Pre-Installed Bluegrass

Let's face it, this is the age of manufacturers and product suppliers telling consumers what they want. I know it used to be vice versa but it hasn't been that way for eons and eons now.

I can remember back when gadgets and gizmos took batteries to operate and almost without fail, each would take two batteries. And those same batteries came packaged in multiples of two. Then some genius in the packaging design department at world headquarters got the bright idea to put three, not two, not four but THREE batteries in a pack... what in the world are we supposed to do with the extra? You know it'll be lost when you finally get around to needing it … but even then it will be only one and you'll need two. So back to the store for another three-pack and now you'll have two extras … but where did that first one go? See what I mean?

Well, it seems like every manufacturer has now got themselves a “genius” in the packaging department and everywhere you go, everyone is packaging stuff you don't want along with the stuff you need.

I've just deleted two zillion megabytes of junk the manufacturer calls “Games” from my computer hard-drive. I've had to do this with every new computer since 1996. If I wanted to play games, I'd have bought stock in Pac Man years ago ... No, I wanted a computer to WORK on ... imagine that ... and they thought they'd overload it with games … who'd-a thunk that the geniuses could've made that mistake?

Well then, like Granddad always said, too soon old and too late smart … the idea came … if I ain't gonna beat 'em,  guess I better join 'em.

The bluegrass industry is in the same wagon I've been in. It's a covered wagon, bumbling along, hitting all the ruts, and rocks, and washouts and at a breakneck speed of half-a-mile an hour. All this while the rest of the world has hit the autobahn at full throttle in a brand new speedster.

It's about time we, as bluegrassers, got on board with the new age … at least with our marketing and packaging.

Here's the proposal that just came in from the new genius at the bluegrass factory: Package one free bluegrass track from a compatible artist/group in with a Country, Americana or Folk group's CD/download as a way to introduce “Pure Bluegrass” to a new audience. Call it a bonus, call it plus-size or biggie-size, just get it out there with an invitation and directions on where to find more.

If a Laurie Lewis bluegrass tune were embedded into a Taylor Swift CD or included with the download, who knows how many new, under-18, fans Laurie would have in a day, in a week and at the end of the year. Imagine all the buyers of the newest Beausoleil disc finding a free bluegrass track by Balsam Range with encouragement to buy more if they like it.

Sampler discs and composite CDs have been around for a long time, but they tend not to sell well. But that's not what we're talking 'bout here. We're talking about packaging and matching brands. Sure, it allows a new audience to “sample” but with a targeted approach.

The retail food industry has done it for ages. Remember seeing the hot dogs next to the beer display every year just before the 4^th of July? And guess what, they've got the watermelon right there too. Why not bluegrass?

Why not even take it out of the music realm and package bluegrass along with something else that is compatible? Let's put music download cards in with greeting cards. Buy a birthday card and get a gift to give as well … not bad. A greeting card company partnered with a record label could even provide the recipient with their CHOICE of artists. Can't you just see it already, the creative writing staff start writing “Bluegrass” Birthday wishes, “Bluegrass” anniversary wishes...etc. Etc.?

Well, it's clear we gotta have more geniuses at the bluegrass factory … this is gonna take off in a big way.