Email from a dear friend in the field of bluegrass music:
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| CLAIRE LYNCH IBMA NEWS – JULY 2013 |
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…and we may be in the midst of it! We’re hoping so, anyhow!
So if you’re an IBMA member (and prospective voter) we’d like to ask that when you get your email and follow that link for the Second Ballot voting, you’ll make note of these categories where my band members and I are “on the list”. We do appreciate so much! |
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ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR:
CLAIRE LYNCH BAND
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INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR:
CLAIRE LYNCH BAND
(“If Only They Could Pick!”)
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VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR:
CLAIRE LYNCH BAND
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SONG OF THE YEAR:
DEAR SISTER
(Written by Louisa Branscomb & Claire Lynch –
Lots of info below about the song…)
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ALBUM OF THE YEAR:
DEAR SISTER
(Our brand new release on Compass Records)
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FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR:
CLAIRE LYNCH
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BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
MARK SCHATZ
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GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
MATT WINGATE
(Way to go, Mattie! 1st time on 2nd ballot – ‘Bout time!)
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| I wanted to share some background info on “Dear Sister”. I co-wrote the song with Louisa Branscomb when she brought a book to my attention which had been compiled by her 4th cousin, Frank Chappell from Huntsville, Alabama. The book titled “Dear Sister: Civil War Letters to a Sister in Alabama.” is a collection of letters written to Louisa’s great great, great aunt, Lucinda Caroline Branscomb Hunter living in Union Springs AL, who had four brothers fighting in the Civil War. Lucinda saved all the letters, concealed them in an old BVD box and stored them in a trunk which miraculously hermetically sealed and preserved them until the 20th century when the family found them in the attic of the old house. They are now preserved in the State of Alabama Archives, Montgomery.
The song tells of a battle on the Stone’s River near Murphreesboro, Tenn. where Louisa now lives. In those days, each regiment had a musical band that would travel with them and keep morale up with their songs. On the eve before the biggest battle of Stone’s River on a cold night in December, the Union and Confederate troops played songs across the holler from each other – a sort of 1800’s “battle of the bands”. Then all at once one side began playing “Home Sweet Home” and the opposing forces joined in. For those few fleeting moments they all shared those sentiments they could not deny – the love of peace, harmony, home and, I suspect, the fear of losing those precious commodities. |
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SEE THE CLAIRE LYNCH BAND PLAY “DEAR SISTER” LIVE AT MERLEFEST!
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| Thank you ALL for opening this email and reading my shameless ploy for an IBMA vote! Seriously though we hope you’ll consider the CLB on your list of favorites this year. Have a beautiful summer and stay cool!
– Claire Lynch |
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treetrunkdings 