My first IBMA September 2023

As I prepared for my first visit to IBMA’s World of Bluegrass week-long event, I learned that Toshio Watanabe, (from Bluegrass 45, the publisher of Moonshiner magazine, and co-founder of the famous Takarazuka Bluegrass Festival) would be attending IBMA with others from Japan. I wondered if I would find them and be able to say ‘Hello.’ I did run into them walking around the exhibition hall, and we had a great time getting acquainted.

In 2018, Jamie Latty of Deering Banjos attended his first IBMA World of Bluegrass and wrote about it.

I can relate to his experience. I just left Raleigh, NC this morning after my first IBMA, and it exceeded my expectations. I made lots of new friends and met many of the legends I admire. Just one of the exciting moments I experienced was watching Hirokazu Yomamoto, from the Japanese B.O.M. NewsLetter (Bluegrass and Old Time Music newsletter), who was visiting from Japan and attending his first IBMA. While walking past the "Bluegrass Karaoke" event he decided to sign up and sit in with the famous bluegrass band Special Consensus. It was a great experience for him, as well as everyone who witnessed it. You can watch a video of this special moment here.

Hirokazu Yomamoto playing with Special Consensus at IBMA September 30, 2023.