FCMA award to Sierra Hull

Thanks to the Bluegrass Blog for the news that teenage mandolin prodigy Sierra Hull (USA) received on 27 September - coincidentally, it was her birthday - the Best Bluegrass Band award from the French Association of Country Music in the 6th French Country Music Awards. Also nominated were Rhonda Vincent, Becky Schlegel, and Dailey & Vincent.

Country & Western Friends present US bands

Chad Graves and Becky Buller of Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike

Thanks to Friedrich Hog, vice-president of the Country & Western Friends Koetz 1982 e.V., for news of the association's upcoming presentations: Sawmill Road (USA) (Steve Spurgin, Dick Brown, Bruce Johnson, Charlie Edsall, Mark Miracle) at 20.00 on Friday 14 November 2008 in the Pfleghofsaal, 89129 Langenau bei Ulm, Germany; and Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike (USA) at 20.00 on Saturday 13 December in the Schützenhaus, 89340 Leipheim - the Friends' Christmas concert.

Full press releases in German can be read here:

Sawmill Road
Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike

and a picture of Sawmill Road is here.

Join Andrea Tarquini in Flatpicking Guitar Network

Andrea Tarquini of the Country Kitchen Revival Jamgrass Band of Milan, Italy, has a message for flatpicking guitarists in Europe:

Hey, guys, you should open an account here at Flatpicking Guitar Network that Dan Miller created. Let us see European presence.

You can accept Andrea's invitation through this link.

Flatpicking Guitar Network, set up by Flatpicking Guitar magazine, is dedicated to presenting all aspects of the art of flatpicking the acoustic guitar. It already has 1,024 members, and carries 586 photos, 145 music tracks, 29 videos, 50 discussions, 58 events, and 46 blog posts.

Frédéric Arsonneau commemorated

On 4 June 2008 the AEGC Bluegrass and Old-Time Association of Paris, France, commemorated the first anniversary of the death of their beloved president, Frédéric Arsonneau.

Contact the new president:
Bernard Saintagne
12 avenue Foch
92250 LA GARENNE-COLOMBES
FRANCE
+33 (0)1 41 19 64 31
AEGC e-mail
AEGC website

New chair of IBMA's International Committee

After fifteen years as the chair for IBMA's International Committee, Dick Kimmel has decided to step down from that post. Richard Hawkins, of the EBMA and the Bluegrass Ireland Blog, will take on the position. Dick, who enjoyed working with the international bluegrass community and especially enjoyed his trips to bluegrass events in Europe, says:

While I will greatly miss chairing the international committee, I feel it is time to have a non-US person at the helm. With the enthusiasm for international bluegrass of the new IBMA president, Greg Cahill, and the new IBMA international board person, Rienk Janssen, it was a good time for me to move on. I feel international bluegrass has made great strides in the past fifteen years and I see even greater success in our future.

On behalf of EBMA, sincere good wishes to Richard in his new role - and also to Dick, who now may have time to consider again bringing his music to Europe.

AEGC Bluegrass Association

The new president of the AEGC Bluegrass Association of Paris, France, is Jean-Louis Montagut. Jean-Louis takes the place of his best friend, Frederic Arsonneau, who died on 4 June at the Poissy hospital after six months of grave illness.

Contact: Jean-Louis Montagut
10 avenue Foch
92250 La Garenne Colombe
+33 (0)1 41 19 64 31
e-mail

Contact the AEGC by e-mail.

Bluegrass in Belgium (and elsewhere)

Bluegrass in Belgium reports that Rawhide is celebrating thirty years as a band - fifteen years with the present lineup - and has given a new look to its website. You are invited to send comments or condolences to the band by e-mail. Rawhide will also be playing at the 5th Fredericia Festival in Denmark on 25-6 May.

The Sons of Navarone are booked to play the Beleuvenissen Folk Festival this year for the third time, at Vounckplein, Leuven, on 6 July. Both Rawhide and the Sons of Navarone will be playing at the EBMA's 10th EWOB Festival at Voorthuizen, the Netherlands, on 17-19 May.

For other events, see the Bluegrass in Belgium calendar. Contact Bluegrass in Belgium via e-mail.