Five of the top bands in bluegrass earned IBMA Entertainer of the Year nominations from the International Bluegrass Music Association. The ballot was revealed on Wednesday morning in Nashville.
The Entertainer of the Year nominees are Balsam Range, Sam Bush Band, The Earls of Leicester, Del McCoury Band, and Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers.
Due to a tie, seven titles will compete for the Song of the Year category. The IBMA Awards will take place Thursday, September 26, at the Duke Energy Performing Arts Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, with hosts Jim Lauderdale and Del McCoury.
Mike Auldridge, Bill Emerson, and the Kentucky Colonels have also been named as inductees into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame.
Distinguished Achievement Award recipients include radio personality Katy Daley, Mountain Home label founder Mickey Gamble, former IBMA executive director Dan Hays, The Lost and Found founder Allen Mills, and Japanese language magazine Moonshiner, now in its 37th year covering bluegrass and acoustic music.
The full ballot is below.
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Balsam Range
Sam Bush Band
The Earls of Leicester
Del McCoury Band
Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Balsam Range
Iâm With Her
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
Sister Sadie
INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Sam Bush Band
Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
The Earls of Leicester
Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
The Travelin’ McCourys
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Appalachian Road Show
Carolina Blue
High Fidelity
Mile Twelve
Billy Strings
SONG OF THE YEAR (7 nominees, due to a tie)
âDance, Dance, Danceâ
Artist: Appalachian Road Show
Writers: Brenda Cooper/Joseph Cooper/Steve Miller
Producers: Barry Abernathy, Darrell Webb, Ben Isaacs
Executive Producer: Dottie Leonard Miller
Label: Billy Blue Records
âThe Girl Who Invented the Wheelâ
Artist: Balsam Range
Writers: Adam Wright/Shannon Wright
Producer: Balsam Range
Executive Producer: Mickey Gamble
Label: Mountain Home Music Company
âThe Guitar Songâ
Artist: Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers with Del McCoury
Writers: Bill Anderson/Jamey Johnson/Vicky McGehee
Producer: Joe Mullins
Associate Producer: Jerry Salley
Label: Billy Blue Records
âThe Light in Carter Stanleyâs Eyesâ
Artist: Peter Rowan
Writer: Peter Rowan
Producer: Peter Rowan
Associate Producer: Tim OâBrien
Label: Rebel Records
âNext Train Southâ
Artist: The Poâ Ramblinâ Boys
Writer: Mac Patterson
Producers: The Poâ Ramblinâ Boys, Dave Maggard, Ken Irwin
Label: Rounder Records
âTake the Journeyâ
Artist: Molly Tuttle
Writers: Molly Tuttle/Sarah Siskind
Producer: Ryan Hewitt
Label: Compass Records
âThunder Danâ
Artist: Sideline
Writer: Josh Manning
Producer: Tim Surrett
Label: Mountain Home Music Company
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
City on a Hill
Artist: Mile Twelve
Producer: Bryan Sutton
Label: Independent
Del McCoury Still Sings Bluegrass
Artist: Del McCoury Band
Producers: Del and Ronnie McCoury
Label: McCoury Music
For the Record
Artist: Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers
Producer: Joe Mullins
Associate Producer: Jerry Salley
Label: Billy Blue Records
I Hear Bluegrass Calling Me
Artist: Carolina Blue
Producers: Bobby Powell, Tim and Lakin Jones
Executive Producers: Lonnie Lassiter and Ethan Burkhardt
Label: Pinecastle Records
Sister Sadie II
Artist: Sister Sadie
Producer: Sister Sadie
Label: Pinecastle Records
GOSPEL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
âAcres of Diamondsâ
Artist: Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers
Producer: Joe Mullins
Associate Producer: Jerry Salley
Label: Billy Blue Records
âGonna Sing, Gonna Shoutâ
Artist: Claire Lynch
Producer: Jerry Salley
Label: Billy Blue Records
âI Am a Pilgrimâ
Artist: Roland White and Friends
Producers: Ty Gilpin, Jon Weisberger
Label: Mountain Home Music Company
âI See Godâ
Artist: Marty Raybon
Producer: Jerry Salley
Label: Billy Blue Records
âLet My Life Be a Lightâ
Artist: Balsam Range
Producer: Balsam Range
Executive Producer: Mickey Gamble
Label: Mountain Home Music Company
INSTRUMENTAL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
âCotton Eyed Joeâ
Artist: Sideline
Producer: Tim Surrett
Label: Mountain Home Music Company
âDarlinâ Pal(s) of Mineâ
Artist: Missy Raines with Alison Brown, Mike Bub, and Todd Phillips
Producer: Alison Brown
Label: Compass Records
âEarlâs Breakdownâ
Artist: The Earls of Leicester
Producer: Jerry Douglas
Label: Rounder Records
âFried Taters and Onionsâ
Artist: Carolina Blue
Producers: Bobby Powell, Tim and Lakin Jones
Executive Producers: Lonnie Lassiter and Ethan Burkhardt
Label: Pinecastle Records
âSunriseâ
Artist: Sam Bush & Bela Fleck
Producers: Akira Otsuka, Ronnie Freeland
Label: Smithsonian Folkways Records
COLLABORATIVE RECORDING OF THE YEAR
âBurning Georgia Downâ
Artist: Balsam Range with Atlanta Pops Orchestra Ensemble
Producer: Balsam Range
Label: Mountain Home Music Company
âDarlinâ Pal(s) of Mineâ
Artist: Missy Raines with Alison Brown, Mike Bub, and Todd Phillips
Producer: Alison Brown
Label: Compass Records
âThe Guitar Songâ
Artist: Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers with Del McCoury
Producer: Joe Mullins
Associate Producer: Jerry Salley
Label: Billy Blue Records
âPleaseâ
Artist: Rhonda Vincent and Dolly Parton
Producers: Dave Cobb, John Leventhal, Frank Liddell
Label: MCA Nashville
âSoldier’s Joy/Ragtime Annieâ
Artist: Roland White with Justin Hiltner, Jon Weisberger, Patrick McAvinue, and Molly Tuttle
Producers: Ty Gilpin, Jon Weisberger
Label: Mountain Home Music Company
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Shawn Camp
Del McCoury
Russell Moore
Tim OâBrien
Danny Paisley
FEMALE VOCALIST
Brooke Aldridge
Dale Ann Bradley
Sierra Hull
Molly Tuttle
Rhonda Vincent
BANJO PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Gina Furtado
Mike Munford
Noam Pikelny
Kristin Scott Benson
Scott Vestal
BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Barry Bales
Mike Bub
Beth Lawrence
Missy Raines
Mark Schatz
FIDDLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Hunter Berry
Becky Buller
Jason Carter
Michael Cleveland
Stuart Duncan
RESOPHONIC GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jerry Douglas
Andy Hall
Rob Ickes
Phil Leadbetter
Justin Moses
GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Kenny Smith
Billy Strings
Bryan Sutton
Molly Tuttle
Josh Williams
MANDOLIN PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Alan Bibey
Sam Bush
Sierra Hull
Ronnie McCoury
Frank Solivan
