IBMA Announces Leadership Bluegrass Class of 2013

Nashville, TN -- The International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) is pleased to announce the participants of Leadership Bluegrass 2013. Leadership Bluegrass, now in its 14th year with more than 300 alumni, is an intensive, three-day program of interactive learning and networking experiences that invites participants to examine the challenges and opportunities facing our music, along with related leadership issues.

The Leadership Bluegrass program pulls together a cross section of people with exhibited or potential leadership qualities into a network of learning and communication. The results will foster a broad-based understanding of the total needs of the bluegrass community, which will help participants better prepare to determine the goals of the particular organization, company or group in which they choose to serve.

The selection process for Leadership Bluegrass is competitive, with more applicants than there are positions available. While the application or recommendation does not guarantee a position in the class, IBMA does guarantee that everyone who applies will be given an equal opportunity. Enrollment and participation in Leadership Bluegrass is voluntary and a new class is selected each year. All class members are expected to bear the expense of any travel and/or lodging during the program as well as pay a class participation fee. A limited number of partial scholarships are available to qualified applicants.

Participants in the 2013 Class of Leadership Bluegrass:

• Darin Aldridge; Darin and Brooke Aldridge; Cherryville, NC
• Melissa Armstrong; Detour; Sand Lake, MI
• Andrea Ball; Make Welcome Entertainment; Washington, DC
• Katherine Coe; IBMA; Nashville, TN
• Jeremy Darrow; The Erin McDermott Band/Freelance Musician; Nashville, TN
• John DeMarce; DC Bluegrass Union; Washington, DC
• Susie Glaze; Hilonesome Music, Susie Glaze & the Hilonesome Band; Burbank, CA
• KC Groves; Artist & Composer; Lyons, CO
• Kayla Hotte; Kayla Hotte & her Rodeo Pals; Ardrossan, Alberta, CA
• Caroline Isachsen; Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival; Delmar, NY
• Steven Johnson; MerleFest; Wilkesboro, NC
• Lori King; Bluegrass Music Association of Iowa; Drakesville, IA
• Jordan Laney; Appalachian State University; Vilas, NC
• Ron Murphy; Muddy River Band; Wilmington, OH
• Amy Reitnouer; The Bluegrass Situation; Los Angeles, CA
• Carolyn Routh; Nu-Blu; Siler City, NC
• Sheila Selby; Boston Bluegrass Union; Brookline, MA
• Carly Smith; International Bluegrass Music Museum; Owensboro, KY
• Erin Stamper; WAMU’s Bluegrass Country; Washington, DC
• Shannon Turner; Freelance writer/journalist; Hermitage, TN
• Missy Werner; The Missy Werner Band; Liberty Township, OH
• Jill Wiese; Bluegrass Association of North Dakota; Washburn, ND
• Kristi Wilcox; Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP; Nashville, TN
• Courtney Wothen; PineCone – The Piedmont Council of Traditional Music; Raleigh, NC

Leadership Bluegrass will be hosted this year at BMI and Bone McAllester Norton, PLLC in Nashville, Thursday – Saturday, March 7-9 and will be facilitated by Trisha Tubbs. Our Platinum Sponsors this year include BMI; The Bluegrass Heritage Foundation and Bone McAllester Norton LLC. Please contact the IBMA office for information on future Leadership Bluegrass programs: (615) 256-3222, nancyc@ibma.org.; Make Welcome Entertainment; Washington, DC