Billy Strings, Béla Fleck, Dolly Parton Win IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards

Three of the most innovative artists in roots music — Billy Strings, Béla Fleck, and Dolly Parton — were revealed as IBMA Bluegrass Music Award winners on Thursday night (September 29) in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Billy Strings received the coveted Entertainer of the Year Award for the second year in a row, along with Song of the Year honors, at the 33rd Annual IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards Presented by Yamaha. In addition, Béla Fleck claimed awards for Album of the Year, Instrumental Group of the Year, Instrumental Recording of the Year, and Banjo Player of the Year. Dolly Parton’s recent recording of the gospel classic “In the Sweet By and By,” featured on the 2021 Country Faith Bluegrass album, won Gospel Recording of the Year and Collaborative Recording of the Year honors.

Other familiar musicians to win awards include Sierra Hull, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, Cody Kilby, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Del McCoury, Justin Moses and Molly Tuttle. Rick Faris was named New Artist of the Year. Jason Moore, a member of Sideline who died of a heart attack last November at age 47, was named Bass Player of the Year. Previously announced inductees into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame are beloved instrumentalist and vocalist Norman Blake, broadcast pioneer and recording artist Paul “Moon” Mullins, and eclectic, influential singer-songwriter Peter Rowan. Hosted by Ronnie Bowman and Dan Tyminski, the show was held at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts.

The recipients of the 2022 IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards are:

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR: Billy Strings
(Editor’s Note: Read our BGS Artist of the Month interview with Billy Strings.)

SONG OF THE YEAR: “Red Daisy,” Billy Strings
Written by Jarrod Walker/Christian Ward

ALBUM OF THE YEAR: My Bluegrass Heart, Béla Fleck
(Editor’s Note: Read our BGS Artist of the Month interview with Béla Fleck.)

INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR: Béla Fleck My Bluegrass Heart

INSTRUMENTAL RECORDING OF THE YEAR: “Vertigo,” Béla Fleck featuring Sam Bush, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer, and Bryan Sutton

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR: Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
(Editor’s Note: Read our BGS interview with Doyle Lawson.)

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Rick Faris
(Editor’s Note: Watch the BGS video premiere of “Deep River.”)

COLLABORATIVE RECORDING OF THE YEAR: “In the Sweet By and By,” Dolly Parton with Carl Jackson, Larry Cordle, Bradley Walker, and Jerry Salley

GOSPEL RECORDING OF THE YEAR: “In the Sweet By and By,” Dolly Parton with Carl Jackson, Larry Cordle, Bradley Walker, and Jerry Salley

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR: Molly Tuttle
(Editor’s Note: Read our BGS interview with Molly Tuttle.)

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR: Del McCoury
(Editor’s Note: Read our BGS interview with Del McCoury.)

BANJO PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Béla Fleck

BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jason Moore

RESOPHONIC GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Justin Moses

FIDDLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Bronwyn Keith-Hynes

GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Cody Kilby

MANDOLIN PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Sierra Hull

Photo Credit: Joshua Wilkins Black