Bluegrass Blooms In Downtown Nashville

This week is the 2011 IBMA World of Bluegrass conference, convention and fan festival in Music City. Collectively, more than 20,000 will attend the events.

To kick off the event, The Del McCoury Band and special guests including Dierks Bentley and Vince Gill performed today (9/27) on the grounds of the Ryman Auditorium.

World of Bluegrass week (Sept. 26-Oct. 2) includes the Business Conference, the IBMA Awards Show (Sept. 29) and Bluegrass Fan Fest (Sept. 30-Oct. 2).

Here are some of the week’s highlights. Unless otherwise noted, all events are at the Nashville Convention Center on Commerce Street. Details here.

TUESDAY, SEPT. 27:
8:00 – 11:30 a.m. Educational Sessions
12:00 noon Del McCoury & Friends Salute the 100^th Birthday of Bill Monroe Ryman Auditorium Patio free and open to the public
12:30 – 5:30 p.m. Exhibit Hall Open
4:00- 5:30 p.m.  Seminars
6:30 – 7:15 p.m. Attendee Happy Hour
7:15 – 7:45 p.m. Bearfoot showcase
7:45 – 8:10 p.m. The Farewell Drifters showcase
8:15 – 8:40 p.m. Nu-Blue showcase
8:50 – 9:15 p.m. Jim Lauderdale showcase
9:20 – 9:45 p.m. Town Mountain showcase
10:00 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. IBMA Songwriter Showcases
10:00 p.m. – 1:30 a.m. After Hours Showcases including Rob Ickes & Jim Hurst, Alan Bibey & Wayne Benson, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Eddie & Martha Adcock, Donna Ulisse & The Poor Mountain Boys, Dehlia Low
11:30 p.m. – 12:30 a.m. Songwriter Jam Session

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 28:
8:00 – 10:30 a.m. Seminars
11:00 – 11:15 a.m. The Roys showcase
11:30 – 11:55 a.m. Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen showcase
12:00 – 12:25 p.m. Blue Moon Rising showcase
12:45 – 5:00 p.m. Exhibit Hall Open FREE ADMISSION DAY
1:00- 3:00 p.m. Workshops and Seminars
5:00 –5:30 p.m. The Gibson Brothers showcase
5:30 – 6:00 p.m. Lonesome River Band showcase
5:00 – 6:00 p.m. Ron Block showcase
5:00 – 5:20 p.m. The Ridgerunners showcase
5:20 – 5:40 p.m. Carolina Road showcase
5:40 – 6:00 p.m. Melvin Goines & Windy Mountain showcase
6:30 – 6:45 p.m. Attendee Happy Hour
6:45 – 7:10 p.m. Mountain Faith showcase
7:15 – 7:40 p.m. No One You Know showcase
7:45 – 8:10 p.m. Cumberland River showcase
8:20- 8:45 p.m. Monogram showcase
8:50 – 9:15 p.m. The April Veach Band showcase
9:20 – 9:45 p.m. Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass showcase
10:00 p.m. – 1:30 a.m. After Hours Showcases, including Ronnie Bowman, Johnny & Jeanette Williams, Melonie Cannon, Flatt Lonesome, Travers Chandler & Avery County, Edgar Loudermilk, Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice, Lonesome Meadow, Breaking Grass
11:30 p.m. – 12:30 a.m. Songwriter Jam Session

THURSDAY, SEPT. 29:
8:00 – 10:30 a.m. Seminars
10:45 a.m.- 12:45 p.m. Special Awards Luncheon
1:00 – 4:30 p.m. Exhibit Hall Open
1:15 – 3:00 p.m. Seminars
2:00- 4:00 p.m. Disc Jockey Taping Sessions
7:30 – 10:00 p.m. International Bluegrass Music Awards, Ryman Auditorium
10:00 – 12:00 p.m. After Party at The Hard Rock Café featuring The Boxcars, The Cleverlys, Monroeville

FRIDAY, SEPT. 30:
10:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Exhibit Hall Open
MAIN STAGE
11:00 a.m. The Grascals
11:35 a.m. Don Rigsby & Midnight Call
12:10 p.m. Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
12:45 p.m. The Larry Stephenson Band
1:20 p.m. Darin & Brooke Aldridge
1:55 p.m. Balsam Range
2:30 p.m. Grasstowne
3:05 p.m. Blue Highway
3:40 p.m. Ronnie Bowman
4:15 p.m. Larry Sparks & The Lonesome Ramblers
4:50 p.m. Jim Lauderdale
5:15 p.m. intermission
6:15 p.m. The Steep Canyon Rangers
6:50 p.m. Joey + Rory
7:25 p.m. The Boxcars
8:00 p.m. Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
9:40 p.m. J.D. Crowe & The New South
10:30 p.m. Marty Raybon & Full Circle
11:20 p.m. Peter Rowan’s Bill Monroe Tribute

GRAND MASTER FIDDLER CHAMPIONSHIP STAGE
10:00 a.m.- 3:30 p.m. Grand Master Fiddling Championships
4:45 p.m. Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike
5:15 p.m. Suzy Bogguss
6:00 p.m. Volume Five
8:00 p.m. Kids on Bluegrass

SATURDAY, OCT. 1:
MAIN STAGE
11:30 a.m. NewTown
12:00 noon Mark Johnson & Emory Lester
12:30 p.m. The Spinney Brothers
1:00 p.m. The Darrell Webb Band
1:30 p.m. Special Consensus
2:05 p.m. Jesse McReynolds & The McReynolds Tradition
2:40 p.m. Sierra Hull & Highway 111
3:15 p.m. The Josh Williams Band
3:50 p.m. New Found Road
4:25 p.m. Audie Blaylock & Redline
5:00 p.m. Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time
5:25 p.m. intermission
6:25 p.m. Tribute to Harley Allen
7:00 p.m. 18 South
7:30 p.m. Presentation of the Grand Masters Fiddle Champion
7:50 p.m. Alison Krauss & Union Station
9:00 p.m. The SteelDrivers
9:45 p.m. Dale Ann Bradley
10:30 p.m. Russell Moore & 111rd Tyme Out
11:15 p.m. The Cleverlys

GRAND MASTER FIDDLER CHAMPIONSHIP STAGE
10:00 a.m.- 5:45 p.m. Grand Master Fiddling Championships
12:45 p.m. Della Mae
2:30 p.m. The Whites
4:00 p.m. The Crystal Plohman Fiddlers

SUNDAY, OCT. 2:
9:00 a.m. Bluegrass Chapel service
9:45 a.m. Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa
10:10 a.m. Mike Scott
10:35 a.m. America’s Bluegrass Gospel Show
11:20 a.m. The Isaacs