It’s almost the fourth of July here in the U.S. as we pause at the Ferris wheel top of summer heat—a time to enjoy homegrown tomatoes and the height of the bluegrass festival season. July 1 is also the beginning of a new fiscal year for the IBMA Foundation.
This issue will introduce new board members Katy Daley, Susan Newberry, and Matthew Royles. As we welcome these three, we also salute outgoing board members Richard Brown, Becky Buller, and Ruth McLain, who have each served nine years on the board as of June 30, 2025. McLain was the secretary of the IBMA Foundation for all three of her three-year terms. Fortunately for the Foundation, all three outgoing members will remain involved with the Arnold Shultz Fund Committee and college scholarship review committees!
Also included in this issue: news about scholarship and grant award announcements in August; the Bluegrass College Band Showcase line-up at World of Bluegrass; and reports from Uganda, China, and Idaho from recipients of the Arnold Shultz Fund grant, the Fletcher Bright Memorial Grant for Young Musicians, and the Terry Baucom Bluegrass Education Grant.
Be sure to check out the photos and videos! The Beck siblings were thrilled to meet one of their bluegrass heroes, Becky Buller, while studying fiddle, guitar, and mandolin at the Idaho Bluegrass Camp they attended with Baucom and Bright grant assistance. One of Eric Shi’s educational videos from China features an original song, and the other combines Mongolian (Tuvan) throat singing with driving banjo and mandolin—not something one hears every day! The videos from Michael Stein’s bluegrass program in Uganda spotlight students learning “Old Joe Clark” on fiddle and guitar.
Isn’t it amazing how the joy of bluegrass music is being shared around the world—from Idaho, Kenya, and China to a local jam session or festival near your own home? Thanks to each of you who are doing your part to keep bluegrass music alive and thriving for future generations to play and enjoy!
Return to the July 2025 issue of The Cornerstone.
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