Curtis Burch, Dan Crary and Vince Gill recording for the Bluegrass Hotel project at Gruhn Guitars in Nashville, Tenn. during the IBMA WOB convention.

Sam Bush, Vince Gill, Dan Crary, Curtis Burch and other former members of the New Grass Revival and The Bluegrass Alliance -  two of Bluegrass music’s most influential bands – participated in the successful launch of a major film and recording project at the 2008 International Bluegrass Music Association convention in Nashville, Tenn., last month.

The project, The Bluegrass Hotel, is based on an old Victorian mansion in Louisville, Ky., that was a key component of the bluegrass scene and the residence of major music artists during the Newgrass era of the 1970s.

Bush, one of the fathers of the Newgrass style of bluegrass, was joined at the IBMA convention launch event by alumni of the New Grass Revival and The Bluegrass Alliance during a showcase that included Alliance co-founder and guitar flatpicking legend Dan Crary, Curtis Burch, Danny Jones, Buddy Spurlock, Jack Lawrence, Tony Williamson and many others.

Fred Bartenstein, a prominent bluegrass music historian and consultant to the project, presided over the showcase that featured music performances by Bush and the alumni of the bands, a slide show presentation on The Bluegrass Hotel by its owner Harry Bickel, and an overview of The Bluegrass Hotel project by co-producers and Bluegrass Alliance alumni Bill Millet and John Jump.

“The Bluegrass Hotel was both a musical breeding ground and residence for world class pickers, including Vince Gill, Tony Rice, Bela Fleck, Jerry Douglas, J.D. Crowe, Doyle Lawson, Tony Williamson, Jack Lawrence and many others who made The Bluegrass Hotel the place to be,” said John Jump during the announcement.

Dan Crary, Sam Bush, Danny Jones and John Jump perform at the Bluegrass Hotel Project's official launch celebration during the 2008 IBMA WOB in Nashville, Tenn.

The centerpiece of The Bluegrass Hotel project is a documentary film, which will include reality-based storytelling and jam sessions scheduled be filmed at the Bluegrass Hotel on Dec. 13 in Louisville, a spring 2009 live concert with alumni of the New Grass Revival and The Bluegrass Alliance in Louisville and archival video of historical performances by The Bluegrass Alliance and New Grass Revival in the 1970s.

A coffee table book, an LP record with mp3 download card, a DVD and CD will be launched in conjunction with the national broadcast of the film, which is anticipated for fall 2009.

All proceeds from sales of The Bluegrass Hotel media materials will benefit the Foundation for Bluegrass Music, the International Bluegrass Music Museum and the Bluegrass Trust Fund.

“The Bluegrass Hotel was Louisville, Kentucky’s equivalent of the Buena Vista Social Club in Havana, Cuba (the award winning film by Ry Cooder); the scene of stellar all-night jam sessions, tall tales, world class pickers and vintage instruments galore”, reflected Bartenstein.

“If it wasn’t for The Bluegrass Hotel, I don’t know how a lot of young bluegrass musicians could have moved to a different city to learn how to play music,” said Bush, a Bluegrass Hotel perennial.  “It was like that old song, ‘The door is always open. … You were always free to stop by.”

On Oct. 1, the day after the inaugural event, Crary continued the odyssey with a sojourn to the Mecca of vintage instruments, Gruhn Guitars in Nashville.  Its proprietor George Gruhn, recognized as one of the world’s leading authorities on historical and fine instruments, graciously opened the doors of his emporium to continue the filming and recording with Bluegrass Alliance alumni Gill, who jammed and swapped tall tales about the Newgrass days with Crary and former members of the New Grass Revival.

Crary was also at Gruhn Guitars to continue adding segments to his film about the history of the guitar called “Primal Twang”, due for release in 2009.  Important segments included Crary performing bluegrass standards on his Taylor guitar with Vince Gill and Chris Eldridge, both of whom played vintage Martin guitars from Gruhn Guitars awesome collection.

“In my estimation, these fine, vintage instruments are living entities that come alive in the hands of great musicians, like those present here today,” said Gruhn, who also contributed important segments for the films.  “We are just the temporary custodians of these instruments, and I’d like to think that I’ve done my part to be a conduit to place important instruments into the hands of the great players.”