How to “Bluegrass” during a Pandemic

2020 has been a unique year to say the least. The world as a whole has been dealing with so many anomalies and hardships that COVID-19 has enhanced tenfold changing our lives and how we live them. Bluegrass has been just as hard hit as everything else, causing the vast majority of festivals across the country from March through August to be canceled and folks making a living in the business being the hardest hit.

Nobody knows when the virus will go away, even if the vaccine come out in late 2020 we may not see the end of the pandemic for many months. What has been done is done at this point so let us look forward to how we can get back to Bluegrass. Many folks are done with being trapped inside their homes and are pushing for a change to get some semblance of normalcy back into existence.  Let’s talk about some ways that everyone can get safely back to Bluegrass.

Personal Freedom

Before we get too deep into what steps each of us CAN take, lets quickly discuss personal freedom. COVID-19 is real, and its dangerous but just because you want to take certain measures, doesn’t mean everyone else has to as well. Keep in mind, you as a normal citizen are not going to mandate actions of other citizens just because your opinion of the situation is different.

As it applies to Bluegrass in this discussion just keep in mind: IF YOU DON’T FEEL SAFE, STAY HOME OR TAKE WHAT EVER MEASURES YOU MUST PERSONALLY TO FEEL SAFE. Your Personal Freedom does not take precedence over other’s Personal freedom.

Social Distance

Luckily most Florida Bluegrass events are outdoors, which makes it much easier to maintain space. Some social distancing guidelines already apply to these venues, but you can chose to exceed those guidelines. Find yourself a space away from folks where you can still enjoy the show. It would be best for you to call the venue ahead of time and see what Social Distance options are available to you (I suggest investing in a 10×10 pop-up tent so you can have cover from the ever changing Florida weather if the venue permits)

Live Streaming

Some folks just can’t come out to events yet and that is understandable. Luckily the Bluegrass as an industry has been trouble shooting this problem for months now and many venues have started to offer a Live Streaming option to the show to give folks their Bluegrass fix. Most of these streams are done via Facebook or Youtube and can be played on any device including a Smart TV. Reach out to the people running the Bluegrass event you would like to watch to see if there is a Live Streaming option and they should be able to walk you through how to best view the stream.

Radio Simulcast at the Festival

Want to get out of the house, but not get around too many people? Camping at a festival but listening to the show on local simulcast might be an option. Many of today’s Bluegrass festivals broadcast the show on a local radio frequency so that folks who might be less mobile than others can still hear the show from their camper. If you have internet access, Live Streaming might also be an option from the festival as well. You can reach out to the festival promoter ahead of time to see if there is a Radio Simulcast option before you make the trek.

Masks, hand sanitizer and other measures

If a venue doesn’t have a mask mandate, doesn’t mean you aren’t allowed to wear one. Just because others are hugging and touching, doesn’t mean you can’t give an air-fist bump. There are many extra measures you can take to get to your level of comfort including hand sanitizer, spraying Lysol on your seats, sitting spaced out from others and much more.

Be aware and do what you think is best

In the end, even the “Experts” are making educated guesses during this pandemic so it’s really hard to say “Do _________ and you will be safe” for any situation. You need to do make decisions on your Bluegrass event involvement based on what is best for you personally and try to keep others in mind as well. There is no “One Size Fits All” measure out there, but please be courteous to others when you are figuring out what works for you.

There are been many successful Bluegrass festivals in just the past few months that haven’t resulting in any COVID spikes or any other negative fallout. SamJam, The Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver festival, SOS Lincolnton and many more! They took measures and allowed folks to do what was best for themselves.

This is going to be a long road back to “Normal” and each person is going to have to decide what their own speed limit is.

WE HAVE FAILED BLUEGRASS IN FLORIDA

(Before I continue I am not condemning any current or former promoters. This is about the Florida Bluegrass Culture)

We had the opportunity and momentum to set the course for Bluegrass in the state for generations, yet we seem to only care about one generation.

We have had a rich history of Bluegrass music in the state for generations, with many of the top industry headliners making the state their winter stomping grounds but now it does seem like the state’s former glory is getting closer to some waterfall-like precipice.

(I know this is going to be an odd way of telling this timeline, but you will understand why)

The State of Florida Bluegrass Today

The sheer number of Bluegrass festivals has dropped drastically over the last two decades with many of our historical festivals either fading into history altogether or being supported by a small contingent and being operated as a shadow of its former self.

Where there used to be massive lines of RVs and campers vying for the venue’s spaces and overflow, now most festivals struggle to even fill their powered sites. The “Bluegrass Circuit” in Florida that used to take folks and their RVs from festival to festival not missing a beat all winter has now become a story we tell the younger generation. Even with social media, easier access to the music, and the “Brother Where Art Thou” shot in the arm, it seems harder and harder each year to pull in a crowd large enough to break even on the cost of putting a festival on. The crowd that is a staple of the Florida Bluegrass festival is a far cry different from those in the 70s and 80s, even though many of them are the same people.

The festivals themselves have changed. It’s much rarer today to see jams now than it was even in the 90s and those jams in Florida end about midnight where their predecessors often saw the sunrise before cases were put away. (Personally, in the last calendar year I have had people complain about my jams at 5 different festivals, once even storming into our campsite and screaming in my face. None of those jams went past midnight or had anyone drunk or rowdy…I just wasn’t in bed by 10 pm). Folks constantly cold shoulder younger pickers at festivals and don’t invite them into their jams. They seem to see them as some kind of threat or just assume they don’t like the “Classics” and kind of blackball anyone under 30 (I HAVE SEEN THIS HAPPEN FIRST HAND). The most progressive songs you are allowed to play at LRB and Blue Highway songs from the 90s and they better not have more than 4 chords. There is no “improvising” or “learning on the fly” anymore just the same songs, in different keys using the same licks.

Nearly all the Bluegrass venues stick to a strict No-Alcohol policy forcing those who do enjoy a drink during their recreation time to either abstained, hide their beverage, or take other measures. Folks get their assigned seats (no first-come), sussh folks for talking or being too rowdy, and are in bed just after the stage show is over (and it better end by 10 pm, or they will pitch a fit)

Because we have chased the fun-loving, jamming, youthful generations away, promoters have all but had to cater their festivals to this “60s, 70s, and 80s” age group in order to stay afloat. All the Bluegrass MUST be “Traditional” people cant move around the stage, cant play any percussion, no “hippie bands”, the sound cant be too loud…..am I missing anything???…O-yes…defiantly no dancing!!! Florida Bluegrass is becoming “The Fun Police”

How much longer do you think Florida Festivals will survive only catering to folks in their 60s, 70s, and 80s? How do you see Bluegrass in Florida 10 years from now? 20?

If I was a promoter, I would honestly be frightened…This path we are driving doesn’t seem to have a light at the end of the tunnel…..

Florida Bluegrass in its “Hayday”

To understand how we got to today, you must look back at the ’70s in Florida. Bluegrass was starting to spark and catch fire in the state. Large Bluegrass festivals and associations were sprouting up all across the sunshine state, and folks couldn’t get enough of that festival lifestyle. Even monthly festivals in a place as urban as Miami was pulling in thousands each first Sunday. Bands and fans alike were starting to ride the “Florida Bluegrass Circuit” going from festival to festival which seemed to happen nearly every weekend. There was so much innovation, folks were creating bands, songs, and traditions seemingly out of midair, and what I call “The Florida Bluegrass Boom” happened.

Promoters and associations were so excited about this boom that they latched on with both hands and started to ride this generation of Bluegrass excitement into the 80s and 90s, holding tight to the methods and traditions of that 70s Bluegrass boom. They decided that that generation was the standard, and all other things after would be judged against that. As those 20-somethings from the 70s started to get older, Florida Bluegrass got older with them. Instead of evolving with the next generations as most music and cultures did, they decided that they would hold onto “The Bluegrass Boom” and keep the Traditions started only a few generations ago by the 20-somethings in the 70s who were now getting closer to their 50s.

In the early 2000s, there were still plenty of festivals going strong, but you could start to see a change. You could blame economics, demographics, or strict traditions but one thing was for sure Bluegrass wasn’t getting healthier…crowds were getting smaller, venues were becoming stricter with alcohol and other “no-Fun” policies and things just started to shift to make these events more somber. You started to see less and less young folks hanging around, even children of long time Bluegrassers in the state started opting to go to other music and hobbies instead of picking up the torch.

As we get to the present day, folks have started to wonder if we have hit some wall at the end of the line that there is no turning back from…..

That is not the case!

Is it fixable?

Bluegrass Music is alive and well across the country. In rural areas, in cities, in northern states, in southern states, out west, east, and everywhere else you will find Bluegrass thriving. Greyfox pulls in tens of thousands of people each year in New York, Charm City Bluegrass keeps getting bigger each year, Rocky Grass has become a behemoth out in Colorado and even Ohio has such a Bluegrass following and tradition that they are actually starting new festivals even now in this time of COVID! We aren’t talking anemic, barely surviving festivals….we are talking money makers and music culture spreaders. Festivals which have hundreds of children, teens, and 20-somethings mixed in with the prior generations…..BLUEGRASS ISNT DYING….Florida “BOOM” Bluegrass is!!!

How We Fix It!

Like any change, this is going to hurt a little….or at least be a little uncomfortable. This will be especially hard on the “Bluegrass Boom” generation but in the end….don’t you want to leave something behind?

Here are some suggested steps from myself and other industry people:

1. Get ready to suffer a little: Promoters and Associations have relied on the “Bluegrass Boom” generation as their safety net for so long, that it is inevitable that business might hurt a little while you transition.
2.  Youth Outreach: You need to start programs, grants, and do anything you can to foster young people at your event. The more they are around “FUN” Bluegrass, the more likely they are to keep coming back.
3. Youth Opinions: It is a smart idea to add youth positions to any board or focus group used in the planning of festivals in events. No matter how “Tuned In” you think you might be, if you are over 30 years old, you are not.
4. Plan your operation around the younger crowd:
   1. Do away with reserved seating, you want the more animated people (and those are who get there early to get a seat) upfront.
   1. Set aside a section up front for standing/dancing. Some folks enjoy being able to get close up and move around.
   1. Don’t be so strict on drinking alcohol. People are there to have fun, it’s not a funeral. I have been to dozens of festivals that allow/sell alcohol and I have never seen any problems.
   1. Foster progressive or “MASH” jams. Have some of your artists wade into the jams too to help get that new school jam feel.
   1. Book at least one “Progressive band” per day at your festival. It’s easier to ease folks into it, and usually, it will grow on them.  
   1. Reach out to local music teachers/facilities to see if you can bring in younger pickers.
   1. Anyone under 18 should be free to get in. You want the young people there, and you don’t want to give their parents any excuse to leave them home. This is a win-win for you!!!
   1. Have a quiet camping section at your festival. Some folks will still only be there to watch the show and won’t want to be kept up late. Set up a section in the camping area at your venue for these folks to be at and make sure everyone knows about the sound curfew in that section.
5. Be patient: It took generations to create this problem in Florida and it will take some years to reverse it. Stick to your guns and it will be a net-positive thing for you in the long run if your goal is to be supporting the music in the next generations.

We failed Bluegrass in Florida, but there is still time for a makeup test before the final grade is written in!

If you are too good to practice, raise your hand….

Nobody???….

Practice?

We are talking about Practice???

Yes, we are going to talk about practice.

No matter your skill level, experience level or age practice is the only way you will learn new material, learn a new instrument, retain the skills you have already learned and/or progress your music theory firsthand knowledge.

Think of an NFL QB who just won a super bowl the year before…They are at the top of their game, champions of the world…do you think they stop practicing? Do you think Brady, Elway, Montana, Farve or any of those guys just showed up one day and could beat the best of the best….obviously not.

On the Bluegrass side we marvel at the touring bands and their tight harmonies, complicated arrangements, stellar musicianship and sheer talent. You hear a brand new song from Balsam Range and think…wow those guys are good. How do you think that happens??? They practice constantly. I doubt 48hrs goes by where high level musicians don’t touch their instruments or practice their material.

Enough about why you should Practice… lets talk about ways of making “actually practicing” easier.

There are so many things for a person to do in todays world. Outside of work and normal household chores you have TV, Streaming Video, Facebook, Youtube, video games, sports and so many other “Time Consuming” tasks presented to you in the easiest to consume way possible. You barely have to click a button and you have hours of endless entertainment poured into your brain.

How do you fit time to practice in while “Life” is going on??

The trick is, to remove as many hurdles as possible. Here are some tips & tricks to trick yourself into practicing.

1. Keep your instruments out of the case: Having an instrument on a stand close by to where you rest your feet can remove the “Laziness” hurdle from you not practicing. Obviously this might not be ideal for households with small children our curious pets.

• Form a routine: Many experts say the best way to get yourself to start doing any task is to mold it into your daily routine. Pick a time each day to sit down for 30-60mins and practice. It will be hard at first but it will eventually become second nature.

• Set an Alarm: A frequent pitfall for most is just flat out forgetting to practice. (this is kind of #2b) Set an alarm on your phone to remind you to practice for a time. I have found that just before dinner or just before bed usually are the best times to get your time in.

• Make a space: set up a space inside your living quarters to practice in. it should have a comfortable seat, your instruments on a stand, and materials to learn from. This could be a closet, a bedroom or anywhere you can play without causing your roommates too much shrieks when you scratch out a number on the fiddle.

• Cut out distractions: The biggest hurdle to practicing as we stated above is distractions. Turn of your cell phone, tv and anything else that might keep you from putting in the work.

• Set Goals: You should always try to set a goal for yourself so that you get some kind of accomplishment for the work you put in. Pick a cool song or fancy lick to work on along with your normal material so you can check your progress.

• Record Your material to practice with: If you are in a band setting use a phone app, or a physical recorder to record the material you need to work on for the band that way you will be able to play with it directly instead of guessing at the speed, timing and phrasing of how your band does that tune.

• Change it up: Even though you might be focused on playing one instrument, learning another (or learning that particular song on another instrument) will not only keep things fresh in your brain but it can also give you insight into how the song plays out from a different angle.

• LISTEN TO THE MATERIAL: The biggest mistake folks tend to make when practicing is failing to listen. When possible, play the song you are learning dozens of times so that you hear all the elements that make that song different. Sometimes it takes a few times through before you notice key item that you didn’t hear before.

1. Practice how you will play: While making yourself comfortable while practice can defiantly help keep you doing so, you would get the most value out of practicing in the way you plan on playing that instrument/song. If you’re in a band that plays standing up around one mic, it will be valuable to practice doing that. You may not notice it, but how you hold your instrument while actually performing the tune can change how you play it.

Bluegrass Social Media

People love social media…people hate social media….regardless of your personal stance on the platforms, a social media presence is a must for any Bluegrass Musician/Band wanting to play gigs. Festivals, Venues, Sponsors and all the other gig-makers hire on the basis of a person/band’s following,  social media presence, and Brand. There are so many talented musicians and bands out there who do not have any following at all, so they find it hard to compete against the folks who take full advantage of all the platforms possible. This guide will be helpful to those of you who don’t social media at all and those of you that do might pick up a hint or two that they find helpful.

Which social media to use

There are multiple options when it comes to social media. Keep in mind that the more of them you use the better you will be able to take advantage of their benefits. Having too many may cause you not to take proper advantage of each one. Here is a list of prominent social media platforms in order of usefulness for Bluegrass promotion:

1. Facebook: Most used platform. Best to get detailed information out on the web. Widely used by Bluegrass people.

• Instagram: 2^nd most used. Good for sharing media. Short pieces of info. Can be connected to a Facebook account.

• Reverbnation: Good to show band music, media, gigs and all their details in one location

• Twitter: Good for details but not widely used by Bluegrass People

Social Media No-No’s

1. Don’t talk about religion: While your beliefs may be strong, you will alienate a portion of people who may be fans. It’s ok to promote gospel album or songs just don’t get in debates or go too over the top. (unless you are a gospel band then, do your thing!)
2. Stay away from Politics: People love to bait and troll people on the internet and politics is one of the main tools they use to do that. If you post about politics you are taking sides in a debate and potentially alienating a portion of your fans.
3.  Don’t Post Too much: A band or musician should not post more than two or three times a day unless it’s before or after a show or its something substantial. You do not want to be viewed as a spammer.
4. Don’t be negative: Negativity is the quickest way to lose fans. Don’t respond to trolls (just delete their comments) Don’t put down anyone (or anything) just make your posts as positive as possible.
5. Don’t change your picture frequently: People get used to a certain photo for a band or musician’s page so don’t switch them up too often unless you have to because of personnel changes. Consider this your Brand’s logo.

Social Media Tips:

1. Post at least once a day: The point of social media is to put yourself out there and let people know you exist. Posting once in a week or once a month is a failure to do either.
2. Add media into your posts: While people don’t mind reading a sentence or two they are much more likely to do so if they see a picture or video accompanying it.
3. Let people get to know you: Do a top ten list of your favorite things, tell them about your gear, tell them stories about your music. People are much more likely to support you if they have an emotional investment in you. Show then you are a real person.
4. Make your posts interactive: Ask questions, ask for opinions, do anything that would entice a fan to respond to a post. Comments are as good if not better than “likes” on social media.
5. Respond to questions and comments quickly: People love to be responded to quickly, it shows you are paying attention.

Promote Shows on Social Media

It is always in your best interest to promote your upcoming shows. It not only helps the venue get more attendees but it also shows that you are busy with your music making it more likely for other venues or promoters to book you thinking you are “in demand”. Your promoting of your own shows (and other shows that venue has) is part of your overall value.

Support other bands and musicians

This might seem counterproductive in the competitive world of music but it will actually help you in the long run. The more you support others in the industry the more likely they are to support you. Each connection made is an investment in your brand. This also comes in handy when a connection has to back out of a show and is thinking of a replacement or a venue is asking them for other bands/musicians to book. There really isn’t any drawback to helping others promote themselves, and it honestly shows you’re a good human.

Support Festivals and Venues

Your much more likely to be added to Bluegrass Festivals and venues if the booking agents see you supporting them on social media. In today’s world, this is one of the first things promoters consider when filling out a musical lineup. This may seem like your giving away free promotion, this again is an investment in your Brand and future dealings. While you may not get booked to the festival your promotion, other festivals may see it and reach out. This also gets your “Brand” mentioned in the same sentences as established brands which helps promote both.

Show your Creativity

There are thousands of Bluegrass bands and that many more of Bluegrass musicians. Each one may be similar in some ways (or they wouldn’t be considered Bluegrass) but each has its true value in what makes them different. Creativity is the best way to show this difference and social media is a great platform to show that off. Original songs, live performances, cool album artwork and things like that should be featured on your social media. Figure out what your band does best (ie Vocals, originals, instrumentation, and improvisation) and make sure people get to see that in the forefront. This creativity will help in building your “Brand”.

Building your brand

In the end, Social Media’s man value for a band/musician is helping build your brand. You want to let people know you exist, what makes you different from others, what style/type of music you create and it helps build a network of people invested in your brand. When someone is looking to book a show, event or venue, the better “Brand” you have the more likely you are to be considered for that booking. Try to keep your “Brand” out of any negativity, keep it on peoples feed daily and always try to bring in at least one new fan a day to your brand.

Social media has its downfalls, but if a band/musician is careful and consistent they can greatly benefit from a social media presence.

Opinions From The Road

Since the dawn of music, musicians have measured themselves against their peers. People who have the passion to learn a certain instrument, set goals on themselves like “I’m going to work so hard on this guitar until I can play like Tony Rice” or “Man I am never going to be on Jerry Douglas’ level, but I would like to get close”. While it is always good to have a goal, achieving a level that is impossible to measure can set people back in their development or make him/her give up altogether. This targeted comparison also causes the musician to “clown or copy” their targets traits without neither developing their own “artist” nor realizing the influences that created their idols artist.

After learning the basics on your instrument (and the basics of the music you are trying to play) and basic music theory, it is nearly impossible to quantify your development. There is no “Stage 2” that will take ____amount of hours to surpass or a set of skills that advance you to some next level because growth is not a liner measurement. It is not a point A to point B timeline that you can track, it’s not a check sheet you can fill out. You also cannot measure yourself against another musician properly because his/her timeline is different.

Learning an instrument is like floating in outer space. You want to move, but that movement is only accomplished by what happens to pull you into its gravity. You can want to learn, and practice hard to be better but your growth depends on what is influencing you. Your growth is pulled hard by certain influences and away from other ones. You might become well versed in dozens of chords but not as skilled with the rhythm in which to use those tools. You might become skilled at Monroe style mandolin for instance but struggle to play with bands who play in a more modern vintage.

This is why comparing yourself to other musicians is so detrimental to your development. If you measured a fish & squirrels ability to climb trees, the fish would look worse each time, but if you then do the same for a swim across the pond, the squirrel will look the fool. To take the analogy further, Barry Bales can win Bluegrass bassist each year but not even make a chair in the symphony. That doesn’t make Barry any less of an artist. He’s musical development is just better suited for what he is doing.

Instead of measuring yourself against other musicians, it’s better to just set an ideal or goal of what kind of “Artist” you want to be and be very cognizant of what influences you surround yourself with. You may find yourself surrounded by other players of your same instrument but their development is at a different point in the universe than yours is. Different influences, different goals and so many other factors that it would not be fare for either of you to compare to each other.  You will also want to surround yourself with people who want to help you develop, not those who are nervous about that development. Some musicians, like any part of society, want to hold other down in order to boost themselves up. Once you realize these, just pass them by and heed not their drama.

You have to set a point in YOUR universe that you want to achieve, work hard to push yourself in that direction but be ready for that path to be a very windy road that sometimes goes all directions but forward. At the end of your journey, you won’t care you who (or others) compared you to, you will remember that zig-zag line that helped to create the artist you became.

Justin Mason, Florida Bluegrass Network

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