Billy Strings, a Michigan-born and Nashville, Tennessee-based genre-bending flatpicking guitarist and singer-songwriter, was previously named Entertainer of the Year in 2021, 2022 and 2023. A two-time Grammy Award winner for Best Bluegrass Album — Live Vol. 1 (2025) and Home (2021) — he also was named Artist of the Year (2022 and 2023) in the Americana Music Honors & Awards presented by the Americana Music Association, as well as Pollstar’s Breakthrough Artist of the Pandemic. He was previously honored as both Guitar Player and New Artist of the Year in the 2019 IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards and was named Guitar Player of the Year again in 2021, while his song “Red Daisy” was 2022’s Song of the Year. Billy Strings, who turns 33 on Oct. 3, grew up playing traditional bluegrass with his dad. In the years since, he has been among the artists who have helped to expand the boundaries of the genre, widening its appeal.

Jason Carter and Michael Cleveland’s “Outrun the Rain” won the coveted Song of the Year award and was also named Collaborative Recording of the Year, while the 2025 release on which it appears, Carter & Cleveland, was named Album of the Year. Carter, a five-time IBMA Fiddle Player of the Year, has played with the Del McCoury Band for 30 years and is a founding member of the Travelin’ McCourys, winners of the 2018 Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album. The Kentucky native’s fiddling prowess can also be heard on albums by such notable artists as Asleep at the Wheel, Diercks Bentley, Charlie Daniels, Steve Earle, Vince Gill, and Ricky Skaggs. Southern Indiana-based Michael Cleveland, whose 2024 release, Tall Fiddler, won a Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album, was inducted into the National Fiddler Hall of Fame (2018) and was a recipient of a prestigious 2022 NEA National Heritage Fellowship, the nation’s highest honor in the folk and traditional arts, from the National Endowment for the Arts. He has been recognized 13 times as the IBMA’s Fiddle Player of the Year and six times for Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year, while Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper has been hailed as its Instrumental Group of the Year multiple times. And has also received awards from the society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America (SPGMA). The subject of a 2019 biographical documentary film, Flamekeeper: The Michael Cleveland Story, the much sought-after musician has also performed with such noted artists as J.D. Crowe and the New South, Vice Gill, The Kruger Brother, Tim O’Brien, Andy Statman, and Mary Stuart, among others.

The IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards are voted on by the professional membership of the International Bluegrass Music Association, a nonprofit trade organization that connects, educates, and empowers bluegrass professionals and enthusiasts, honoring tradition and encouraging innovation in the bluegrass community worldwide (ibma.org).

A complete list of 2025 IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards recipients appears below, along with brief information about three Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame inductees.

Entertainer of the Year: Billy Strings

Song of the Year: “Outrun the Rain” – Jason Carter & Michael Cleveland

Songwriters: Terry Herd & Jimmy Yeary

Producers: Jason Carter & Michael Cleveland

Label: Fiddle Man Records

Album of the Year: Carter & Cleveland – Jason Carter & Michael Cleveland

Producers: Jason Carter & Michael Cleveland

Label: Fiddle Man Records

Vocal Group of the Year: Authentic Unlimited

Instrumental Group of the Year: The Travelin’ McCourys

Gospel Recording of the Year:

“He’s Gone” – Jaelee Roberts

Songwriter: Kelsi Harrigil
Producer: Byron House
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

Instrumental Recording of the Year:

“Ralph’s Banjo Special” – Kristin Scott Benson
Songwriter: Ralph Stanley
Producer: Allison Brown
Label: Compass Records

Collaborative Recording of the Year:

“Outrun the Rain” – Jason Carter, Michael Cleveland, Jaelee Roberts & Vince Gill
Songwriters: Terry Herd & Jimmy Yeary
Producers: Jason Carter & Michael Cleveland
Label: Fiddle Man Records

New Artist of the Year: Red Camel Collective

Male Vocalist of the Year: Greg Blake

Female Vocalist of the Year: Alison Krauss

Banjo Player of the Year: Kristin Scott Benson

Bass Player of the Year: Vickie Vaughn

Fiddle Player of the Year: Maddie Denton

Resophonic Guitar Player of the Year: Justin Moses

Guitar Player of the Year: Trey Hensley

Mandolin Player of the Year: Sierra Hull

Music Video of the Year: “The Auctioneer” – The Kody Norris Show

Songwriters: Leroy Van dyke & Buddy Black
Producer: James Gilley
Videographer: Nate Wiles

Label: Rebel Records

Hot Rize (a pioneering bluegrass band), The Bluegrass Cardinals (known for its flawless harmonies, virtuoso playing, and original music), and Arnold Shultz (an influential African American musician) were inducted into Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame during the awards show.

The IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards Show is the centerpiece of World of Bluegrass that extended from September 16-20. Considered the genre’s annual industry gathering and family reunion, IBMA’s World of Bluegrass also featured a three-day business conference (replete with a wide array of professional development programming, sponsored artist showcases and late-night hospitality functions, and plenty of networking and relationship-building opportunities), the IBMA Bluegrass Ramble (a series of showcases at various Chattanooga venues), and the two-day IBMA Bluegrass Live! – a festival of live performances and fan experiences.

Songs will be chosen via a juried selection process that takes into account the quality of the applicant’s work and its appeal to bluegrass audiences. Songwriters interested in being considered must submit an application that includes a demo recording of the song (mp3 format only), song lyrics (PDF only), high-res photos and bios of each songwriter credited on the song, along with names and email addresses. Applicants do not have to be IBMA members. Here’s a link to view the online application and additional information:
https://worldofbluegrass.org/conference/songwriter-track/songwriter-showcase/

Although there is no application fee, those selected to participate and perform their song live in the Songwriter Showcase will have to register for the IBMA Business Conference. This portion of IBMA’s World of Bluegrass will feature a wide array of professional development programming, a gig fair, artist showcases and late-night hospitality functions, an exhibit hall, and plenty of networking and relationship-building opportunities.

Extending from Sept. 16-20, IBMA’s World of Bluegrass is considered the genre’s annual industry gathering and family reunion. In addition to the business conference, it also includes a two-day live music festival, an IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards show recognizing outstanding achievement and pioneering effort in bluegrass music, and artist showcases at various venues throughout downtown Chattanooga. All are presented by the IBMA – a nonprofit music association that connects, educates and empowers bluegrass professionals and enthusiasts, honoring tradition and encouraging innovation in the bluegrass community worldwide.

IBMA selected Chattanooga as the host city for its annual World of Bluegrass for 2025-2027 last summer after considering more than 30 locations for a new home. “While other cities could offer the necessary commitment, the passion and enthusiasm of the people of Chattanooga truly stood out,” said Ken White, IBMA’s executive director, in a statement issued last July 29. “We are incredibly grateful for the support from the State of Tennessee and the welcoming spirit of Chattanooga. This city’s unique charm and hospitality makes it a perfect home for WOB artists and guests.” For its part, the Chattanooga Tourism Co. anticipates that the 2025 World of Bluegrass will attract more than 18,00 overnight visitors and more than 45,000 including day visitors, generate more than $30 million in economic impact, and add just over $1 million to the state’s coffers via taxes.

More information on the IBMA and its World of Bluegrass may be found online at ibma.org and worldofbluegrass.org.

Awards are voted on by the professional membership of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), a nonprofit professional music organization that connects, educates, and empowers bluegrass professionals and enthusiasts, honoring tradition and encouraging innovation in the bluegrass community worldwide. Award recipients will be named during the IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards Show on Thursday night, September 29, 2022 at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh, North Carolina. The awards show — a highlight of the IBMA’s World of Bluegrass — will also be broadcast on SiriusXM’s Bluegrass Junction and streamed via Facebook Live (as was the July 26 awards nominees announcement).

A complete list of nominees appears below, along with information about three Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame inductees, five Distinguished Achievement Awards recipient, and the first recipient of the IBMA International Band Performance Grant.

Entertainer of the Year: Billy Strings, The Del McCoury Band. Po Ramblin’ Boys, Sister Sadie, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway

Vocal Group of the Year: Balsam Range, Blue Highway, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver,
Del McCoury Band, Sister Sadie

Instrumental Group of the Year: Billy Strings, Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper,
Béla Fleck’s My Bluegrass Heart, The Travelin’ McCourys, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway

New Artist of the Year: Rick Faris, Fireside Collective, Laura Orshaw, Jaelee Roberts,
Tray Wellington

Song of the Year:

“Blink of an Eye”
Artist: Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass
Songwriter: Robert Amos
Label: Pinecastle Records
Producers: Bobby Lundy/Danny Paisley/Ryan Paisley/Wes Easter

“Deep River”
Artist: Rick Faris
Songwriter: Rick Faris/Brink Brinkman
Label: Dark Shadow Recording
Producer: Stephen Mougin

“I’ll Take the Lonesome Every Time”
Artist: Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
Songwriters: Glen Duncan/Jerry Salley
Label: Billy Blue Records
Producer: Doyle Lawson

“Red Daisy”
Artist: Billy Strings
Songwriters: Jarrod Walker/Christian Ward
Label: Rounder Records
Producers: Jonathan Wilson/Billy Strings

“Riding the Chief”
Artist: Chris Jones & The Night Drivers
Songwriter: Chris Jones/Thomm Jutz
Label: Mountain Home
Producer: Chris Jones

Album of the Year:

Bluegrass Troubadour
Artist: Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass
Label: Pinecastle Records
Producer: Wes Easter

Crooked Tree
Artist: Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
Label: Nonesuch Records
Producers: Molly Tuttle/Jerry Douglas

My Bluegrass Heart
Artist: Béla Fleck
Label: Renew Records
Producer: Béla Fleck

Never Slow Down
Artist: Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
Label: Smithsonian Folkways
Producers: Po’ Ramblin’ Boys/Dave Maggard

Renewal
Artist: Billy Strings
Label: Rounder Records
Producers: Jonathan Wilson/Billy Strings

Gospel Recording of the Year:

“A Little More Faith in Jesus”
Artist: Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
Songwriters: Jerry Cole/Doyle Lawson
Label: Billy Blue Records
Producer: Doyle Lawson

“He’s Gettin’ Me Ready”
Artist: Darin & Brooke Aldridge with The Oak Ridge Boys
Songwriter: Jimmy Fortune
Label: Billy Blue Records
Producers: Darin Aldridge/Mark Fain

“In the End”
Artist: Dale Ann Bradley
Songwriter: Jill Gilliam
Label: Pinecastle Records
Producer: Dale Ann Bradley

“In the Sweet By and By”
Artist: Dolly Parton with Carl Jackson, Larry Cordle, Bradley Walker, and Jerry Salley
Songwriters: S. Fillmore Bennett/Joseph Webster
Label: Billy Blue Records
Producer: Jerry Salley

“See You on the Other Side”
Artist: Rick Faris featuring Sam Bush
Songwriter: Rick Faris/Rick Lang
Label: Dark Shadow Recording
Producer: Stephen Mougin

“Traveling the Highway Home”
Artist: The Grascals
Songwriters: Frankie Bailes/Walter Bailes
Label: Mountain Home
Producer: The Rascals

Instrumental Recording of the Year:

“EMD”
Artist: Scott Vestal – Bluegrass 2022
Songwriter: David Grisman
Label: Pinecastle Records
Producer: Scott Vestal

“Happy Go Lucky”
Artist: Doyle Lawson & Alan Bibey
Songwriter: Doyle Lawson
Label: Billy Blue Records
Producer: Doyle Lawson

“Ice Bridges”
Artist: Billy Strings
Songwriter: William Apostol
Label: Rounder Records
Producer: Jonathan Wilson/Billy Strings

“Orange Blossom Breakdown”
Artist: Mike Compton
Songwriter: Bill Monroe
Label: Taterbug Records
Producer: Mark Howard

“Vertigo”
Artist: Béla Fleck featuring Sam Bush, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer, and Bryan Sutton
Songwriter: Béla Fleck
Label: Renew Records
Producer: Béla Fleck

Collaborative Recording of the Year:

“Blackbird”
Artist: Special Consensus with Amanda Smith, Dale Ann Bradley, Rob Ickes, and Alison Brown
Songwriter: J.P. Cormier
Label: Compass Records
Producer: Alison Brown

“East Bound and Down”
Artist: Po’ Ramblin’ Boys featuring Jason Carter & Bronwyn Keith-Hynes
Songwriters: Jerry Reed/Dick Feller
Label: Sound Biscuit Productions
Producer: The Po’ Rambling’ Boys/Dave Haggard

“Honky Tonk Nights”
Artist: Del McCoury Band featuring Vince Gill
Songwriter: Mike O’Reilly
Label: McCoury Music
Producer: Del McCoury/Ronnie McCoy

“In the Sweet By and By”
Artist: Dolly Parton with Carl Jackson, Larry Cordle, Bradley Walker, and Jerry Salley
Songwriters: S. Fillmore Bennett/Joseph Webster
Label: Billy Blue Records
Producer: Jerry Salley

“One By One”
Artist: Dale Ann Bradley with Danny Paisley
Songwriter: Jim Anglin/Jack Anglin/Johnny Wright
Label: Pinecastle Records
Producer: Dale Ann Bradley

Male Vocalist of the Year: Greg Blake, Rick Faris, Del McCoury, Danny Paisley, Larry Sparks

Female Vocalist of the Year: Brooke Aldridge, Dale Ann Bradley, Sierra Hull, Molly Tuttle, Rhonda Vincent

Banjo Player of the Year: Gena Britt, Bela Fleck, Rob McCoury, Kristin Scott Benson, Scott Vestal

Bass Player of the Year: Mike Bub, Jason Moore, Missy Raines, Mark Schatz, Vickie Vaughn

Fiddle Player of the Year: Jason Carter, Michael Cleveland, Stuart Duncan, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes. Beanie Richardson

Resophonic Guitar Player of the Year: Jerry Douglas, Andy Hall, Rob Ickes, Phil Leadbetter, Justin Moses

Guitar Player of the Year: Billy Strings, Trey Hensley, Cody Kilby, Bryan Sutton, Molly Tuttle

Mandolin Player of the Year: Alan Bibey, Jesse Brock, Sam Bush, Sierra Hull, Ronnie McCoury

Inductions into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame are also set to take place during the IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards Show. Slated for induction are multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Norman Blake, a Grammy and Country Music Association Album of the Year award –winner whose prolific music career spans more than six decades; Paul “Moon” Mullins, a broadcast pioneer and recording artist whose work brought bluegrass music to tens of thousands in Ohio and beyond; and Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter and renaissance musician Peter Rowan who has been performing for nearly 60 years.

Five Distinguished Achievement Awards Will Also Be Presented

2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the release of the seminal album – Will the Circle be Unbroken.[/caption]Five organizations and individuals will receive Distinguished Achievement Awards in recognition of their significant contributions to the genre. The five, who will be recognized and presented with plaques during a luncheon at the IBMA business conference, are flatpicking innovator Dan Crary, cutting-edge roots music organization Freshgrass Foundation, revered banjo creator and musician Steve Huber, the legendary Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the landmark Will the Circle Be Unbroken album, and online education leaders Peghead Nation.

The IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards Show is the centerpiece of World of Bluegrass Week that is slated for September 27-October 1 in North Carolina’s capital city. IBMA World of Bluegrass also features a September 27-29 business conference (replete with a wide array of professional development programming, sponsored artist showcases and late-night hospitality functions, and plenty of networking and relationship-building opportunities), the IBMA Bluegrass Ramble (a series of official showcases in downtown Raleigh and the Raleigh Convention Center), and the two-day IBMA Bluegrass Live! festival, September 30-October 1, that draws throngs of music lovers to downtown Raleigh to enjoy more than 100 acts on different stages set up along Fayetteville Street –- from the state capitol to the Duke Performing Arts Center.
Considered the genre’s annual industry gathering and family reunion. IBMA’s annual World of Bluegrass week has taken place in Raleigh since 2013 – apart from 2020 when the trade and professional association for the global bluegrass community shifted to online presentation of its professional development seminars, artist showcases and awards in light of concerns surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic.

Estonian Group Curly Strings Awarded IBMA’s First International Band Performance Grant

New for 2022, IBMA recently named the first recipient of its International Band Performance Grant. Curly Strings, an Estonia-based four-piece ensemble, was selected via a competitive process and will be featured as a part of this year’s IBMA World of Bluegrass. The band achieved mainstream recognition and success in its home country — winning national music awards and being the top selling artists in music stores for more than a year. Combining the familiar with the unfamiliar, Curly Strings its unique Baltic take to the acoustic music world.

IBMA (ibma.org) seeks to facilitate the growth and development of the bluegrass community – for professionals and enthusiasts who share a passion for the music.

Earlier this month, AcousticMusicScene.com published an article entitled Bluegrass Ramble and Songwriter Showcase Artists Chosen for IBMA World of Bluegrass.

Awards are voted on by the professional membership of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), a nonprofit professional music organization that connects, educates, and empowers bluegrass professionals and enthusiasts, honoring tradition and encouraging innovation in the bluegrass community worldwide (ibma.org). Award recipients will be named during the IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards Show on Thursday night, September 30, 2021 at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh, North Carolina. The awards show will also be broadcast on SiriusXM’s Bluegrass Junction at 7:30 p.m. EDT and streamed via Facebook Live (as was the July 20 awards nominees announcement)
.
A complete list of nominees appears below, along with information about three Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame inductees and five Distinguished Achievement Awards recipients.

Entertainer of the Year:

Balsam Range
Billy Strings
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
The Del McCoury Band
The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys

Vocal Group of the Year:

Darin & Brooke Aldridge
Balsam Range
Blue Highway
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
Sister Sadie

Instrumental Group of the Year:

Appalachian Road Show
Billy Strings
Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
The Infamous Stringdusters
The Travelin’ McCourys

New Artist of the Year:

Appalachian Road Show
Carolina Blue
Gina Furtado Project
High Fidelity
Merle Monroe

Song of the Year:

“Banjo Player’s Blues”
Artist: High Fidelity
Songwriter: Charlie Monroe
Producers: Jeremy Stephens, Brad Benge
Label: Rebel Records

“Hitchhiking to California”
Artist: Alan Bibey & Grasstowne
Songwriters: Wes Golding/Alan Bibey/Jerry Salley
Producers: Jerry Salley, Ron Stewart, Dottie Leonard Miller
Label: Billy Blue Records

“Just Load the Wagon”
Artist: Junior Sisk
Songwriter: J.R. Satterwhite
Producers: Amanda Cook, Junior Sisk, Mark Hodges
Label: Mountain Fever Records

“Leaving on Her Mind”
Artist: Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
Songwriter: Jack Clement
Producer: Rosta Capek
Label: Billy Blue Records

“Richest Man”
Artist: Balsam Range
Songwriters: Jim Beavers/Jimmy Yeary/Connie Harrington
Producer: Balsam Range
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

Album of the Year:

Bluegrass 2020
Artist: Scott Vestal, Patrick McAvinue, Cody Kilby, Dominick Leslie, Curtis Vestal
Producers: Scott Vestal, Ethan Burkhardt, Lonnie Lassiter
Label: Pinecastle Records

Distance and Time
Artist: Becky Buller
Producer: Stephen Mougin
Label: Dark Shadow Recording

Fall Like Rain
Artist: Justin Moses
Producer: Justin Moses
Label: Mountain Fever Records

Industrial Strength Bluegrass: Southwestern Ohio’s Musical Legacy
Artist: Various Artists
Producer: Joe Mullins
Label: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings

Load the Wagon
Artist: Junior Sisk
Producers: Amanda Cook, Junior Sisk, Mark Hodges
Label: Mountain Fever Records

Still Here
Artist: Steve Gulley & Tim Stafford
Producers: Steve Gulley, Tim Stafford
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

Gospel Recording of the Year:

“After Awhile”
Artist: Dale Ann Bradley
Songwriter: Public Domain
Producer: Dale Ann Bradley
Label: Pinecastle Records

“Grit and Grace”
Artist: Balsam Range
Songwriters: Ann Melton/Milan Miller/Beth Husband
Producer: Balsam Range
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

“Hear Jerusalem Calling”
Artist: Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers
Songwriters: Marty Stuart/Jerry Sullivan
Producers: Joe Mullins, Dottie Leonard Miller
Label: Billy Blue Records

“In the Resurrection Morning”
Artists: Sacred Reunion featuring Doyle Lawson, Vince Gill, Barry Abernathy, Tim Stafford, Mark Wheeler, Jim VanCleve, Phil Leadbetter, Jason Moore
Songwriter: Mark Wheeler
Producers: Barry Abernathy, Jim VanCleve, Dottie Leonard Miller
Label: Billy Blue Records

“When He Calls My Name”
Artist: Alan Bibey & Grasstowne
Songwriters: Alan Bibey/Ronnie Bowman
Producers: Alan Bibey & Grasstowne, Ron Stewart, Jerry Salley, Dottie Leonard Miller
Label: Billy Blue Records

Instrumental Recording of the Year:

“The Appalachian Road”
Artist: Appalachian Road Show
Songwriter: Jim VanCleve
Producers: Jim VanCleve, Barry Abernathy, Appalachian Road Show, Dottie Leonard Miller
Label: Billy Blue Records

“Foggy Mountain Chimes”
Artists: Scott Vestal, Patrick McAvinue, Cody Kilby, Dominick Leslie, Curtis Vestal
Songwriter: Earl Scruggs
Producer: Scott Vestal
Label: Pinecastle Records

“Ground Speed”
Artists: Kristin Scott Benson, Skip Cherryholmes, Jeremy Garrett, Kevin Kehrberg, Darren Nicholson
Songwriter: Earl Scruggs
Producer: Jon Weisberger
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

“Mountain Strings”
Artist: Sierra Hull
Songwriters: Frank Wakefield/Red Allen
Producer: Joe Mullins
Label: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings

“Taxland”
Artist: Justin Moses with Sierra Hull
Songwriter: Justin Moses
Producer: Justin Moses
Label: Mountain Fever Records

Collaborative Recording of the Year:

“Birmingham Jail”
Artists: Barry Abernathy with Vince Gill
Songwriter: Public Domain
Producers: Barry Abernathy, Jim VanCleve, Dottie Leonard Miller
Label: Billy Blue Records

“In the Resurrection Morning”
Artists: Sacred Reunion featuring Doyle Lawson, Vince Gill, Barry Abernathy, Tim Stafford, Mark Wheeler, Jim VanCleve, Phil Leadbetter, Jason Moore
Songwriter: Mark Wheeler
Producers: Barry Abernathy, Jim VanCleve, Dottie Leonard Miller
Label: Billy Blue Records

“My Baby’s Gone”
Artists: Justin Moses with Del McCoury
Songwriter: Dennis Linde
Producer: Justin Moses
Label: Mountain Fever Records

“Tears of Regret”
Artists: High Fidelity with Jesse McReynolds
Songwriters: Jesse McReynolds/Lucille Hutton
Producers: Jeremy Stephens, Corrina Rose Logston, Brad Benge
Label: Rebel Records

“White Line Fever”
Artists: Bobby Osborne with Tim O’Brien, Trey Hensley, Sierra Hull, Stuart Duncan, Todd Phillips, Alison Brown
Songwriters: Merle Haggard/Jeff Tweedy
Producers: Alison Brown, Garry West
Label: Compass Records

Male Vocalist of the Year:

Ronnie Bowman
Del McCoury
Danny Paisley
Junior Sisk
Larry Sparks

Female Vocalist of the Year:

Brooke Aldridge
Dale Ann Bradley
Sierra Hull
Molly Tuttle
Rhonda Vincent

Banjo Player of the Year:

Gena Britt
Gina Furtado
Rob McCoury
Kristin Scott Benson
Scott Vestal

Bass Player of the Year:

Mike Bub
Todd Phillips
Missy Raines
Mark Schatz
Marshall Wilborn

Fiddle Player of the Year:

Jason Carter
Michael Cleveland
Stuart Duncan
Bronwyn Keith-Hynes
Deanie Richardson

Resophonic Guitar Player of the Year:

Jerry Douglas
Andy Hall
Rob Ickes
Phil Leadbetter
Justin Moses

Guitar Player of the Year :

Trey Hensley
Billy Strings
Bryan Sutton
Molly Tuttle
Jake Workman

Mandolin Player of the Year:

Jesse Brock
Sam Bush
Sierra Hull
Ronnie McCoury
Tristan Scroggins

Alison Krauss, Lynn Morris, Stoneman Family to be Inducted into Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame

Inductions into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame are also set to take place during the IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards Show. Slated for induction are acclaimed artist Alison Krauss, trailblazing bandleader and banjoist Lynn Morris and early bluegrass influencers Stoneman Family. A winner of multiple Grammy Awards, a two-time IBMA Entertainer of the Year and four-time IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year; Krauss is the most commercially successful bluegrass-related artist since Flatt & Scruggs. Morris was named three times as IBMA ‘s Female Vocalist of the Year and was previously a two-time winner of the National Banjo Championship in Winfield, Kansas. She was also a recipient of an IBMA Distinguished Achievement Award in 2010. Stoneman Family, whose 1920s recordings have been equated by country music historians with those of the Carter Family (who also hailed from the Appalachian Mountains region of southwest Virginia), also received IBMA’s Distinguished Achievement Award in 2000.

Five Distinguished Achievement Awards Will Also Be Presented on Sept. 30

Five veteran bluegrass industry innovators will receive Distinguished Achievement Awards in recognition of their significant contributions to the genre this year. The five, who will be presented with plaques during a Sept. 30 luncheon at the IBMA business conference, are Nancy Cardwell Webster, Lee Michael Dempsey, Jaroslav Pruch, Cliff Waldron, and Stan Zdonik. Cardwell Webster has been a writer, educator, mentor, and formerly served as executive director of both the IBMA and its foundation. She was instrumental in developing such IBMA programs as Bluegrass in the Schools and Leadership Bluegrass. Dempsey, a mainstay at Bluegrass Country Radio, is a veteran Washington, DC area radio broadcaster who hosted a weekday afternoon contemporary bluegrass show daily on WAMU from 1982-2018 and was named IBMA Broadcaster of the Year in 1991. . He also has compiled Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine’s monthly National Bluegrass Survey for nearly 32 years. Pruch, a Czech luthier and performer who is viewed as one of the world’s finest contemporary banjo makers, has also helped to foster a love of bluegrass music in his native Czech Republic. Waldron was a performing musician for many years and was elected to the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America’s Hall of Greats in 2004. Zdonik helped to form the Boston Bluegrass Union in 1976 and served as the all-volunteer nonprofit organization’s first president. He has also been an emcee for the Joe Val Bluegrass Festival, among others, and an IBMA board member.

The IBMA Bluegrass music Awards Show is the centerpiece of World of Bluegrass Week that is slated for September 28-October 2 in North Carolina’s capital city. IBMA World of Bluegrass also features a business conference (Sept. 28-30), the IBMA Bluegrass Ramble (a series of showcases taking place Sept. 28-30 in downtown Raleigh and the Raleigh Convention Center), and IBMA Bluegrass Live! (a two-day festival slated for Oct. 1-2). Considered the genre’s annual industry gathering and family reunion. IBMA’s annual World of Bluegrass week has taken place in Raleigh since 2013. Concerns surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic prompted the trade and professional association for the global bluegrass community to shift to online presentation of its professional development seminars, artist showcases and awards last fall.

Considered the genre’s annual industry gathering and family reunion., IBMA’s annual World of Bluegrass week has taken place in Raleigh since 2013. It generally features a wide array of professional development seminars, meetings and forums; sponsored artist showcases and late-night hospitality functions; plenty of networking and relationship-building opportunities; the International Bluegrass Music Awards Show, and the Wide Open Bluegrass festival – a two-day event that includes more than 100 free live musical performances on eight stages plus a dance tent, along with arts & crafts and food vendors galore. According to the IBMA, 2019’s World of Bluegrass and Wide Open Bluegrass festival collectively drew more than 218,000 attendees.

Concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the trade and professional association for the global bluegrass community to shift to online presentation of its professional development seminars, artist showcases and awards last fall.

“We’ve heard from many of our members in the past few months, and we share the strong desire to gather in person in Raleigh this year; we wish it were a straightforward decision based on that alone,” said Paul Schiminger, IBMA’s executive director. “We remain optimistic but also have to consider CDC, state, and local guidelines to hold an event like ours. We have a strong partnership with the City of Raleigh, and they want to hold the event every bit as much as we do since it benefits both of our communities enormously.”

In an e-newsletter distributed March 19, the IBMA acknowledged: “While progress is being made with vaccinations and the number of new cases continues to decline, it is still too early to confirm the extent of in-person events. We continue to monitor CDC, state, and local guidelines and recommendations while modeling a variety of scenarios that will best create a safe, worthwhile, and fun IBMA World of Bluegrass experience for all.”

Along with peers from other music organizations, Schiminger took part in a panel discussion on ‘Steering the Ship: New Horizons’ during last month’s Folk Unlocked virtual Folk Alliance International Conference. He reflected on the actions that IBMA felt compelled to take last year in light of the pandemic. “In April,… We held onto the hope that things could open back up in September,” he acknowledged. “By May-June, we came to the realization that we came to the realization that we could not hold the event live, but our community needed it somehow … Just like other organizations, we had to figure it out. Our community was just starved for music.”

Feeling the need to continue to serve both its community and its mission amid financial uncertainties and not sure if folks would dial-in virtually and embrace it, IBMA pivoted towards a multi-day virtual event featuring a mix of pre-recorded and live content last September.

Although not yet certain to what extent this year’s hybrid model may include live, in-person elements as well, and what capacity limits might be at that time, IBMA plans to announce plans for the events later this spring and to open ticket sales and hotel blocks on June 1. The organization has already revealed some upcoming application dates. These include: Official IBMA Artist Showcase (April 5-April 30), IBMA Songwriter Showcase (May 3-28), IBMA Business Conference Call for Proposals (May 3-28), IBMA Bluegrass Live! Street Stages, Youth Stage, University Ensemble Showcase (June 7-30), and Kids on Bluegrass (June 7-June 30).

IBMA (https://ibma.org) seeks to facilitate the growth and development of the bluegrass community – for professionals and enthusiasts who share a passion for the music. More information about IBMA’s World of Bluegrass will be posted on AcousticMusicScene.com as it becomes available and may also be found on https://WorldofBluegrass.org.

Invites to participate as official showcase artists during the Bluegrass Ramble at various music venues in downtown Raleigh, as well as two stages in the Raleigh Convention Center, will be extended to up to 30 acts. Artists/bands will be chosen through a juried selection process that takes into consideration the applicant’s entertainment value, level of professionalism, potential appeal, quality of work, and potential to benefit from the opportunity, according to the IBMA’s World of Bluegrass website.

Selected Official Showcase acts will have at least two performance opportunities — a 25-minute set during the IBMA Business Conference and a 45-minute set at an IBMA Bluegrass Ramble venue. They also will receive full conference registration, complimentary exhibit hall booth space during the business conference, up to three individual IBMA memberships, and various promotional opportunities.

Online applications and additional information may be found at https://worldofbluegrass.org/participate/apply-official-showcase/. All applicants will be notified via email by April 15 as to whether they were selected for an official showcase, an alternate slot, or not. There is a $25 application fee, while selected artists also will be assessed a $500 fee to offset costs of services and showcase production.

World of Bluegrass also features a wide array of professional development seminars, meetings and forums; sponsored artist showcases and late-night hospitality functions; plenty of networking and relationship-building opportunities; the International Bluegrass Music Awards Show, and the Wide Open Bluegrass festival – a two-day event that includes more than 100 free live musical performances on eight stages plus a dance tent, along with arts & crafts and food vendors galore. According to the IBMA, last year’s World of Bluegrass and Wide Open Bluegrass festival collectively drew more than 218,000 attendees.

IBMA (https://ibma.org) seeks to facilitate the growth and development of the bluegrass community – for professionals and enthusiasts who share a passion for the music.

“We are so thankful and a little overwhelmed,” says Joe Mullins, the bandleader and banjo player. “To be included in the Entertainer of the Year category alongside some of our heroes and bands we’re huge fans of, was very humbling. To receive the award from our peers provides us with great encouragement and inspiration. What a wonderful blessing!”

Last year’s Song of the Year winners for “If I’d Have Wrote That Song” and 2012 IBMA Emerging Artists of the Year, Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers also shared the 2019 award for Collaborative Recording of the Year with guest artist, Grand Ole Opry member and nine-time IBMA Entertainer of the Year Del McCoury for “The Guitar Song.” The Del McCoury Band took home the award for Album of the Year for Del McCoury Still Sings Bluegrass.

Joining the group as first-time winners in their respective categories were Sister Sadie (Vocal Group of the Year), Billy Strings (Guitar Player of the Year and New Artist of he Year) and Alan Bibey (Mandolin Player of the Year).

The complete list of award winners in 17 categories voted on by IBMA’s professional members follows:

Entertainer of the Year: Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers
Vocal Group of the Year: Sister Sadie
Instrumental Group of the Year: Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper (its fifth win in his category)
Song of the Year: “Thunder Dan” – Sideline (artist), Josh Manning (writer), Tim Surrett (producer), Mountain Home Music Company (label)
Album of the Year: Del McCoury Still Sings Bluegrass – Del McCoury Band (artist), Del and Ronnie McCoury (producers), McCoury Music (label). This marks the band’s second win in this category.
Gospel Recording of the Year: “Gonna Sing, Gonna Shout” – Claire Lynch (artist), Jerry Salley (producer), Billy Blue Records (label)
Instrumental Recording of the Year: “Darlin’ Pal(s) of Mine” – Missy Raines with Alison Brown, Mike Bub, and Todd Phillips (artist), Alison Brown (producer), Compass Records (label)
New Artist of the Year: Billy Strings
Collaborative Recording of the Year: “The Guitar Song” – Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers with Del McCoury (artists), Joe Mullins (producer), Jerry Salley (associate producer), Billy Blue (label)
Female Vocalist of the Year: Brooke Aldridge (her third win in this category)
Male Vocalist of the Year: Russell Moore (his sixth win in this category)
Banjo Player of the Year: Kristin Scott Benson (her fifth win in this category)
Bass Player of the Year: Missy Raines (her eighth win in this category)
Resophonic Guitar Player of the Year: Phil Leadbetter (his third win in this category)
Fiddle Player of the Year: Michael Cleveland (his 12th win in this category)
Guitar Player of the Year: Billy Strings
Mandolin Player of the Year: Alan Bibey

Here’s a link to view the official video for Sideline’s “Thunder Dan,” the Song of the Year:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWrdtE-jKQs

These IBMA Industry Awards also were presented on Sept. 26:

Broadcaster of the Year: Michelle Lee
Event of the Year: Blueberry Bluegrass Festival in Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada
Liner Notes of the Year: Epilogue: A Tribute to John Duffey, Akira Otsuka, Dudley Connell, Jeff Place, and Katy Daley
Graphic Designer of the Year: Michael Armistead
Writer of the Year: David Morris
Songwriter of the Year: Jerry Salley
Sound Engineer of the Year: Ben Surratt
Distinguished Achievement Awards: Katy Daley, Mickey Gamble, Dan Hays, Allen Mills, and Moonshiner

In addition, Mike Auldridge, Bill Emerson and The Kentucky Colonels were formally inducted into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame during the awards ceremony that was co-hosted by McCoury and Jim Lauderdale.

The International Bluegrass Music Awards Show was a centerpiece of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA)’s annual five-day World of bluegrass, the genre’s annual industry gathering and family reunion. Held in Raleigh for the seventh consecutive year, World of Bluegrass also featured a wide array of professional development seminars, meetings and forums, artist showcases and late-night hospitality functions, an exhibit hall, plenty of networking and relationship-building opportunities, and the Wide Open Bluegrass Festival.

This year’s Album of the Year honors went to Special Consensus for Rivers & Roads, while the four-member acoustic bluegrass band led by banjo player Greg Cahill (a former president and board chair of the International Bluegrass Music Association) was also honored for Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year. “If I’d Have Wrote That Song” — recorded by Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers and written by Larry Cordle, Larry Shell and James Silvers — was named 2018’s Song of the Year.

A listing of all the award winners appears below:

Entertainer of the Year: Balsam Range
Album of the Year: Rivers & Roads – Special Consensus (artist), Alison Brown (producer), Compass Records (label)
Song of the Year: “If Id Have Wrote That Song” – Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers (artist), Larry Cordle, Larry Shell and James Silvers (writers)
Male Vocalist of the Year: Buddy Melton (of Balsam Range)
Female Vocalist of the Year: Brooke Aldridge
Vocal Group of the Year: Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
Instrumental Group of the Year: Travelin’ McCourys
Banjo Player of the year: Ned Luberecki (of the Becky Buller Band)
Bass Player of the Year: Tim Surrett (of Balsam Range)
Dobro Player of the Year: Justin Moses
Fiddle Player of the Year: Michael Cleveland
Guitar Player of the Year: Molly Tuttle
Mandolin Player of the Year: Sierra Hull
Emerging Artist of the Year: Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
Recorded Event of the Year: “Swept Away” – Missy Raines with Alison Brown, Becky Buller, Sierra Hull and Molly Tuttle (artists), single release – Alison Brown (producer), Compass Records (label)
Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year: “Squirrel Hunters” – Special Consensus with John Hartford, Rachel Baiman & Christian Sedelmyer (10 String Symphony), & Alison Brown (artists), Traditional arranged by Alison Brown/Special Consensus (writers), Rivers & Roads (album), Alison Brown (producer), Compass Records (label)
Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year: “Speakin’ to That Mountain” – Becky Buller (artist), Becky Buller and Jeff Hyde (writers), Crepe Paper Heart (album), Stephen Mougin (producer), Dark Shadow Recording (label)

In addition, Tom T and Dixie Hall, Ricky Skaggs, and Paul Williams were inducted into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame during the awards show hosted by Hot Rize.

The International Bluegrass Awards Show was a centerpiece of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA)’s five-day World of Bluegrass, which is considered the genre’s annual industry gathering and family reunion. Held in Raleigh for the sixth consecutive year, World of Bluegrass also featured a wide array of professional development seminars, meetings and forums, artist showcases and late-night hospitality functions, an exhibit hall, plenty of networking and relationship-building opportunities, and the Wide Open Bluegrass Music Festival.

Songs will be chosen via a juried selection process that takes into account the quality of the applicant’s work and its appeal to bluegrass audiences. Songwriters interested in being considered must submit an application that includes a demo recording of the song (mp3 format only), song lyrics (PDF only), high-res photos and bios of each songwriter credited on the song, along with names and email addresses. Applicants do not have to be IBMA members. Here’s a link o view the online application and additional information:

https://ibma.org/world-of-bluegrass/songwriter-track/songwriter-showcase-application-information.

Although there is no application fee, those selected to participate and perform their song live in the Songwriter Showcase will have to register for the IBMA Business Conference. This portion of IBMA’s World of Bluegrass will feature a wide array of professional development programming, a keynote speaker, artist showcases and late-night hospitality functions, an exhibit hall, and plenty of networking and relationship-building opportunities.

Extending from Sept. 25-29, IBMA’s World of Bluegrass also includes the Wide Open Bluegrass festival and the 29th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards Show. All are presented by the IBMA – a nonprofit music association that connects, educates and empowers bluegrass professionals and enthusiasts, honoring tradition, and encouraging innovation in the bluegrass community worldwide. More information on the organization and is World of Bluegrass may be found online at www.ibma.org.

From an anticipated 150 or more applications, up to 30 acts will be selected to showcase their talents at least twice during IBMA’s World of Bluegrass week — once on a Raleigh Convention Center stage and once at one of the nearby Bluegrass Ramble venues. Applicants will be evaluated based on entertainment value, level of professionalism, potential appeal, and quality of work. Opportunities are available for both emerging bands and established ones with new music and/or personnel. Preference will be given to those who have not been selected as official IBMA showcase acts within the last two years.

Bands can apply online at www.ibma.org/world-of-bluegrass/bluegrass-ramble. There’s a $25 showcase application fee, while selected groups must pay an additional $500 fee to offset costs of services and showcase production. Selected bands will receive full conference registration for all their members, complimentary booth space during the business conference, an organizational membership in IBMA, a featured profile in the conference program, and more.

Both IBMA Business Conference attendees (with ID) and the general public (with wristbands that can be purchased online) will be admitted to the Bluegrass Ramble showcases. Although the IBMA will include afternoon showcases this year at its business conference from Tuesday-Thursday, these will be open only to conference registrants — affording artists an opportunity to showcase their talents before talent buyers, labels, agents and “tastemakers” in the bluegrass community.

IBMA’s World of Bluegrass is considered bluegrass music’s annual industry gathering and family reunion. This is its fifth year in Raleigh. IBMA has partnered with The Greater Raleigh Convention & Visitors Bureau, PineCone – The Piedmont Council of Traditional Music, the City of Raleigh, and a local organizing committee to extend its outreach to the roots music community and local bluegrass music fans in the Carolinas.

The business conference portion of World of Bluegrass will feature a wide array of professional development seminars, meetings and forums, a keynote speaker, artist showcases and late-night hospitality functions, an exhibit hall, and plenty of networking and relationship-building opportunities. The 28th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards, a centerpiece of the week, will be presented on Thursday evening, Sept. 28, while Wide Open Bluegrass, an urban bluegrass music festival featuring both ticketed main stage performances and a free street festival, closes out the week on Friday-Saturday, Sept. 29-30.

Established in 1945, IBMA is a trade association that connects and educates bluegrass professionals, empowers the bluegrass community, and encourages worldwide appreciation of bluegrass music of yesterday, today and tomorrow.