2008-2009
Down Home Series

Pickin’ a Bluegrass All-Star Jam
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Meymandi Concert Hall

Download the Set List from the Show

Download the flier from the show

Pictures from the show by Jim McKelvey (linked with permission)

A "Who's Who" collection of bluegrass musicians came to Raleigh in January 2009. Almost 20 artists, including Rob McCoury, Terry Baucom, Michael Cleveland, Jason Carter, Josh Williams, Dale Ann Bradley, Steve Gulley, Kim Fox, Rob Ickes, Missy Raines, Alan Bibey, Mike Compton, Phil Leadbetter, Kenny & Amanda Smith, Tim Stafford, and Mike Bub, took to the stage together in a song-circle format hosted by Cindy Baucom, the 2005 IBMA Broadcaster of the Year for the nationally syndicated radio show "Knee Deep in Bluegrass."

The event "Pickin' - A Bluegrass Allstar Jam" was started in 2006 at the Paramount Center in Bristol, Tennessee. The show's idea was to bring some of the best pickers and singers from the bluegrass genre to the Paramount to perform in a jam type setting. Each artist appearing would bring two songs to the event and, among the other artists appearing, they could choose who they wanted to appear on their selections. If they did not have a preference as to who appeared with them, the music coordinator arranged the selection. There was an emcee who introduced the song selection and the performers as they appeared on stage. The artists would then speak to the crowd and perhaps give their reasons for their song selections or related stories. After an increasingly successful three-year run at the Paramount, 2009 was the show's first year on the road.

About the performers who participated:

Michael Cleveland- A Louisville, Kentucky native who has been blind from birth and began fiddling at the age of four. He is the six-time IBMA Fiddle Player of the Year. In 2006 he won IBMA award for Instrumental Album of the Year ("Let'Er Go Boys!"). His group Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper won the 2007 and 2008 IBMA awards for Instrumental Group of the Year.

Josh Williams - Vocalist and multi-instrumentalist on fiddle/mandolin/guitar. He recently won the 2008 IBMA Guitar Player of the Year. He fronts the Josh Williams Band at this time and from 2003-2007 was the guitar player for Rhonda Vincent & The Rage.

Rob McCoury - Son of Del MCCoury and banjo player in the Del MCCoury Band, the most awarded band in the history of bluegrass. They have been nominated for six Grammys. They won one for Best Bluegrass Album in 2006 and were named International Bluegrass Music Association's Entertainer of the Year eight times.

Terry Baucom - Banjo player who has performed in such groups as Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, IIIrd Tyme Out, Lou Reid, Terry Baucom and Carolina among others. Terry recently got his own model of banjo with the Deering Banjo Company.

Jason Carter - A member of the Del MCCoury Band, Jason is a three-time winner of "Fiddle Player of the Year" at IBMA.

Steve Gulley - Vocalist/guitar player with Grasstowne and co-writer (with Tim Stafford) of the Song Of The Year, "Thru The Window Of A Train," at the International Bluegrass Music Association's award show.

Kim Fox - A member of 3 Fox Drive, Kim is an accomplished vocalist and songwriter and past winner of the Chris Austin Songwriting Competion Award at MerleFest in Wilkesboro, NC.

Rob Ickes - A member of Blue Highway, Rob is the 10-time IBMA Dobro Player Of The Year and is the most awarded individual player in the history of the IBMA.

Missy Raines - Leader of the group Missy Raines and The New Hip. She is the seven-time IBMA " Bass Player of the Year."

Alan Bibey - Mandolin player with the group Grasstown. He is 2007 Society For Preservation Of Bluegrass Music Association's Mandolin Player of the Year. Has also Performed in groups such as Blueridge and IIIrd Tyme Out.

Mike Compton - Mandolin player with the Nashville Bluegrass Band. Plays Bill Monroe-style mandolin "better than just about anybody except for Monroe himself," (Bluegrass Unlimited). He performed on the soundtrack to the movie "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" and appeared on the Down from the Mountain tour and album. He was also one of the "Soggy Bottom Boys."

Phil Leadbetter - Dobro player with the group Grasstowne. In 2005 he won the awards for IBMA award for Dobro™ Player of the Year. He also won IBMA award for Instrumental Album of the Year ("Slide Rules").

Kenny Smith & Amanda Smith - The husband and wife have their own group, The Kenny & Amanda Smith Band. In 2003 they won IBMA's Emerging artist of the Year award. Kenny is a two-time IBMA Guitar Player of the Year. Dale Ann Bradley - Has her own band. In 2007 and then again in 2008 she won IBMA's Female Vocalist of the Year award.

Tim Stafford - Guitarist with the group Blue Highway. Tim is also a great songwriter and has songs recorded by many in bluegrass. He, along with Steve Gulley, received the IBMA award for Song of the Year for the song "Thru The Window of a Train." Tim has also produced several award winning projects.

Mike Bub - A five-time IBMA Bass Player of the Year who has performed with some of the greats such as Del McCoury Band, Peter Rowan and Tony Rice, Shawn Camp and Vince Gill. Mike is the music director for Pickin'.

Cindy Baucom - MC for this event and host of the nationally syndicated radio show "Knee-Deep In Bluegrass," which is distributed by the John Boy and Billy Radio Network and goes out to more than 70 radio stations. Cindy was named the IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) Broadcaster of the Year in 2005.


Artist websites: http://www.myspace.com/bluegrassallstarjam or www.pickonejams.com