Best of the Welcome Columns


Best of the Welcome Columns

Author: Alston, Ed
Thoughts on High Lonesome Proselytizing

Today’s Welcome Column from Ed Alston Thursday, July 16, 2009 CBA’s membership stats perennially concern our board. And rightfully so. This organization can’t thrive indefinitely if member rolls continually shrink. [No need to panic yet, since we’ve held pretty constant at 3,000 members over the past year.] How best to increase – or at least maintain – membership numbers remains an open question. Some wonderfully erudite colleagues have offered well considered opinions in this column and on the message board. Most seem to advocate a youth movement as CBA’s membership enhancement priority. This view probably reflects conventional wisdom within CBA. Recruiting youngsters makes good actuarial sense, if nothing else. I agree CBA should strive to recruit youthful musicians whenever possible. But I would submit that another demographic group should not be ignored. I’m talking about middle-aged folks. For discussion purposes, let’s define this group as 40ish to 60ish, and to include both pickers and grinners. [My age, don’t even ask…just know I feel complimented when someone refers to me as “middle-aged”.] Seeking out the middle-aged need not supplant young folks as CBA’s recruitment priority. But neither should pragmatism take a back seat to idealism. In my relatively short time (four years) in CBA, I’ve observed certain undeniable truths which I’ll share below. I believe these truths render the middle-aged demographic a vital membership recruitment target: Truth No. 1: Most under-40 Californians won’t be open to that high lonesome sound before reaching middle age. As callow youths this demographic somehow adopts unfairly demeaning stereotypical views of bluegrass (e.g. mundane music for mouth-breathing bumpkins). If ever their musical tastes broaden – so that melodious harmonies and discernible lyrics trump discordant nonsense – it will happen after turning 40. Once the middle-aged tune in to bluegrass, they generally have the time and means to pursue it, and to share it with other, er, codgers. And they may even be in a position to influence the musical tastes of their under-40 associates. Truth No. 2: Beyond the music, middle-aged folks can better appreciate the engaging qualities of bluegrass practitioners. If I’ve learned nothing else since joining CBA, it’s that the bluegrass world abounds with bright, articulate, personable, selfless, witty and FUN musicians. They’re absorbed by music, not themselves. In fact, they don’t care whether anyone else knows how bright and talented they are. Where few under-40s have the intellect or patience to get to know bluegrassers, they remain blind to this truth. They generally don’t develop the knack of judging a book by anything but its cover until they reach middle age (if then). [On a corroborative personal note, as a career prosecutor I once thought fellow lawyers and judges constituted the brightest and wittiest group around. But after I’d come to know several bluegrass musicians, I saw the proverbial light – I’ll take bluegrassers over barristers anytime.] Truth No. 3: Grinners as well as pickers should be solicited for membership. Some CBA folks may be inclined to rate grinners just a notch below banjo players. Not a good idea…not unless banjoists are elevated to their rightful, lofty place in the bluegrass pecking order. Grinners can contribute more than merely stocking jam circles with tasty snacks and adult beverages. Their most endearing quality is that they have far more time on their hands than do pickers. This is time which can be put to good use, provided the grinners are enslaved -- I mean, utilized -- as CBA volunteers. Also, grinners, especially middle-aged ones, seem to have more spare time in which to recruit other potential initiates. Truth No….contemplation of a fourth truth has been interrupted by the realization that I’m fast approaching the Daily Column’s recommended max word limit. So let’s close with some suggested guidelines. These come from one who has no claim to bluegrass expertise, but has had some gratifying successes proselytizing the uninitiated: As a bedrock recruitment principle, I’d submit that word-of-mouth – yours! – provides the best means of bringing someone into the bluegrass fold. This rings true for all demographic groups, especially the middle aged, who seem most susceptible to simple, earnest entreaties. And remember that winning over hearts and minds and ears to bluegrass is a snowballing process – the more we recruit today, the more we’ll get tomorrow. Keep in mind that most people totally unacquainted with bluegrass lack good role models – they don’t know anyone who listens to our beloved music. So I’d advise starting slowly. The initial exposure may be crucial, so don’t introduce your friend to bluegrass through some singer with an edgy voice. Ricky Skaggs and Rhonda Vincent probably will do fine, but wait a few sessions to play that Del McCoury cd. Live music of course provides an optimal introduction to bluegrass. Try taking someone to some local concert featuring any of a number of our marvelous home-grown bands from throughout California. Best of all, if time and geography permit, take your friend to a quality festival featuring the best in both local and national-level talent. Yes, our own Grass Valley gala sets the standard every June. But at least another half-dozen top-flight bluegrass fests are held up and down the state between January and October. Keep an eye on our website’s comprehensive calendar, a wellspring of info on worthy upcoming events. In closing this humble treatise, know that it’s not exhaustive, it hardly constitutes the last word on membership recruitment. I only hope it isn’t deemed heresy by the Powers That Be. Let’s leave to a future column detailed strategies and tactics for recruiting the uninitiated, e.g. festivals, concerts, gigs and cd tracks likely to appeal to the musically open-minded. Meanwhile, any thoughts you may have on this subject would be most welcome. Best of luck in your own bluegrass recruitment efforts!

Posted: 7/16/2009