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.

Here’s a complete listing of the nominees in the American Roots Music Field:

Best Americana Album:

• Brandy Clark — Brandy Clark
• The Chicago Sessions — Rodney Crowell
• You’re The One — Rhiannon Giddens
• Weathervanes — Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
• The Returner — Allison Russell

Best Americana Performance:

• “Friendship” — The Blind Boys of Alabama
• “Help Me Make It Through The Night” — Tyler Childers
• “Dear Insecurity” — Brandy Clark featuring Brandi Carlile
• “King of Oklahoma” — Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
• “The Returner” — Allison Russell

Best American Roots Performance:

• “Butterfly” — Jon Batiste
• “Heaven Help Us All” — The Blind Boys of Alabama
• “Inventing The Wheel” — Madison Cunningham
• “You Louisiana Man” — Rhiannon Giddens
• “Eve Was Black” — Allison Russell

Best American Roots Song:

• “Blank Page” — Michael Trotter Jr. & Tanya Trotter, songwriters (The War and Treaty)
• “California Sober” — Aaron Allen, William Apostol & Jon Weisberger, songwriters (Billy Strings featuring Willie Nelson)
• “Cast Iron Skillet” — Jason Isbell, songwriter (Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit)
• “Dear Insecurity” — Brandy Clark & Michael Pollack, songwriters (Brandy Clark featuring Brandi Carlile)
• “The Returner” — Drew Lindsay, JT Nero & Allison Russell, songwriters (Allison Russell)

Best Bluegrass Album:

• Radio John: Songs Of John Hartford — Sam Bush
• Lovin’ Of The Game — Michael Cleveland
• Mighty Poplar — Mighty Poplar
• Bluegrass — Willie Nelson
• Me/And Dad — Billy Strings
• City Of Gold — Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway

Best Folk Album:

• Traveling Wildfire — Dom Flemons
• I Only See the Moon — The Milk Carton Kids
• Joni Mitchell At Newport (Live) — Joni Mitchell
• Celebrants — Nickel Creek
• Jubilee — Old Crow Medicine Show
• Seven Psalms — Paul Simon
• Folkocracy — Rufus Wainwright

Best Contemporary Blues Album:

• Death Wish Blues — Samantha Fish and Jesse Dayton
• Healing Time — Ruthie Foster
• Live In London — Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
• Blood Harmony — Larkin Poe
• LaVette! — Bettye LaVette

Best Traditional Blues Album:

• Ridin’ — Eric Bibb
• The Soul Side of Sipp — Mr. Sipp
• Life Don’t Miss Nobody — Tracy Nelson
• Teardrops For Magic Slim Live At Rosa’s Lounge — John Primer
• All My Love For You — Bobby Rush

Best Regional Roots Music Album:

• New Beginnings — Buckwheat Zydeco Jr. & The Legendary Ils Sont Partis Band
• Live At The 2023 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival — Dwayne Dopsie & The Zydeco Hellraisers
• Live: Orpheum Theater Nola — Lost Bayou Ramblers & Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra
• Made In New Orleans — New Breed Brass Band
• Too Much To Hold — New Orleans Nightcrawlers
• Live At The Maple Leaf — The Rumble Featuring Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr.

Also of Note: Among the nominees for Best New Artist are The War and Treaty. Bela Fleck, Zakir Hussain & Edgar Meyer featuring Rakesh Chaurasia received nominations in three categories: Best Global Music Performance (for “Pashto”), Best Contemporary Instrumental Album (for As We Speak) and Best Instrumental Composition (for “Motion”). Tyler Childers’ “In Your Love,” Brandy Clark’s “Buried” and Chris Stapleton’s “White Horse” are among those in the running for Best Country Solo Performance and Best Country Song (along with co-writers Geno Seale, Jessie Jo Dillon and Dan Wilson, respectively). Childers’ “In Your Love” also is vying for Best Music Video, while his Rustin’ In The Rain is among the nominees for Best Country Album. Clark’s Shucked is in the running for Best Musical Theater Album. “I Remember Everything” by Zach Bryan and Kacey Musgraves is in the running for both Best Country Song and Best Country Duo/Group Performance, while Bryan’s self-titled album vies for Best Country Album.

The Recording Academy (grammy.com) represents the voices of performers, songwriters, producers, engineers, and all music professionals. Dedicated to ensuring the recording arts remain a thriving part of our shared cultural heritage, the Academy honors music’s history while investing in its future through the GRAMMY Museum, advocates on behalf of music creators, supports music people in times of need through MusiCares, and celebrates artistic excellence through the GRAMMY Awards.

“In their artistic practices, the NEA National Heritage Fellows tell their own stories on their own terms. They pass their skills and knowledge to others through mentorship and teaching,” said NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD. “These honorees are not only sustaining the cultural history of their art form and of their community, they are also enriching our nation as a whole.”

A sought-after musician, Cleveland, 41, has also performed with such noted artists as Vince Gill, J.D. Crowe and the New South, The Kruger Brothers, Tim O’Brien, Andy Statman, and Marty Stuart, among others. “He plays fearless and it’s intoxicating to play with him because he makes you play fearless,” says Gill. “He takes no prisoners but he plays with a restraint and a soul. He plays without abandon. It’s wicked to see how much he pulls out of a bow. He’s untouchable.”

Here’s a link to a recording of Michael Cleveland performing “Tall Fiddler”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zcwx6AifG7Q.

A film celebrating the National Endowment for the Arts 2022 class of artists and tradition bearers premieres this fall on arts.gov, where more information on the NEA National Heritage Fellowship and a complete list of recipients can also be found.

Hosted by Sierra Hull, Joe Newberry, Tim O’Brien and Rhonda Vincent, the awards show was the centerpiece of the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Virtual World of Bluegrass week. Considered the genre’s annual industry gathering and family reunion. World of Bluegrass has taken place in Raleigh, North Carolina since 2013. However, concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the nonprofit professional organization for the global bluegrass community to shift to online presentation of its professional development seminars, artist showcases and awards this year.

A list of award winners in 17 categories as determined by votes cast by IBMA’s professional members follows:

Entertainer of the Year: Sister Sadie
Vocal Group of the Year: Sister Sadie
Instrumental Group of the Year: Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper (its sixth win in his category)
Song of the Year: “Chicago Barn Dance” – Special Consensus with Michael Cleveland & Becky Buller (artists), Becky Buller/Missy Raines/Alison Brown (writers), Compass Records, Alison Brown (producer)
Album of the Year: Live In Prague, Czech Republic – Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver (artist), Billy Blue Records, Doyle Lawson and Rosta Capek (producers)
Gospel Recording of the Year: Gonna Rise And Shine – Alan Bibey & Grasstowne (artist), Mark Hodges (producer), Mountain Fever Records (label)
Instrumental Recording of the Year: Tall Fiddler – Michael Cleveland (artist), Jeff White, Michael Cleveland, and Sean Sullivan (producers), Compass Records (label)
New Artist of the Year: Mile Twelve
Collaborative Recording of the Year: The Barber’s Fiddle – Becky Buller with Shawn Camp, Jason Carter, Laurie Lewis, Kati Penn, Sam Bush, Michael Cleveland, Johnny Warren, Stuart Duncan, Deanie Richardson, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, Jason Barie, Fred Carpenter, Tyler Andal, Nate Lee, Dan Boner, Brian Christianson, and Laura Orshaw (artists), Stephen Mougin (producer), Dark Shadow Recording (label)
Female Vocalist of the Year: Brooke Aldridge (her fourth win in this category)
Male Vocalist of the Year: Danny Paisley
Banjo Player of the Year: Scott Vestal
Bass Player of The Year: Missy Raines (her ninth win in this category)
Resophonic Guitar Player of the Year: Justin Moses
Fiddle Player of the Year: Deanie Richardson
Guitar Player of the Year: Jake Workman
Mandolin Player of the Year: Alan Bibey (who also won in this category last year)

Here’s a link to view the official video for “Chicago Barn Dance,” the Song of the Year:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmDoxyuRM60

Momentum Awards Also Presented During Virtual World of Bluegrass

Earlier in the week, the IBMA recognized artists and business professionals in the early years of their bluegrass music careers with Momentum Awards. A veteran bluegrass professional who has made significant contributions in fostering excellence in young bluegrass performers and members of the industry also received a Mentor Award.

2020 Momentum Awards recipients include:

Kris Truelsen (Industry Involvement)
Annie Savage (Mentor)
Thomas Cassell (Instrumentalist)
Tabitha Agnew (Instrumentalist)
Melody Williamson (Vocalist)
The Slocan Ramblers (Band)

An awards show is usually the centerpiece of the IBMA’s annual five-day World of Bluegrass, which is considered the genre’s annual industry gathering and family reunion. It has taken place in Raleigh, NC since 2013. However, concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic recently prompted the association for the global bluegrass community to shift to online presentation of its professional development seminars and artist showcases in September. THE IBMA has not yet announced how and when the awards will be presented.

Nominees for the IBMA’s coveted Entertainer of the Year Award include Balsam Range, Billy Strings, Del McCoury Band, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Sister Sadie, and Special Consensus Each is also nominated in other categories.

Balsam Range, a five-member acoustic ensemble that previously won this award in 2014 and 2018, takes its name from a majestic mountain range that surrounds part of its home county in western North Carolina, where the Smokies meet the Blue Ridge. Formed in 2007, Balsam Range has received more than a dozen other IBMA honors – including the 2017 and 2013 Album of the Year awards for Mountain Voodoo and Papertown, respectively. Besides its nod for Entertainer of the Year, Balsam Range is also in the running for /also received nominations for Vocal Group of the Year and Gospel Recording of the Year (“Angel Too Soon’).

Billy Strings is a 27 year-old genre-bending flatpicker who hails from Lansing, Michigan but now calls Nashville home. Named IBMA Guitarist and New Artist of the Year last September, he is also a nominee for Album (Home), Instrumental Recording (“Guitar Peace”) and Guitar Player of the Year in 2020.

Led by a Grand Ole Opry member and nine-time IBMA Entertainer of the Year, the Del McCoury Band took home the a2019 IBMA Award for Album of the Year (Del McCoury Still Sings Bluegrass). While the band vies to be named Entertainer of the Year again, Del is among the nominees for Male Vocalist of the Year and is also featured on Jason Barie’s “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” which is in the running for Collaborative Recording of the Year. His son, Ronnie McCoury, is nominated for Mandolin Player of the Year.

Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver is a traditional bluegrass & southern gospel group fronted by a 76 year-old Tennessee native and International Bluegrass Hall of Famer who has been playing mandolin and singing professionally for nearly 60 years. Launched in 1979, the group is up for five other awards besides Entertainer of the Year. These include Vocal Group, Song (“Living Like There’s No Tomorrow”), Album (Live in Prague, Czech Republic), Instrumental Recording (“Shenandoah Breakdown”), and Gospel Recording (“I’m Going to Heaven”) of the Year.

Special Consensus has been performing as a band for four decades. Five-time IBMA award-winners and two-time Grammy nominees, the quartet is led by banjo player Greg Cahill, an IBMA Distinguished Achievement Award recipient who also is a former IBMA president and board chair. The band received the 2018 IBMA Album of the Year award for Rivers & Roads and also was honored for Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year. Its latest release, Chicago Barn Dance, is in the running for Album of the Year, while its title track is also nominated for both Song and Collaborative Recording of the Year.

Other artists receiving multiple awards nominations include Brooke Aldridge, Appalachian Road Show, Blue Highway, Becky Buller, Sam Bush, Michael Cleveland, Mile Twelve, Po’ Ramblin’ Boy, Missy Raines (eight-time IBMA Bass Player of the Year), and Molly Tuttle.

The nominees for these awards were selected by the professional membership of the IBMA, which is comprised of artists, songwriters, label personnel, radio hosts, event producers, managers and agents, publicists, studio engineers, associations, manufacturers, retailers, and others who work in the bluegrass industry. IBMA members also will vote to determine the winners.

The complete list of nominees in 17 categories as determined by votes cast by IBMA’s professional members follows.

Entertainer Of The Year

Vocal Group Of The Year
• Balsam Range
• Blue Highway
• Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
• Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
• Sister Sadie

Instrumental Group Of The Year
• Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
• Mile Twelve
• Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
• Sam Bush Band
• The Travelin’ McCourys

New Artist Of The Year
• Appalachian Road Show
• Carolina Blue
• High Fidelity
• Merle Monroe
• Mile Twelve

Song Of The Year
• “Both Ends Of The Train” – Blue Highway (artist), Tim Stafford/Steve Gulley (writers), Rounder Records, Blue Highway (producers)
• “Chicago Barn Dance” – Special Consensus (artist), Becky Buller/Missy Raines/Alison Brown (writers), Compass Records, Alison Brown (producer)
• “Haggard” – The Grascals (artist), Harley Allen (writers), Mountain Home Music Company, The Grascals (producers)
• “Hickory, Walnut & Pine” – The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys (artist), Slaid Cleaves/Nathan Hamilton (writer), Rounder Records, Dave Maggar (producer)
• “Living Like There’s No Tomorrow” – Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver (artist), Jim McBride/Roger Alan Murrah (writer), Billy Blue Records, Doyle Lawson and Rosta Capek (producers)

Album Of The Year
• Chicago Barn Dance – Special Consensus (artist), Compass Records, Alison Brown (producer)
• Home – Billy Strings (artist), Rounder Records, Glenn Brown (producer)
• Live In Prague, Czech Republic – Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver (artist), Billy Blue Records, Doyle Lawson and Rosta Capek (producers)
• New Moon Over My Shoulder – Larry Sparks (artist), Rebel Records, Larry Sparks (producer)
• Tall Fiddler – Michael Cleveland (artist), Compass Records, Jeff White, Michael Cleveland, and Sean Sullivan (producers)
• Toil, Tears & Trouble – The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys (artist), Rounder Records, Dave Maggard (producer)
• Tribulation – Appalachian Road Show (artist), Billy Blue Records, Jim VanCleve, Barry Abernathy, and Appalachian Road Show (producers)

Gospel Recording Of The Year
• “Angel Too Soon” – Balsam Range (artist), Balsam Range (producer), Mountain Home Music Company (label)
• “Because He Loved Me” – Dale Ann Bradley (artist), Dale Ann Bradley (producer), Pinecastle Records (label)
• “Gonna Rise And Shine” – Alan Bibey & Grasstowne (artist), Mark Hodges (producer), Mountain Fever Records (label)
• “I’m Going To Heaven” – Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver (artist), Doyle Lawson and Rosta Capek (producer), Billy Blue Records (label)
• “Little Black Train” – Appalachian Road Show (artist), Barry Abernathy, Darrell Webb, and Ben Isaacs (producer), Billy Blue Records (label)

Instrumental Recording Of The Year
• “Tall Fiddler” – Michael Cleveland (artist), Jeff White, Michael Cleveland, and Sean Sullivan (producers), Compass Records (label)
• “Shenandoah Breakdown” – Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver (artist), Doyle Lawson and Rosta Capek (producer), Billy Blue Records (label)
• “Soldier’s Joy” – Jesse McReynolds with Michael Cleveland (artist), Jesse McReynolds (producer), Pinecastle Records (label)
• “The Appalachian Road” – Appalachian Road Show (artist), Jim VanCleve, Barry Abernathy, and Appalachian Road Show (producer), Billy Blue Records (label)
• “Guitar Peace” – Billy Strings (artist), Glenn Brown (producer), Rounder Records (label)

Collaborative Recording Of The Year
• “Chicago Barn Dance” – Special Consensus (artist), Alison Brown (producer), Compass Records (label)
• “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cr”y – Jason Barie featuring Del McCoury & Paul William (artists), Jason Barie (producer), Billy Blue Records (label)
• “Tall Fiddler” – Michael Cleveland with Tommy Emmanuel (artist), Jeff White, Michael Cleveland, and Sean Sullivan (producers), Compass Records (label)
• “The Barber’s Fiddle” – Becky Buller with Shawn Camp, Jason Carter, Laurie Lewis, Kati Penn, Sam Bush, Michael Cleveland, Johnny Warren, Stuart Duncan, Deanie Richardson, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, Jason Barie, Fred Carpenter, Tyler Andal, Nate Lee, Dan Boner, Brian Christianson, and Laura Orshaw (artists), Stephen Mougin (producer), Dark Shadow Recording (label)
• “On and On” – Gena Britt with Brooke Aldridge (artists), Gena Britt (producer), Pinecastle Records (label)

Male Vocalist Of The Year
• Ronnie Bowman
• Del McCoury
• Russell Moore
• Danny Paisley
• Larry Sparks

Female Vocalist Of The Year
• Brooke Aldridge
• Dale Ann Bradley
• Amanda Smith
• Molly Tuttle
• Rhonda Vincent

Instrumental Performers Of The Year

Banjo
• Kristin Scott Benson
• Gena Britt
• Gina Furtado
• Ned Luberecki
• Scott Vestal

Bass
• Barry Bales
• Mike Bub
• Todd Phillips
• Missy Raines
• Marshall Wilborn

Fiddle
• Becky Buller
• Jason Carter
• Michael Cleveland
• Stuart Duncan
• Deanie Richardson

Resophonic Guitar
• Jerry Douglas
• Andy Hall
• Rob Ickes
• Phil Leadbetter
• Justin Moses

Guitar
• Trey Hensley
• Billy Strings
• Bryan Sutton
• Molly Tuttle
• Jake Workman

Mandolin
• Alan Bibey
• Jesse Brok
• Sam Bush
• Sierra Hull
• Ronnie McCoury

In addition, the IBMA has announced three new inductees into International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and seven people who will receive its Distinguished Achievement Award:

2020 Hall Of Fame Inductees
• New Grass Revival
• The Johnson Mountain Boys
• J.T. Gray

2020 Distinguished Achievement Award Recipients
• Norman & Judy Adams
• Daryl & Phyllis Adkins
• Darol Anger
• Wayne Rice
• Jack Tottle

Founded by Bobby Powell (guitar and vocals) and Tim Jones (mandolin and vocals) in 2007, Carolina Blue also features James McDowell (banjo and vocals), Reese Combs (upright bass and vocals), and Aynsley Porchak (fiddle). Powell has jokingly referred to the band as “a 12-year overnight success,” noting that just a few years ago Carolina Blue was playing local BBQ restaurants in and around its hometown of Brevard, NC, while it played some 120 shows across he U.S. in 2019 — at festivals and venues that he and his bandmates had previously only dreamed about.

Featuring lots of fiddlin’ and mandolin work, as well as three-part harmonies, Carolina Blue presents primarily original music in the style and format of Bill Monroe, the father of bluegrass and the group’s biggest influence. Last year, Carolina Blue was nominated for three International Bluegrass Music Awards by the IBMA: Album, New Artist and Instrumental Recording of the Year. Porchak, its fiddle player, was a recipient of the IBMA’s Momentum Instrumentalist Award in 2018.

Here’s a link to view the official video for “Rusty Rails,” one of the songs on Carolina Blue’s award-winning album: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2w48WJfdC4.

A complete listing of 2020 SPBGMA Bluegrass Music Award-Winners follows:

Bluegrass Album of the Year – I Hear Bluegrass Calling Me – Carolina Blue on Pinecastle
Song of the Year – “Next Train South” – Po’Ramblin’ Boys on Rounder Records
Entertainer(s) of the Year – Carolina Blue
Bluegrass Band of the Year – Carolina Blue
Instrumental Group of the Year – Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
Vocal Group of the Year – Carolina Blue
Bluegrass Gospel Group of the Year – The Farm Hands
Female Vocalist of the Year – Dale Ann Bradley
Male Vocalist of the Year – Russell Moore
Bluegrass Songwriter of the Year – Larry Cordle
Bluegrass Radio Station of the Year – Sirius XM 62
Bluegrass DJ of the Year – Kyle Cantrell – Sirius XM
Bluegrass Promoter of the Year – D.A. Callaway

Tim Graves, The Farm Hands’ Grammy Award-winning resophonic guitarist and a member of SPBGMA’s Hall of Greats, hosted the SPBGMA’s awards show and also was presented with a Masters Gold Award in recognition of his 13 previous wins as Dobro Performer of the Year.

Sara Bareilles, a singer-songwriter and actress, won the Grammy Award for Best American Roots Performance for “Saint Honesty,” a song co-written with Lori McKenna, that appears on Amidst the Chaos, Bareilles’ sixth studio album. Bareilles may be best known for having starred in and written songs for the Broadway musical Waitress.

Also in the running for Best American Roots Performance was the female trio I’m With Her, who took home the award for Best American Roots Song. Comprised of Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’Donovan, and Sara Watkins — each of whom is a talented singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist in her own right — the harmonic trio was recognized for “Call My Name,” which they co-wrote.

To listen to “Call My Name,” click on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRZWhfuI6dQ

Keb’ Mo’ — an American blues musician, singer-songwriter and previous Grammy Award winner – won the Grammy Award for Best Americana Album for Oklahoma.

Singer-Songwriter Patty Griffin, who was not in attendance, won the Grammy Award for Best Folk Album for her self-titled release. Griffin previously won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Gospel Album in 2011 for Downtown Church.

Michael Cleveland, a Southern Indiana fiddler, won Best Bluegrass Album of the Year for Tall Fiddler. His previous release, Fiddler’s Dream, was nominated in the same category in 2017. During the weekend, the Louisville (Kentucky) Federation of Musicians Cleveland also honored Cleveland as its 2020 Musician of the Year. The International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) has named him as its Fiddle Player of the Year 12 times, while Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper has been hailed as its Instrumental Group of the Year six times.

Here’s a link to a recording of Michael Cleveland performing “Tall Fiddler”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zcwx6AifG7Q

The Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues album went to Delbert McClinton & Self-Made Men for Tall, Dark & Handsome, while Gary Clark Jr.’s This Land was named Best Contemporary Blues Album.

Charleston, South Carolina-based quintet Ranky Tanky — known for its jazz-inspired arrangements of the traditional Gullah music originated by the descendants of enslaved Africans of the southeastern Sea Islands and South Carolina’s Lowcountry — was recognized for Best Regional roots Album for Good Time.

On Saturday afternoon, Jan. 25, the Blues Foundation, Folk Alliance International and International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) co-hosted a celebration of nominees in the American Roots Music Field that featured performances by a number of them.

Among the other Grammy Award winners that may be of particular interest to AcousticMusicScene.com readers:

– On the eve of the sixth anniversary of American folk music icon Pete Seeger’s death, Pete Seeger: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection (Jeff Place and Robert Santelli, compilation producers) was named Best Historical Album.

– The Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album went to Hadestown (Anais Mitchell & Todd Sickafoose, producers; Anais Mitchell, composer & lyricist). Hadestown also was the big winner during the recent Tony Awards.

– Angelique Kidjo, a New York-based Beninese singer-songwriter, won the Grammy Award for Best World Music Album for Celia.

Although nominated for four Grammy Awards — Best American Roots Performance and Best American Roots Song for “Faraway Look” and Best Americana Album for Walk Through Fire, as well as Best New Artist – Yola, a 35 year-old rootsy British singer-songwriter, was shut out.

“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.

A multi-award-winning Nashville-based quartet, The Farm Hands received four awards. Its fourth Pinecastle Records release, Colors, took home Album of the Year honors. Two of its previous recordings, Dig in the Dirt and In A Country Town, had been named Album of the Year in 2017 and 2014, respectively. “Rural Route,” one of the tracks on Colors, was named Song of the Year — an award the band also received last year for “Dig in the Dirt.” The Farm Hands also were named Bluegrass Band of the Year (Overall), while Tim Graves, the quartet’s Grammy Award-winning resophonic guitarist and a member of SPBGMA’s Hall of Greats, was named Dobro Player of the Year for the tenth consecutive year and the 13th time overall. Succeeding The Farm Hands as Bluegrass Entertainers of the Year were Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver – who also were named Bluegrass Vocal Group of the Year.

Rhonda Vincent regained the title of Female Vocalist of the Year after Charli Robertson of Flatt Lonesome ended her winning streak last year. A member of SPBGMA’s Hall of Greats since 2014, Vincent has won Entertainer of the Year honors multiple times. Rhonda Vincent & The Rage band members Hunter Berry and Josh Williams continued their winning streaks as Fiddle and Guitar Performer of the Year, respectively. Russell Moore was named Male Vocalist of the Year. Songwriter of the Year honors went to Donna Ulisse; the award had been bestowed on Daryl Mosely (The Farm Hands’ bass player) for the previous two years.

A complete list of the SPBGMA’s 2018 Bluegrass Music Awards winners follows:

Bluegrass Promoter of the Year: DA Callaway
Bluegrass Radio Station of the Year: Sirius XM 062 – Bluegrass Junction
Bluegrass DJ of the Year: Kyle Cantrell (Sirius XM 062)
Songwriter of the Year: Donna Ulisse
Album of the Year: Colors by The Farm Hands on Pinecastle Records
Bass Fiddle Performer of the Year: Mickey Harris
Dobro Performer of the Year: Tim Graves
Guitar Performer of the Year: Josh Williams
Mandolin Performer of the Year: Alan Bibey
Banjo Performer of the Year: Kristin Scott Benson
Fiddle Performer of the Year: Hunter Berry
Female Vocalist of the Year: Rhonda Vincent
Male Vocalist of the Year: Russell Moore
Bluegrass Gospel Group of the Year: Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers
Bluegrass Vocal Group of the Year: Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
Bluegrass Instrumental Group of the Year: Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
Bluegrass Band of the Year (Overall): The Farm Hands
Bluegrass Entertainer(s) of the Year: Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
Bluegrass Song of the Year: “Rural Route,” The Farm Hands on Pinecastle Records

The theme for 2018 was trans.ACT and focused on the transformative power of the arts. The conference’s plenary sessions explored the role and responsibility of the performing arts in our world today and the impact of trans-disciplinary thinking and partnerships that are breaking new ground in both the arts and the world beyond.

Showcases of Note Took Place at the Host Hotel and at Venues Around New York City

Showcases took place both at the New York Hilton Midtown, the conference hotel, and at venues throughout Manhattan. A few also were set in other New York City boroughs and beyond.

January 12:

January 13:

During the evening, I enjoyed extended sets of music by Jim Messina (of Loggins & Messina, Poco and Buffalo Springfield fame) and Grammy Award-winning southwest Louisiana-based Cajun band Beausoleil avec Michel Doucet at Iridium, a Manhattan nightclub that primarily features jazz artists. Back at the hotel late that night, I also enjoyed a short showcase by the vocal group Estonian Voices.

January 14:

January 15:

Other folk and roots artists who showcased their talents during the APAP Conference included The Abrams Brothers, vocals and harp duo Addi & Jacq, multi-instrumentalists Andes Manta, contemporary folk trio A Band Called Honalee, Russian folk ensemble Barnya, young Irish tenor Emmet Cahill (who is also a member of Celtic Thunder), Colombian-Panamanian roots duo Calle Sur, The Everly Set (Sean Altman and Jack Skuller), guitarist Vicki Genfan, seven-sibling act The Hunts, Georgian polyphonic choir Iberi, Quebec’s Melisande [Electrotrad], Guy Mendilow Ensemble, Mojo & the Bayou Gypsies, accordionist and composer-singer Sam Reider, eclectic roots ensemble Upstate Rubdown, Ottawa Valley fiddler April Verch and her band, and Yemen Blues. Randy Noojin presented 15-minute excerpts from Hard Travelin’ with Woody, his one-man multimedia show featuring the music and artwork of Woody Guthrie, as well as Seeger — A multimedia solo show featuring the music of Pete Seeger. Sage Artists shared excerpts of Call Mr. Robeson: A Life, With Songs.” Cast members from Lonesome Traveler: The Concert also performed short musical excerpts from the show, along with narration that helps tell the story of American folk and folk-rock music from Woody Guthrie to Bob Dylan and beyond. Artists in various other musical genres also showcased their talents, while comedy, dance and theatrical showcases also were part of the mx.

Artists who Hosted Showcases Offer Their Reflections

Jayme Stone notes that he started curating a showcase at last year’s APAP Conference “to create a space for independent roots/world music artists to have their music heard by performing arts center directors and festival programmers. My goal was to make the cost slightly more affordable for artists and to create an opportunity for underrepresented artists to have a seat at the table. Most of the artists at our showcase do not have agents, which is rare at this conference.”

“Attending the conference has proven to have a profound impact on my touring career,” says Clay Ross, who fronts both Matuto and Ranky Tanky and produced the Global Routes Music Showcase with Stone. Noting that he’s been attending APAP conferences for the past seven years, Ross told AcousticMusicScene.com: “It’s given me the opportunity to connect with presenters, agents, managers, and other industry professionals around the world.” Those connections have helped prompt bookings for his bands at a number of prestigious Americana, roots and jazz venues and festivals.

“As an artist, I think it’s really important to understand the various perspectives, challenges and concerns associated with all sides of the business,” Ross continued. “By hanging around at conferences like APAP and forging relationships across the field, you start to see more clearly how your talents and interests might best align with potential partners. You start to understand that you don’t need to be everything to everyone, but can instead find your own comfortable niche. “

Waldman continues, “Going to APAP, we’re more apt to find jobs that pay $2,500, $5,000 and up.” While acknowledging that nothing is guaranteed, he believes that “by offering this particular roots music showcase evening, I’m nudging the odds in my favor. It’s an investment I’ve been happy to make.”

“Because I attend so many [conferences], I don’t feel stressed thinking it’s now or never. I see people I’ve met in prior years [and those] I’ve never met before. If some jobs come my way, great — but it doesn’t have to be the result of a particular conference or showcase. It’s invariably the result of attending as many of these conferences as I can.” He maintains that presenters who attend APAP conferences tend to have more experience in the field, access to bigger budgets, and are just so inundated with pitches from artists and their agents that they are virtually impossible to reach by email or phone. “But at a conference there’s the chance to actually meet someone which means if I do have reason to send an email or make a phone call, there’s a much greater chance of having the email returned or the call taken.”

WAVELENGTHS World Music Pre-Conference Features An Inspirational Keynote

Among several arts-related forums that preceded the conference was a two-day WAVELENGTHS World Music Pre-Conference featuring a keynote, panel discussions, workshops, and an artist pitch session co-produced by music PR firm Rock Paper Scissors in cooperation with GlobalFEST.

Keynoting WAVELENGTHS was Emel Mathlouthi, a Tunisian singer-songwriter whose songs played a major role in Arab Spring and led to her being called “the voice of the Tunisian revolution.” She offered heartfelt comments and inspiring thoughts as she spoke of the role of the artist in turbulent times and the importance of empathy.

Here’s a link to a video of Emel performing her song “ Kelmti Horra “(“My Word is Free”) during the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize Concert:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ79iEfus8E

“For me, art has always been very powerful in connecting us…[and] in opening doors, [and in transcending] barriers and limits,” she said. “We’re all coming from the same place, and we all have a heart … Art is an international language. I really wanted to convey that,” she continued, noting her collaborations with musicians from other parts of the world. Until recently, Emel, who cites Joan Baez among her influences, has primarily written and sung music in Arabic, and some of her songs contain messages that transcend politics.

She advocates for the elimination of ethnic and political silos that have been used to pigeonhole and minimize artists’ cross-cultural appeal and expressing her personal desire to appeal to people based on her humanity, rather than feel like just an ethnic or political artist. “We’re reaching times where all the concepts have to change and allow all the artists who are coming from the world music sphere to be able to explore themselves and go beyond any preconceived notions,” she declared. While acknowledging that she has a conscience and a point of view, and expressing pride in the social impact that her music has had in helping to energize the movement for change in the Arab world, she concluded: “At the end of the day, I’m an artist, a musician, a singer.”

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About the Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP)

A Washington, DC-based nonprofit –- previously known as the Association of Performing Arts Presenters until changing its name last year — APAP is a national service, advocacy and membership organization dedicated to developing and supporting a robust performing arts presenting field and the professionals who work within it.

“As artists and arts makers, we must embrace our role to engage in the constant and dynamic societal transformation that we are a part of by acknowledging it, reflecting it, discussing it, and leading it,” says Mario Garcia Durham, APAP’s president and CEO. “Our strength as an industry lies in our ability to create, produce, present, share and stimulate audiences everywhere with works that both embrace and acknowledge our differences and increase our understanding of one another.”

The next APAP Conference in New York is set for January 4-8, 2019. More information on the organization may be found on its website: www.apap365.org.