When’s the last time you heard someone say they walked up to Justin Timberlake, Taylor Swift or Eminem at a concert and bought a new CD directly from the artist? And, oh yeah, can you believe this, it was autographed right on the spot?

Believe that one and let me unload some shares of GM stocks on you today — for $500 a pop.

So lies a big difference in the rock, pop and Top 40 Country world compared to the stars of bluegrass. Indeed, you can walk right up to Dr. Ralph Stanley’s CD table at a festival, buy his latest release and have him sign it. Or, if you just happen to already have a copy that you didn’t buy at Doctor Ralph’s table full of goodies, no matter — the iconic Ralph Stanley will still oblige you with an autograph.

In a February online survey undertaken by the International Bluegrass Music Association, many respondents — 31 percent –said they most often purchase their recordings that way, directly from the artist or record label. That was topped only by the 42 percent of respondents who said the bought their CDs online from Web sites. Just over 13 percent buy their CDs in the mass retail market while another 10.5 percent get their recorded music products via direct mail.

Full Article:
Bluegrass fans put spin on CD-buying habits | BluegrassJournal.com