The Top Ten Reasons to Attend World of Bluegrass 2012

Reason #1: It's great, we're here, and you should be too!

The great band Della Mae is just wrapping up their showcase and Jim Hurst, The SteelDrivers and Volume Five are waiting in the wings ready to go on next, as I'm writing this message to you! We're halfway through World of Bluegrass week with three big days left! You still have time to hop in the car, on a bus, on a plane, a train, hot air balloon, or a bike and join us in Nashville! Check us out on Facebook here and here to see the videos, photos and comments from all corners of the Nashville Convention Center--which is literally ringing with great music and the laughter of old friends.

You should be here, too!

Still coming up Thursday: our annual IBMA Town Hall meeting for all members and those interested in finding out about membership, the Special Awards Luncheon with the presentation of IBMA's Distinguished Achievement Awards and industry awards for broadcasting, event production, print/media, liner notes and graphic design for a recorded project, and a new award for bluegrass songwriter of the year!

Tomorrow night is the International Bluegrass Music Awards at the historic Ryman Theater, hosted by Del McCoury and Laurie Lewis. I'm backstage at the Ryman right now, listening to soundchecks by one amazing band after another, and getting more excited by the minute! You definitely don't want to miss this one, folks! Tickets are still available at ryman.com, in person at the Ryman Box Office, and at the World of Bluegrass registration desk through tomorrow afternoon (Sept. 27).

If you can't be here in person, be sure to catch us on the first ever live streaming broadcast on www.bluegrassnation.org or www.bluegrasstoday.com, or live on Sirius XM satellite radio, WSM-AM or wsmonline.com.

Fan Fest, with more than 60 great bands, a world-class fiddling competition, the masters workshop stage, an exhibit hall, celebrity jams, the great "Kids on Bluegrass" set, and jamming unlimited kicks off Friday morning, Sept. 28 and runs through Sunday, Sept. 30. Single day and three-day passes are still available at the gate. Kids under 16 are free with an adult, and there are special discounts for students with a high school or college ID. Here's the line-up.

Great business connections are being made, amazing music is being played, and big fun is still to be had during the next four days of World of Bluegrass in Nashville, Tenn.!

Hope to see you! If you can't join us, follow us on Twitter, on Facebook (IBMA & Bluegrass Nation pages) and Instagram, and tune into the show tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. Central.

-Nancy C.