The Joes and Friends, “Missouri Borderland”

Peghead Nation mandolin instructor Joe Walsh plays with Joe Newberry, Joe Craven, Rob Ickes, Trey Hensley, and others during a late-night session at the 2015 IBMA Conference.

By: Dan Gabel

October 27, 2015

The annual IBMA World of Bluegrass gathering in Raleigh, North Carolina, is jam-packed with amazing musicians, singers, and songwriters. In addition to the official IBMA showcases, awards shows, and hundreds of scheduled performances at venues in downtown Raleigh, attendees can find impromptu jams and spontaneous picking sessions in the nooks and crannies of the Raleigh Convention Center and the host hotels at all hours of the day and night. These random musical moments include musicians you might recognize, some amazing up-and-coming talent, and supremely talented amateur pickers. It all makes for a musical melting pot that’s one of the big draws to the five-day gathering.

This year, we were able to catch one such informal moment featuring Peghead Nation mandolin instructor Joe Walsh playing with multi-instrumentalist Joe Craven and guitarist/songwriter/banjo player Joe Newberry (collectively, “The Joes”) in a crowded hotel suite. They were joined in this late-night session by Walsh’s former Gibson Brothers’ band mate Mike Barber on bass; dobro master Rob Ickes and Icke’s duo partner, guitarist/songwriter Trey Hensley; fiddler Ellie Hakanson; and a host of other musicians.

In this video, they play Joe Newberry’s original song “Missouri Borderland.” The evening was hosted by the Rooster’s Wife, a non-profit organization out of Aberdeen, North Carolina that produces concerts and events celebrating the contributions of talented performing artists. While the hand-held video is a little shaky and the audio picks up the chatter of the crowded room, it’s a good example of the inspired and friendly musical moments that are the norm at IBMA.