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The 1996 Conference will take place at Mt. Airy's historic Andy Griffith Playhouse, and will precede the 24th annual Mt. Airy Fiddlers
Convention. (The Fiddlers Convention will take place June 7-8 at nearby Veteran's Park in Mt. Airy). The Conference is cosponsored by OTR and
the Surry Arts Council of Mt. Airy, with funding assistance from the North Carolina Arts Council.
Keynote Speaker: Alan Jabbour
Highlights of the Old-Time Music and Radio Conference will include a keynote address by Alan Jabbour, director of the American
Folklife Center of the Library of Congress. Mr. Jabbour is a noted folklorist and researcher, and a fine old-time fiddler in his own right. In addition
to his keynote address, Jabbour will also participate in the Archival Issues panel discussion.
Technical Workshops
Radio professional Paul Brown of WFDD Public Radio in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, will coordinate a full-day Radio Technical
Workshop. He will provide insight and instruction on such topics as microphone selection and usage, in-studio live performance broadcasting,
effective remote and field recording techniques, and a variety of other subjects. Paul's workshop was one of the most popular features of the 1994
Conference and has been expanded to five hours for 1996. (Paul is also a well-known musician, who plays with the Toast String Stretchers, and
Benton Flippen and the Smokey Valley Boys.)
Peter Wernick, author of the book How To Make a Band Work, will coordinate a Musicians' Technical Workshop. Wernick will
cover topics from his book including creating good promotional materials, how to attract important allies such as record companies and agents, the
elements of a good stage show, and using radio and recordings to built audience support, among other topics. Wernick will also be available for a
limited number of personal consultation sessions at the conference. The Musicians' Technical Workshop will also include a Round Table
discussion with representatives of several traditional music recording labels. (Peter Wernick is the president of the International Bluegrass Music
Association, plays banjo, and is a former member of the popular group, Hot Rize.)
Panel Discussions
Panel discussion topics How To Start an Old-Time Music Radio Program, and How toSustain Your Program/Managing
Management will feature a cross-section of commercial, public, and community broadcasting professionals and volunteers, including both
management and programming personnel. They will discuss the issues and challenges confronting both prospective and established traditional
music radio programmers, and ways of addressing those challenges.
How To Get Your Music On the Air will be a discussion designed especially for musicians, record labels, and self-produced artists on the
essential elements necessary in approaching radio stations for airplay or live performance opportunities.
High Tech Distribution Opportunities will discuss emerging opportunities for program producers and radio personnel to share
programming through satellite, Internet, and cable distribution. Confirmed for this panel is Rik Kaplan, distribution specialist for National Public
Radio.
Radio and Ethnic Communities will look at ways in which supporters of other styles of traditional music have used radio successfully
to maintain their cultural identity and expand public awareness during recent years. Panelists will play recorded examples and draw parallels with
today's old-time music scene. Among the panelists will be Henry Sapoznik, who has done extensive research into Jewish and Yiddish radio in
New York.
Archival Issues is an opportunity for conference participants to learn more about two important repositories of recorded materials, the
American Folklife Center of the Library of Congress, and the Southern Folklife Collection at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Directors Alan Jabbour and Steve Green will address topics ranging from institutional support to public access and copyright concerns. In
addition, author Allen Lowe will introduce his research into digital restoration of archival materials.
Radio Programmers Showcase and Critique session will be a chance for individual programmers to play short examples of their radio
programs for the entire conference. Registrants will have the opportunity to submit airchecks for review in advance, and those selected will be
featured during this unique group session. Participants will have the chance to comment or critique each program.
Evening Activities
Evening activities during the conference will include an opening Town Hall Meeting, Tuesday night, when conference attendees and
organizers will gather to share thoughts and concerns about the future of old-time music. This unstructured session is designed to give all
participants a chance to voice their thoughts about traditional music. Wednesday evening's program will feature the keynote address by Alan
Jabbour, performances by top traditional musicians, and a special award. The host for the evening will be David Holt, nationally-known old-time
musician and host of such television and radio shows as "Fire On the Mountain," "American Music Shop," and "Riverwalk." Thursday evening,
after a final Town Hall discussion period and a barbeque supper,
the Conference will host a record release party for the Rounder Records CD
recording, Old-Time Music On The Air:
Volume 2
(see following article).
Friday, the Conference will give way to the annual Mt. Airy Fiddlers Convention, one of the premier traditional music events in the
country featuring contests, performances, and jam sessions throughout the weekend. For information about the Fiddlers Convention, contact Jack
Jones at (910) 786-6830.
Registration Information
Registration for the Old-Time Music and Radio Conference is $90 for the full event, including group meals Tuesday, Wednesday, and
Thursday evenings. A special one-day registration is available for Thursday only, including the Radio or Musicians' Technical Workshop for $50 A
limited number of local scholarships will also be made available through the Surry Arts Council and the North Carolina Arts Council. (Contact
OTR for more information.)
Registration forms and complete conference information will be mailed by OTR in early January to all those on the OTR mailing list. To
be added to the OTR mailing list, send your name and address to OTR; P.O. Box 3014; Elkins, WV 26241.
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Among those confirmed are: Sheila Kay Adams, the Rhythm Rats, Wade & Julia Mainer, the Bunkhouse Orchestra, Cliff Perry &
Laurel Bliss, James Bryan & Carl Jones, the Bing Brothers Band, Critton Hollow, and Hank Bradley. This varied mix of contemporary
old-time music includes a cross-section of both vocal and instrumental styles, and showcases the wide range of traditional music talent which can
be found today across the U.S.
Old-Time Music On The Air; Volume 2 will be sent to radio stations and offered for sale in Spring, 1996, with an official release
celebration planned as part of the Old-Time Music and Radio Conference in Mt. Airy, NC, June 4-6 (see preceding article, this issue).
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Although OTR's radio survey results are still being tabulated, it is clear that a large number of radio programs which feature old-time
music also play bluegrass. This suggests a correlation between the success of bluegrass radio and broadcast opportunities for old-time
music.
For more information on the IBMA or to obtain a free sample copy of "The Bluegrass Music Advantage," contact the IBMA at 207 East
Second Street, Owensboro, KY 42303 USA; phone (502) 684-9025
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For further information, contact Arhoolie Productions, Inc., 10341 San Pablo Avenue, El Cerrito, CA 94530; phone (510) 525-7471.
(Many radio stations enjoy free service from certain record labels, but are frustrated with their attempts to stay current on
new releases from other companies. On the other hand, record labels struggle with rising costs and the admittedly limited sales
potential of traditional music recordings. This media subscription service from Arhoolie is, then, a creative compromise. OTR
welcomes news from other labels on their media service policies. (ed.)]
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Nearly 40 Topical and How-To Panels and Workshops are scheduled, including several which specifically concern traditional music or
lore. Some of these include "Teaching the Folk Arts," "Oral History: John Jackson," "How To Present Traditional Music," and many others. There
will also be a special OTR Focus Group session during the conference, as well as Traditional Music and Broadcast Media Peer Group sessions.
Late night activities will include a privately sponsored traditional music showcase.
For registration information, contact the Folk Alliance, 1001 Connecticut Avenue NW #501; Washington, D.C. 20036; phone (202) 835-
3655; FAX (202) 835-3656;
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The floor fight will continue in both Houses of Congress for the foreseeable future. A legislative amendment to abolish, or "zero-out," the
Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) was recently defeated in the House of Representatives, but specific appropriation and authorization
legislation beyond FY 1996 remain in question. According to Community Radio News, the newsletter of the National Federation of Community
Broadcasters, the CPB appropriation for FY 1996 has been secured at $275 million. The FY 1997 appropriation now stands at $260 million. The
CPB has also undergone a significant reorganization.
In other areas, the National Heritage Fellowships were reinstated after a close call with budget-cutters; likewise the American Folklife
Center of the Library of Congress, thanks to an intensive lobbying campaign. Funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has been cut
by 39% for FY 1996, with the NEA's long-term future still unclear. The NEA has also undergone restructuring.
OTR recommends that those who support public funding for the arts continue to press the issue with their elected representatives.
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Articles In This Issue:
OTR Conference Planned June 4-6. 1996
The second Old-Time Music and Radio Conference is planned for June 4-6, 1996, in Mt. Airy, North Carolina. Radio programmers,
musicians, record company representatives, folklorists, members of arts organizations, and listeners from across the U.S. and Canada will
participate in panel discussions, Town Hall meetings, and technical workshops aimed at increasing public access to traditional music through
expanded broadcast opportunities. The Conference will also include a keynote address, musical performances, and a record release party.
CD Slated for Release
Old-Time Music On The Air; Volume 2, a compilation of traditional music to be released by Rounder Records in the Spring of 1996,
is well on its way to completion. Project coordinator, OTR steering committee member Susan Madden, reports that she and her volunteer
committee reviewed over 100 tapes and CDs in preparing this collection, which will include tracks from approximately 24 artists.
IBMA Releases Audience Profile
The International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) has recently expanded its efforts to find new broadcast outlets for bluegrass and
traditional music. A new full-color brochure, entitled "The Bluegrass Music Advantage," was unveiled at the IBMA's annual trade show in
Owensboro, KY, and contains a wealth of demographic information about the audience for bluegrass music. According to IBMA, the brochure is
aimed at commercial country radio decision makers, and contains information from the U.S. Census Bureau's research on Arts Participation in
America.
Arhoolie Offers Media Service
Arhoolie Records, boasting "Down Home Music Since 1960, " is offering a media subscription service to radio programmers,
publications, and others. For $50 per year ($75 per year outside the U.S.) Arhoolie guarantees shipment of all new CD or cassette releases, a
minimum of twenty recording a year. In addition, Arhoolie is making back catalog CDs and cassettes available to media for $3 each, with a limited
number of LPs also available. Arhoolie is best known for its eclectic catalog of traditional music including old-time, blues, Tejano, Cajun, razz,
and World Music titles. Some current releases are:
Folk Alliance Conference Planned
The 8th Annual Folk Alliance Conference is planned February 15-18, 1996, at the Renaissance Washington DC Hotel in Washington,
D.C. The theme of the 1996 conference is Expanding Alliances -- A Capital Idea. Conference organizers hope that this conference and its theme
will motivate the folk music community to build their own cultural and political awareness, and to educate non-governmental and governmental
organizations, the music industry, and the media about the value of folk music and dance.
Public Funding Update
As discussed at length in the Spring, 1995, issue of the OTR Newsletter, public funding for the arts, including public radio and
television broadcasting, has come under harsh scrutiny by the 104th U.S. Congress. This situation continues to be serious for public and
community radio stations as well as for the artists and listeners who have come to rely on these stations as essential communications links.
Community Microphone Letters to OTR
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