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.

Back when I used to peruse the club listings in the New Yorker magazine, dreaming of the night life in NYC, I would always note the disclaimer they would insert in their directory. It ran something like this: Club owners and musicians live unpredictable lives, so it it always best to check before traveling for a show.

Unpredictable lives… just so.

And so has it been for Donna Hughes, who was all set to unwrap her new Rounder CD, Hellos, Goodbyes & Butterflies, this weekend at the Little John’s Mountain of Music Festival in Snow Camp, NC. But as she was making preparations for the trip yesterday, she got distressing news.

“I received a call this morning from our band members Brian and Maggie Stephens. Their daughter Lilly Kate was rushed to the hospital this morning and we are awaiting word on how this precious child is doing. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of them.”

But, you know what they say about the show, going on-wise. Fortunately for Donna, she was able to enlist AKUS bass man Barry Bales to step in, along with Mountain Heart mandolinist Aaron Ramsey to play guitar, Nick Keen from The Josh Williams Band on mandolin, and Trevor Watson from Lou Reid & Carolina on banjo.

Hellos, Goodbyes & Butterflies isn’t officially released until October 12, so the only way to get it is directly from Donna until then. The album was produced by JD Crowe and features another set of Hughes’ original songs.

We will look forward to hearing this one.

This next week’s syndicated broadcast of Into The Blue with Terry Herd will include an interview with Steve Gulley and Tim Stafford. They join Terry to discuss their superb new Rural Rhythm project, Dogwood Winter, and spin some of the tracks.

Terry tells us that he will also feature tracks from previous albums on which these two songwriters have appeared, including Tim’s time with Alison Krauss & Union Station and Steve’s stint with Mountain Heart. Stafford, of course, is now with Blue Highway and Gulley with Grasstowne.

Into The Blue is carried by 160 affiliate stations, and airs at different dates and times throughout the week (9/5-11). You can find both an affiliate locator and a list of streaming stations at the Bluegrass Radio Network web site.

Our review of Dogwood Winter ran last week.