The International Bluegrass Music Association has announced that Pete Fisher, Vice President and General manager of The Grand Ole Opry, will deliver the keynote address during their 2009 World Of Bluegrass conference in Nashville this fall.

Fisher had worked in both artist management and music publishing before joining the Opry team in 1999. He has also served on the board of NARAS (The Recording Academy – formerly the National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences) and is a current board member of both the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.

As Opry GM, Fisher manages the operations of the Opry House in northeast Nashville, including it’s thrice-weekly live shows, radio and television broadcasts and various private events on site.

His address will be delivered on the opening night of the IBMA conference, Monday September 28, just prior to that evening’s music showcases.

The Grascals will have two spots in the national media this weekend.

Tonight (1/9), they will appear on the Friday Grand Ole Opry during the 10:00-10:30 p.m. segment.

The Friday Opry show is available over the air on WSM AM 650, on XM channel 11 (XM Nashville), and simulcast worldwide via online streaming at wsmonline.com.

On Saturday (1/10), look for them again on CMT. They will be featured on the CMT Insider show at 1:30 p.m. to talk about their recording session with Hank Williams Jr.

CMT sent their cameras into the studio and caught interviews with Hank Jr. and the Grascals. From what we have learned, those sessions went quite well and there is some talk about future collaboration between the two.

This edition of Insider will also air on Sunday (1/11) at 11:00 a.m. (EST).

Our own intrepid correspondent, Richard Thompson [bluegrassmercury], has arrived in Nashville from the UK to attend the IBMA convention next week. This is his first trip to IBMA in 20 years, and we thought that his impressions and considerations would be of interest both to others who are likewise preparing to attend, and our many readers who would love be there but are unable to do so.

bluegrassmercury – Travelogue #2
by Richard F Thompson

We had the pleasure of attending the Grand Ole Opry last night (9/27). I say we, my wife Karen will probably get many mentions over the next week or so; she’s my trusty photographer.

It was my third visit to the Opry, if my memory serves me correctly and Karen’s second experience of the show.

The format never changes; it’s an institution and it works, so why fix it! It is a superb variety show with entertainment for very nearly all tastes. For those that don’t know, each artist is limited to one or two songs on his or her portion of the show, which for this particular evening, was split into four parts, each half an hour long.

There was a good mix of ladies of country music – I mean real country music.

The still beautiful Connie Smith demonstrated why Dolly Parton rates her among the top three female singers in any genre, telling me that she Never Once Stopped Loving You. The feeling’s mutual Connie! Marty, you are one very fortunate fellow.

Canadian Terri Clarke has a rare empathy with an audience and won more favor with a very good version of Loretta Lynn’s first recorded song Honky Tonk Girl. Karen was thrilled by that. And Suzy Bogguss reminded us that the art of yodeling is still alive and well.

Little Jimmy Dickens was in good wise-cracking form and reminded us of his abilities as great ballad singer, even at 87 years of age or thereabouts. In contrast the portly Jack Greene looked as though age had caught up with him a few years ago.

There were four bluegrass acts this evening; Jesse McReynolds and the Virginia Boys, who performed just one song; I’ll Love Nobody But You. He was accompanied by his granddaughter, Amanda Lynne and grandson Garrett (guitar), both singing harmony, and an ever-smiling legend, Jim Buchanan on fiddle, Terry Lease (banjo) and Matthew Madden (upright bass). Jesse still has nimble fingers. (more…)

The Grand Ole Opry is taking on a bluegrass flavor this weekend as the World Of Bluegrass prepares to descend on Nashville.

Tonight’s Friday Opry (9/26) will feature Del McCoury, Ricky Skaggs, The Whites, Grascals and Jesse McReynolds.

On Saturday night, they’ll have Del, Ricky and The Whites again along with Bobby Osborne and The Carolina Chocolate Drops.

The Friday Opry is broadcast from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m. (EST) and the Saturday show runs from 8:30 p.m. until 12:30 a.m. Both shows are available over the air in the Nashville market on WSM AM 650, on XM channel 11 (XM Nashville), and simulcast worldwide via online streaming at wsmonline.com.

Our Richard Thompson will be at The Opry tonight, so perhaps we will have a report from him tomorrow.