New IBMA Foundation board member Trisha Tubbs—originally from Hawaii and a longtime resident of the Seattle area before moving to Arizona in recent years—has been involved in leadership roles in the bluegrass music community for more than 30 years. We are grateful for Trisha and John Tubbs’ support of the IBMA Foundation and are particularly glad to welcome her to the board.
Q. How did you get interested in bluegrass music, and what are your roles in the bluegrass music community at present?
A. I’ve always loved music since I was a child and have listened to a wide range of genres over the years. My husband, John, and I got into folk and Irish music in college, then discovered Doc Watson, Norman Blake, and bluegrass. We started out loving the music of the Country Gentlemen, the Seldom Scene, J. D. Crowe and the New South, and New Grass Revival. From that starting point we then discovered the whole world of bluegrass with Bill Monroe, Ralph Stanley, Hazel Dickens, the Osborne Brothers, Jimmy Martin, and many others.
After college, John, with a group of friends, started a bluegrass band. He ended up playing with many top regional bands in Pennsylvania and then Washington state for almost 40 years. For 15 years I took on the roles of agent, manager, and publicist for the bands he was in, and produced bluegrass concerts as additional venues for the bands.
My current roles in the bluegrass music community include:
• Producer of IBMA’s annual Momentum Awards
• Member of the core team that produces IBMA’s Industry and Distinguished Achievement Awards
• Committee member of the IBMA Foundation’s Arnold Shultz Fund’s Advisory Committee
• Regular columnist for the Washington Bluegrass Association’s Bluegrass Gazette
• Wintergrass Music Festival volunteer and sponsor/host of the annual Wintergrass Music Educator’s Meeting and Reception
Q. Why do you choose to support the IBMA Foundation, and why would you suggest others do so?
A. I’ve been a supporter of the IBMA Foundation and its mission ever since it was founded. I’ve been impressed with the variety of programs, projects, and scholarships that the Foundation has been supporting, especially in recent years as the amount of annual donations has increased.
In the past few years, under the leadership of Nancy Cardwell and Fred Bartenstein, I’ve been impressed with how well-run the Foundation is and how well the board has been managing the Foundation’s finances. That is one of the reasons I agreed to join the Foundation Board this past July.
I am passionate about bluegrass music and the amazing international bluegrass community; I want to see both thrive and grow, while continuing to honor bluegrass’ roots and legacy! If others share this passion, I highly encourage them to support the Foundation! It is a great way for people to create a bluegrass legacy and gives them a safe and effective way to leverage their donations to promote and preserve bluegrass in many different ways: scholarships and grants, instrument donations, educational programs, documentary films, historic preservation, cultural programs, international outreach, and programs promoting bluegrass in underserved communities.
Return to the November 2022 issue of The Cornerstone.
Photo above: Trisha Tubbs (photo by John Tubbs)
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