25 November 2005

European World of Bluegrass 2006: strong growth

EBMA press release, 15 June 2006

The Ninth European World of Bluegrass (EWOB) Festival took place on 25-7 May in Voorthuizen, the Netherlands, its permanent location, under the auspices of the European Bluegrass Music Association (EBMA). The winners of this year's professional band awards, voted for by their fellow musicians among the thirty-eight European bands at the EWOB Festival, are:

#1 European Bluegrass Band 2006: Mideando String Quintet (Italy)

#2: 4 Wheel Drive (Netherlands)

#3: Bononia Grass (Italy)

The MSQ will bear the title of #1 European Bluegrass Band for the next twelve months. Carmel Sheerin & the Ravens (Ireland), who were voted #1 last year, will represent Europe at the IBMA's World of Bluegrass Fan Fest at Nashville, TN, in September 2006, where they will also be showcasing at the Business Conference and beginning work on recording their second CD.

The European World of Bluegrass embraces bluegrass events taking place every spring throughout Europe. Eighteen festivals — two more than in 2005 — took part in EWOB 2006, and scores of other bluegrass and old-time music events took place during the EWOB 2006 period (27 April–5 June) in Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Switzerland, and the UK. Ticket sales at the EBMA's EWOB Festival at Voorthuizen rose by over 25 per cent over the previous year: the Spring Festival at Willisau, Switzerland, did even better with an increase of 30 per cent. New events this year included Bluegrass Fest 2006 in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, and the 1st Bluegrass in Basel Festival in Basel, Switzerland.

Sponsors for the EBMA’s EWOB Festival include the major US companies D’Addario, Deering, and Gibson, and the Czech luthier Lebeda. Their products were among the impressive display of top-quality instruments at the Festival’s fully sold-out Trade Show. The winning raffle ticket for a Gibson A-9 mandolin belonged to Petra Klepper from the Netherlands, who will receive her prize at the Gibson Europe Office in the Netherlands later this month. Bidding for the Gibson Hound Dog guitar, Deering Vega Little Wonder banjo, and Lebeda F5 Premium Plus mandolin will remain open till the end of October 2006. This year also, the Festival's schedule of workshops added a Carter-style guitar workshop and a 'bluegrass karaoke' service; the children's program, first introduced two years ago, extended to two days.

North American artists performing at the EWOB Festival included Randy Waller & the Country Gentlemen, Greasy Beans, the Hunger Mountain Boys, and the Abrams Brothers. Bill Keith, living legend of bluegrass banjo, was again present. American artists performing in EWOB events elsewhere in Europe included Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike, Chris Jones & the Night Drivers, Randy Kohrs & Band, Neil Rosenberg & Terri Thomson, the Gordons, David Grier (with the UK's Hootenanny Three), the Moonlighters, Mike Bella & the Blue Boys, Prickly Pair, and Tim & Mollie O’Brien.

Among the European bands at Voorthuizen, this year's Audience Popularity Award winners were:

#1 4 Wheel Drive (Netherlands)

#2 Blue Grass Boogiemen (Netherlands)

#3 Rawhide (Belgium)

Other festivals taking part in EWOB 2006 were:

Czech Republic: Sazava Bluegrass Minifestival, Jilove u Prahy; Jamboree 2006, Strakonice
Denmark: Bluegrass Festival/MOTMA, Fredericia
Germany: 4th International Bluegrass Festival, Buhl; Looping Brothers Festival, Bramsche; 41st Pfingstfestival, Neusudende
The Netherlands: Strictly Country's 35th Anniversary Festival, Voorthuizen; Prewob, Nijmegen; Rabo Bluegrass Festival, Surhuisterveen; Boet'n Deure Festival, Odoorn; Midwob Minifestival, Zoeterwoude; Bluegrass Festival Hoofddorp; 24th Big Bear Festival, Zuidlaren
Slovakia: Bluegrass Fest 2006, Bratislava; Dobrofest 2006, Trnava
Switzerland: 1st Bluegrass in Basel Festival, Basel; 7th Spring Bluegrass Festival, Willisau

The tenth EWOB Festival will take place at 't Trefpunt, Voorthuizen, the Netherlands, on 17–19 May 2007. Other festival dates already fixed for the EWOB period next year include: Bluegrass Festival 2007, Det Bruunske Pakhus, Fredericia, Denmark (4–5 May); the 8th Spring Bluegrass Festival, Willisau, Switzerland (12 May); and the 25th Big Bear Festival, Zuidlaren, the Netherlands (28 May).

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