Thanks to Nancy Cardwell for giving me her space this month to speak to the IBMA Foundation’s many friends and supporters. At the end of June I will end my term on the board and as chair/president of this fine organization. It was in 1956 that I first heard bluegrass on the radio (it was called “mountain music” then). That started a lifelong passion for me, and a place in a treasured community. I’ve played the music, collected recordings, emceed and managed early festivals, edited a bluegrass magazine, and studied and taught about bluegrass and related musics. I consider my eight-and-a-half years of service with the IBMA Foundation the capstone of my bluegrass career. With our beloved executive director, talented and committed board members, and generous donors and volunteers, we’ve brought this organization from a good idea to a real force in the bluegrass world. At this writing, we have surpassed a half-million dollars in assets, and that’s still only the beginning. Next year, our budget calls for the IBMA Foundation to spend more than $80,000 in grants, scholarships, and educational programs; it won’t surprise me if that ends up more than $100,000. It feels good to do good, and that’s what the Foundation is all about—ensuring a bright future for bluegrass. Congratulations to Trisha Tubbs, who will succeed me in the role of board chair. I look forward to more great news from the Foundation as I join you, cheering from the sidelines!
RETURN to the June 2024 issue of The Cornerstone.
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