Some of the most decorated artists in bluegrass, such as Balsam Range, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, and the Travelinâ McCourys, picked up even more International Bluegrass Music Awards on Thursday night (Sept. 27) in Raleigh, North Carolina. Other top winners included longtime favorites like Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers, Special Consensus, and Becky Buller.
Instrumentalist awards were presented to Michael Cleveland (fiddle), Sierra Hull (mandolin), Justin Moses (Dobro), Ned Luberecki (banjo), Tim Surrett (bass) and Molly Tuttle (guitar). Hot Rize, the IBMA’s first-ever Entertainer of the Year recipient in 1990, hosted the show.
The recipients of the 2018 IBMA Awards, presented by the International Bluegrass Music Association, are listed below:
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR:
Balsam Range
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR:
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR:
The Travelinâ McCourys
SONG OF THE YEAR:
âIf Iâd Have Wrote That Songâ â Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers (artist), Larry Cordle/Larry Shell/James Silvers (writers)
ALBUM OF THE YEAR:
Rivers & Roads â Special Consensus (artist), Alison Brown (producer), Compass Records (label)
GOSPEL RECORDED PERFORMANCE OF A YEAR:https://thebluegrasssituation.com/?p=10924&preview=true
âSpeakinâ to That Mountainâ â Becky Buller (artist), Becky Buller/Jeff Hyde (writers), Crepe Paper Heart (album), Stephen Mougin (producer), Dark Shadow Recording (label)
INSTRUMENTAL RECORDED PERFORMANCE:
âSquirrel Huntersâ â Special Consensus with John Hartford, Rachel Baiman, Christian Sedelmyer, and Alison Brown (artist), Traditional arranged by Alison Brown/Special Consensus (writers), Rivers & Roads (album), Alison Brown (producer), Compass Records (label)
EMERGING ARTIST OF THE YEAR:
The Poâ Ramblinâ Boys
RECORDED EVENT OF THE YEAR:
âSwept Awayâ â Missy Raines with Alison Brown, Becky Buller, Sierra Hull, and Molly Tuttle (artists), single release, Alison Brown (producer), Compass Records (label)
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR:
Brooke Aldridge
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR:
Buddy Melton
BANJO PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
Ned Luberecki
BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
Tim Surrett
DOBRO PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
Justin Moses
FIDDLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
Michael Cleveland
GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
Molly Tuttle
MANDOLIN PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
Sierra Hull
Previously-announced inductees into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame â Ricky Skaggs, Paul Williams, Tom T. and Dixie Hall â were honored at this eveningâs show.
At the Special Awards Luncheon earlier in the day, the recipients of the following awards were announced:
BLUEGRASS BROADCASTER OF THE YEAR:
Steve Martin (Northern Kentucky-based host of Steve Martinâs Unreal Bluegrass)
BLUEGRASS EVENT OF THE YEAR:
Bluegrass on the Green; Frankfort, Illinois
BEST LINER NOTES FOR A RECORDED PROJECT (tie):
Craig Havighurst â The Story We Tell by Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers
Peter Wernick â Carter Stanleyâs Eyes by Peter Rowan
BEST GRAPHIC DESIGN FOR A RECORDED PROJECT:
Lou Everhart
A Heart Never Knows by The Price Sisters
BLUEGRASS PRINT/MEDIA PERSON OF THE YEAR:
Neil Rosenberg
BLUEGRASS SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR:
Jerry Salley
SOUND ENGINEER OF THE YEAR:
Ben Surratt
