This morning, July 15, 2026, the International Bluegrass Music Association announced the nominees and recipients for the 37th Annual IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards at a special unveiling ceremony at the SiriusXM offices and studios in downtown Nashville, Tennessee. The event was co-hosted by Bluegrass Junction on-air host Joey Black with Alison Brown and Stephen Mougin, and was broadcast live over SiriusXM Bluegrass Junction and the IBMA Facebook page. Artists Mason Via and Bronwyn gave special live performances and each received nominations, too – Via for New Artist of the Year and Bronwyn for Fiddle Player of the Year.
Nominated for Entertainer of the Year, arguably the highest honor each year at the IBMA Awards, are Billy Strings, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Sister Sadie, East Nash Grass, and the Del McCoury Band. Meanwhile, the projects nominated for Album of the Year are Can’t Outrun the Blues (Trey Hensley), All Will Be Well (Sister Sadie), All God’s Children (East Nash Grass), Della Jane’s Heart (Appalachian Road Show), and Songs That Sing Me (Becky Buller).
Bryan Sutton is nominated in a handful of categories: Guitar Player of the Year, Instrumental Recording of the Year (“Grandfather’s Clock” with Sierra Hull), and twice for his hilarious and excellent music video for “The Devil Went Down to Deep Gap,” which gained nominations for Music Video of the Year and Collaborative Recording of the Year. Along with his nomination for Entertainer of the Year, Billy Strings is also included in Sutton’s nominations for “The Devil Went Down to Deep Gap,” on which he’s featured, as well as receiving nominations for Instrumental Group of the Year, Collaborative Recording of the Year (with Tony Trischka on “Gentle on my Mind”), and Guitar Player of the Year.
Steve Martin and Alison Brown’s collaborative album, Safe, Sensible And Sane, garnered a handful of nominations for its tracks as well, including Song of the Year, Instrumental Recording of the Year, Collaborative Recording of the Year, and Music Video of the Year. Sister Sadie earned nominations in quite a few categories, as a group and its individual members as well; along with their Entertainer of the Year and Album of the Year noms they’ve landed in Vocal Group of the Year, Collaborative Recording of the Year, and Music Video of the Year. Meanwhile, Dolly Parton is nominated with the Grascals for their collaborative track, “Broken Angels,” in Song of the Year, Collaborative Recording of the Year, and Music Video of the Year.
Representing the up-and-coming artists keeping the music alive and well, the ballot for New Artist of the Year for 2026 includes Jaelee Roberts, Mason Via, Carson Peters & Iron Mountain, Vickie Vaughn, and Daniel Grindstaff & the Uptown Troubadours. Plus, this year’s class of inductees into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame include Byron Berline, Nashville Bluegrass Band, Barry Poss, and the Lost & Found.
Find the full list of nominees, inductees, and Distinguished Achievement Awards recipients below. And make your plans now to be there for the “biggest night in bluegrass.” The IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards will be held in the fall in Chattanooga, Tennessee, during the organization’s annual business conference, World of Bluegrass, on Thursday, October 22. Conference passes and awards show and festival tickets are on sale now.
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Billy Strings
Alison Krauss & Union Station
Sister Sadie
East Nash Grass
The Del McCoury Band
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Alison Krauss & Union Station
Authentic Unlimited
Sister Sadie
Blue Highway
Red Camel Collective
INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
Billy Strings
The Travelin’ McCourys
East Nash Grass
Appalachian Road Show
SONG OF THE YEAR
“Broken Angels”
Artist: The Grascals and Dolly Parton
Songwriters: Dolly Parton/Jamie Johnson
Producer: Kent Wells
Label: Billy Blue Records
“Can’t Outrun the Blues”
Artist: Trey Hensley
Songwriters: Trey Hensley/Bobby Starnes
Producer: Brent Maher
Label: Pinecastle Records
“New Cluck Old Hen”
Artist: Steve Martin and Alison Brown (Feat. Della Mae)
Arrangement: Steve Martin/Alison Brown
Producers: Alison Brown/Garry West
Label: Compass Records
“Cost of Living”
Artist: Authentic Unlimited
Songwriter: Jerry Cole
Producer: Authentic Unlimited
Label: Edisonic Records
“Finding Your Way Home”
Artist: Red Camel Collective
Songwriters: Heather Berry Mabe/Joseph Scott Patrick
Producer: Red Camel Collective/Stephen Burwell
Label: Pinecastle Records
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Can’t Outrun the Blues
Artist: Trey Hensley
Producer: Brent Maher
Label: Pinecastle Records
All Will Be Well
Artist: Sister Sadie
Producer: Deanie Richardson
Label: Mountain Home Music Company
All God’s Children
Artist: East Nash Grass
Producers: Jake Stargel/East Nash Grass
Label: Mountain Fever Records
Della Jane’s Heart
Artist: Appalachian Road Show
Producer: Appalachian Road Show
Label: Billy Blue Records
Songs That Sing Me
Artist: Becky Buller
Producer: Stephen Mougin
Label: Dark Shadow Recording
GOSPEL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
“I Will Someday”
Artist: NewFound Road
Songwriters: Ronnie Bowman/Garnet Bowman/Chris Stapleton/Morgane Stapleton
Producer: Tim Shelton
Label: Billy Blue Records
“Where the Soul Never Dies”
Artist: Bobby Osborne & C.J. Lewandowski
Songwriter: William M. Golden
Producer: C.J. Lewandowski
Label: Turnberry Records
“Some Day”
Artist: Blue Highway
Songwriters: Olive Stockton/Tim Stafford
Producer: Blue Highway/Dan Boner
Label: Rounder Records
“You Don’t Knock”
Artist: Darin & Brooke Aldridge with John Cowan
Songwriters: Cedar Walton/Wesley Westbrooks
Producer: Mark Fain/Darin Aldridge
Label: Billy Blue Records
“Two Old Church Pews”
Artist: Danny Paisley
Songwriters: Mark “Brink” Brinkman/Daryl Mosley
Producer: Greg Cole
Label: Pinecastle Records
INSTRUMENTAL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
“Grandfather’s Clock”
Artist: Bryan Sutton and Sierra Hull
Songwriter: Henry Clay Work arr. Bryan Sutton/Sierra Hull
Producer: Bryan Sutton
Label: Mountain Home Music Company
“Big Daddy Rabbit”
Artist: Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper (Feat. Nathan Livers)
Songwriter: Nathan Livers
Producer: Michael Cleveland
Label: Yeah, Man Records
“Cacklin’ Hen”
Artist: Deanie Richardson and Kimber Ludiker
Songwriter: Traditional
Producer: Deanie Richardson
Label: Mountain Home Music Company
“Let’s Get Out of Here”
Artist: Steve Martin and Alison Brown
Songwriters: Alison Brown/Steve Martin
Producers: Alison Brown/Garry West
Label: Compass Records
“Tom & Jerry”
Artist: Andy Leftwich
Songwriter: Traditional
Producer: Andy Leftwich
Label: Mountain Home Music Company
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Jaelee Roberts
Mason Via
Carson Peters & Iron Mountain
Vickie Vaughn
Daniel Grindstaff & the Uptown Troubadours
COLLABORATIVE RECORDING OF THE YEAR
“Broken Angels”
Artist: The Grascals and Dolly Parton
Songwriters: Dolly Parton/Jamie Johnson
Producer: Kent Wells
Label: Billy Blue Records
“Gentle on My Mind”
Artist: Tony Trischka and Billy Strings
Songwriter: John Hartford
Producer: Tony Trischka/Lawson White
Label: Down the Road Records
“New Cluck Old Hen”
Artist: Steve Martin and Alison Brown (Feat. Della Mae)
Songwriters: Arr. Steve Martin/Alison Brown
Producers: Alison Brown/Garry West
Label: Compass Records
“The Devil Went Down to Deep Gap”
Artist: Bryan Sutton with Billy Strings
Songwriters: Tom Crain/Charlie Daniels/Taz DiGregorio/Fred Edwards/Charlie Hayward/James W. Marshall adapted by Bryan Sutton/Billy Strings
Producer: Bryan Sutton
Label: Mountain Home Music Company
“Just a Holler Over”
Artist: Sister Sadie and The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
Songwriters: Robin Macy/Deanie Richardson
Producer: Sister Sadie/C.J. Lewandowski
Label: Mountain Home Music Company
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Dan Tyminski
Russell Moore
Greg Blake
Del McCoury
Trey Hensley
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Alison Krauss
Jaelee Roberts
Heather Berry Mabe
Sierra Hull
AJ Lee
BANJO PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Kristin Scott Benson
Gena Britt
Ron Block
Alison Brown
Tony Trischka
BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Mike Bub
Vickie Vaughn
Missy Raines
Barry Bales
Alan Bartram
FIDDLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Michael Cleveland
Jason Carter
Bronwyn Keith-Hynes
Deanie Richardson
Andy Leftwich
RESOPHONIC GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Justin Moses
Jerry Douglas
Rob Ickes
Andy Hall
Matt Leadbetter
GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Trey Hensley
Billy Strings
Bryan Sutton
Cody Kilby
Molly Tuttle
MANDOLIN PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Sierra Hull
Ronnie McCoury
Jesse Brock
Sam Bush
Alan Bibey
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
“Broken Angels”
Artist: The Grascals and Dolly Parton
Videographer: Natalie Simmons
Producer: Olly Rowland
“The Devil Went Down to Deep Gap”
Artist: Bryan Sutton with Billy Strings
Animator: Pat Bradley, SpringShoe Animation
Producer: Josh Serrato
“Ralph’s Banjo Special”
Artist: Kristin Scott Benson, Gena Britt, & Alison Brown
Videographer: Joseph Spence
Producer: Alison Brown
“New Cluck Old Hen”
Artist: Steve Martin, Alison Brown (Feat. Della Mae)
Videographer: Drew Levin
Producer: Alison Rose Gregory/Scott Roberts
“Let the Circle Be Broken”
Artist: Sister Sadie
Videographer: David Rossow
Producer: Joshua Britt/Neilson Hubbard
BLUEGRASS MUSIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
Byron Berline
Nashville Bluegrass Band
Barry Poss
The Lost & Found
DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENTS
Gallagher Guitars
Matt Glaser
Derek Halsey
Marshall Family
Gary Reid
Photo Credit: Steve Martin and Alison Brown by Beth Herzhaft; Bryan Sutton courtesy of the artist; Jamie Johnson and Dolly Parton via Billy Blue Records.
