Tag: COVID-19 resources

Stay On Your Ass: If Days Still Mean Anything to You, It’s a Long Weekend!

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Our plans: GET. OFF. YOUR. ASS. 2020: Nope, lol.

In the past, supporting musicians, writers, and creators meant going out to shows, buying drinks at venues, volunteering at festivals, and so much more. But music fans and supporters around the globe are finding new ways to show up for the folks who supply the soundtracks to our lives.

States and local jurisdictions may be loosening coronavirus lockdown restrictions, but the numbers are still very clear. Memorial Day or not, the healthy, safe choice is to just stay distanced, stay apart, and stay on your ass! We’ll continue to bring you a few of our favorite events, livestreams, and COVID-19 coping resources that we’ve scrolled by on our feeds or found in our inboxes each week until that reality changes.

Did we miss something? (We probably did.) Let us know in the comments or on social media!

Rhiannon Giddens Honors Bill Withers, Aids COVID-19 Relief Efforts

In early May, Rhiannon Giddens released a gem from her vault of B-sides and outtakes. Recorded in what she refers to as a “very un-socially distanced time,” Giddens and co. perform a lively tribute to an icon of American music. The release of this cover and music video celebrate the life and music of Bill Withers, while also portraying life in quarantine and raising funds for Global Giving’s Coronavirus Relief Fund.

Like many of his other hits, Withers’ “Just the Two of Us” has an infectious cheerfulness that, especially when juxtaposed with images of quarantine and sheltering in place, can brighten any day. Giddens explains, “When Bill Withers passed, we suddenly remembered we had made this beautiful [cover]… So whether it’s just the two of us, or just a few of us; whether the lockdown has been for months or it’s about to be lifted; COVID-19 is here for the foreseeable future, and the more we can be alone together now, the better the future will be.” 

Whiskey Sour Happy Hour Concludes

Our month-long online variety show came to a close last night with a surprise bonus episode featuring performances from past WSHH performers like Billy Strings, Valerie June, Rodney Crowell, and more. Last week, for the superjam of our final “official” episode, our cast of pickers pulled off this incredible cover of “The Weight,” a perfect finale for the series.

It’s been an incredible journey building and sharing these shows with all of you over the past few weeks, but the fun isn’t quite over yet. We’ve left all episodes of Whiskey Sour Happy Hour online so we can continue raising money for MusiCares and Direct Relief, two organizations leading the charge with critical support for musicians and front line responders facing this crisis.

Over your Memorial Day weekend, why not binge the whole show, enjoy world-class songs and comedy, and if you can, give a little to support the cause, too? Watch all episodes and donate here.Our friends at Direct Relief have been working ceaselessly since the advent of this pandemic to supply personal protective equipment to front line responders. Watch this brief video that captures the importance and the magnitude of the work they’re accomplishing.

California Bluegrass Association Says to “Turn Your Radio OnLINE”

Founded in 1974, the California Bluegrass Association is one of the oldest and largest bluegrass associations in the world, with over 2,700 members. They produce events throughout the year, including the jewel in their bluegrassy crown, Father’s Day Bluegrass Festival, held every Father’s Day weekend in Grass Valley, CA since just a year after the organization’s inception.

This year, the festival has canceled all in-person programming, asking bluegrass fans in California and around the world to turn their radios “OnLine” to take part in music performances, live interviews, online interaction, and so much more, featuring artists such as Tim O’Brien, Laurie Lewis, Molly Tuttle, Lonesome River Band, Special Consensus, Joe Newberry & April Verch, and others.

The webcasts will be accompanied by an online auction to raise funds for the CBA’s newly announced COVID Artist Relief Fund. Items being auctioned include fine acoustic instruments, books, music lessons, historic bluegrass memorabilia, and items of interest from popular musicians.

Get all of the information, full performance schedules, and more right here.

Music Maker Relief Foundation’s Freight Train Blues 2020

Our friends at the Music Maker Relief Foundation, the Hillsborough, N.C. based nonprofit whose mission is to promote and preserve American musical traditions by partnering directly with elderly musicians, have announced their 2020 music series, Freight Train Blues. The event, which ordinarly takes place at Carrboro Town Commons in Carrboro, NC, will now be broadcasted on Facebook, YouTube, and by WCHL 97.9FM out of Chapel Hill.

Featuring performances from Phil Cook, Mandolin Orange, Thomas Rhyant, and more, Freight Train Blues celebrates the life and legacy of Piedmont blues legend Elizabeth “Libba” Cotten, a pioneer in bluegrass, old-time, and blues and whose songs have left an indelible mark on all of American roots music.

You can tune in all through May and June! Get more information from MMRF here.

Reinventing a Broken Wheel – Frank Conversations, Future Opportunities


BGS co-founder and executive director Amy Reitnouer Jacobs will moderate the sixth session in Folk Alliance International’s “CommUNITY Online” series of sessions and panels on Friday, May 22 at 2pm CDT / 12pm PDT. Joined by David Macias (Thirty Tigers), Erin Benjamin (President/CEO Canadian Live Music Association), Enrique Chi (artist/activist), and Megan West (Facebook/Instagram) this group of industry experts will discuss, identify, and explore opportunities to innovate, pivot, and move the industry along in new directions. We each have a role to play in constructing our “new normal” — from immediate action to big picture initiatives, this conversation promises to be inspiring, provocative, and realistic.

Register for free, inform the conversation, and participate here.

Justin Hiltner and Jonny Therrien contributed to this article.

Music Venues May Not Survive COVID-19: Support the #SaveOurStages Campaign

Posted on by Editor

One of the most significant casualties of the new coronavirus may be the live music experience. By the time concert venues and local listening rooms are able to reopen — and nobody knows when that will be — it may be too late for a large majority of locally-owned clubs, who simply can’t afford months and months of bills without being able to generate revenue.

Gia Hughes, production manager of Hotel Café in Hollywood, California, is spreading the word about this dire situation to artists and fans through The National Independent Venue Association and its social media campaign, #saveourstages.

“Without proper support, the live independent music venues you know and love will close,” she says. “Historic institutions in their brick-and-mortar form will not be able to weather this storm. The stages that first provided homes for the Adeles, Katy Perrys, Hoziers, and Lumineers of the world will cease to be. It will take a group effort to survive, and independent venues need you now more than ever. Please support your local institutions, and help spread the word.”

Hughes spoke to BGS about NIVA, and what the shutdown means for grassroots artists as well as live music listeners.

BGS: Can you tell us about the formation of NIVA? How did you and the venue get involved?

Hughes: The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) formed at the start of the COVID-19 and shelter-in-place orders. We joined without hesitation; we are stronger in numbers. While we have all been working together to flatten the curve and keep our staff and communities safe, we must look forward to how independent venues will financially survive this shutdown.

There are now over 1,600 members spanning all fifty states, and each day there are action points we all touch on to help spread the word of this cause. Independent venues are needing federal financial assistance that will help us see this through. With no — or very little — revenue coming in, 90% of independent venues don’t think they’ll be able to survive a shutdown of six months (or more) if they don’t receive help from the federal government.

https://twitter.com/JasonIsbell/status/1261319849772568580

How would the permanent closure of independent clubs affect the grassroots music community?

The ripple effect would be felt throughout the music industry internationally. I’ll use us as an example. We host up to ten artists (sometimes more) — consisting of both local and touring acts — per night between both of our stages. Oftentimes, we are a stop on a national tour, or we are showcasing up-and-coming acts to labels, managers, A&Rs, publishers, and more.

But in the age of streaming, there’s nothing quite like seeing an artist live. That’s why so many acts are signed after performing at our venue. Without the presence of independent clubs, independent music could suffer greatly. Without a live outlet, there will be no person-to-person connection between artists and fans, between artists and industry, and between artists and their peers. So many independent artists make their income by performing live, as well as by selling merch to fans after their shows. Without independent clubs, local music communities would disappear.

According to NIVA’s letter to Congress, “It is estimated that for every $1 spent on a ticket at small venues, a total of $12 in economic activity is generated within communities on restaurants, hotels, taxis, and retail establishments.” Local business and culture would lose a sizable source of revenue without our businesses bringing in patrons.

And without independent clubs and the independent grassroots community, how would artists truly get discovered, or cut their teeth becoming the next star? Without independent clubs and the independent grassroots community, there would be no truth in music. Plus, local culture would suffer for the loss of it. We would lose so much of what makes music so special. We’d lose that soul connection.

How many shows did you have to cancel / postpone in the wake of COVID restrictions?

Canceling or postponing shows also means canceling and postponing work for our employees, as well as for our vast network of session musicians. For us — we’ve had to cancel hundreds of shows, and counting. We book up to ten acts per night, split between both of our stages, and we’ve been closed for over two months now. Not to mention, we can’t book moving forward since we don’t know when or how we’ll be able to reopen.

For Los Angeles, thousands of shows have already been cancelled between venues like us, The Troubadour, The Bootleg, The Echo, The Satellite, and others. There’s no end in sight.

What can fans of live music do to help (outside of filling out the petition)?

The best thing fans of live music can do right now for independent venues is support them directly by contributing to their GoFundMe or benefit pages, buying tickets to future shows, and buying merch if it’s available. And make some noise via www.saveourstages.com, and share this information with your friends. The more eyes that are on this pressing issue, the more likely independent venues will be to get the support they need from the federal and state government.

Operating a local music club is no small feat. What has kept you invested in the live music scene for all these years?

There is nothing like live music — nothing. When you see those rare shows with artists who you know have that something special, there is just nothing more wonderful than that. And when you get to advocate for them, and make sure their voices are heard, there are few things more gratifying.

The Hotel Café is also a rare anomaly in Los Angeles. We are the home of an actual community of artists and music fans. We’re a safe haven where people can connect with music, yes, but also with each other. Often times, people come by just to hang out with staff, or with fellow musicians, even if they don’t know who’s playing or who’s there; they know they’ll run into someone they know. Or they’ll come by to discover a new artist, because they know they’ll see an act no one knows yet, but will soon become a household name. Not to mention, you never know who might pop up on stage and surprise you. Our community and scene are so special, and I’m grateful to be a part of it, and I’m grateful to be able to champion the next great artists.

Photo credit: Devon Gilfillian by Peter Malek

Stay On Your Ass: BGS Picks to Get You to April 30 (or At Least Through the Week)

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

In the past, we’ve been pretty much adamant in our command to GET. OFF. YOUR. ASS. Supporting musicians, writers, and creators means going out to shows, buying drinks at venues, volunteering at festivals, and so much more — except… not right now.

So here’s what you can do to help the music business — and all of your favorite hard-working, paycheck-to-paycheck artists. Just stay on your ass! Each week, we’ll round up a few of our favorite events, livestreams, and COVID-19 coping resources that we’ve scrolled by on our feeds or found in our inboxes.

Did we miss something? (We probably did.) Let us know in the comments or on social media!

Julian Lage and Margaret Glaspy Live From Home

Julian Lage and Margaret Glaspy grace the camera in this very special performance for the updated and socially distant “Live From Home,” Live From Here with Chris Thile’s response to the COVID-19 crisis.

The sincerity and sweetness of the performance jumps through the screen as the two gifted artists shine together, singing an original song called “Katonah.” A song for the times, it’s sung from the point of view of a person who is fixed at home in deep thought, wondering about another — who is by no means bound to the narrator. Just as the lyrics lead the listener to wonder, Lage echoes with melodies that are equally comforting and ponderous.

Perhaps a highlight in the video comes when the two are finished performing; listening as the final notes ring, they look to one another and share a satisfied, slightly surprised smile. It’s moments like these that can surpass the space between camera and screen and connect music to audiences anywhere.

See more artists perform “Live From Home” here.

What the $2 Trillion Coronavirus Stimulus Bill Means for Musicians

Pitchfork walks musicians and music industry folks through one of several economic relief packages and the specific ways by which it attempts to aid freelancers and those in the gig economy — but record stores, labels, venues, and other types of businesses in these spaces as well. Read more here.

On Monday, April 6, the Recording Academy will host a webinar that will provide facts and resources for those navigating this relief package — the CARES Act — as well.

UnCancelled Music Festival

Our friends at storied Los Angeles roots music venue the Hotel Cafe will have a dedicated stage as part of the UnCancelled Music Festival through April 9. Hosted on StageIt, the event will bolster Hotel Cafe as they support their staff, their community of artists, and the music community at large through gifts to MusiCares’ COVID-19 relief fund.

You can support our friends at the Hotel Cafe directly here.

Artist Rights Alliance Resource List

Another excellent collection of resources, the Artist Rights Alliance is an artist-run non-profit advocating for musicians, performers, and songwriters in the digital landscape. Arts and music-based organizations are especially important in this time, as they often have a more holistic understanding of the particular needs of these communities; on their list you can find resources for addiction recovery and care, tips for keeping busy, a guide for ethical gig cancellations, and so much more.

Station Inn TV

After more than 46 years, the plucky, resolute bluegrass venue that refused to fall to development, condominium complexes, and boutique hotels has “turned the lock” because of the novel coronavirus. After a couple of weeks of ongoing broadcasts on their new Station Inn TV platform, with the proceeds going toward the working musicians on each show, the team at the little stone building in Nashville’s Gulch neighborhood has decided to shut it down. Good news, though! Given their backlog of Station Inn TV content, they will continue rebroadcasting past shows online — on their website and Facebook page. In a time when we need bluegrass more than ever, we hope you’ll tune in and support this iconic home for bluegrass and the bands who make it.

Chef Edward Lee’s Restaurant Workers Relief Program

We returned to the archives of our podcast, The Shift List, for a conversation with Chef Edward Lee, who is now leading the charge across the country to support our food service and hospitality workers — who have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 restrictions and closures. Listen to the episode and find out more about how to help here.

Art is Alive

Created by artist Rhiannon Giddens, and in collaboration with Amanda Palmer and Neil Gaiman, Art is Alive connects fans to artists in a stay-at-home climate. Described on their website, “Art is Alive is a solidarity effort aimed at providing resources, spreading awareness, and building connectedness within the artistic and creative freelance communities impacted by the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.”

We’ve all seen, in just a few short weeks, how frenetic, disorganized, and piecemeal the response has been to this crisis and its ripple effects, especially in the music industry. Art is Alive attempts to put as much of these puzzle pieces together in one place, a sort of leave-a-penny, take-a-penny hub for those interested in navigating all of this uncertainty together. Find resources, find artists, and find music streaming right here.

Justin Hiltner and Jonny Therrien contributed to this article.

 

The Shift List – Restaurant Workers Relief Program

Posted on by Chris Jacobs

This week on The Shift List, a replay of our conversation with Chef Edward Lee, recorded back in 2018.

Chef Lee is helping to lead the way in bringing restaurant workers relief with his Restaurant Workers Relief Program through The Lee Initiative. Due to the closure of so many restaurants and bars across America in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of workers have an urgent need for assistance, and they need our help now more than ever.

LISTEN: APPLE PODCASTS • MP3

In partnership with Maker’s Mark Bourbon, Chef Lee is transforming restaurants across the country into relief centers for any restaurant worker who has been laid off or has had a significant reduction in hours and/or pay. The Lee Initiative, in conjunction with local chefs in every majorly affected community across the country, is offering help for those in need of food and supplies, and each night, they’re packing hundreds of to-go meals.

Restaurateurs like Nancy Silverton in Los Angeles, Jose Salazar in Cincinnati, and Lee’s own Succotash and 610 Magnolia teams in D.C. and Louisville are doing so much good right now, along with so many others across the country. The BGS Podcast Network team wants to do what we can to spread the word and shine a spotlight on this important work.

For more information and to donate, visit leeinitiative.org, and in the meantime, while we’re all trapped indoors, continue to support your local community by ordering takeout and pickup (if your local guidelines and recommendations permit it).

Stay On Your Ass: BGS Picks for Your Social Distancing

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

In the past, we’ve been pretty much adamant in our command to GET. OFF. YOUR. ASS. Supporting musicians, writers, and creators means going out to shows, buying drinks at venues, volunteering at festivals, and so much more — except… not right now.

So here’s what you can do to help the music business — and all of your favorite hard-working, paycheck-to-paycheck artists. Just stay on your ass! Each week, we’ll round up a few of our favorite events, livestreams, and COVID-19 coping resources that we’ve scrolled by on our feeds or found in our inboxes.

What music are you spending your time with, now that you’re staying on your ass, too? Let us know in the comments.

Margo Price Plays a Tiny Desk (Home) Concert


Thirteen days into self-quarantining with their two children, dog, and cat, husband and wife Margo Price and Jeremy Ivey play three songs — including an unreleased original, “Someone Else’s Problem” — for a recently retooled version of the ever-popular (and BGS favorite) Tiny Desk Concert series.

A List Of Live Virtual Concerts To Watch During The Coronavirus Shutdown

NPR Music has compiled, and continually updates, this gargantuan list of online concerts and livestreams, sorted by genre. There’s a little bit of something for everyone. Artists and performers: you can submit your show for inclusion here.

Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn’s Banjo House Lockdown Livestream Series


Everyone’s favorite banjo power couple has been making the most of their isolation time, broadcasting on Facebook Live on Friday nights at 7:00 pm EDT (upcoming shows on March 27, April 3, and April 10). Whether you’re a banjo nerd or not, Fleck and Washburn are delightful entertainers, with innovative double banjo arrangements, traditional step dance, and the most adorable cameos made by their two cherubic children. It’s worth a tune-in.

Fleck’s expanded boxed set, Throw Down Your Heart – The Complete Africa Sessions, releases on March 27 and Washburn’s duo album with guzheng virtuoso Wu Fei drops April 3.

IBMA’s Bluegrass Community Resources for COVID-19

The International Bluegrass Music Association is curating a resources page specifically geared toward the bluegrass community and its working professionals, who, due to the grassroots, DIY nature of the genre, are set to be disproportionately impacted by this crisis. While IBMA is careful to point out this is not a complete list, it’s an excellent starting point for any performer who may feel like the proverbial “rug” has just been pulled out from underneath their feet.

MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund

A philanthropic arm of the Recording Academy / GRAMMY Awards, MusiCares has been supporting professionals in music industries with financial support for decades, providing a safety net of critical assistance in times of need. Artists and industry professionals can apply for assistance, but those who are able can donate as well — a rare opportunity for direct action! Find more information here, and apply for assistance here.

Jerry Douglas Performs LIVE to Raise Money for MusiCares

Speaking of MusiCares, the king of the resonator guitar himself, Jerry Douglas, will be going live on his Facebook page tomorrow, March 27, at 2:oopm CDT. So, if you’d like your donation with a side of the tastiest Dobro in the land, here’s your best bet!

WinterWonderGrass TV

Our friends at WinterWonderGrass, who’ve unfortunately had to postpone both remaining WWG events in 2020, remain undaunted! Starting tomorrow, March 27, at 8:00 pm EDT, they’ll release a series of hour-long livestream “episodes” featuring music and performances from artists on WWG’s cream-of-the-crop lineups and sneak peeks at events and highlights of the wintry, ski-centered festivals that make them so special. You can tune in on Facebook, either on WWG’s page, or with your old pals, BGS, too. Two more episodes will follow, on April 3 and 10.

‘There’s Nothing Set Up for Any of Us.’ — TIME Reports on the Music Industry Fallout

Banjoist, ethnomusicologist, and artist Jake Blount was interviewed by TIME regarding the financial repercussions of so many canceled events and shows so quickly. The report details how Blount was on his way to the airport to fly to Norway for a festival when he got word it was canceled. Blount’s upcoming album, Spider Tales, is set for release May 29.

Also, You Should Register to Vote

This is real, folks. Voting is the best way to ensure that this pandemic and its effects — economic, social, mental, spiritual, and so on — are actually addressed in a way that centers workers and those most at risk, including freelance and gig economy workers who make all of our jobs, our music, and our art possible. You can register to vote or volunteer here, and get more info on voter registration here.

Photo of Fleck/Washburn courtesy of the artist.