Outlaw: Waylon, Willie, Kris, and the Renegades of Nashville by Michael Streissguth describes in vivid detail a time of turmoil in Nashville and in the music business when country music, as represented by the corporate image or RCA's country music division with Chet Atkins as the chief of the Nashville office, had reached a point of over production and artistic decadence which challenged its listenership and sales. Streissguth describes a time when Chet Atkins and Owen…

IBMA week was, in some ways, as much about the coming move to Raleigh as it was about the present. At the same time, it was a week filled with a number of noteworthy musical and learning experiences including perhaps the best designed program since we began attending five years ago.  The event ran smoothly, the seminars, workshops, and other sessions were well run and interesting, and the musical events, from showcases to the end of Fan Fest were filled with new bands and stirring music. The…

Doctors, lawyers, teachers, firemen, police officers, and plumbers are all professionals. As such they must be certified or licensed by some agency and engage in continual education and retraining in order to maintain their professional status. Musicians calling themselves professionals define their status somewhat differently. If they do it for money, they're professionals. Even professional athletes go to spring training to sharpen their skills,…

I'm tired of hearing people say, “It's all about the music.” That phrase, meant to excuse bluegrass music for the often static, not to say boring, way in which many performances of bluegrass music present themselves just doesn't hold water. In order to bring fans to their seats, great bands need to present great shows sparkling with high concept performance values which include great music and entertaining presentation. Without both, people might come to see, but they won't stay to listen…