MEMBERS MEETING
April 6, 2006
President John Fitzer called the meeting to order at 7:07 pm.
14 members were present.
President’s Opening Comments and Announcements:
Sorghum
Hill will be playing in downtown
Secretary’s Report: (Submitted by Bob Waters, Interim Secretary). Accepted as read.
Treasurer’s Report: (Submitted by Bill Dutton) Accepted as read
Committee Reports:
Communications – Duke Walker
Two
full-page ads were placed in NewsGrass this month. One from the Doyle Lawson
group advertising the Denton Farm Park Bluegrass Festival on May 11th,
12th and 13th and the other ad from Delta Blue
advertising the Fifth Annual Bluegrass Jamboree in
Yahoo News Group – Mike Albert
Mike raised two questions concerning possible changes to the newsgroup. The first dealt with whether input by members should be moderated or free-flowing and thus available to all members. This topic was initiated by a recent submission by one member who thought he/she was responding to an e-mail from a specific individual, but the response was disseminated to the entire group. The consensus of the members was that the information submitted should be free-flowing and available to the entire group.
The second comment dealt with whether an option should be made available to group members that would allow responses to be made to specific e-mails rather than to the entire group. Once again, the consensus was that all input comments should be available to the entire newsgroup.
Website – Keith Carter
Keith reminded
us that one important mission of MABA was to promote bluegrass music. Since
MABA receives information about bluegrass festivals from all over the country,
should all of this information be posted on the Website or should we limit our
posting to events nearer the
NewsGrass – Duke Walker
NewsGrass was printed today.
Activities – Gordon Jones
Tentative dates for Riverfest have been set for Oct 14th or 21st; John Gay will try to lock-into one of these dates before the May members meeting.
Discussion
was raised about trying to put together a Riverfest for the spring, but all
agreed we needed more time for planning. John suggested that MABA might
consider meeting one Saturday at
Eleven
MABA bands are scheduled to perform on stage at the Bartlett Bluegrass Festival
on May 5th and 6th. MABA and the Bartlett Chamber of
Commerce will be hosting the events. Wayne Vick will do the outdoor sound and
Craig Yarbrough and Gary Pierce will do the sound for the Laurie Lewis
performance. Volunteers are needed to help keep the grounds clean and for
cleanup after the festival. Volunteers should meet at 5:00 pm on May 5th.
Last year we had approximately 3000 attendees over the two-day festival. Laurie
Lewis will be the featured act on Saturday night. Laurie Lewis will be
interviewed live by WKNO on May 1st at 8:40 am. Fliers advertising
the festival will be sent out to MABA members.
The
Arlington Festival will be held on April 29th; Craig is arranging
with the
Regulatory – James Johnson (no report)
Membership – Jeannie Gentry (no report)
Jeannie has started a member database. Currently, the database contains the names of 470 past and present members, 228 paid members, 242 un-renewed members. This month we had 10 new members, and four members that renewed their membership.
Jeannie will look into sending letters to the un-paid-up members asking them to send in their dues.
Education Jim Milford no report
Thanks to Jim for a terrific lick-swapping-workshop this month.
Jeannie Gentry will not be able to continue the guitar workshop on Saturdays due to a conflict with her working schedule.
GRASS – Beth Mays
Bonnie Dumas will go to the nursing home across the street from BPACC this coming Saturday to put on an ice cream social. She is looking for a bluegrass band(s) to come out and play.
The Memphis Players Club, meets at Amro Music Store the last Friday of the month between 10:00 am and noon; they are also looking for a bluegrass group to come and play.
Plans are being made to provide shoeboxes/zip-lock-bags full of gifts to be given to Hurricane victims during the late summer. MABA members will put together gift packages that will be transferred to United Way. Porter-Leath Children’s Center is also in need of our support. President Fitzer will bring in zip-lock bags to the Saturday jams to be distributed to members. Fliers will be enclosed as to what to put in the bags.
Lucy Opry – Beth Mays Woody
President Fitzer reiterated that MABA should buy a block of 15-20 Lucy Opry tickets to distribute to groups in the community such as the Boy Scouts, nursing home residents, international students, schools, and charities.
.
Welcoming/Caring – Loyce Smith, Jo Edith & James Hudson, Erna Wheeley
Four cards were sent out to MABA members in March.
Old Business:
President Fitzer will again look into MABA joining SPGBMA. Larry Bomar will look into MABA joining IBMA.
President Fitzer will look into entering NewsGrass in the newsletter competition at SPGBMS next year.
Merchandizing Committee: Sam Ketchum will check again with Pastor White about obtaining storage space to house MABA merchandise (shirts, CDs) at Lord of Life.
Space and “Facilities Committee: Committee chairman, Keith Carter, reported that he has been trying to contact Kingsway Christian Church, and should know by next month whether they are amenable for MABA using their facility for the Saturday jam.
Concern about children playing and eating in the sanctuary and running around the church unsupervised during the Saturday jams. President Fitzer will discuss this topic with members during the Saturday jams
Maureen Fitzer has agreed to draft a set of rules of etiquette at the jams and she will present a draft at the May members meeting.
New Business:
Beth Mays suggested we might look into getting shoulder patches with MABA insignia and reissuing membership cards. Membership cards might be used by members to receive discounts at local music vendors.
Mike Albert indicated that the Memphis Zoo was interested in attracting bluegrass bands to play on Saturdays at the zoo. Band members, but not families or band groupies, would get into the zoo for free after the performance.
Bluegrass festival, hosted by the Jackson Plectra Society will be held at Williston on May 19th and 20th. Contact Colley Graves for information.
John Gay suggested that the MidSouth Baptist Conference Center at Rocky Point might be a good place to hold our potluck dinner and/or annual picnic. The facility seats 500 + and rents for $400.
Meeting adjourned by President Fitzer at 8:42 pm.