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.

Attracting more than 2,500 people, the Folk Alliance International Conference is ranked among the five largest music conferences in North America. It will feature a four-track series of professional development sessions (workshops and panel discussions) for artists, presenters, industry and community; a keynote address by legendary artist Judy Collins; regional and peer group meetings; mentoring sessions; a large exhibit hall; daily receptions; and plenty of opportunities for networking and jamming. Four nights of artist performances are slated — including nearly 200-juried official showcases and some 2,000 private in-room showcases that extend late into the night and early morning hours (with some also taking place during the afternoon).

While acknowledging “we certainly feature legends and luminaries,” Aengus Finnan, FAI’s executive director, notes that “the most exciting part of Folk Alliance are the showcases by artists you’ve never heard of but will never forget.” Although performers from the U.S. and Canada predominate, artists from some 20 countries will showcase their talents.

The conference takes place in the Westin Crown Center, while FAI’s Winter Music Camp (featuring nearly 100 master classes and group sessions for students of all ages with instruction geared towards all styles and levels of roots music and songwriting) will run concurrently at the adjoining Sheraton Crown Center. The hotels are linked by an enclosed above-ground walkway and connected to Hallmark’s boutique shopping mall.

Expanded Awards Gala Slated for Feb. 17

The Spirit of Folk Awards are presented to honor and celebrate people and organizations actively involved in the promotion and preservation of folk music through their creative work, community building, and demonstrated leadership. This year’s six recipients are House of Songs founder Troy Campbell; 99-year-old Arkansas fiddler Violet Hensley; Sam Lee, an English traditional song collector and interpreter; Dave Siglin, who served as program director of The Ark in Ann Arbor, MI for 40 years; Phyllis Stenson, founding executive and artistic director of the Harrison Festival in Canada;and Tony Turner, a political songwriter and former Canadian civil servant whose song “Harperman” gained global attention last year.

Elaine Weissman Lifetime Achievement Awards, named for one of FAI’s founders and determined by a select international panel, are presented annually to a living recipient, a memorial recipient and an active organization. This year’s honorees are Ramblin’ Jack Elliott (living), Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee (legacy) and The English Folk Dance and Song Society (business/academic).

FAI also is introducing three new International Folk Music Awards for album, song and artist of the year. The winners, to be named Feb. 17, were selected by FAI members from a shortlist of finalists based in part on Folk DJ airplay during 2015, in addition to industry input on par with other FAI award processes.

The Nominees are (in alphabetical order): Album of the Year – With the Dawn by Bella Hardy, Joe Hill’s Last Will by John McCutcheon, Tomorrow Is My Turn by Rhiannon Giddens, Jayme Stone’s Lomax Project by Jayme Stone, and The Social Music Hour Vol. 1 by Spuyten Duyvil; Song of the Year – “Get Up” by Caitlin Canty, “Boston Town” by Della Mae, “A Wanderer I’ll Stay” by Pharis & Jason Romero, “Best Medicine” by The Stray Birds, and “River Winding Down” by The Sweet Lowdown; and Artist of the Year – Chuck Brodsky, Darlingside, Fortunate Ones, Jerron “Blind Boy” Paxton, and We Banjo 3.

Kansas City Folk Festival, Feb. 21, is Open to the Public

A reformatted daylong music fair, being promoted locally as an indoor folk festival (Kansas City Folk Fest), takes place on Sunday, Feb. 21, from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and is open to conference registrants, as well as to the public – with tickets priced at $30 for adults. Discounts are available for seniors, students and youth, while young children will be admitted free.

Friends will join Ken Whiteley, an acclaimed Canadian blues and roots artist, as he leads a morning gospel session. Main Stage performers — reflective of the broad range of folk music today — include legendary folksinger Eric Andersen (“Thirsty Boots”), Grammy Award winning banjoist Allison Brown, noted singer-songwriter Peter Case, Australian folk-pop band The Soorleys, and a closing concert by conjunto Tejano band Los Texmaniacs. Artists invited to showcase their talents by each of FAI’s five regional affiliates are Johnsmith (FARM), Moors & McCumber (SWRFA), Underhill Rose (SERFA), Beth Wood (FAR-West) and The Young Novelists (NERFA). Among the Kansas City artists who will grace the festival’s three stages are Ayllu, Ensemble Iberica, Sara Morgan, and Under The Big Oak Tree. Other artists scheduled to perform – culled from those participating in the conference – Matthew Byrne, Robby Fulks, The Jellyman’s Daughter, Jerron ‘Blind Boy’ Paxton, Lisa Sander and Brown Sugar, and Sara Jane Scouten. Also slated are a square dance to be called by Kristen Andreassen, a folksong sing-along, and an artisans’ marketplace.

This is the third successive year that Folk Alliance International is hosting its annual conference in Kansas City, where the nonprofit organization is also headquartered. Folk Alliance International (www.folk.org) seeks to nurture, engage and empower the international folk music community – traditional and contemporary, amateur and professional – through education, advocacy and performance.

Editors Note: A board member of both Folk Alliance International and its northeast regional affiliate (NERFA), I’ll be moderating a panel discussion on “The Original Folk Revival” and providing some one-on-one mentoring on strategic communications and public relations, artist bios and one-sheets, social media and website content, and other topics during the conference.

The theme for the 2015 conference is “Together,” and it is one that arts professionals will be threaded through the plenary sessions and professional development tracks aimed at expanding the reach and relevance of the presenting field through collective action. Key industry trends and issues to be addressed include targeting untapped and more diverse audiences, working with artists to better draw, engage and sustain those audiences, and using performance to make a social or humanitarian impact on individuals and their communities. Sessions will highlight case examples of programs and projects where APAP members have successfully collaborated with their peers and other partners, in addition to innovative business strategies and tools that are critical to thriving in the business of performing arts presenting.

“Our plenary sessions bring together performing arts professionals to hear from some of the most inspiring thought leaders and creative artists from around the world who influence our field and our future,” said Mario Garcia Durham, president and CEO of APAP. “This year we take that opportunity to honor and champion the creativity, collaboration and reciprocity that effects important change in the communities we serve together.”


Free Live Streaming of Select Sessions Makes Its APAP Conference Debut

Among the conference’s featured speakers will be Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, activist and humanitarian Angelique Kidjo; Inuit throat singer and Polaris Music Prize winner Tanya Tagaq, who also was honored for Pushing the Boundaries during the recent 2014 Canadian Folk Music Awards; and Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, whose 2014 release, The River & The Thread, has drawn much critical acclaim and was the most-played album on Americana radio during 2014 according to the Americana Music Association.

Along with other members of the Content Creators Coalition (c3), an artists advocacy group, Cash will participate in a special session on Monday morning, Jan. 12, entitled “The Music Business and the Digital Age.” Panelists will explore fair compensation for creators in the digital age, how this affects arts presenters, and how to help support the artists whose livelihoods are interwoven with those of presenters.

Tagaq will be part of a keynote plenary on “The Arts as Levelers of Experience” on Saturday afternoon, Jan. 10, from 12-1:30 p.m. EST. Kidjo will close the conference on Tuesday morning, Jan. 13, from 10-11 a.m. with her inspirational perspective on arts and humanity. Both Tagaq’s and Kidjo‘s plenary sessions will stream live, as will several other plenary and professional development sessions during the conference. Those wishing to listen-in online must complete a sign-up form that appears, along with information abut the live streaming sessions, in a drop-down menu under Programs and Events on the conference website – apapnyc.org.

Folk and Roots Artists to Showcase Their Talents

Dozens of performers from the folk, roots and singer-songwriter communities in the U.S., Canada and several other countries will showcase their talents during the conference. Among them will be Acoustic Eidolon, Mike Aiken, The Amigos Band, Balsam Range, Barnya, Beausoleil avec Michel Doucet, Rory Block, Allison Brown, Calle Sur, Caravan of Thieves, Tom Chapin, Cherish The Ladies, Dala, Danu, Guy Davis, KJ Denhert, Dom Flemons, Julie Fowlis, Vicki Genfan, Seth Glier, The High Kings, The Jammin Divas, The Klezmatics, The Kruger Brothers, Claire Lynch Band, Kate MacLeod, Matuto, Mike & Ruthy, Miss Tess & the Talkbacks, Mr. Sun (new American string music featuring noted violinist Darol Anger), Ellis Paul, The Pine Hill Project (Lucy Kaplansky and Richard Shindell), The Prodigals, Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem, Red Molly, Steve Riley & Mamou Playboys, Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen, Sultans of String, Taarka, Vienna Teng, April Verch, Susan Werner and David Wilcox. Alaska-based fiddler and poet Ken Waldman presents roots music variety showcases featuring a number of acts at Brooklyn’s Jalopy Theatre on Thursday night and at the Manhattan nightclub Don’t Tell Mama on Friday.

As in years past, conference exhibition halls will teem with booking agents and presenters eager to speak with them, and there’ll be a whole lot of networking opportunities.

Several pre-conference forums also are slated. These include a two-day World Music Pre-conference (Jan. 8-9) featuring workshops and panel discussions arranged by music PR firm Rock Paper Scissors. Thursday’s programming focuses on best practices and technology for artists and labels, while Friday’s sessions are geared more towards presenters, agents and managers.

A Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, APAP is a national service, advocacy and membership organization dedicated to developing and supporting a robust performing arts presenters field and the professionals who work within it.

Editor’s Note: As I have since 2007, I will be attending the APAP Conference and reporting on select highlights afterwards.