|
...
 | |
|
1985
- Industry leaders meet to form trade association
- "Bluegrass With Class" sponsored by Owensboro Tourist Commission
- Art Menius appointed IBMA executive director
- IBMA picks Owensboro as "home town."
1986
- IBMA hosts first Trade Show (in tents in conjunction with "Bluegrass With Class")
- Awards of Merit presented to six recipients
- Pete Wernick named IBMA President.
1987
- IBMA Trade Show moves to Executive Inn
- Member Services begin to take shape
- First "Fan Fest" held with gated admission
- Bluegrass Trust Fund established.
1988
- Rodney Berry hired part time for IBMA as Events Coordinator
- RiverPark board unveils master plan for RiverPark Center including Bluegrass Museum plans (Hilferty).
1989
- IBMA convinces NARAS to offer Bluegrass Grammy award
- IBMA member services expand
- May becomes Worldwide Bluegrass Music Month
- Performing Rights forum takes place at Trade Show.
1990
- IBMA's first full time staff in Owensboro
- First IBMA Awards Show Production
- Billboard names it "Best Awards Show of Year"
- IBMA sends "Bluegrass Care Package" to USSR
- Annual operating revenues top $100,000.
1991
- IBMA Bluegrass Hall of Honor created
- First Russian Bluegrass Band plays U.S. (IBMA World of Bluegrass)
- IBMA Awards first broadcast via radio
- Billboard again cites as "Awards Show of Year"
- PepsiCo announces $1 million commitment to bluegrass music
- IBMA Award Winners appear on TNN Music Shop program
- IBMA production of Legacy of Uncle Pen debuts on KET (Kentucky Educational Television).
1992
- Staff expands with new Special Projects Coordinator
- IBMA moves to new offices at RiverPark Center
- Long Journey Home (CD audio-press release) highlights bluegrass outside of U.S.
1993
- IBMA membership tops 2000
- Aggressive strategic plan adopted emphasizes marketing efforts
- BMG makes film of IBMA events
- New radio newsletter offered, Bluegrass Signal
- IBMA focuses on young people
- "Bluegrass Youth All Stars" organized for IBMA Awards performance.
1994
- U.S. Census study says number of bluegrass fans grew to 55 million
- BMG film, Gather At The River debuts on TNN
- Education Resource Guide takes shape.
1995
- IBMA annual operating revenues top $400,000
- Trade Show attendance surpasses 1,500
- Bluegrass Associations are educational focus of Trade Show
- Fan Fest crowd nears 10,000
- First regional conference held in California
- IBMA promotes bluegrass to country radio
- IBMA hires PR consultants
- First IBMA meetings held in Europe.
1996
- IBMA membership tops 2500 (all 50 states/30 countries)
- Awards Show broadcast network includes 375+ radio stations
- New retail/wholesale record buyer newsletter created, Blue Hot!
- "Leadership Bluegrass" program envisioned
- Entrepreneur magazine cites bluegrass as "Hot Trend"
- Talent Buyers are focus of Trade Show
- Fan Fest named to "Top 20 Events in Southeast U.S."
1997
- IBMA showcases bluegrass at Folk Alliance convention in Toronto
- World of Bluegrass events moved to Louisville, Ky.
- Radio Broadcasters are educational focus at Trade Show
- "Bluegrass... Pick It Up!" campaign unveiled
- Greensboro, N.C. hosts regional conference
- Board envisions future at leadership retreat.
1998
- First European World of Bluegrass events hosted in The Netherlands
- Annual operating revenues top $500,000
- Education/ Bluegrass in the Schools is the focus of Trade Show.
- First IBMA Songwriter Showcase Staged during World of Bluegrass
1999
- 10th Anniversary IBMA Awards
- Special celebration, prior hosts return
- Print press coverage tops 100 million
- Print & Cyber Media are educational focus of Trade Show
- Bluegrass In Schools programs expand--Teacher workshops offered.
2000
- Inaugural Leadership Bluegrass program hosted at BMI offices in Nashville with 28 graduates
- IBMA leads cooperative effort at retail during Worldwide Bluegrass Music Month
- Album, Choice Picks-Celebrating 10th Annual IBMA Awards released
- Event Producers are educational focus of Trade Show.
2001
- IBMA raises $ 25,000 for September 11th relief efforts
- "First Generation" artists honored at Award Show
- Tim O' Brien appointed second IBMA President
- Board envisions new long range plan including aggressive marketing efforts and values statements
- IBMA presents bluegrass seminars and showcase at Southern Arts Federation convention.
- IBMA organizes first press conference to announce International Bluegrass Music Award nominees
- IBMA acquires Simmons marketing data, enabling industry to compare demographic profile and consumer habits of bluegrass music buyers with the general population
2002
- IBMA hires first Marketing/PR Director and brings public relations/marketing efforts in house
- "Discover Bluegrass" campaign becomes new marketing campaign, replacing "Bluegrass Pick It Up" as promotional centerpiece for industry
- Www.discoverbluegrass.com is launched to introduce new listeners to bluegrass music
- First “Utilizing Bluegrass Music in the Classroom” teachers workshop is held outside the state of Kentucky, in Minnesota
- Www.ibma.org is re-invented with new look, to deliver member services and industry info
- Billboard magazine adds a Bluegrass Albums chart
- Wellness committee organized and special wellness education track is added to convention
2003
- IBMA staff and office relocate to Nashville, Tenn.
- IBMA makes decision to move World of Bluegrass events to Nashville, TN for 2005 through 2007.
- The number of radio stations broadcasting the International Bluegrass Music Awards breaks previous records by reaching the 330 station mark.
- Teacher workshops now held in Louisville & Lexington, Ky.; Columbus, Ohio; Bean Blossom, Ind.
- New bluegrass films are premiered at convention
- Blue Hot!, IBMA’s monthly retail publication, has a name change to Blue Hot Bluegrass! and goes from print to email delivery
2004
- DISCOVER BLUEGRASS: Exploring American Roots Music educational DVD is released & available to educators worldwide, including lessons plans embedded on DVD
- International Bluegrass Music Awards are broadcast live on Sirius satellite radio
- Number of Leadership Bluegrass alumni passes the 100 mark and first Leadership Bluegrass Alumni Retreat hosted in Owensboro, Ky.
- Board adopts strategic plans for 2004-2007
- Teacher workshop started in Kendalville, Ind.
- First IBMA Gig Fair hosted at convention
- Attendance at convention seminars increases 24%
2005
- World of Bluegrass moves to Nashville, attendance jumps over 20%
- GAC TV and other entertainment media focus on bluegrass by virtue of presence in Nashville.
- IBMA Awards hosted on historic Ryman stage on 60th anniversary of the “original bluegrass band.” Over 390 radio affiliates around the world carry the broadcast.
- Event Liability Insurance Program renegotiated and saves festivals and concert promoters over $50,000
- Discover Bluegrass: Exploring American Roots Music (bluegrass in schools educational DVD) is distributed to over 3,000 schools and organizations
- First workshop hosted to train artists, association and event producers to organize their own Bluegrass in Schools teacher workshops
- First Bluegrass in the Schools teacher workshop hosted in Boston, Mass.
- IBMA co-sponsors “Digital Summit” seminar and tsunami relief concert with other music trade organizations
- First Leadership Bluegrass Alumni Master Class hosted: “Digital Music Opportunities for Bluegrass Music”
- IBMA joins forces with Nashville Public Television and the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum to organize “Our Music Heritage” workshops for 100 local elementary students & parents during Fan Fest, funded by a national PBS grant
- IBMA celebrates 20th anniversary (1985-2005), recognizes individuals involved in first organizational meetings as “founders”
- IBMA launches International Outreach Grant Program
2006
- New Bluegrass in the Schools teacher workshops hosted in Denver, Colo. and Leakesville, Miss.
- IBMA participates in first National SupportMusic Coalition Summit in Anaheim, Calif., in conjuction with NAMM trade show
- IBMA announces that according to latest data from Simmons Research, 17,977,000 (8.5% of total U.S. adult population) cited bluegrass as the musical genre they liked most, bought or downloaded in 2005.
- Bluegrass in the Schools Regional Trainings for Artists begin in Lexington, Ky. at Festival of the Bluegrass. Second training for artists held in Minneapolis, Minn.
- IBMA Launches Bluegrass Lesson Plan Competition
- IBMA helps organize “California Unity Meeting” in Costa Mesa, Calf.—a forum to address common issues and opportunities facing bluegrass associations in the West.
- IBMA works with RowFax to add bluegrass to their tip sheet service for songwriters & album producers
- Bluegrass Songwriters Association formed by IBMA members at World of Bluegrass, first “song circles” hosted during IBMA Business Conference
- Tom T. & Dixie Hall bequeath Good Homegrown Music publishing to IBMA
2007
- Richard Barnhart Estate announces $200,000 gift to Bluegrass in Schools efforts
- Foundation for Bluegrass Music created to foster charitable giving to support bluegrass projects
- Electronic version of International Bluegrass newsletter launched
- “Bluegrass Summit: The Future of the Business” forum hosted at World of Bluegrass
- IBMA launches MySpace page
- European World of Bluegrass festival & trade show mark 10th anniversary in Voorthuizen, The Netherlands, with a 20% increase in attendance
- New Bluegrass in the Schools workshops for artists hosted in Bakersfield, Calif., Framingham, Mass. and Voorthuizen, The Netherlands. New BGIS teacher workshops hosted in Bakersfield and also in Adona, Ark.
- Bluegrass Hall of Honor name changed to “Bluegrass Hall of Fame,” at request of majority of Hall of Fame members; First Bass Player (as a solo artist) inducted into Bluegrass Hall of Fame: Howard Watts
Back to Top
|
|
