The Bluegrass Blog will once again run our readers’ awards poll, mirroring the nominees for the International Bluegrass Music Awards. We have done this for the past few years, and everyone seems to get a big kick out of it.

This poll is not affiliated with IBMA in any way. It is just a fun exercise so that readers who are not voting members of the IBMA can have their say in who among the many nominees they would like to see win.

Our poll will be up later this week, with all the same nominees in the same categories as the official IBMA ballot. We look forward to your participation!

Rhonda Vincent performed at a private event yesterday (9/5) on a farm near Gettysburg, PA and took the opportunity to test drive a John Deere 9760 STS combine.

She not only took this pricey heavyweight for a spin, but also left behind an autograph on the Deere green side panel.

Here are a number of photos for your Labor Day perusal.

The Bluegrass Blog is on the hunt for several on-the-ground correspondents and photographers to help in our coverage of the IBMA World Of Bluegrass convention later this month.

We are looking for folks who will be in attendance, and are willing to put together a number of reports each day during IBMA week. These could be impressions from the daytime seminars or the exhibit hall, reviews of shows on the main stage each day, or the late night showcases each evening. There may also be artist interview assignments, or specific report requests.

Preference will be given to those with writing experience and previous publication. Remuneration will depend on the level of commitment, and may involve direct payment, or payment (reimbursement) of registration fees. Press credentials will be provided.

We are also looking for photographers able to provide images through the week.

To be considered, you will need to have a laptop and online access during the convention.

This could be a good way to help cover your IBMA expenses. If you are interested, please contact us.

FestivaLink, the online purveyor of live show downloads, has released a special package of sets from Merlefest 2010, with a portion of the sales proceeds going to benefit the Bluegrass Trust Fund.

The fund is administered by the International Bluegrass Music Association, and exists to provide emergency assistance to bluegrass artists and industry professionals in need. The proximate need that inspired this benefit set was the severe flooding that submerged much of Nashville in May – just as Merlefest was occurring in North Carolina.

All of the artists whose music is offered in this FestivaLink package have agreed to donate their royalties to the trust fund. This includes Sam Bush, Doc Watson, Steve Martin with Steep Canyon Rangers, and The Kruger Brothers on the Roots volume. Two other volumes, Rocks and Folks, cover those aspects of Merlefest’s diverse entertainment.

These live shows, professionally mixed and mastered, can be purchased as downloads (MP3 or FLAC), or as audio CDs. Downloads include CD face art and booklets for printing.

You can see the complete tracklist – and listen to audio samples – on the FestivaLink site.

The Bluegrass Trust Fund is a fine effort, and I am aware of Nashville-based bluegrass artists who have been assisted by the fund in rehabilitating flood damaged property from this spring. These funds are dispersed anonymously, and to recipients based on need.

This Merlefest package looks like a great way to live (or relive) the festival experience, and contribute to a very worthy cause in one fell swoop.