionals - Ned with Sirius Bluegrass and Cindy with her syndicated show, Knee Deep In Bluegrass. Ned is also a touring musician, performing on banjo and serving as an instructor at banjo camps worldwide, and Cindy has worked in live event planning and production.

This annual awards show is the culminating event at the IBMA’s Business Conference, where performers and industry professionals are feted for their work by their peers in the business.

More details and ticket information can be found on the IBMA web site.

Festival season has officially begun and this last weekend saw bluegrass fans from all over converging on Farmington, NC for the 1st Annual FarmFest at Farmington Dragway.

Festival organizers tell me the event was a success and plans are already underway for next year.

The lineup for the festival was an impressive list of both regional and national bluegrass acts. Saturday night included a special All-Star Jam including Terry Baucom and Wes Golding, both of whom were members of Boone Creek when the debut album was released 30 years ago. Baucom and Golding were joined on stage by long time musical collaborator Lou Reid, and relative newcomer Josh Williams.

I wish I could have heard that! Cindy Baucom sent along this photo taken by Mike Lane.

Cindy Baucom is an award winning bluegrass radio personality. Her syndicated show, Knee-Deep In Bluegrass, is broadcast on radio stations around the country.

Recently the show added several new affiliates.

WXBC 104.3 FM, in Hardinsburg, KY is now airing the show every Saturday morning from 8 to 10 AM.

The show has also been picked up by WJLX and WJBE in Jasper, Alabama. WJLX 1240 AM and their sister station, WJBE, 88.5 FM, are both airing the program. Knee-Deep In Bluegrass has also been picked up by the American Bluegrass Network, a new offering on Live 365 internet radio.

These new additions come as Cindy comes to a milestone of 25 years of Bluegrass Radio programming. She first went on-the-air on her hometown radio station of WKSK, West Jefferson, NC in April of 1983, at the age of 17. Her after school job was producing and hosting a show called ‘The Bluegrass Spectacular’. That position turned into a full-time one upon her graduation from high school in June of 1983. After 4 and a half years on her hometown station, she moved to North Wilkesboro and took at position with WKBC FM and AM, serving as morning show host and producing a Bluegrass Show there called ‘The Bluegrass Breakdown’. By working in local radio in the Wilkes County area in the late 80’s, Cindy got in on the ground level of Merlefest involvement with radio interviews, promotion and emcee work. Cindy recalls, in the early days of Merlefest - then called the Merle Watson Memorial Festival - that Doc Watson would sit in on her show, performing live and talking about the festival. By the mid-90’s, Cindy took a position at 105.7 WFMX in Statesville, NC, where she remained until the start of her syndicated radio show, through Premiere Radio and John Boy & Billy, Inc. in 2003.

Cindy has related to me in the past her excitement on first seeing Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver perform live. She had played their music as a young DJ and was somewhat star-struck to meet them in person. Years later, she’s now married to original banjo player Terry Baucom. She was noticeably excited about her most recent Ebay acquisition.

Congratulations on 25 years of great radio Cindy!

Our friend Cindy Baucom wrote in to tell us about a new festival she’s a part of this year. The 1st Annual FarmFest will be held at the Farmington Dragway in Farmington, NC. The dates set for the festival are April 11-12.

The festival is more than just bluegrass music, it’s a celebration of traditions of the Carolinas. In addition to some great bluegrass music, there will be food, displays, a children’s area, craft show, merchandise vendors, open mic, jam sessions, camping and more.

The line up of bluegrass acts for the festival are:

• Steep Canyon Rangers
• Cadillac Sky
• Lou Reid and Carolina
• Kenny and Amanda Smith Band
• Carrie Hassler and Hard Rain

Besides all these great bluegrass groups, there will also be a special Allstar Bluegrass Super Jam featuring Terry Baucom and Special Guests-including Wes Golding, Josh Williams, Lou Reid, Wayne Winkle and more.

Tickets for the weekend, if purchased in advance, are $40.00. At the gate, the tickets will be $25.00 per day. Children 10 and under will be admitted FREE. Rough camping is available for $5.00 per day.

Tickets will be available at ETIX.com (not yet listed) and a number of businesses across the region

Vendor spaces cost $20.00 per day until 3/31/08, after 3/31/08 they will be $25. Vendor space includes one comp admission.

For additional information, call 1-800-891-0350, or visit farmfestnc.com

This Christmas post comes from Cindy and Terry Baucom, our favorite bluegrass power couple. Cindy is the host of Knee Deep In Bluegrass, syndicated to 70 radio stations in the US, and Terry is one of the most widely celebrated bluegrass banjo pickers in the world with a new instructional DVD released a few months ago.

Christmas time is one of the most favorite times of the year for Terry and me. Every year we enjoy watching holiday movies, listening to our favorite Christmas songs, shopping, decorating and spending time with those we love most.

Christmas Eve is spent with Terry’s family in Monroe, North Carolina. His mother is a wonderful cook. We enjoy all kinds of treats from her kitchen. Terry’s favorite, though, is the coconut cake she always makes from scratch. I enjoy hearing stories from Terry’s Father about their rabbit hunting when Terry was young…and the first Christmas he asked for banjo in 1962. Terry has two sisters, who join us, with their families for this annual get-together on Christmas Eve.

Terry and I exchange gifts late Christmas Eve. He tells me one of his most memorable gifts from me, was the guitar my Father built for him a few years ago. He also surprises me with some cool things, too, however, the most important thing to us is reflecting on our blessings of the past year and spending this special time together.

Christmas Day is spent with my family. I grew up in Ashe County, in the mountains of North Carolina. We always had a real Christmas Tree and a Christmas Play at Church. These days, Christmas Day is filled with a great meal with my children, Mom, Dad, Brothers, Aunt and Uncle. An afternoon ‘Christmas Jam’ always follows with Terry, Dad, my Brothers and myself. The kids spend the afternoon playing the latest video games on the XBox. We are truly blessed with family, friends, music and health.

To all our friends in Bluegrass, we wish to send out a special wish for the happiest of holidays. We look forward to an exciting 2008!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!!!

Over the weekend my wife and I had the good fortune to attend the Kenny & Amanda Smith Band concert at New River Community College in Dublin, VA. The show was presented by the college’s Fiddle, Banjo and Dance Club free of charge as part of their Christmas program.

I’ve got to give credit to all the band members for being such professionals. The sound was something less than desirable in the front of house, and I understand it was the same way in the monitors. The band pressed on though, and played a great set in spite of the poor environment they found themselves in. I know just how hard it is to play, let alone entertain, under such circumstances, but Kenny and Amanda delivered as fine a performance as one could hope for.

Their recent gospel album was just nominated for a Grammy and they performed a number of songs from that recording, along with some material from previous CDs.

And what a treat it is to see this band with Terry Baucom driving the 5! Cindy Baucom was also present for the evening and I enjoyed getting to visit with her.

My only complaint is that their set was to short, but what can you say when it’s free? As we were leaving though, the band treated us to an impromptu a cappella performance the entry way of the building. WOW!

This band is always entertaining, and getting to see them live just reinforces what you know after listening to their CD, these guys are good!

Here are a few more photos I took at the show.

Cindy Baucom has written in to let us know that she will, again this year, be doing a Knee-Deep In Bluegrass Holiday Show. Her husband, Terry Baucom will be joining her as a special co-host for the show, which will feature acoustic holiday music and interviews with many of the Baucom’s Bluegrass friends. They’ll be asking these bluegrass stars how they celebrate the holidays.

All regular affilate stations will receive this special holiday show automatically, but Cindy tells us that the show is also available to stations that don’t normally syndicate the show. Interested stations may request a copy of the Knee-Deep In Bluegrass Holiday Show by calling 800-891-0350.

For all you bluegrass fans in South Carolina, here’s a bit of good news. WLSC in Loris, SC (25 miles from Myrtle Beach) recently changed hands, and the new owners are friends of bluegrass music.

New studios are being constructed for the station, including a sound stage from which they can broadcast live performances. Plans are underway for the station to begin webcasting soon, and there is even talk of some cable television broadcasts originating from the station’s new studio.

The new owners are committed to including quality bluegrass programming in the station’s broadcast schedule, and to that end they have arranged to become the first station in South Carolina to carry the award winning, syndicated show, Knee-Deep In Bluegrass, hosted by Cindy Baucom.

I am happy to announce the addition of WLSC, Loris, South Carolina, to the network of stations airing “Knee-Deep In Bluegrass”. Currently there are 70 radio stations in 24 states airing “Knee-Deep In Bluegrass”. After 4 and half years of syndication, WLSC becomes the very first South Carolina affiliate station.

This should be good news for all those in Eastern South Carolina who previously had no bluegrass programming in their area.

To find a station in your area that carries the show, be sure to visit the Knee-Deep In Bluegrass Station Finder. If there isn’t a station in your area that carries the show, call and request that they do so.

Award-winning bluegrass power couple, Terry and Cindy Baucom, will both be interviewed over the next week on WorldWideBluegrass.com.

Later today, Cindy will join WWB station manager Gracie Muldoon at 1:30 p.m. to talk about her own bluegrass radio show, Knee Deep In Bluegrass, which airs weekly on more than 50 stations throughout the US. Cindy was named as the IBMA Broadcast Personality Of The Year in 2005.

Next Friday, September 7 at 1:30, Gracie will have Terry Baucom as her guest to discuss his new signature model banjo, made by Sullivan. He’ll probably also be talking about his soon-to-be-released instructional DVD for banjo.

Terry has been prominent in several of the most groundbreaking bands in bluegrass, being a founding member of Boone Creek, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver and IIIrd Tyme Out. He just recently left Doyle’s band after a return stint of more than 4 years.

Visit WorldWideBluegrass.com to hear both of the Baucoms with Gracie, where they stream bluegrass 24/7 online.

Cindy Baucom, host of Knee-Deep In Bluegrass, has just announced the addition of two new affiliate stations which are now carrying the show. WAYA 93.9 FM in Spring City, TN and WXLR 104.9 FM in Harold, KY have both added Knee-Deep In Bluegrass to their programing schedule.

Cindy’s show is a two-hour weekly syndicated show featuring both current and classic bluegrass, bluegrass news, and an in-depth artist interview each week. The wife of banjo great Terry Baucom, and an accomplished bass player in her own right, Cindy is knowledgeable and passionate about bluegrass music.

Knee-Deep In Bluegrass is produced by Premiere Radio Networks and distributed to more than 65 markets nationwide by the John Boy and Billy Radio Network. Stations interested in getting more information or a show demo may call the network at 800-891-0350.

Fans should be sure to visit the Knee-Deep In Bluegrass website to find an affiliate station in their local area.

This weekend’s Knee Deep In Bluegrass show with Cindy Baucom is, as one might expect, her annual Christmas edition. This year, the Christmas show will feature a very special co-host, Cindy’s husband, Terry Baucom, banjo man with Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver.

Cindy and Terry will spend the two hour program playing their favorite bluegrass Christmas music, and sharing Christmas memories with several of their friends in the world of bluegrass. Dropping in for the show will be Terry Eldridge, Molly Cherryholmes, Dee Sparks, Vince Gill and Sammy Shelor, among others.

The show airs in nearly 100 radio markets, and a list of affiliates can be found on the Knee Deep In Bluegrass web site if you want find out where to catch the show in your area.

Cindy Baucom, host of Knee-Deep In Bluegrass, has just announced the addition of two new radio affiliates - WBRF-FM, Galax, VA Blue Ridge Country and KQBR-FM, Lubbock, TX The Bear.

WBRF-FM has a long history of Bluegrass and Traditional Music support and programming. They will be airing Knee-Deep In Bluegrass each Tuesday evening from 6 until 8. The 100,000 watt station reaches into 4 states-Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina-and over 50 counties. For those outside the WBRF listening area, they are beginning webstreaming in the very near future. Check their website for more details at blueridgecountry98.com.

KQBR-FM is in the Clear Channel Family of Broadcast Stations, providing New and Classic Country Favorites to west Texas. Program Director, Kidd Manning said,

We enjoyed Cindy’s “Knee-Deep In Bluegrass” a lot and wanted to add it to our programming line-up.

For more information on the station you can visit kqbr.com.

This brings to 66 the total of radio stations across the country that currently air Knee-Deep In Bluegrass.

Episode #19 of The GrassCast features two interviews. One with banjo player Terry Baucom. Terry plays with Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver. The second interview is with Terry’s wife, Cindy Baucom. Cindy is the current IBMA Broadcast Personality of the Year. Her syndicated radio show is Knee Deep In Bluegrass.

This GrassCast is 15 minutes in length and the file download size is 14MB.

Listen now:
Direct Download: ep19_the_baucoms.mp3
Subscribe with:
Free Download: The GrassCast iPodder software

To subscribe with your own podcatching software, copy and past this url into the appropriate entry box in your software: http://www.thegrasscast.com/rss

This post is a contribution from Cindy Baucom. Cindy hosts the syndicated radio show Knee Deep In Bluegrass. She is also the IBMA 2005 Bluegrass Broadcaster of the Year.

Like so many others, I was very saddened by the passing of Louise Scruggs. Over the years, I have grown to truly appreciate the contributions she made to the advancement of the music. In November of last year, I had the opportunity to interview her husband, Earl Scruggs. He was quick to point out what Louise’s hard work and foresight had meant–not only to his career, but to Bluegrass overall. He told me when he and Lester Flatt left Bill Monroe, it was very important to Louise to get their music in high profile venues. He told me she worked really hard to get them in places where Bluegrass hadn’t been presented before. And the image of the music and musician was very important to her, as well. Louise Scruggs was an industry leader and will be greatly missed in the music world.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: Cindy sent along a brief audio clip from the Earl Scruggs interview she referenced above. It’s less than a minute in length, and you can play it by clicking on the audio player below.