Billy Strings Makes It Five Entertainer of the Year Wins at 2026 IBMA Awards
Billy Strings, East Nash Grass, Authentic Unlimited, and Trey Hensley walked away with the top prizes at the 2026 IBMA Bluegrass Awards. Held in Chattanooga, TN at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium. The awards were held on Thursday, October 22nd as part of the greater IBMA World of Bluegrass annual gathering. Sam Bush, and Sierra Hull who won her eighth award for Mandolin Player of the Year hosted the awards.
For Billy Strings, 2026 makes five total wins for Entertainer of the Year. Strings won his first in 2021, and has won the award every year since except for 2024. He also won for Video of the Year for his collaboration with Bryan Sutton and others on the animated video for “Devil Went Down To Deep Gap.”
East Nash Grass were also big winners, walking away with Album of the Year for All God’s Children, as well as Instrumental Group of the Year. Trey Hensley won Song of the Year for the title track to his latest album “Can’t Outrun The Blues,” and Authentic Unlimited took home Vocal Group of the Year. Mason Via, formerly of Old Crow Medicine Show is the 2026 IBMA New Artist of the Year.
Along with all the annual winners, fiddle player Byron Berline, The Nashville Bluegrass Band, Lost & Found, and music executive Barry Lyle Poss were all inducted into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame.
See all the winners below.
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
WINNER – Billy Strings
Alison Krauss & Union Station
Sister Sadie
East Nash Grass
The Del McCoury Band
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Alison Krauss & Union Station
WINNER – Authentic Unlimited
Sister Sadie
Blue Highway
Red Camel Collective
INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
Billy Strings
The Travelin’ McCourys
WINNER – East Nash Grass
Appalachian Road Show
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Jaelee Roberts
WINNER – Mason Via
Carson Peters & Iron Mountain
Vickie Vaughn
Daniel Grindstaff & The Uptown Troubadours
SONG OF THE YEAR
“Broken Angels”
Artist: The Grascals and Dolly Parton
Songwriters: Dolly Parton/Jamie Johnson
WINNER – “Can’t Outrun the Blues”
Artist: Trey Hensley
Songwriters: Trey Hensley/Bobby Starnes
“New Cluck Old Hen”
Artist: Steve Martin and Alison Brown (Feat. Della Mae)
Arrangement: Steve Martin/Alison Brown
“Cost of Living”
Artist: Authentic Unlimited
Songwriter: Jerry Cole
“Finding Your Way Home”
Artist: Red Camel Collective
Songwriters: Heather Berry Mabe/Joseph Scott Patrick
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Can’t Outrun the Blues – Trey Hensley
Sister Sadie – All Will Be Well
WINNER – All God’s Children – East Nash Grass
Della Jane’s Heart – Appalachian Road Show
Songs That Sing Me – Becky Buller
GOSPEL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
“I Will Someday” – NewFound Road
“Where the Soul Never Dies” – Bobby Osborne & C.J. Lewandowski
WINNER – “Some Day” – Blue Highway
“You Don’t Knock” – Darin & Brooke Aldridge with John Cowan
“Two Old Church Pews” – Danny Paisley
INSTRUMENTAL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
“Grandfather’s Clock” – Bryan Sutton and Sierra Hull
WINNER – “Big Daddy Rabbit” – Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper (Feat. Nathan Livers)
“Cacklin’ Hen” – Deanie Richardson and Kimber Ludiker
“Let’s Get Out of Here” – Steve Martin and Alison Brown
“Tom & Jerry” – Andy Leftwich
COLLABORATIVE RECORDING OF THE YEAR
WINNER – “Broken Angels” – The Grascals and Dolly Parton
“Gentle on My Mind” – Tony Trischka and Billy Strings
“New Cluck Old Hen” – Steve Martin and Alison Brown (Feat. Della Mae)
“The Devil Went Down to Deep Gap” – Bryan Sutton with Billy Strings
“Just a Holler Over” – Sister Sadie and The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
“Broken Angels” – The Grascals and Dolly Parton
WINNER – “The Devil Went Down to Deep Gap” – Bryan Sutton with Billy Strings
“Ralph’s Banjo Special” – Kristin Scott Benson, Gena Britt, & Alison Brown
“New Cluck Old Hen” – Steve Martin, Alison Brown (Feat. Della Mae)
“Let the Circle Be Broken” – Sister Sadie
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Dan Tyminski
Russell Moore
WINNER – Greg Blake
Del McCoury
Trey Hensley
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Alison Krauss
WINNER – Jaelee Roberts
Heather Berry Mabe
Sierra Hull
AJ Lee
BANJO PLAYER OF THE YEAR
WINNER – Kristin Scott Benson
Gena Britt
Ron Block
Alison Brown
Tony Trischka
BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
WINNER – Mike Bub
Vickie Vaughn
Missy Raines
Barry Bales
Alan Bartram
FIDDLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Michael Cleveland
Jason Carter
Bronwyn Keith-Hynes
Deanie Richardson
WINNER – Andy Leftwich
RESOPHONIC GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
WINNER – Justin Moses
Jerry Douglas
Rob Ickes
Andy Hall
Matt Leadbetter
GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Trey Hensley
Billy Strings
Bryan Sutton
WINNER – Cody Kilby
Molly Tuttle
MANDOLIN PLAYER OF THE YEAR
WINNER – Sierra Hull
Ronnie McCoury
Jesse Brock
Sam Bush
Alan Bibey
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October 24, 2026 @ 8:27 am
Good stuff! Thanks, Trig.
October 24, 2026 @ 10:25 am
Billy Strings is an one-in-the-century artist. His ability to expand and transcend a genre while staying deeply to its roots is only comparable to artists like Stevie Wonder or Prince. It’s almost tragical for all the enormously gifted and creative young bluegrass artists of his generation that they live and make music in the same era as Billy Strings, because he dominates the genre without comparison and his work overshadows many great works by other musicians.
October 24, 2026 @ 10:47 am
I completely agree that future generations are going to look back in awe that we got to live in the era of Billy Strings.
I slightly disagree that he’s overshadowing anyone in this era though. On the contrary, I think he’s helping to shine a spotlight on bluegrass as a whole, and that is to the benefit of folks like East Nash Grass, Mountain Grass Unit, etc. Part of this is how Billy Strings makes sure to share the stage and spotlight intentionally, because as he was coming up, and lot of the established artists we’re especially kind to him.
I’m also glad they just didn’t give all the awards to Billy Strings. If he didn’t win Entertainer of the Year, the award is basically illegitimate. But a lot of love was spread around.
October 25, 2026 @ 5:01 am
I can confirm what you’re saying, Trigger. Billy Strings has been the main reason I’ve delved more into bluegrass and discovered artists I never would have otherwise. Saving Country Music and Trigger get an assist too, but Billy has been the driving force.
October 24, 2026 @ 11:59 am
Looks like Mountain Rice Unit was a no show.
October 24, 2026 @ 2:54 pm
East Nash Grass!!! My current favorite rising band. Just phenomenal. Harry Clark and Maddie Denton are the real deal. Bela Flecks using them so you know they are legit. So glad to see Cody Kilby win, hes a stunning flat picker and if you are into The Traveling McCourys you know why. Billy Strings and Bryan Sutton get so many accolades for their guitar playing, some of these other players need to be mentioned like Cody and Trey. Good stuff!
October 25, 2026 @ 7:34 am
I’ll have to check out Cody Kilby. Trey Hensley is probably the best guitar player I’ve ever seen live, so if this Cody Kilby person can beat him out, I’m definitely intrigued!
October 25, 2026 @ 7:36 am
Oh snap, he’s the guitarist for Kentucky Thunder. Yes, I know his work well now after a quick Google search.
October 27, 2026 @ 10:30 am
I saw him a couple times with the McCourys. He’s a total monster and well deserving
October 25, 2026 @ 9:56 am
Mountain Grass Unit not nominated for anything surprises me. Appalachian Smoke is a great album. Released too late to be nominated? Well done to Billy Strings. Well deserved.
October 25, 2026 @ 3:21 pm
Mountain Grass Unit is doing great nonetheless. They did win an IBMA award a year or two back. No worries they are on an upward arc.
October 27, 2026 @ 10:33 am
Yeah the IBMA “year” is April 1st to March 31st. So there are a lot of great albums from the past 6 months that weren’t eligible this year. Billy’s album, Bronwyn, MGU, Arkansauce etc