IBMA 2006
(click on picture for bigger view)
We had a great time at IBMA this year. Alvin Deskins of Morgan Music in Lebanon, Missouri showed off 6 fine Bourgeois Guitars. The guitars were a numbered edition of six made especially for IBMA.Greg Boyd of Greg Boyd's House of Fine Instruments in Montana also showed some great Bourgeois guitars. We also had a couple of guitars from our dealer in Nashville The Gibson Showcase. Here are pictures of the booth and of the friends who came by to visit. Click on the images to see a bigger view .
We also attended the 17th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards on September 28th at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville. We saw great performances by so many wonderful artists including an incredible performance by Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder with 20-piece orchestra.
Ricky Skaggs stopped by after being mobbed for about 2 hours at his own Skaggs Family Records booth. He really enjoyed the D-150.
It's an honor to be associated with Ricky and Kentucky Thunder. Congratulations to them on winning " Best Instrumental Group" for the 8th year in a row. Skaggs Family Records also received "Album of the Year" for their wonderful recording Celebration of Life: Musicians Against Childhood Cancer. Congratulations also to Bryan Sutton won "Guitar Player of the Year" for the 5th year. For a complete list of winners and also to learn more about IBMA click here. 
Jere Cherryholmes of Cherryholmes stopped by to show off his new Brazilian Slope D. The Cherryholmes were 2005 IBMA "Entertainers of the Year"
Keith Sewell and Andy Leftwich just about wore out the guitars in our booth. They sat and played for a long time on Friday . Then they came back Saturday.
Keith has been on the road with The Dixie Chicks playing a Country Boy Deluxe and a Sitka Slope D. You can hear his Bourgeois Country Boy Deluxe on his CD "Love is a Journey".
In addition to his fiddle duties with Kentucky Thunder, Andy has been working hard in support of his latest CD "Ride" on Skaggs Family Records. Andy plays his Vintage D on that recording.
Bryan Sutton stopped by the booth and I got a chance to play the Banjo Killer we recently made him. Wow. What a great guitar. We were so excited to hear him play with Tim O'Brien again. He's keeping pretty busy these days. You can catch him right now on tour with Chris Thile.
Our buddy, Skip Cherryholmes, guitarist for Cherryholmes spent a few hours in the booth every day and picked some great tunes. The picture on the right shows him playing with Jacob Earle.
Joe Vest and Jacob Earle. That's Dana in the middle. Check out our guitars at The Gibson Showcase. They always have a great selection.
Got in a nice visit with Larry Fritts and his daughter Sarah of The Fritts Family Band. Larry plays a Slope D. His son Jeremy Fritts does too. They also sell our guitars at their shop, East Tennessee Musicians Supply, in Surgoinsville TN. Stop by and see them. The Fritts Family Band album "One More Mountain" is getting great reviews and it was still holding at #10 on the charts of the "Roots Gospel" chart after 20 consecutive weeks. If you haven't heard them, be sure and check them out.
Nashville artist and Bourgeois player, Bryan Clark stopped by to say hi. His band, Honeywagon, has been on the Top 15 Billboard Bluegrass Chart for 54 weeks. It's a great CD called "The Green Day, Blue Grass: Picking on a Green Day". You should also check out his new CD, "Nebraska House". Great songs and playing.
The entire Mueller Family Band visited. The picture shows Dana on the left with Dad, Curt Mueller, holding the brand new Vintage D, and son, Bob standing on the right. Check out their new CD, "Silver Dollar" and say hey to them for us if you see them out on the road!
David Grier and Chris "critter" Eldridge spent a nice long time playing in our booth too. David recently bought an old Artisan D that he is enjoying.
For more information about the folks in the pictures visit these websites:
Greg Boyd's House of Fine Instruments
Page last updated: October 23, 2006