A huge "thank you"
to all the staff at WWUH for donating their free time in order to help make the live
five-hour broadcast of the 3rd Annual Podunk Bluegrass Festival possible. Special thanks
to John Ramsey for returning from his vacation a bit early to organize the logistics of
such a task. Thanks, also, to the following staff members: Steve Brechter, Gail
Meyers-Jaworski and Terry Weichand for engineering in the air studio; to Steve Brechter
and Amy Gallatin for their on-air duties from the festival site; and the whole WWUH
technical gang: Scott Baron, Chris Marti, Albert Hutagalung and John Ramsey. Of course we
all appreciate those hosts who gave up their usual time slots for our broadcast, and their
listeners for bearing with us during that time period.
I hope most of the "UH Bluegrass" listeners who
couldn't make it to the Podunk Festival on July 25th took advantage of the opportunity to
join us during our live broadcast from Martin Park in East Hartford. Please feel free to
let us know what your thoughts may be regarding the festival coverage. We encourage you to
make any comments and suggestions you may have in order for us to better serve you the
listener. After all, you're the reason we're allowed to continue our programming at WWUH
Radio. You may call and leave a message on our Listener Line 860-768-5913 or email us
at:wwuh@mail.hartford.edu
at your convenience.
As the festival season draws to a close, the Bluegrass world is
focusing on the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) and its "World of
Bluegrass Week" October 19-25, 1998 in Louisville, Kentucky; where the event will be
held at least until the year 2001. Those of you who have yet to attend the festivities in
Louisville may request information from the IBMA offices by calling this toll free number:
1-888-GET-IBMA. The convention includes a Trade Show with various seminars and hundreds of
booths pertaining to all aspects of the Bluegrass idiom, the International Bluegrass Music
Awards Show (hosted this year by Ricky Skaggs and Rhonda Vincent), the Bluegrass Fan Fest
(an amazing festival on the last three days with an international line-up of over 40
Bluegrass performers), and much, much more. Please refer to the text, on the next page of
the WWUH Program Guide, taken directly from the July/August IBMA newsletter,
"International Bluegrass," for more complete information, in the 'World of
Bluegrass Week.'
Don't forget to call toll free: 1-888-GET-IBMA or write to IBMA,
207 East Second St., Owensboro, KY, 42303 and get answers to all of your questions
regarding the items mentioned in this column. We in the Bluegrass world need all of your
help in order to secure a more solid future for this American music form and its admirers,
including everyone from the folks in the IBMA offices to the fans who buy recordings and
attend the concerts and festivals year after year. You can make a difference!
Please take the time to call the IBMA offices and ask them to
send additional information regarding membership categories (choose one that best suits
our involvement in Bluegrass music), membership services, newsletters, etc. Each end every
membership enrollment strengthens this growing "Bluegrass power" in the
entertainment field. If you mention any name and/or WWUH Radio as solicitors we will
receive a percentage off of our membership renewal, which will in turn be donated by us
back to the IBMA Musicians Trust Fund. This fund is reserved for people involved in
Bluegrass music who may be in need of financial assistance during medical emergencies,
unforeseen hardships, etc. I hope you might, at the least, call to request IBMA
information.
I'll see you in Louisville
Copyright©WWUH: September/October Program Guide, 1998 |
