Author: Matt Merta/Mitch Matthews

Musician and writer (both song and print) for over 30 years. Primarily interested in roots music (Americana, bluegrass, blues, folk). Current contributing writer for Fiddler Magazine, previous work with Metro Times (Detroit), Ann Arbor Paper and Real Detroit Weekly, as well as other various music and military publications. As songwriter, won the 2015 Chris Austin Songwriting Contest (Bluegrass Category, "Something About A Train," co-written with Dawn Kenney and David Morris) as well as having work performed on NPR and nominated for numerous Detroit Music Awards.

Categories
Bluegrass Music

Tidbits: Garcia, Ellis, SEMBMA, Circle TV, YouTube

Hey! Remember back on May 16, 2020 when my blog was about how the IBMA refuses to recognize Jerry Garcia as a viable influencer on bluegrass music (https://luegra.design.blog/2020/05/16/why-wont-the-ibma-recognize-jerry-garcia/)? WELL! It seems that this year’s World of Bluegrass virtual conference is having a presentation on Jerry and his work with the bluegrass music industry. Hmmm, I wonder where they got that idea from. Anyway, here’s a link to the description in the schedule: https://worldofbluegrass.org/schedule2020/ . It will be on October 1 at 11:00 am. I’m not expecting a thank you from IBMA, if you want to know.

Last Saturday the Southeast Michigan Bluegrass Music Association had its annual Hall of Honor ceremony. I was proud to see that Marvin “Red” Ellis was inducted. I wrote about him in a previous blog (https://luegra.design.blog/2020/03/15/red-ellis-and-the-forgotten-history-of-michigan-bluegrass/), and will continue to research the history of bluegrass music in the Detroit area. On a related note, there was a good article on the Miller Brothers in the September 2020 issue of Bluegrass Unlimited. The Miller Brothers were originally from Kentucky, lived for a while in Indiana, them moved up to the Detroit area for auto factory work. While in Michigan, they recorded a few bluegrass albums in the early 1970s. They are definitely a group that I hope to research more for the SEMBMA Hall of Honor.

Speaking of SEMBMA, the Association is now awarding scholarships to youth 13-18 years of age who are interested in pursuing further education with bluegrass music. The scholarships will be paid directly to the instructor/institution, and lessons can be in-person, over the internet, or some form of video. Students can be studying a stringed instrument (guitar, bass, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, dobro, autoharp) or studying vocals. For more information on the scholarships and to secure an application form, go to http://www.smbluegrass.org . Submission deadline is January 1, 2021 and may require a personal interview of the applicants by SEMBMA board members and/or the scholarship committee.

Late to the Party Department: I just discovered that Circle TV (www.circleplus.com) is available in my area over the air (I don’t have cable, and my mom’s cable service sucks to say the least). I don’t watch television much, maybe an hour a day, but now that I can watch Circle, I may make use of it since the pandemic still won’t let us go to see live music. I get to watch the Opry on Saturday night (although host Bobby Bones irritates the crap out of me), reruns of Hee Haw and The Beverly Hillbillies, some Ditty TV programs, Daily & Vincent, and even some CMA songwriter programs. Pass me the Doritos!

YouTube fiddle lessons videos: I may have mentioned FiddleHed here before, but if not, I highly recommend checking him out, even if you don’t play fiddle. I have an article on him for Fiddler magazine coming up in the Winter 20/21 issue. I bring him up because he is one of the few that actually “teach” the tunes. I recently did a search for fiddle instruction for the Bill Monroe song “Uncle Pen.” A lot of videos came up, but most of them were hardly instructional. They are usually just a camera pointed at the fingerboard during the “lesson,” and no slow downs or explanation of what the fingering is. That is not instruction, that is just showing off that you can do the lick. Thank you again, FiddleHed!

Chew on it and comment.

Categories
Bluegrass Music

We Need a New or Updated Bluegrass History Book

I’m big on updates. Every time I read a book or watch a documentary that overviews a subject and I see that the copyright date being over a decade old, I’m griping that there needs to be an update. Call me a curmudgeon.

My latest update concern is a book on bluegrass music, especially its history and current situation. There really has not been an authoritative book on bluegrass in decades (there have been some book published within the past few years, which I will discuss later). The two bluegrass bibles that most people look to as far as history, artist profiles, and essential recordings are Bluegrass: A History by Neil Rosenberg and America’s Music – Bluegrass: A History of Bluegrass Music in the Worlds of Its Pioneers by Barry Willis. There are other books, but none covered the bluegrass scene like these two. Unfortunately, they were both published in the 1980s, and have not seen any updating (Rosenberg’s book was given a new preface on its 20th anniversary reprint, and Willis’ book saw a second edition in 1992).

I lent out my copy of the Rosenberg book years ago and haven’t seen it since. I still have my copy of Willis’ book, which I picked up for $4.99 when Border’s was going out of business. To give you an idea how much these texts are still valued, a web search shows that a used copy of the Willis book goes for $50.00 and up. The Rosenberg book can still be had for a reasonable price used (around $15.00).

Reading the Willis book is incredibly enjoyable. There are lots of direct quotes from first- and second-generation pickers, which give it that down-home family feel. However, the first generation is all but gone, and second-generation bluegrass musicians are disappearing quickly as well. The scene has changed, and we need to have colloquial conversations with the newer players.

This is not to say that nothing good has been published since the 1990s. In 2004, two great books on bluegrass were put out: The Bluegrass Reader, edited by Thomas Goldsmith, and Homegrown Music: Discovering Bluegrass by Stephanie Ledgin. Both books take a good look at the music format, with Goldsmith compiling a number of insightful interviews with bluegrass personalities, and Ledgin giving a brief overview of styles, instruments and performers, as well as extensive appendices of resources.

However, both of these books are now 16 years old, and a lot has happened in bluegrass since the. Ledgin spotlights an 11-year-old Sierra Hull, who is now 28 years old, a graduate of Berklee, and has a number of albums and awards under her belt. There is a need for some coverage of the most recent generation of bluegrass artists such as Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle, and Sarah Jarosz to name a few. Nickel Creek was getting some notice back then, but now all three members have tons of achievements on their resumes.

I think about all of the bands that have had an impact in the past decade and a half. Some have come and gone, while others still carry on. Bands like Della Mae, Mile Twelve, Flatt Lonesome, Sideline, and the Becky Buller Band are the tip of the iceberg. While Ledgin has a large list of resources in the appendices, many of these publications and companies listed are no longer in business.

Yes, an updated almanac on bluegrass music is needed in order to keep the attention of the younger generation interested in the genre while still holding on to the older fans. While the music continues to move forward, it also needs to have excellent representation with its history and archival notes.

Short note: Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, fiddler for the bluegrass band Mile Twelve, has recently put out a solo album entitled Fiddler’s Pastime. This is one of the best fiddle albums that I have heard in a while. It goes beyond bluegrass. If you want to hear some tasteful fiddling, consider picking up this disc.

Chew on it and comment.

Categories
Bluegrass Music

The Sir Walter Raleigh Statue and Why I Left the IBMA

I was recently scanning the articles on the Bluegrass Today website and came up on the following op-ed from former International Bluegrass Music Association employee Abby Lee Hood:

Time for IBMA to retire Sir Walter Raleigh as a symbol for World of Bluegrass?

I recommend a full reading of it, but in short, Hood suggests that the IBMA stop using the statue of Sir Walter Raleigh as part of its World of Bluegrass advertising representation. The image is of the statue of Raleigh (namesake for the city in which WOB is held yearly) with a banjo slung over his shoulder. Cute, funny, eye-catching. But Hood thinks that the use of Sir Raleigh is offensive since he had reportedly murdered native Americans while attempting to colonize early America for the English.

Of course, the comments to her editorial were about 90% against. Most people saying what I stated in the previous paragraph and that bluegrass music should not get involved with politics.

Well my friends, it is much too late for that. It is about time I talk about why I resigned from Leadership Bluegrass and no longer am a member of the IBMA (which I have hinted at in previous blogs).

I was a member of Leadership Bluegrass Class of 2014. I met some fantastic people there in the bluegrass music industry, many of whom with which I still stay in contact. Our chat group was continually discussing concerns about promoting various aspects of the music. Then around 2017, things started to change. The California Bluegrass Association participated in a gay pride parade with a float that had IBMA signage on it. This was never approved by the IBMA, but the executive director (Paul Schiminger) and the board did nothing to prevent it or reprimand the party. Soon after, there was praise on the chat group for this person taking that initiative. Then, there was a debate regarding boycotting the WOB at Raleigh because of North Carolina’s stance on transgender people using the bathrooms of their choice. This was obviously a few vocal people speaking for themselves and not the membership, which is very family-oriented and ripe with Christian values. Those vocal members also made it a point that if anyone had a dissenting opinion, they were considered bigoted and should not be heard from (sound familiar?).

I decided that it was at the point that I should resign from Leadership Bluegrass, since it seemed that the direction of LBG (as well as the IBMA in general) was straying away from the association’s Mission Statement: “The IBMA is the non-profit music association that connects, educates, and empowers bluegrass professionals and enthusiasts, honoring tradition and encouraging innovation in the bluegrass community worldwide.” I sent in my LBG membership identification materials to the IBMA office with my letter of intent.

I received a phone call from Mr. Schiminger a few days later, and we had a productive discussion on the matter. However, my mind did not change, and I did not renew my IBMA membership when it became due later that year. I also discussed this with one of my songwriting partners, which did not change my mind either.

As the years have rolled on, I have noticed that the IBMA has taken a stronger political stance (leaning left), and seem to be negligent of understanding the values held by a large contingent (probably a large majority) of the membership. Recently, the IBMA was supportive of the Black Lives Matter movement (go to that organization’s website to read about its Marxist agenda) by participating in a Blackout Tuesday with its website. Yet they have never spoken about the vandalizing of the Bill Monroe statue that stood in front of the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, which was done by the BLM protesters back in June.

Former IBMA employee Abby Lee Hood has been a voice in the leftist protests (check her Twitter account). She worked for the association for a few months in 2019, yet her influence has had an impact on Mr. Schiminger, the current staff, and the board members. The thought of promoting bluegrass music in the community has become secondary to the appeasing of the left. It has only been in the last two years that “Diversity and Inclusiveness” has been added it the Values section. The IBMA doesn’t want to offend anyone that is so easily offended and will resort to violence if their demands are not met.

What do I see in IBMA’s future? Well, just like every other association surrendering to the Woke generation, there will need to be a certain ratio of minority and gender-based members on the board, with no concern of their expertise in the bluegrass music industry, but only to make sure that those lifestyles are represented. Perhaps for the yearly awards given out, the removal of the Gospel Recording of the Year replaced with, say, Inspirational Recording of the Year, so as to appease the non-Christians and atheists. We may even see a removal of all images and references to Bill Monroe. Yes, he is considered the Father of Bluegrass Music, but he also participated in comedy routines early in his career that consisted of blackface performers. Think about it.

Part of this left-move by the IBMA is the fault of the membership. Most do not really care about politics, as long as the WOB presents a lot of great bluegrass talent during the fan fair days in Raleigh. It is about time the membership take a look at what the IBMA does with the money it gets from its members. There are a lot of great programs that the association has continually presented. However, some are becoming political and PC-correct so as not to offend the few that are vocal.

I suggest that if you are a IBMA member, then you should thoroughly read the associations’s website (http://www.ibma.org), closely examine what the association does in comparison to the Mission Statement, and if you are confused or have concerns, then contact the IBMA office or one of the board members. It it their job to listen to your concerns.

Chew on it and comment.

Categories
Bluegrass Music

More on the IBMA World of Bluegrass (and a short note on Tex)

The list of performers for the IBMA World of Bluegrass fan fair this year has been set, and all of the performances will be streamed online. You can go to www.ibma.org for the list.

According to what IBMA Executive Director Paul Schiminger states, many of these performances have already been filmed. So, one will be watching a “live” performance that is not actually live. I can understand some of the reasoning for this, specifically that no one can trust the streaming online, with possible freeze-ups and blackouts. Well, that is what you can expect when a lot of people will be watching it online for free.

Free? Well, according to the press release, all of the viewing of performances are free IF you have a Swapcard. Trying to find out what Swapcard truly does is like doing a scavenger hunt. Swapcard is some business headquartered in France that allows a person to attend scheduled conferences and events through its app. Some things are free, like networking with other Swapcard members, but there is a $7.00 surcharge for attending other online events. That’s about all that I found out on the surface. To find out more, you have to JOIN Swapcard and get the app. Gee, that sort of sounds like Nancy Pelosi telling us Congress needed to pass the Obamacare bill before we could see what was exactly in the bill.

Fact of Life #1: NOTHING IS FREE. I do not care what Bernie Sanders tells you! Whenever you are told that something is free, you will pay for it eventually, whether it be through money and taxes, or with some of your precious time, or your legacy after you have passed on, or your sanity. I am truly suspicious of any organization telling you that something is free but only if you have a certain app on your phone/computer. That app will make you pay, either with money or by slamming you with pop-up ads that can never go away unless you pay to have those removed (i.e., Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, the list goes on). If anyone out there can give me a simple and complete explanation of Swapcard, I would welcome it!

So, in short, you will be paying for pre-recorded performances that are probably not much different than those that the artists put on their YouTube or Facebook channels. I understand that the IBMA (as well as a few other music business associations) want to stay in touch and relevant with its membership. However, everyone is in the same boat with the Coronavirus pandemic. Artists have found ways to perform online with a tip-jar situation. Why is the IBMA making it so confusing to attend a virtual performance (I ranted about attending the IBMA business conference in a previous blog)? On the surface, it just makes me want to participate even less than before (which was a big NO).

On a final non-related note, I just learned that Alan “Tex” Booker, a long-time resident of my city of Hamtrmack, passed away recently. If there ever was a definition for “character,” one only had to look at Tex. He would be seen wandering the streets of town with his cowboy hat and T-shirt marked SECURITY during celebrations such as the Hamtramck Festival (which would be on Labor Day weekend, but of course was cancelled) and Paczaki Day. Every store owner knew him. He was a pain in the butt many times, but his heart was there. He will surely be missed by those who love Hamtramck. Rest in Peace, Tex.

Chew on it and comment.

Categories
Bluegrass Music

The Earls of Leicester IS a Tribute Band

A few years ago, when I was still part of Leadership Bluegrass, I was involved in an online discussion with other members about bluegrass bands performing original versus cover material. The discussion led to the band the Earls of Leicester. I stated that I would compare what they are doing to what tribute bands like Beatlemania are doing. I then received lots of backlash for my statement, after which I asked what the Earls are doing in relationship to Flatt & Scruggs compared to what Beatlemania (or any other Beatles tribute band) is doing with the Beatles’ music and image.

I never got a definitive answer, only that it is a different situation. I stood by my statement, and still do. I left Leadership Bluegrass shortly thereafter for other reasons. However, this is just one of many ideas that leaders in the bluegrass industry tend to keep a closed mind to. What’s wrong with the Earls being labeled a tribute band?

Dobroist Jerry Douglas purposely formed the Earls as a tribute to the 1950s-era lineup of Flatt & Scruggs. The members of the Earls also serve in other bands doing original material. The Earls dress the part, play only those songs that F&S did during that time, and even take on the vocal inflections of the original singers. The Earls won the IBMA Entertainer of the Year Award at least once, and for good reason – they are extremely entertaining! However, to put them in the same category as, say, the Del McCoury Band, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, or Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder is apples and oranges. These other bands are performing mostly original material with a traditional sound. It would be wrong to think of the Earls as moving bluegrass into new territory.

The original
The tribute

There is nothing wrong with tribute bands. Besides the Beatles and Elvis, there are hundreds of other tribute bands imitating (aurally and visually) such artists as the Rolling Stones, the Smiths, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, the Grateful Dead, Frank Sinatra and many others. These tribute bands give the audience a different kind of escape. They help some people remember what it was like with a past musical experience, or show off to others what they may have missed the first time it came around. They are living versions of old photographs or concert films. They are imitators, many excellent at what they do, but are not originals. For the most part, they accept that.

The problem is when I see professionals in the bluegrass music industry, those who should realize the importance of their positions as they relate to bluegrass music fans, that do not look at if from this perspective. The Earls won a Grammy a few years back. Why? A recording of a dozen or so songs originally done by F&S re-done nuance for nuance like the original should not be considered pushing the genre forward. Yes, the Bluegrass category for the Grammys is not that big of a deal in the overall music industry, and those that voted most likely didn’t recognize the other nominees. But part of that is the fault of the promoting from within the bluegrass industry.

I hope that promoters of bluegrass will start looking at originality as a major factor in giving attention to bluegrass talent. It is the one way that others will see how much we want bluegrass to be a viable and competitive format going forward.

Chew on it and comment.

Categories
Americana Music

Justin Townes Earle RIP

I received the news last night (Sunday) from a friend in Nashville that Justin Townes Earle was dead. My friend had gotten it very soon after the fact, since as I was checking the internet as soon as she texted me, there was next to nothing available news-wise. Within a half hour, the reports started rolling in.

Justin was way more than just the son of Steve Earle. His songwriting was amazing, way more noteworthy than what usually comes across from the child of a celebrity. Justin had a deep sense of human conscious that came across in his songs. Where his father’s songs usually had negative laments of past occurrences, Justin’s songs seemed more positive about future endeavors of humankind.

His adolescent and young adult life was not bright and shiny. Having Steve as a father figure was not the best influence. Steve had cleaned up by the time Justin reached adulthood, and he offered Justin a job in his band. He later fired Justin due to drug abuse. Justin was in rehab a few times, but in the last few years, he was clean and sober, He was enjoying life as a husband and father of a three-year-old daughter.

I had first met Justin a few years back at an Americana Music Association conference. We talked a long time about non-music things, but I noticed how keen he was in observing human nature and interactions. That is a gift that writers have, and I believe he used it wisely. I went to many of his shows afterwards when he came through town here in Detroit, and he remembered me when we met up.

No cause of death has been announced. Because of his lifestyle, I am sure there will be a number of rumors spread. I just want to remember him as someone who was kind to those who valued his work, a person with a wonderful, slightly sarcastic sense of humor, and a performer who knew that there were better times for all of us ahead.

Rest easy now, my friend.

Categories
Bluegrass Music

Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine Changes Hands

Earlier this month, it was announced that the Bluegrass Hall of Fame would be taking over publishing duties of Bluegrass Unlimited starting with the November 2020 issue. Ever since the passing of long-time publisher of Pete Kuykendall back in 2017, his wife Kitsy has held the reins and is eager to see this transfer come to fruition. This looks to be a good fit, as the HOF has the resources to provide historical input as well as knowledge of the audience that would read the magazine.

I know for a fact that running a business like a magazine is treacherous. I have written for a number of magazines over the years, and many of them no longer exist. Knowing the readership is probably the most important factor for keeping a magazine alive. I was a regular contributor to a magazine called Bluegrass Now years ago. It was probably the closest competition to BU. It was bi-monthly, but had a much more glossy appearance to it than BU. Unfortunately, the print costs forced BN to go online only in 2008, which led to the publication’s complete demise a short time later.

BU has a unique position in the magazine world. Its subject coverage (bluegrass music) is a niche/boutique audience. It can’t compete with other music magazines like Rolling Stone, but it doesn’t need to. It is a specialized reference for bluegrass music to other parties. It puts out special issues each year dedicated to musical instrument manufacturers, a festival guide, and an artist talent directory. Each regular issue has about five articles on either performers or venues/events, a Q&A section assisting reader inquiries, and a short “in the news” section. They also occasionally publish a “letters to the editor” section when space allows. There are a lot of advertisements, especially from festivals. Of course, with those events being cancelled during the Coronavirus, page count with BU has been down most of this year. In short, it is a comfortable read for the audience it is intended to meet.

My only real complaint about BU is the coverage of artists over the years. It seems that when you get the latest copy, the cover story is about a performer that they just did a story on within the past two years. The editorial end always feels like it is in its own comfort zone and doesn’t want to step out of it unless it is absolutely necessary. As BU is the primary resource on bluegrass music to the masses, it has so much opportunity to knock down walls and introduce its audience to new and innovative bluegrass talent. Putting a new voice in bluegrass on the cover would show that the editors and publisher have their ear to the ground and want to not only see the format continue, but also to grow even more.

At this point, it looks as though BU is being put into good hands. I hope that the new editorial staff considers the potential power that they have with the magazine and becomes more innovative than ever before. With the decline in paper publications due to access online, it will be an even greater challenge. Let’s hope they are up to the task.

Chew on it and comment.

Categories
Bluegrass Music

The IBMA Virtual Conference – Really? Really???

Even though I am no longer a member of the International Bluegrass Music Association, I still get regular emails from it regarding monthly activities and, of course, an invite to register for the annual World of Bluegrass conference. This year, due to the Coronavirus, the conference is being held virtually.

Now the IBMA knows that it could never get away with charging the usual $300 or so that it would cost for a normal in-person conference. The cost this year is $99 for members and $149 for non-members for the Business Conference portion (which is the only portion that I ever attended anyway). But what do you really get for that cost?

Well, you will get to “virtually” attend a number of seminars dealing with the business end of bluegrass music. Great, but with everyone lately doing the work-from-home option and connecting to meetings through Zoom or some other online conference application, the World Wide Web can only handle so much. The chances of crashes are extremely high. Additionally, the opportunities to ask questions and get an answer back is highly unlikely.

One of the regular activities at WOB every year is the Gig Fair, which artists do a speed-dating style of interaction with booking agents and event organizers to secure gigs for the upcoming year. I am wondering how well this will go by trying to do it over the internet instead of speaking with people face-to-face and physically handing out press kits.

However, the one concept that I have the most problems with is the Virtual Exhibit Hall. During a normal conference at WOB, dozens of musical instrument manufacturers, festival organizers, record companies and artists set up display tables in a hall and allow attendees to try out new products and talk with the band members. It is a VERY physical experience! Many attendees love to try out a new guitar or banjo, shake hands with a bluegrass performer, and grab up a bunch of free swag. With the virtual aspect, that has all disappeared. Now everything will be only available to see on the computer screen. But … the IBMA still plans to charge exhibitors $300 to $400 to appear at the Vitrual Exhibit Hall.

Seriously? Something that can be done on the manufacturer’s website, such as product questions, price guides and feedback, the IBMA is going to charge a few hundred bucks for them to do at its virtual conference? I am sure that there will be a few that will succumb to this “virtual” pick-pocketing, but I am sure that there will be many others that will opt out just for the reason that it seems ridiculous.

I am sure that there will be enough people to register for the virtual business conference for the IBMA to not lose a lot of money, perhaps even make a few bucks from it. However, for whom is this all benefitting? The WOB always served as a great networking opportunity as well as a chance for fans to get up close to their favorite bluegrass artists. The virtual idea seems only like an opportunity for someone to take someone else for granted.

The IBMA is losing touch with its original objectives and philosophies more as each year passes. The Coronavirus has screwed up everyone’s normal schedule and lifestyle. We all need to adapt. The IBMA should also remember that the bluegrass artists, event organizers, and managers went broke this summer due to cancelled shows. It should have swallowed its pride and postponed the conference for this year, or perhaps moved it up to the late Winter/early Spring of 2021 when the world may have a better handle on the virus. Instead, it continues to think only of itself and its progressive ideas. While I miss many people that I have networked with in my previous trips to the WOB conferences, I seriously feel that I am not losing anything by not attending them any more.

Categories
Bluegrass Music

Nuns Performing Bluegrass and Diversity

Scanning through other WordPress blogs, I came across this and it melted my heart:

They are the Sister Servants of the Eternal Word. Their convent is the Casa Maria Retreat House in Birmingham, Alabama. They have a number of prayer and inspirational videos on their website (https://sisterservants.org/), but this one takes the cake as far as inspirational AND toe-tapping.

It makes me think about bluegrass music and its religious connections. While so much of bluegrass Gospel music comes from the Baptist and Methodist themes, a song like “I’ll Fly Away” seems to have no religious border, especially with the Judeo-Christian sects. I have heard this song and “Down to the River to Pray” (both are heard on the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack) in a Roman Catholic church that I have attended. I have also heard other songs with Southern Gospel leanings during Catholic mass. Of course, a song like “Amazing Grace” cuts across all barriers and is performed regularly even in secular settings, along with Hank Williams’ classic “I Saw the Light.”

It got me to thinking. The International Bluegrass Music Association has been going crazy with implementing diversity into its fold. They are trying to attract more minorities, including women, African-Americans, and the LGBTQ-whatever else to listen to and perform bluegrass music. This sucking up to the liberal fold is one of the reasons that I left the IBMA – worrying more about who they don’t have listening to the music instead of supporting those that do listen. So, how would they react to a group of Roman Catholic nuns performing bluegrass music? Would that be “diverse” enough for them, or would it be something that they could not handle? In my honest opinion, they would probably ignore it or even purposely brush it off due to the Catholic Church’s views on certain topics.

The IBMA has changed dramatically in the past five years. The people in charge seem to be more concerned with being part of a political move toward the left rather than promoting and preserving the original ideals of the music. Bluegrass music was always firmly rooted in Christian values, and those have gone by the wayside in order to appease the vocal leftists. Bill Monroe is probably turning over in his grave.

As for me, I do hope that the Sister Servants do consider putting out such a bluegrass album in the future.

Chew on it and comment.

Categories
Music Stores

I Miss Mars Music

I miss Mars Music. I’ll explain.

We can order just about anything we want for our musical instrument needs through the internet. Before the Coronavirus pandemic, it could arrive in a matter of a day or two. Once the pandemic kicked in, package delivery now takes weeks. When it comes to a lot of music stuff, especially instruments, you usually don’t want to just order them – you want to sit down and try them out, take them for a test-drive.

For months, music stores were considered non-essential, so the doors were bolted shut. Now, some are open on a limited basis or by appointment. Moreover, some mom-and-pop ones have gone out of business never to return. It is a sad state of affairs.

I love music stores. To me there are two kinds: the big-box ones like Guitar Center, and the specialty smaller ones that cater to enthusiasts. I always looked at it like going out to eat. If you want something fast and maybe cheaper and are not too picky about the outcome, you go to McDonald’s. If you want to get the best steak available and are willing to pay for it in money and time, you go to a five-star restaurant.

As for the big-box music store, there is really only one out now: Guitar Center. The immediate competition is minimal. Music-Go-Round is not much of competition as far as offerings, seems to concentrate on used gear, and is limited in locations. Sam Ash is even more limited in locations and relies heavily on internet orders. GC has its ear to the ground, with numerous locations and prices that are reasonable in most cases. They really do not have any brick-and-mortar competition.

It wasn’t always that way. For a few years, from 1996 until about 2002, GC had intense competition from Mars Music. MM was founded by Mark Begelman, a former president of Office Depot and an avid guitarist. After being disappointed by an experience at a local music store, he started up MM with the intent of selling decent equipment at affordable prices and no pushy salespeople. It worked for a while. Stores were in 20 states, and it was innovative in setting up music education programs and charity programs.

What I loved about MM was that it was competitive with GC in pricing, especially with accessories. I never really purchased any big-ticket items from either store, but I relied on them for quick and easy access to strings, cords, picks, straps, and other stuff that breaks and needs replacement right away. When MM opened, they had their own brand of such items, and they were extremely affordable. You could get a box of 10 set of guitar strings for about $20.00. A set of bass strings would be about $7.00. GC shortly started selling their own brand of accessories as well at bargain prices.

Begelman had a great heart. He knew musicians liked to try out instruments and did not have a lot of money. MM was in many ways more comfortable and welcoming than GC, but the main idea there was competition. Both knew there was a decent-sized market out there, and both went to extremes to get that cash.

Sadly, MM went bankrupt within a few years due to expansion problems and poor investments. It was literally a one-day-open-next-day-closed situation. I thought about all of that branded stuff going nowhere. GC kept going, but phased out most of its budgeted self-branded accessories. While GC still has relatively good prices, there is not that competitive feel for the small-ticket items.

Recently, I needed to purchase a budget gig bag for a cheap Chinese bass guitar that I got brand new for around $65.00. I just needed a glorified dust covering, not a hardshell case or a bells-and-whistle soft case gig bag. Surfing the internet, it was extremely hard to find even a cheap-quality gig bag for under $25.00 plus shipping. I finally found one that come to about $20.00 with tax and shipping. I got it through the mail a week after ordering, and it was not much more than sewn canvas with a zipper.

This experience made me think about how much I miss Mars. Back then, I remember getting a few gig bags that were of the same quality as this recent one for about $8.00. It had the MM brand emblazoned on it, but who cares? It did its job at a musician’s price. Times change, and I realize that a lot of good things disappear. Only competition can keep the things we love affordable.

Chew on it and comment.

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