Poss frequently acknowledged that he didn’t have a very conventional career path. “I used to joke that I had the perfect qualifications for being in the music business,” Poss once wrote. “I had no business training; in fact, no formal music background either but I teach Sociology of deviant Behavior.”

After graduating from Duke, he took a position with County Records in Floyd, Virginia. Poss and its owner, Dave Freeman, launched Sugar Hill Records in 1978, embracing what Poss called “contemporary music grounded in traditional music roots.” A self-described “wayward academic in an entrepreneurial role,” Poss assumed full control of the label in 1980, and moved it to Durham. He operated the label from there until its sale to Welk Music Group 20 years later. He became the group’s chairman in 2002. It’s now part of Concord Music, which also owns Rounder Records.

Among the many artists of note who recorded for Sugar Hill Records during Poss’ tenure were Pat Alger, Byron Berline, Ronnie Bowman, Sam Bush, Guy Clark, Mike Cross, Rodney Crowell, Jerry Douglas, Sara Evans, Cathy Fink, Butch Hancock, Hot Rize, The Infamous Stringdusters, Chris Hillman, Wanda Jackson, Sarah Jarosz, Robert Earl Keen, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Lonesome River Band, Lyle Lovett, Nashville Bluegrass Band, Nickel Creek, Tim O’Brien, Dolly Parton, Dirk Powell, The Red Clay Ramblers, Peter Rowan, Ricky Skaggs, Darrell Scott, Marty Stuart, Bryan Sutton, Chris Thile, Townes Van Zandt, Doc Watson, and Jesse Winchester.

“The identity peg for Sugar Hill is having that traditional connection to contemporary music,” Poss Told Blue ridge Outdoors in 2008. “Some have taken to describing a ‘Sugar Hill Sound,” but I am not going to try to define that. To me, it’s what connect Doc Watson to Chris Thile, ricky skaggs to Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt to dolly Parton. They all exhibit a rootedness in their contemporary expressions of music. I like it because the music comes from a place. It’s not prefabricated or manufactured.”

Douglas and Skaggs had been part of a bluegrass group called Boone Creek, whose One Way Track album was Sugar Hill’s first release in 1978. In a May 18 Facebook post, Douglas wrote of Poss: “His dream was to have a label that mirrored the same idea as Sam Phillips and his famous Sun label, which catered to a specific audience and created a new genre, Rockabilly Plus. Barry knew an audience was there for a specific form of music (bluegrass) and there were certain bands who could grow that audience and the music would evolve with the growth of that audience.”

Douglas, who also produced a number of recordings for Sugar Hill Records, noted that he and Poss were “very close friends. Confidants really. He was like my wingman and brother at any event we collided with. We would spend hours talking about the direction of the music and the parameters he wanted his label to maintain no matter the current climate.” Poss was also godfather to Douglas’ daughter Nola. “Barry loved my family, and Jill and I, along with our children, will forever press his memory closer to our hearts.”

In addition to spending many years at the helm of Sugar Hill Records, Poss was a founding board member of the Bluegrass Hall of Fame & Museum in Owensboro, Kentucky and helped to launch the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA).

“Barry Poss was not just a champion of roots music and the artists that made it, but he was instrumental in the founding of our organization,” Ken White, IBMA’s executive director, said in a statement. “For that and so much more, we will always be grateful.”

Poss was a recipient of the IBMA’s Distinguished Achievement Award in 1998. The Americana Music Association also honored him with its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006 in recognition of Sugar Hill’s pivotal role in both preserving and reinvigorating traditional music, while he was inducted into the Oak Ridge Music Hall of Fame in 2023.

Closer to home, Poss also served on the boards of the Carolina Theater, the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University, MerleFest, the North Carolina, Folklife Institute, and WUNC-FM.

While many artists and others have shared tributes to Poss since his passing, for his part Poss once said: “It’s the artists who make the music to which I’m the most indebted. They had something important to say. They needed to be heard. And I wanted to be part of their creative lives – because it mattered.”

Cris Jacobs is a Baltimore, Maryland-based singer-songwriter. The music on his album One of These Days is rooted in bluegrass, folk and blues. Produced by Jerry Douglas (an acclaimed Dobro player and winner of 16 Grammy Awards), the 11-track album was recorded live and features Jacobs’ friends The Infamous Stringdusters as his backing band. Also lending their musical talents to the recording are Sam Bush, Billy Strings, Lee Ann Womack, The McCrary Sisters, Lindsay Lou, and more.

“I’ve always found so much comfort in roots music — in string band music,” says Jacobs. “ There’s just something about the sound of all those instruments together that resonates with me to my core and brings me grounding and peace.”

[Here’s a link to listen to the title track of Cris Jacobs’ One of These Days: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ar6TOfYs9M.]

Tim Grimm is an acclaimed storytelling balladeer who splits his time between homes in the woods of southern Indiana and a cottage in Oklahoma when not on tour. Over the years, he’s had a number of top albums and songs on the Folk DJ (now FAI Folk) and EuroAmericana charts. Gone and A Stranger In This Town were the most-played albums on folk radio during 2021 and 2017 respectively, while “Gone,” “Gonna Be Great,” “Woody’s Landlord” (about former President Donald Trump’s father), and “King of the Folksingers” (a tribute to his friend and musical icon Ramblin’ Jack Elliott) were the most-played songs of 2020, 2017, 2016, and 2014.

Like the first three songs mentioned above, Grimm’s recent chart-topping single, “Broken Truth” is a politically charged one. About “Broken Truth,” Grimm says: “We as a society should have dismissed Trump after his loss, and certainly after the January 6th storming of the Capitol. We should have arrested him and dismantled the framework that enabled him. But we didn’t, and he’s still out there—telling outright lies and running for another term. We must speak up. We must face this deep tear in the fabric of our society, not bury our heads in the sand. We must fight back. We must not let our country descend into this dystopian madness. We need to wield the songwriting sword with a fervent intent these days. For nine years we’ve lived with sorrow – our will has been tested and our hearts have been broken. Let’s turn the tide and wield Pete Seeger’s Hammer. Let’s make America a good place, a compassionate place which can be called a beacon for truth and hope again. I’ll be singing, loud and clear.”

[Here’s a link to a video for Tim Grimm’s “Broken Truth”: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=y7XYGLjP-58.]

The April 2024 top albums, songs and artists charts are based on 11,836 airplays reported on 413 playlists submitted by 108 different folk DJs. The number of reported spins is shown below in parentheses.

Folk Alliance International (folk.org) is a nonprofit organization that aims to serve, strengthen, and engage the global folk music community through preservation, presentation and promotion.

Top Albums of April 2024

1 One of These Days Cris Jacobs (74)
2 Trail of Flowers Sierra Ferrell (65)
3 Sailing Dreams Muriel Anderson (62)
4 By Now Heather Little (60)
5 Restless Soul Syndrome Jon Shain (55)
6 Diamond Days Brooks Williams (44)
6 Gardens Old, Flowers New Tom Rush (44)
8 Another Side Rachael Sage (43)
9 Bring in the Light Phoebe Rees (38)
10 Little Sun Charlie Parr (36)
10 My Black Country: The Songs of Alice Randall Various Artists (36)
12 Far Rockaway – The Songs of Phil Ochs Phil Odgers and John Kettle (35)
13 One Guitar Woman Sue Foley (34)
13 Polaroid Lovers Sarah Jarosz (34)
15 Singing to the Moon Jillian Matundan (33)
16 Seed Todd Burge (31)
16 All Is Song Misner and Smith (31)
18 All My Friends Aoife O’Donovan (30)
19 World Brand New Mouths of Babes (29)
20 All About the Bones Chris (27)
20 The Best Part Lisa Redfern (27)
20 Ordinary Sunrise Jay Linden (27)
20 Likely Story Mad Agnes (27)
24 Live at the Scala Theater Eric Bibb (26)
25 Ordinary Elephant Ordinary Elephant (25)
26 Whitechapel West of Eden (24)
26 Leaning In Open Book (24)
26 Wanderer Ruth Moody (24)
26 American Patchwork Quartet American Patchwork Quartet (24)
26 Simple Motion Eric Brace and Thomm Jutz (24)
31 Death’s Little Black Train Roman Barten-Sherman (23)
32 Sparrow Jeff Talmadge (22)
32 Used to Ain’t Here No More Ken Tillery (22)
34 Another Heart Ann Savoy (21)
34 Donegal Altan (21)
36 Out of the Darkness Nina Jo Smith (20)
36 No Such Thing as Forever Josh Fortenbery (20)
36 Tigers Blood Waxahatchee (20)
39 The Fields of Chazy Claudia Gibson (19)
39 More Than a Whisper: Celebrating the Music of Nanci Griffith Various Artists (19)
41 Graced by Leaves Simone Keane (18)
42 Salt Box Charm City Junction (17)
42 The Living Kind John Smith (17)
44 Halfway to Houston Susan Werner (16)
45 Tell ‘Em You Were Gold Pharis and Jason Romero (15)
45 Visitor John Moreland (15)
45 Ezra Ezra (15)
45 Prayin’ for Sunshine Suzy Bogguss (15)
45 The Bard of Aquarius Zera Starchild (15)
50 So Much for Forever Authentic Unlimited (14)
50 On the Water Lisa Bastoni (14)
50 Deeper Well Kacey Musgraves (14)
50 The Last Trip Home Wendy Grossman (14)

Top Songs of April 2024

1 Broken Truth Tim Grimm (49)
2 Oceans Rising Kristen Grainger and True North (14)
2 Hands Like Mine Heather Little (14)
4 High on a Mountain With Ola Belle Reed Phoebe Rees (13)
4 “Tides” Muriel Anderson (13)
4 “Jersey Barriers” Jon Shain (13)
4 “The Growing Season” Todd Burge (13)
8 “American Dreaming” Sierra Ferrell (12)
8 “The Border” Willie Nelson (12)
10 “Big Sky” Brooks Williams (11)
10 “Albatross” Rachael Sage (11)
10 “Time to Move On” Chris Smither (11)
10 “Runaway Train” Sarah Jarosz (11)
10 “Lighthouse” Sierra Ferrell (11)
10 “Already Free” Ruth Moody (11)
16 “A Meadow” Open Book (10)
16 “Pale Blue Dot” Bett Padgett (10)
16 “One of These Days” Cris Jacobs (10)
16 “World Brand New” Mouths of Babes (10)
16 “Beauty of this World” Mad Agnes (10)
16 “Transistor Radio” Heather Little (10)
16 “Let Loose and Fly” Muriel Anderson (10)
16 “Work Song (I Can Still Sing)” Cris Jacobs (10)
24 “We Are Turning Gold” Joe Crookston (9)
24 “ Dooley” Tony Trischka (9)
24 “The Place of Fun” Rachael Sage (9)
24 “Relic of the Rain” Ordinary Elephant (9)
24 “All About the Bones” Chris Smither (9)
24 “When the Light Has Gone” Jack Williams (9)
24 “Lonesome Homesick Blues” Sue Foley (9)
24 “Small Towns (Are Smaller for Girls)” Leyla McCalla (9)
24 “Heavy Water” Cris Jacobs (9)
24 “Sailing Dream” Muriel Anderson (9)
24 “Bluegrass Radio” Alison Brown and Steve Martin (9)

Top Artists of April 2024

1 Cris Jacobs (74)
2 Tim Grimm (73)
3 Sierra Ferrell (70)
4 Muriel Anderson (67)
5 Si Kahn (66)
6 Heather Little (60)
7 Jon Shain (56)
8 Pete Seeger (54)
9 Brooks Williams (51)
10 Tom Rush (50)
11 Rachael Sage (49)
12 Charlie Parr (40)
12 Phil Ochs (40)
12 Sarah Jarosz (40)
15 Phoebe Rees (38)
16 Sue Foley (36)
16 John Prine (36)
18 Phil Odgers and John Kettle (35)
19 Jillian Matundan (33)
19 Malcolm Holcombe (33)
19 Chris Smither (33)
22 Misner and Smith (32)
22 Mad Agnes (32)
22 Todd Burge (32)
22 Mouths of Babes (32)
22 Aoife O’Donovan (32)
27 John McCutcheon (31)
27 Ordinary Elephant (31)
29 Lisa Redfern (29)
30 Bob Dylan (28)
30 The Seldom Scene (28)
32 Jay Linden (27)
32 Eric Bibb (27)
32 Magpie (27)
32 Susan Werner (27)
36 Ruth Moody (26)
37 Steve Goodman (25)
37 Emmylou Harris (25)
37 Rhiannon Giddens (25)
37 West of Eden (25)

“We lost one of the greatest banjo players to ever pick up the five,” tweeted fellow banjoist Bela Fleck, just one of numerous artists who took to social media to share their thoughts about the master of the bluegrass banjo in the days following his passing.

“He was an absolute legend… He will be remembered as one of the greatest to ever play bluegrass music,” maintains acclaimed roots guitarist Billy Strings. “He had tone, taste and timing like no other. The space between the notes he played and the way he rolled them out just kept the band driving, running on all cylinders like a V* engine. He was just the best bluegrass banjo player out there, man,” he tweeted.

In social media posts, Mark O’Connor, a noted roots fiddler and guitarist, who had a brief stint in Crowe’s band when he was just 14 in the mid-1970s, called Crowe “one of the absolute greats in bluegrass, and a really wonderful mentor to me when I was a young boy coming.” In O’Connor’s view, there’s “no better bluegrass banjo player the history [of the genre] other than Earl Scruggs.” Crowe might be considered a disciple of Scruggs and, like him, he played in a three-fingered style. However, although he respected and sought to preserve the tradition and the legacy of the genre, Crowe was not a bluegrass purist. He also experimented and expanded bluegrass music’s traditional boundaries and helped redefine the genre and widen its appeal in the process. His pioneering progressive bluegrass band, J.D. Crowe and the New South, his pioneering progressive bluegrass band featured such notable players as Jerry Douglas, Keith Whitley, guitarist Tony Rice (who died last Christmas), Ricky Skaggs, Phil Leadbetter, and Don Rigsby over the years.

James Dee Crowe was born in Lexington, Kentucky in 1937. While just a teenager and still in school, he performed and toured with acclaimed bluegrass guitarist Jimmy Martin in the mid-1950s. Returning home to Lexington in 1961, he partnered with mandolinist Doyle Lawson and bassist Bobby Sloane to form the Kentucky Mountain Dogs, which became J.D. Crowe and the New South in the 1970s and featured a revolving lineup of players. The group’s 1975 Rounder Records release, The New South, is considered one of bluegrass music’s seminal albums. In 1983, J.D. Crowe and the New South won a Grammy Award for Country Instrumental of the Year for “Fireball.”

Here’s a link to view a video of J.D. Crowe and the New South performing “Fireball”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-2rv9lxNlw

Crowe also formed and recorded with the Bluegrass Album Band featuring Lawson, guitarists Rice and Douglas, fiddlers Vassar Clements and Bobby Hicks, and Todd Phillips and Mark Schatz rotating on bass. He was a recipient of numerous awards and accolades. He was inducted into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame in 2003, received the Bluegrass Star Award in 2011, an honorary doctorate from the University of Kentucky in 2012, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Lexington Music Awards in 2016. Although he gave up touring in 2019, Crowe had continued to record.

Here’s a link to view a video of the Bluegrass Album Band performing “Big Spike Hammer” during an IBMA Awards Show:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PO__VTOMNJo

NITO’s founding members and the more than 50 others who have since joined the organization “need and want to be assured that our voices are heard in Washington.” Its 14 founding small independent businesses (Entourage Talent, Ground Control Touring, High Road Touring, Leave Home Booking, Madison House, Mongrel Music, New Frontier Touring, Panache Booking, Partisan Arts, Pinnacle Entertainment, Sound Talent Group, Skyline Artists Agency, TKO, and The Kurland Agency) alone currently represent approximately 2,000 artists, according to the news release. “In 2019, collectively, more than 40,000 concerts were booked by NITO’s members across the U.S. with over 12.5 million tickets sold, generating in excess of half-a-billion dollars in gross ticket sales annually. The additional financial impact of these performances on surrounding communities is over $1 billion.”

“As owners of our individual entertainment businesses, we have given our all and more to our firms,” says Nadia Prescher, co-founder of Madison House, an artist management and booking agency. “Our small businesses are self-funded and independent, but nonetheless have a significant economic impact on the many who rely on our work. My fellow NITO co-founders and members are calling on the independent human spirit that all like-minded self-starters can get behind. We are focused on government support and reform during this economic crisis, while building an environment where entertainment entrepreneurs can discuss their common goals and stand together in unity.”

Among the artists on Madison House’s roster are 10,000 Maniacs, The Alternate Routes, Matt Andersen, Brooke Annibale, Chris Barron, Carbon Leaf, Jesse Cook, Laura Cortese & The Dance Cards, Alan Doyle, The East Pointers, Eddie From Ohio, Dom Flemons, Freddy & Francine, Katie Herzig, Lucy Kaplansky, Stephen Kellogg, Terra Lightfoot, Ryan Montbleau, Willie Nile, Glen Phillips, Steve Poltz, Willy Porter, Rainbow Girls, Rising Appalachia, Richard Shindell, and Vienna Teng.

Talent agents who represent artists and negotiate the live performance aspect of their careers are NITO’s primary focus. However, the organization “welcomes a broader coalition of the live music ecosystem beyond independent talent agencies — including U.S.-based small businesses and majority owner-operated independent management companies,’ according to its news release. U.S.-based artists, crew, and others engaged in live touring also are welcome to join as non-dues-paying associate members.

“NITO stands with the artists and all of those who make up the world of live performances,” says Frank Riley, founder of High Road Touring. “It’s a fully integrated world, that is reliant on and supportive of one another, as no one can productively and successfully navigate this environment on their own. When all things come together in the best way, these shows and this music bring joy and happiness in an otherwise troublesome and dangerous world.”

High Road Touring books such artists as Alabama Shakes, Sam Amidon, Joan Baez, Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams, Hayes Carll, Cowboy Junkies, The Deep Dark Woods, Jerry Douglas, The Earls of Leicester, Tommy Emmanuel, Jay Farrar, Mary Gauthier, Patty Griffin, The Handsome Family, Emmylou Harris, Joe Henry, Indigo Girls, Pokey LaFarge, The Low Anthem, Aimee Mann, James McMurtry, Tift Merritt, Michaela Anne, Buddy Miller, Parker Millsap, John Moreland, Shawn Mullins, Graham Nash, Over The Rhine, Nathaniel Rateliff, Shovels & Rope, They Might Be Giants, Richard Thompson, Jeff Tweedy, Suzanne Vega, Violent Femmes, Wilco, Lucinda Williams, and George Winston.

“Artists were among the first to suffer from the results of the pandemic and will be among the last to recover,” maintains Harvey Mason, Jr., chairman and interim president/CEO of The Recording Academy. “As citizens turn to music during these troubled times, it demonstrates that music makers must survive and thrive. We look forward to working with NITO as partners in improving the lives of artists.”

The Earls of Leicester, which also was the top winner in the 2015 International Bluegrass Music Awards, pay homage to the musical legacy of Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs and their band, the Foggy Mountain Boys. Besides being named Entertainer of the Year again, the bluegrass supergroup’s bandleader, Jerry Douglas, was again named Dobro Player of the Year, while bandmate Barry Bales repeated as Bass Player of the Year and Charlie Cushman was named Banjo Player of the Year.

Last year, The Earls of Leicester also took home trophies for Album of the Year for its self-titled debut release, Instrumental Group of the Year and Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year, while member Shawn Camp was named Male Vocalist of the Year. Also in the group is Johnny Warren (fiddle).

Flatt Lonesome has been garnering considerable attention, accolades and radio airplay. Launched in 2011 by siblings Kelsi Robertson Harrigil (mandolin), Buddy Robertson (guitar), and Charli Robetrtson (fiddle), along with neighbor Dominic Illingworth (bass) and longtime friend Michael Stockton (dobro), and joined by Paul Harrigil (banjo) the following year, the band released its eponymous debut album in 2013.

During the awards show, members of Flatt Lonesome expressed thanks to their parents for teaching them how to sing. “We wouldn’t be Vocal Group of the Year without them,” said Charli Robertson, while twin brother Buddy remarked: “I’ve spent a lot of hours picking in the house with dad growing up and if it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be who I am today.” Commenting on winning Album of the Year, older sister Kelsi Harrigill said: “This is our first album to have the majority of material to be all original and that is a huge deal to us. We want to pay tribute to those who came before us but we also want to show people what’s in our hearts…”

Earlier this year, Flatt Lonesome was named Best Overall Bluegrass Band and took home Album of the Year honors during the 42nd annual SPBGMA Awards.

A listing of all the award winners appears below.

2016 International Bluegrass Music Awards

Entertainer of the Year: The Earls of Leicester
Female Vocalist of the Year: Becky Buller
Male Vocalist of the Year: Danny Paisley
Vocal Group of the Year: Flatt Lonesome
Instrumental Group of the Year: Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen
Song of the Year: “You’re the One,” Flatt Lonesome
Album of the Year: Runaway Train, Flatt Lonesome
Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year: “All Dressed Up,” Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers
Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year: “Fireball,” Special Consensus featuring Rob Ickes, Trey Hensley and Alison Brown
Emerging Artist of the Year: Mountain Faith
Recorded Event of the Year: Longneck Blues, Junior Sisk and Ronnie Bowman
Banjo Player of the Year: Charlie Cushman
Bass Player of the Year: Barry Bales
Dobro Player of the Year: Jerry Douglas
Fiddle Player of the Year: Becky Buller
Guitar Player of the Year: Bryan Sutton
Mandolin Player of the Year: Sierra Hull

Inductees into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame: Clarence White; the Rounder Founders: Ken Irwin, Marian Leighton Levy and Bill Nowlin

Distinguished Achievement Awards: Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine, Boston Bluegrass Union, SiriusXM Radio’s Bluegrass Junction, Bill Emerson, Jim Rooney


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 fourth 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.

Del McCoury, 76, a guitarist and vocalist, who has been making music for more than 55 years, teamed with High Sierra Music in 2008 to create this family-friendly music festival celebrating his family’s musical legacy, fostering opportunities for top-notch musical collaborations, offering ‘playshops’ (informal workshops emphasizing performance rather than instruction), providing late-night indoor performances and picking sessions, and showcasing new talent with a down-home feeling.

To order tickets and for more information on the festival and a three-day Music Academy hosted by The Travelin’ McCourys and other players that will precede it, visit www.delfest.com.

Although Old Settler’s has grown in popularity over the years, it retains a more casual and laid-back down-home Texas vibe than a couple of other notable Austin area music festivals – and that’s part of its allure. Among the diverse array of talented performers on the 2016 lineup are The Accidentals, The Jeff Austin Band, The Band of Heathens, The Black Lillies, Hayes Carll, Rodney Crowell, Dawes, Deer Tick, Della Mae, Jerry Douglas presents The Earls of Leicester, The HillBenders present The Who’s TOMMY: A Bluegrass Opry, Sierra Hull, Sarah Jarosz (who grew up playing the festival’s workshops and smaller stages), The Jayhawks, Lonesome River Band, The Milk Carton Kids, Bob Schneider, Carolyn Wonderland, The Woods Brothers, and more.

In addition to music on four stages, there will be performance workshops, sing-a-longs and impromptu jam sessions, a youth talent competition and children’s activities, a market area featuring arts and crafts or crafts people and artisans, specialty foods and craft brews, and lots of tasty barbecue. Those camping on-site can also enjoy late-night jams around the campfires.

Discounted admission wristbands are available online via EventBrite until April 1. For more information and to buy tickets, visit www.oldsettlersmusicfest.org.

Each year, the nonprofit festival provides financial support to several community organizations. The beneficiaries for 2016 will be the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians, Kids in New Groove, and the Center for Texas Music History. In addition, four scholarships will be provided to students pursuing music-related degrees at two area colleges.

Speaking during the awards show, Douglas said: “This is unbelievable fun, and we’re going to keep doing it.”

The Tar Heel State’s own Balsam Range, last year’s Entertainer of the Year and previous winner for Album and Song of the Year, was honored as Vocal Group of the Year, while its “Moon Over Memphis” was named Song of the Year. The acoustic quintet’s Tim Surrett was named Bass Player of the Year.

During the show, Balsam Range performed another one of its songs “Stacking Up The Rocks,” a cappella. Other performers included Flatt Lonesome, the Gibson Brothers (hosts of the event), The Del McCoury Band and Hot Rize.

Alison Krauss joined singer-guitarist Larry Sparks and his band, the Lonesome Ramblers, on a medley of his signature songs after inducting him into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame. Sparks recently released a new album to mark his 50th year in bluegrass music. Also inducted into the Hall of Fame was banjoist Bill Keith – whom Bill Monroe had hailed as the first banjo player who could play banjo songs in a fiddle style and with a fiddler’s virtuosity. Musician and author Jim Rooney and fellow banjo player Alan Munde sang Keith’s praises in inducting him, while banjoist Noam Pikelny – a founding member of the Punch Brothers and last year’s Album and Banjo Player of the Year winner — played Keith’s tune “Beating Around the Bush” in tribute.

The 26th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards is the centerpiece of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA)’s five-day World of Bluegrass event that continues through Saturday, Oct. 3, with the Wide Open Bluegrass festival featuring free and ticketed events. Awards were voted on by the professional membership of the IBMA (www.ibma.org), the trade association for the global bluegrass music community. Prior to the evening awards show, winners of five 2015 Distinguished Achievement Awards were recognized.

A listing of all the award winners appears below.

2015 International Bluegrass Music Awards

Entertainer of the Year: The Earls of Leicester
Female Vocalist of the Year: Rhonda Vincent
Male Vocalist of the Year: Shawn Camp
Vocal Group of the Year: Balsam Range
Instrumental Group of the Year: The Earls of Leicester
Song of the Year: “Moon Over Memphis,” Balsam Range
Album of the Year: The Earls of Leicester, The Earls of Leicester (produced by Jerry Douglas)
Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year: “Who Will Sing for Me,” the Earls of Leicester
Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year: “The Three Bells,” Jerry Douglas, Mike Auldridge, Rob Ickes
Emerging Artist of the Year: Becky Buller
Recorded Event of the Year: “Southern Flavor,” Becky Buller with Peter Rowan, Michael Feagan, Buddy Spicher, Ernie Sykes, Roland White and Blake Williams
Bluegrass Songwriter of the Year: Becky Buller
Banjo Player of the Year: Rob McCoury
Bass Player of the Year: Tim Surrett
Dobro Player of the Year: Jerry Douglas
Fiddle Player of the Year: Michael Cleveland
Guitar Player of the Year: Bryan Sutton
Mandolin Player of the Year: Jesse Brock

Inductees into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame: Bill Keith and Larry Sparks
Distinguished Achievement Awards: Alison Brown, Murphy Henry, the International Bluegrass Music Museum, “Bashful Brother” Oswald Kirby and Steve Martin

In the more than four decades since releasing his eponymous debut that featured the catchy and anthemic “Sunshine,” Edwards has released nearly 20 albums and continued to tour regularly. His latest, Tomorrow’s Child, was produced by Grammy-nominated multi-instrumentalist Darrell Scott and also features Shawn Colvin, Jerry Douglas, Vince Gill and Alison Kraus.

The July 2015 FOLKDJ-L charts are based on 12,906 airplays from 136 different DJs. The number of reported spins (airplays) is shown below in parentheses, while label and release date appear in brackets. They are posted on AcousticMusicScene.com, with permission.

Top Albums of July 2015

1: Tomorrow’s Child, Jonathan Edwards [Rising, 6/15] (54)
2: Coffee Creek, The Slocan Ramblers [slocanramblers.com, new] (49)
3: Banjo & Fiddle: Tunes From The North, Songs From The South, Karrnnel Sawitsky and Daniel Koulack [hearthmusic.com, 3/15] (45)
4: Ordinary Band, Katie Dahl [Waterbug, 6/15] (43)
5: Too Big World, Bumper Jacksons [bumperjacksons.com, 6/15] (42)
6: Morning In A New Machine, Dubl Handi [dublhandimusic.com, 6/15] (38)
7: Still She Will Fly (EP), Heather Pierson Acoustic Trio [Vessel, 5/15] (36)
8: Django And Jimmie, Willie Nelson And Merle Haggard [Legacy, 6/15] (34)
8: What I’m Lookin’ For, Dan Weber [Highway 142, 3/15] (34)
10: Eat The Moon, FY5 – Finnders & Youngberg [Swingfingers, new] (33)
10: Further West, Hungrytown [Listen Here!, 5/15] (33)
12: Bright Shadow, Ana Egge [Grace/Parkinsong, 5/15] (32)
12: Rural Electrification, Peter Keane [Little Hat, new] (32)
14: Grandma’s Got A Boombox, Sandy Ross [sandyross.com, 5/15] (31)
15: Domestic Eccentric, Old Man Luedecke [True North, new] (30)
16: Joe Hill’s Last Will, John McCutcheon [Appalsongs, 5/15] (29)
17: Dogwood Cats, Jefferson Ross [Deep Fried, 6/15] (27)
19: Sorrow Bound, Kaia Kater [Kingswood, 6/15] (26)
23: L.A. Blues, John Malcolm Penn [Blue Night, 6/15] (24)
23: Mother Country, Dave Crossland [Folk Era, 4/15] (24)
23: The Social Music Hour Vol. 1, Spuyten Duyvil [spuytenduyvilmusic.com, 3/15] (24)
26: Power In The Blood, Buffy Sainte-Marie [True North, 5/15] (23)
26: Tangled Country, The Honey Dewdrops [thehoneydewdrops.com, 3/15] (23)
26: The Traveling Kind, Emmylou Harris And Rodney Crowell [Nonesuch, 5/15] (23)
29: Beautiful You, The Waifs [Compass, new] (22)
29: Building A Human Being, Dana Cooper [Self, 6/15] (22)
29: Monterey, The Milk Carton Kids [Self, 5/15] (22)
29: Owls, Danny Schmidt [Live Once, 5/15] (22)
33: Anna And Elizabeth, Anna And Elizabeth [Free Dirt, 3/15] (21)
33: Larry Campbell And Teresa Williams, Larry Campbell And Teresa Williams [Red House, 6/15] (21)
33: Soul Of A Man, Adam Michael Rothberg [amrsounds.com, 4/15] (21)
33: Starlight Highway, Corinne West [Make, 5/15] (21)
33: When I’m Free, Hot Rize [Ten In Hand, 9/14] (21)
38: Nearness Of You, Vance Gilbert [Disismye, 4/15] (20)
38: The Night Tribe, Jimmy Lafave [Music Road, 5/15] (20)
38: The People Need Light, Mr Sun [Compass, new] (20)
38: Solo Flight, Steve Spurgin [Blue Night, 6/15] (20)
38: Stumpjumper, Charlie Parr [Red House, 4/15] (20)
38: Wilder Days, Natasha Borzilova [Hadley, 4/15] (20)
44: Get Ready, The Revelers [Self, 5/15] (19)
44: Ghost, Annie Gallup [Gallway Bay, 5/15] (19)
46: Ten From The Pen, Roy Schneider [Shiny Gnu, 6/15] (18)
46: Della Mae, Della Mae [Rounder, 5/15] (18)
46: Out From The Harbor, Nikki Talley [Self, 6/15] (18)
46: The Pedestrian, Steep Ravine [Self, 6/15] (18)
46: Walk On Solid Ground, Gene And Gayla Mills [Heart Pine, 4/15] (18)
46: Woody Pines, Woody Pines [Muddy Roots, 5/15] (18)
52: Before This World,”James Taylor [Concord, 6/15] (17)
52: Don’t Forget Me Little Darling: Remembering The Carter Family, Antique Persuasion [Voxhall, 3/15] (17)
52: The Faster It Goes, The Railsplitters [therailsplitters.com, 5/15] (17)
52: The Hour Before, Elaine Romanelli [elaineromanelli.com, 4/15] (17)
52: Something More Than Free, Jason Isbell [Southeastern, new] (17)
52: The Trackless Woods, Iris DeMent [Flariella, new] (17)
58: Best Medicine, The Stray Birds [Yep Roc, 10/14] (16)
58: Dear Jean: Artists Celebrate Jean Ritchie, Various Artists [Compass, 9/14] (16)
58: Leave Some Things Behind, The Steel Wheels [Big Ring, 4/15] (16)
58: The Longest River, Olivia Chaney [Nonesuch, 4/15] (16)
58: The Rose Of Roscrae: A Ballad Of The West, Tom Russell [Frontera, 4/15] (16)
58: Tim May And Steve Smith, Tim May And Steve Smith [Desert Night, 4/15] (16)
58: With A Lampshade On, The Dustbowl Revival [Signature, 7/15] (16)
65: Didn’t It Rain, Amy Helm [E One, new] (15)
65: Muscle Shoals Recordings, The Steeldrivers [Rounder, 6/15] (15)
65: Pageant Material, Kacey Musgraves [Mercury, new] (15)
65: Sun Might Shine On Me, Grant Dermody [grantdermody.com, 5/15] (15)
65: Tell Tale Heart, Chuck Brodsky [chuckbrodsky.com, 3/15] (15)
70: The 45th Parallel, Neptune’s Car [neptunescar.com, 1/15] (14)
70: Baladista, Joel Rafael [Inside, 4/15] (14)
70: Beyond the Blue, The Duhks [Compass, 5/14] (14)
70: Can’t Forget, Leonard Cohen [Columbia, 5/15] (14)
70: Carnero Vaquero, Ian Tyson [Stony Plain, 6/15] (14)
70: Follow Your Dream, Andy And Judy [Cherry Bridge, 6/15] (14)
70: Little Hinges, Qristina And Quinn Bachand [Beacon Ridge, 1/15] (14)
70: The Newpart, April Verch [Slab Town, 4/15] (14)
70: The Songwriter In Me: The Demo Recordings, Donna Ulisse [Hadley, 3/15] (14)
70: Such Jubilee, Mandolin Orange [Yep Roc, 5/15] (14)

Top Songs of July 2015

1. “Cindy” (12)
by Dubl Handi
from Morning In A New Machine
1. “Crowns” (12)
by Katie Dahl
from Ordinary Band
3. “Coffee Creek” (11)
by The Slocan Ramblers
from Coffee Creek
3. “Sitting On Top Of The World” (11)
by Peter Keane
from Rural Electrification
5. “Distant Campfire” (10)
by Sandy Ross
from Grandma’s Got A Boombox
5. “Little Birdie” (10)
by Karrnnel Sawitsky and Daniel Koulack
from Banjo & Fiddle: Tunes From The North, Songs From The South
5. “Still She Will Fly” (10)
by Heather Pierson Acoustic Trio
from Still She Will Fly (EP)
5. “This Old Guitar” (10)
by Jonathan Edwards
from Tomorrow’s Child
5. “The Traveling Kind” (10)
by Emmylou Harris And Rodney Crowell
from The Traveling Kind
5. “You Don’t Know Him The Way I Do” (10)
by Heather Pierson Acoustic Trio
from Still She Will Fly (EP)
11. “Down In The Woods” (9)
by Jonathan Edwards
from Tomorrow’s Child
11. “Elk River” (9)
by The Slocan Ramblers
from Coffee Creek
11. “Flat Top Guitar” (9)
by Ana Egge
from Bright Shadow
11. “Mole In The Ground” (9)
by Jonathan Edwards
from Tomorrow’s Child
11. “Oh Woody” (9)
by Dan Weber
from What I’m Lookin’ For
11. “Pastures Of Plenty/Honey Babe” (9)
by The Slocan Ramblers
from Coffee Creek
11. “Wildflowers” (9)
by Ana Egge
from Bright Shadow
18. “Boston Town” (8)
by Della Mae
from Della Mae
18. “Further West” (8)
by Hungrytown
from Further West
18. “She Wants To Eat The Moon” (8)
by FY5 – Finnders & Youngberg
from Eat The Moon
18. “When I Go” (8)
by Joel Rafael
from Baladista
18. “Yodelady” (8)
by Old Man Luedecke
from Domestic Eccentric
23. “Ain’t Gotten Around” (7)
by Heather Pierson Acoustic Trio
from Still She Will Fly (EP)
23. “Bicentennial” (7)
by Katie Dahl
from Ordinary Band
23. “En Filant Ma Quenouille” (7)
by Kaia Kater
from Sorrow Bound
23. “Low On The Hog” (7)
by Old Man Luedecke
from Domestic Eccentric
23. “Rescue Me” (7)
by Amy Helm
from Didn’t It Rain
23. “Shadow Of A Cloud” (7)
by Steep Ravine
from The Pedestrian
23. “Tomorrow’s Child” (7)
by Jonathan Edwards
from Tomorrow’s Child
23. “Train That Carried My Girl From Town” (7)
by Dubl Handi
from Morning In A New Machine

In the more than four decades since releasing his eponymous debut that featured the catchy and anthemic “Sunshine,” Edwards has released nearly 20 albums and continued to tour regularly. His latest CD, Tomorrow’s Child, was released June 23. Produced by Grammy-nominated multi-instrumentalist Darrell Scott, it also features guest vocals by Shawn Colvin, Jerry Douglas, Vince Gill and Alison Kraus.

The June 2015 FOLKDJ-L charts are based on 13,042 airplays from 138 different DJs. The number of reported spins (airplays) is shown below in parentheses, while label and release date appear in brackets. They are posted on AcousticMusicScene.com, with permission.

Top Albums of June 2015

1: Tomorrow’s Child, Jonathan Edwards [Rising, new] (96)
2: Dear Jean: Artists Celebrate Jean Ritchie, Various Artists [Compass, 9/14] (91)
3: Joe Hill’s Last Will, John McCutcheon [Appalsongs, 5/15] (84)
4: Precious Memories, Sue Massek [Strictly Country, 4/15] (77)
5: Django And Jimmie, Willie Nelson And Merle Haggard [Legacy, 6/15] (65)
6: Further West, Hungrytown [Listen Here!, 5/15] (56)
7: Ordinary Band, Katie Dahl [Waterbug, new] (49)
8: Della Mae, Della Mae [Rounder, 5/15] (48)
8: Still She Will Fly (EP), Heather Pierson Acoustic Trio [Vessel, 5/15] (48)
10: Solo Flight, Steve Spurgin [Blue Night, new] (45)
11: The Newpart, April Verch [Slab Town, 4/15] (43)
12: Tangled Country, The Honey Dewdrops [thehoneydewdrops.com, 3/15] (41)
13: What I’m Lookin’ For, Dan Weber [Highway 142, 3/15] (40)
14: Ten From The Pen, Roy Schneider [Shiny Gnu, new] (39)
15: Dogwood Cats, Jefferson Ross [Deep Fried, new] (38)
16: Woody Pines, Woody Pines [Muddy Roots, 5/15] (37)
17: The Faster It Goes, The Railsplitters [therailsplitters.com, 5/15] (36)
17: Power In The Blood, Buffy Sainte-Marie [True North, 5/15] (36)
19: Owls, Danny Schmidt [Live Once, 5/15] (35)
20: Soul Of A Man, Adam Michael Rothberg [amrsounds.com, 4/15] (34)
20: The Traveling Kind, Emmylou Harris And Rodney Crowell [Nonesuch, 5/15] (34)
22: Sundown Over Ghost Town, Eilen Jewell [Signature, 5/15] (33)
22: Tell Tale Heart, Chuck Brodsky [chuckbrodsky.com, 3/15] (33)
24: Lifeline Extended, Holly Near And Ronnie Gilbert [Appleseed, 2012] (30)
25: Anna And Elizabeth, Anna And Elizabeth [Free Dirt, 3/15] (29)
25: The Social Music Hour Vol. 1, Spuyten Duyvil [spuytenduyvilmusic.com, 3/15] (29)
25: Tim May And Steve Smith, Tim May And Steve Smith [Desert Night, 4/15] (29)
28: Grandma’s Got A Boombox, Sandy Ross [Self, new] (27)
28: Nearness Of You, Vance Gilbert [Disismye, 4/15] (27)
28: The Pedestrian, Steep Ravine [Self, new] (27)
31: Harp: A Time To Sing, Holly Near, Arlo Guthrie, Ronnie Gilbert And Pete Seeger [Appleseed, 2001] (26)
31: Sorrow Bound, Kaia Kater [Kingswood, new] (26)
33: A Wanderer I’ll Stay, Pharis And Jason Romero [Lula, 3/15] (25)
34: Mother Country, Dave Crossland [Folk Era, 4/15] (24)
34: Wilder Days, Natasha Borzilova [Hadley, 4/15] (24)
36: L.A. Blues, John Malcolm Penn [Blue Night, new] (23)
36: Starlight Highway, Corinne West [Make, 5/15] (23)
36: Tomorrow You’re Going, The Pine Hill Project [Signature, 3/15] (23)
39: The Rose Of Roscrae: A Ballad Of The West, Tom Russell [Frontera, 4/15] (22)
39: Some Part Of The Truth, Brother Sun [brothersunmusic.com, 2013] (22)
41: Fall Is A Good Time To Die, Jami Lynn [jamilynnmusic.com, 4/15] (21)
41: Still, Richard Thompson [Concord, new] (21)
41: Too Big World, Bumper Jacksons [Self, new] (21)
41: Walk On Solid Ground, Gene And Gayla Mills [Heart Pine, 4/15] (21)
45: Best Medicine, The Stray Birds [Yep Roc, 10/14] (20)
45: A Bird In This World, Joel Mabus [Fossil, 2/15] (20)
45: Jayme Stone’s Lomax Project, Jayme Stone [Borealis, 2/15] (20)
48: Morning In A New Machine, Dubl Handi [Self, new] (19)
48: Sing Sad Songs (EP), The Earnest Lovers [Elko, new] (19)
48: Sun Might Shine On Me, Grant Dermody [grantdermody.com, 5/15] (19)
48: Tommy: A Bluegrass Opry, The Hillbenders [Compass, 6/15] (19)
48: Wink At July, Rachel Garlin [Tactile, 4/15] (19)
53: Fiddle Gems, Kitty Amaral [String Dreams, 1/15] (18)
53: The Hour Before, Elaine Romanelli [elaineromanelli.com, 4/15] (18)
53: Monterey, The Milk Carton Kids [Self, 5/15] (18)
56: Can’t Forget, Leonard Cohen [Columbia, 5/15] (17)
56: Muscle Shoals Recordings, The Steeldrivers [Rounder, new] (17)
58: Room To Run (EP), Jack Tempchin [Blue Elan, 5/15] (16)
58: Such Jubilee, Mandolin Orange [Yep Roc, 5/15] (16)
58: Third Generation Blues, Doc And Richard Watson [Sugar Hill, 1999] (16)
61: Chasing Beauty, Ellis Paul [Black Wolf, 7/14] (15)
61: Chicago Town And Points West, Art Thieme [Folk-Legacy, 2006] (15)
61: Larry Campbell And Teresa Williams, Larry Campbell And Teresa Williams [Red House, new] (15)
61: Leave Some Things Behind, The Steel Wheels [Big Ring, 4/15] (15)
61: The Lied To’s, The Lied To’s [Hollow Body, 2/15] (15)
61: Little Hinges, Qristina And Quinn Bachand [Beacon Ridge, 1/15] (15)
61: The Longest River, Olivia Chaney [Nonesuch, 4/15] (15)
61: Paint Me A Picture, Patty Stevenson And Craig Siemsen [Larrea, 3/15] (15)
61: Spinning Yarns, Norah Rendell [Two Tap, 3/15] (15)
61: Stumpjumper, Charlie Parr [Red House, 4/15] (15)

Top Songs of June 2015