I can’t believe we have been doing this for 6 days….we’ll need a holiday to recover… or at least Peter will – he has been out till 6am picking most of the rest of the week. I’ve had to bail out earlier, to manage to get up and go to a few more conference sessions in the mornings. The picking has been better for Peter anyway, because he plays at a higher level. The latter part of the week, the place just went crazy. Many, many more people and bands come in for the weekend when it is non-stop – bands playing from 10am till midnight on Friday and Saturday – and only half hour spots in general. A few of the legends get a bit longer. Because the shows go to midnight -alot of people don’t really get in and start picking till after that – hence the craziness until dawn – everywhere up and down the various floors of the hotel. The skill level of people picking all over the place was phenomenal. Some of the best professional pickers are just standing in corners jamming. We didn’t stay in the Renaissance because of the price but I tell you – it would have been worth the extra money to have your own room or suite to play in, or invite people too…. just a little personal space would have been good – our hotel was too far away to return to in between, so there were some mighty long days!! It was the last time IBMA is being held in Nashville though, so good to be a part of it here. It is heading to Raleigh, North Carolina next year. Looks like we’ll be recovering today before heading on down to see Elvis!!
Peter reminds me i have to mention the awards show at the Ryman Auditorium… that really was special – and the last time it will be there, so we were lucky to have the opportunity to see it in the historic Ryman – gorgeous setting! A great tribute to Earl Scruggs at the end – opening with the little Sleepy Man Banjo Boys playing Foggy Mountain Breakdown, then the curtain opening and a stage full of professional banjo players all joining in the tune. Pretty amazing. Some great performances – Boxcars and Steep Canyon Rangers and some funny moments as Del McCoury and JD Crowe couldn’t read the auto prompt as it was too far away!