Leadership Bluegrass Class of 2020
Front row: Abi Tapia, Amanda Thompson, Suzy Thompson, Angela Sommers Rees, Lauren Price Napier
Second row: Ethan Charles, Jennifer Danielson, Evie Ladin, Rebecca Frazier, Natalya Zoe Weinstein, Roxanne Tromly, Michelle Lee, Fred Knittel
Third row: Rick Faris, Marianne Kovatch, Dave Howard, Greg Garrison, Ned Luberecki, Didier Philippe
Back row: Benjamin Wright, Jake Blount, David Brower, Worth Dixon, Thomas Cassell, Ed Leonard
NASHVILLE, TN. (March 5, 2020) The International Bluegrass Music Association is proud to announce the graduating class of Leadership Bluegrass 2020. 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 21st year of Leadership Bluegrass, which now boasts over 500 alumni. Leadership Bluegrass 2020 was hosted at BMI in Nashville, Tennessee March 2-4. Kathy Hanson served as the course facilitator and Jordan Laney served as assistant facilitator.
The IBMA would like to commend Kathy on an extremely successful first year as course facilitator. The IBMA also recognizes our Leadership Bluegrass 2020 Planning Committee: Nate Lee (Chair), Dustin Boyd, Janet Brightly, Nolan Lawrence, Ronald Raxter, Annie Savage, and Kris Truelsen.
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, Williams Mullen, and the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum. Leadership Bluegrass was made possible this year thanks in part by a generous project grant from The IBMA Foundation.
Leadership Bluegrass 2020 graduates:
Jake Blount
Jake Blount / Tui / The Moose Whisperers
Washington, D.C.
David Brower
PineCone / WUNC
Carrboro, NC
Thomas Cassell
Circus No. 9
Johnson City, TN
Ethan Charles
International Bluegrass Music Association
Nashville, TN
Jennifer Danielson
Pandora
Nashville, TN
Worth Dixon
D’Addario & Company, Inc.
Farmingdale, NY
Rick Faris
Special Consensus
Topeka, KA
Rebecca Frazier
Rebecca Frazier and Hit & Run
Nashville, TN
Greg Garrison
Leftover Salmon / University of Colorado – Denver
Lakewood, CO
Dave Howard
Louisville Folk School
Louisville, KY
Fred Knittel
Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
Washington, D.C.
Marianne Kovatch
Blue Ridge Music Center
Winton-Salem, NC
Evie Ladin
Evie Ladin Band
Oakland, CA
Michelle Lee
WOBL / Bluegrass Borderline / Smoked Country Jam
Sheffield Lake, OH
Ed Leonard
Billy Blue Records
Hendersonville, TN
Ned Luberecki
Becky Buller Band / SiriusXM
Nashville, TN
Didier Philippe
La Roche Bluegrass Festival
Etaux, France
Lauren Price Napier
The Price Sisters
Hyden, KY
Angela Sommers Rees
Dorrigo Folk & Bluegrass Festival
Dorrigo, NSW, Australia
Brian Swenk
Big Daddy Love / Midwood Entertainment
Glen Allen, VA
Abi Tapia
Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum
Nashville, TN
Suzy Thompson
Berkeley Old Time Music Convention
Berkeley, CA
Amanda Thompson
Frankfort Bluegrass Festival
Mokena, IL
Roxanne Tromly
Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum / ROMP Fest
Owensboro, KY
Natalya Zoe Weinstein
Zoe & Cloyd / Warren Wilson College
Fairview, NC
Benjamin Wright
Henhouse Prowlers / Bluegrass Ambassadors
Chicago, IL
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