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Our association celebrated its' tenth anniversary last year, so it's interesting to look back over the years since the 3rd November 1990, when 10 bluegrass enthusiasts met in the George and Dragon Inn, Much Wenlock, to discuss its formation.

The past ten years have provided tremendous highs, such as The Barbican Bluegrass Bash, (see also index to several articles) and some dreadful lows, as with the loss of Jan Jerrold and Bill Monroe - two irreplaceable bluegrass people on the east and west of the Atlantic respectively.

In this series you will find listed some of the activities and achievements of Brit bands and pickers; highlights from our many festivals and a respectful reminder of the bluegrass friends we have lost over the past ten years.

There are other people not listed, but whose mention is essential such as, our first chairman, Mal Salisbury, at whose initiative the BBMA was formed and John Sheldon, who followed him into office. BBN founder Phil Morley, the committee members and many area representatives who have contributed so generously over the years.

As the chairman presiding at the time of this important BBMA anniversary, I would like to take the liberty of mentioning some of my own personal British Bluegrass recollections of the past ten years.

Let us start with the wonderful commemorative events that took place following the death of that highly regarded bluegrass powerhouse Jan Jerrold. The impressive turnout of bluegrass friends at his funeral. The tribute concert organised in his honour, and supported by bluegrass fans and pickers toonumerous to mention. The donation of his vast record and tape collection, by his wife Marie, to the British Library National Sound Archives, and the anthology, 'That High Lonesome Sound', comprising the best of bluegrass through the years from two leading record labels, compiled by John Crosby and dedicated to Jan.

Another abiding memory is that of the big event that took place on 4th August 1995 in Blackburn. The list of those appearing included, from the USA The Seldom Scene (with the late great John Duffy on his one and only visit to the UK); The Cox Family; The Kathy Chiavola Band; The Hillbilly Boogiemen (Holland); New Section (Czech Republic); Last Chance Bluegrass Band (Ireland). And from Britain: The Down County Boys; Grassfire; Daily Planet and my own Tom Travis Bluegrass Band.

For good measure, there were also several top American and British Cajun bands.

Chris Moreton

One superb personal memory from thatevent was watching and listeningto two world class pickers in session at the top of the stairs that led to the bar area. Brilliant fiddler the late Randy Howard - here playing guitar as if it was his instrument of choice, and could easily have been - was trading licks with our own Chris Moreton. The result was hair raising. It was a hot summer's day and night and there was magic in the air.

And then there was the glorious 'Pure Bluegrass - Handpicked' event, on 11th April 1998, at the Barbican, in the city of London. Thanks to promoter Dan Quinton we enjoyed:  The Nashville Bluegrass Band;  Charlie Waller and The Country Gentlemen;  J. D.Crowe and The New South (JD photo);   Tim O'Brien and Darrell Scott and our own Down County Boys; old-time band Same Train Different Teapot and the very progressive Daily Planet. What a day! What a memory! What an experience! Will we ever see the like of that again in the next decade? Let's hope so.

When thinking of what has happened in the pages of BBN over the last ten years, I can't help but remember the bits that made me chuckle.

Matt Ditchburn at Didmarton BG Fest:

Like in the March '94 issue, when Matt Ditchburn, gave us the benefit of his opinion on the editorship and contents of BBN. This elicited the following remark, among others, from Bob McGee in his letter in the following issue." Dear Matt… You are truly a loss to the diplomatic service."

Matt's legendary diplomacy was applied again later when, in reply to Liz Brooks' observation that British bluegrass bands compared favourably to their US counterparts, he stated "… the British playing bluegrass music; they can't and never will". Every egg a bird, as 'King' Arthur Robinson would say.

Agent provocateur Mike Preston never failed to raise a smile with his notorious editorials in which he claimed that Old Time music, and as a consequence Bluegrass music, originated not in the US, not in Britain, but in England (you must see British Bluegrass Comes of Age). This, of course, was capped by a wry observation made by Robert Clinton, BBN's American editor,when he stated that the blueish grass that grows in Kentucky (Latin name Poa pralensis) "… is of European origin - in fact it is the grass that makes up most of British lawns. So Mike Preston has been right all along, Bluegrass did originate on this side of the Atlantic."

Carmen Turner

Then there was Carmen Turner upbraiding the UK Bluegrass bands for their poor attentionto the way they dressed when appearing on stage. So many little gems... so much affection, so much fun.

Away from our magazine there were often notable events such as that in 1997 when Andrea and Mike Preston secured a lottery grant. This enabled the BBMA to purchase instruments to be used for children's workshops and the acquisition of office equipment. Whilst on the subject of the Preston's and their great works over recent years, mention must be made of their event 'Sore Fingers Week'. Now run by Andrea and BBMA member John Wirtz, the significance of these Bluegrass and Old Time masterclasses cannot be under estimated. What better way to accelerate the quality of our music than providing the opportunity to meet, and work with the best if its acknowledged exponents.

Another event, close to my own heart, as one of its originators, The British Country Music Awards started in 1994 - the British Bluegrass category of which has been won, every year since, by the ubiquitous Down County Boys

There were International touring bands, too numerous to mention, who visited our shores over the period. Thanks must go to them and the enthusiastic people who organised their visits, and to those who provided the venues.

It's been an eventful first ten years for the BBMA and I can't wait to see what's in store for the next ten. Let's share them together!(Continued next time....)

Tom Travis, Back Rowarth, Stockport.

1st Feb 2001