IBMA Announces Graduation of Leadership Bluegrass Class of 2018
NASHVILLE, TENN. (March 12, 2018) NASHVILLE, TN The International Bluegrass Music Association is proud to announce the graduating class of Leadership Bluegrass 2018. Leadership Bluegrass is an intensive, three-day program focused on interactive learning and networking experiences which invite participants to examine the challenges and opportunities facing the bluegrass music industry, and pursue leadership development. This was the 19th year of Leadership Bluegrass, which now boasts over 400 alumni. Leadership Bluegrass 2018 was hosted at BMI in Nashville, Tennessee March 5-7. Trisha Tubbs served as the course facilitator (her 8th consecutive year), and Jay Armsworthy was assistant facilitator.
Each year, participants are selected through a highly competitive application process and are a cross-section of current and future leaders from all areas of the industry, coming from various regions of the U.S. and the world. Sponsors for Leadership Bluegrass include BMI, Wintergrass (Acoustic Sound), Bluegrass Heritage Foundation and Williams Mullen.
Greg Blake
Greg Blake Music, Jeff Scroggins & Colorado
Overland Park, KS
Stacy Chandler
No Depression
Garner, NC
Patricia Ann Eaves
Eastern Tennessee State University
Johnson City, TN
Landon Elmore
Landon Elmore Design & Marketing
Raleigh, NC
Daniel Eubanks
Special Consensus
Nashville, TN
Mollie Farr
Lost Buffalo Artists
Nashville, TN
Cathy Fink
Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer
Silver Spring, MD
Jessica Grossman
Northern Indiana Bluegrass Association
Huntington, IN
Patricia Imbrogno
Artist
Pittsburgh, PA
Maria Ivey
Press House
Nashville, TN
George Jackson
Artist, Booking Agent
Madison, TN
Emma John
The Guardian
London, UK
Katie Keller
International Bluegrass Music Museum
Owensboro, KY
Adam Kirr
Charm City Bluegrass, The Bluegrass Marketer
Baltimore, MD
Kara Kundert
Bluegrass Pride
Oakland, CA
Jeffrey Ludin
Bluegrass Country Foundation
Vienna, VA
Brett Martin
Junior Appalachian Musicians, Inc.
Independence, VA
Patrick McGonigle
The Lonely Heartstring Band
Brookline, MA
Matthew Miller
Rounder Records
Nashville, TN
Jeff Miller
Flashpoint Arts
Tuscaloosa, AL
Scott Napier
Kentucky School of Bluegrass and Traditional Music
Bloomington, IN
Lenny Nichols
Central Texas Bluegrass Association
Round Rock, TX
Ivy Sheppard
Born In The Mountain
Mount Airy, NC
Bil VornDick
Mountainside Music
Nashville, TN
Jef Walter
The Carolina PineCones
Durham, NC
“Congratulations to the Leadership Bluegrass Class of 2018!,” says the IBMA’s Executive Director, Paul Schiminger. “The IBMA started the program in 2000, and it quickly became a mission-critical part of the association. This year’s class demonstrated the impact of gathering industry leaders together for three intensive days of peer-to-peer education and connection. I’m excited to see these talented professionals make such a commitment to themselves and the bluegrass community, and I look forward to their ongoing contributions to our association’s success. Thank you to each member of the class for their spirited engagement. A big thank you also goes to the Leadership Bluegrass Planning Committee, led by Ron Raxter in his first year as the committee chair, and to Trisha Tubbs for her expert facilitation!”
Leadership Bluegrass Class of 2018
Front row: Greg Blake, Jessica Grossman, Stacy Chandler, Patricia Ann Eaves, Cathy Fink, Jeff Miller
Second row: Scott Napier, Mollie Farr, Katie Keller, Landon Elmore
Third row: Maria Ivey, Patricia Imbrogno, Emma John, Ivy Sheppard, Jef Walter
Fourth row: Adam Kirr, George Jackson, Bil VornDick, Brett Martin, Kara Kundert, Matt Miller
Back row: Patrick M’Gonigle, Dan Eubanks, Lenny Nichols, Jeffrey Ludin
photo credit: Alane Anno
