International Bluegrass Music Museum news

The International Bluegrass Music Museum in Owensboro, KY, has been having an eventful few months and is not letting the momentum drop off. Members' Night on 7 November brought a total of $50,000 in donations; a Bitterroot F-style Weber mandolin donated by the makers raised $2050 at auction; and a Holiday Concert featuring Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike took place on 10 December and can be heard online over the Museum's 24/7 radio channel, Radio Bluegrass International, on the IBMM website.

The IBMM has always worked hard at its international role, and the permanent features on its website are now in process of translation into French, Spanish, Russian, German, Czech, Chinese, Portuguese, Italian and Japanese. The lineup at IBMM's next annual River Of Music Party (ROMP) on 24-6 June 2010 will include three previous #1 European Bluegrass Bands (all of whom have appeared at the Omagh festival).

In addition, ROMP 2010 will feature not only a Bluegrass Pioneers reunion but a special reunion of all living Blue Grass Boys who have played with Bill Monroe - a truly historic occasion. The IBMM also has a blog (which will look familiar to BIB readers) and is on MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter.