Post IBMA... October is underway

We have returned from yet another IBMA, and we have survived! We usually survive IBMA, but for whatever reason, every time I come home alive and well it still seems like a victory to me. Not only did we survive, but we had a great time! Our two Monday showcases went swimmingly, and the rest of the week was filled with music, fun and friends... not to mention the yearly ritual of me falling in love with another bass in the exhibit hall. As usual, I didn't actually come home with said bass, but I'll be thinking of him fondly, for a few months, then he will fade from my memory until it is yet again fall and I find myself in Nashville at the convention center, in the exhibit hall, swooning over another bass.


I know I told you the lineup for the showcases in the last blog, but we had a last minute addition to our group, and that was the ever so talented banjoist, Jim Rollins! He arrived in Nashville in just enough time to change into his nice clothes in the parking lot and join the rest of the lot for a quick rehearsal before showcase time began. We had a great showcase crowd and as you can see from the picture above, everyone had fun! A special thanks to Acoustic Trail Productions for having us in their showcase room. It was the most warm and inviting showcase room in the whole place, if I do say so myself, not to mention the fact that they had the best line up all week long! I'd also like to thank all of the talented musicians who played the showcases: Rebecca, Matt, Jim & Zeb. You couldn't ask for a better band!



While we were there, running around to all the showcases, We got to see other awesome musicians play. One of my favorites, and hands down the best solo act at the convention, was Jim Hurst. In addition to being an amazing producer he just so happens to be one of the best musicians in the business. It was good to hear him do his thing and he does it so well! I can't wait until he comes through Asheville and I'm actually home so I can go out and enjoy some virtuosic guitar playing and incredible singing.



Other than our yearly Nashville pilgrimage, the days have been filled with music, housework, getting caught up on emails, making quite a few song demos, hanging out with the animals, and doing some studio work for another great Asheville musician, Lyndsay Pruett's album. Matt and I both went in yesterday and played on a sort of funky bossa that she wrote, then I played some bass on a few more today. Its gonna be a great little recording, so you should go see Lyndsay play whenever the opportunity arises!

October brings some more fun musical adventures that I'm really looking forward to. One of those is the Albino Skunk Festival which takes place in Greer, South Carolina on October 15th & 16th. Its coming soon and the lineup is great as always, so be sure to get your tickets, pack your camping gear and bring some warm clothes, although they do a great job of keeping the campfires burning to keep everyone warm and happy.

Well, I think that's all I have for you this week. Hopefully we'll see you out at one of our upcoming shows!

-Ashleigh