IBMA Announces 2017 International Bluegrass Music Awards Nominations
Nominees for the 28th Annual, 2017 International Bluegrass Music Awards were announced Wednesday in Nashville, with The Earls of Leicester and Balsam Range leading all nominees with eight nominations each, and Entertainer of the Year noms for both. Flatt Lonesome also picks up big nominations for Entertainer and Vocal Group of the Year.
The IBMA’s made a little bit of history this year by nominating its first woman for Guitar Player of the Year in the person of Molly Tuttle, who is also up for Female Vocalist of the Year, and Emerging Artist of the Year. Her debut EP Rise has been one of the most critically-lauded albums in bluegrass in the last year.
Along with the nominees, frequent collaborators Hazel Dickens and Alice Gerrard were announced as Hall of Fame inductees, fiddle player Bobby Hicks who is most famous for recording with Bill Monroe will also be inducted, as will Roland White, who was a founding member of The Kentucky Colonels with his brothers Clarence and Eric.
Bluegrass power couple Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn will host the awards on September 28th in Raleigh, North Carolina. See the full list of nominees below.
Entertainer of the Year
• Balsam Range
• Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
• The Earls of Leicester
• Flatt Lonesome
• The Gibson Brothers
Vocal Group of the Year
• Balsam Range
• Blue Highway
• Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
• Flatt Lonesome
• The Gibson Brothers
Instrumental Group of the Year
• Balsam Range
• The Earls of Leicester
• Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen
• Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
• Punch Brothers
Song of the Year
• “Blue Collar Dreams,” Balsam Range (artist), Aaron Bibelhauser (writer)
• “Going Back to Bristol,” Shawn Camp (artist), Mac Wiseman/Thomm Jutz/Peter Cooper (writers)
• “I Am a Drifter,” Volume Five (artist), Donna Ulisse/Marc Rossi (writers)
• “Someday Soon,” Darin & Brooke Aldridge (artist), Ian Tyson (writer)
• “The Train That Carried My Girl from Town,” The Earls of Leicester (artist), Frank Hutchison (writer)
Album of the Year
• “Fiddler’s Dream,” Michael Cleveland (artist), Jeff White and Michael Cleveland (producers), Compass Records (label)
• “In the Ground,” The Gibson Brothers (artist), Eric Gibson, Leigh Gibson and Mike Barber (producers), Rounder Records (label)
• “Mountain Voodoo,” Balsam Range (artist), Balsam Range (producer), Mountain Home Records (label)
• “Original,” Bobby Osborne (artist), Alison Brown (producer), Compass Records (label)
• “Rattle & Roar,” The Earls of Leicester (artist), Jerry Douglas (producer), Rounder Records (label)
Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year
• “Give Me Jesus,” Larry Cordle (artist), Traditional/Larry Cordle (writer), “Give Me Jesus” (album), Larry Cordle (producer), Mighty Cord Records (label)
• “Hallelujah,” Blue Highway (artist), Public Domain arranged by Blue Highway (writer), “Original Traditional” (album), Blue Highway (producer), Rounder Records (label)
• “I Found a Church Today,” The Gibson Brothers (artist), Eric Gibson/Leigh Gibson (writers), “In the Ground” (album), Eric Gibson, Leigh Gibson and Mike Barber (producers), Rounder Records (label)
• “Sacred Memories,” Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers with Ricky Skaggs and Sharon White Skaggs (artist), Dolly Parton (writer), “Sacred Memories” (album), Joe Mullins (producer), Rebel Records (label)
• “Wish You Were Here,” Balsam Range (artist), James Stover/Michael Williams (writers), “Mountain Voodoo” (album), Balsam Range (producer), Mountain Home Records (label)
Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year
• “Fiddler’s Dream,” Michael Cleveland (artist), Arthur Smith (writer), “Fiddler’s Dream” (album), Jeff White and Michael Cleveland (producers), Compass Records (label)
• “Great Waterton,” Kristin Scott Benson (artist), Kristin Scott Benson (writer), “Stringworks” (album), Kristin Scott Benson (producer), Mountain Home Records (label)
• “Greenbrier,” Sam Bush (artist), Sam Bush/Scott Vestal (writers), “Storyman” (album), Sugar Hill Records (label)
• “Little Liza Jane,” Adam Steffey (artist), Tommy Duncan/James Robert Wills (writers), “Here to Stay” (album), Adam Steffey (producer), Mountain Home Records (label)
• “Flint Hill Special,” The Earls of Leicester (artist), Earl Scruggs (writer), “Rattle & Roar” (album), Jerry Douglas (producer), Rounder Records (label)
Emerging Artist
• Front Country
• The Lonely Heartstring Band
• Molly Tuttle
• Sister Sadie
• Volume Five
Recorded Event of the Year
• “East Virginia Blues,” Ricky Wasson and Dan Tyminski (artists), “Croweology: The Study of J.D. Crowe’s Musical Legacy” (album), Rickey Wasson (producer), Truegrass Entertainment (label)
• “Going Back to Bristol,” Shawn Camp with Mac Wiseman, Peter Cooper, Thomm Jutz (artists), “I Sang the Song (Life of the Voice with a Heart)” (album), Peter Cooper and Thomm Jutz (producers), Mountain Fever Records (label)
• “I’ve Gotta Get a Message to You,” Bobby Osborne with Sierra Hull, Alison Brown, Rob Ickes, Stuart Duncan, Trey Hensley, Todd Phillips, Kenny Malone, Claire Lynch and Bryan McDowell (artists), “Original” (album), Alison Brown (producer), Compass Records (label)
• “Steamboat Whistle Blues,” Michael Cleveland featuring Sam Bush (artists), “Fiddler’s Dream” (album), Jeff White and Michael Cleveland (producers), Compass Records (label)
• “’Tis Sweet to Be Remembered,” Mac Wiseman and Alison Krauss (artists), “I Sang the Song (Life of the Voice with a Heart)” (album), Peter Cooper and Thomm Jutz (producers), Mountain Fever Records (label)
Male Vocalist of the Year
• Shawn Camp
• Eric Gibson
• Leigh Gibson
• Buddy Melton
• Russell Moore
Female Vocalist of the Year
• Brooke Aldridge
• Dale Ann Bradley
• Sierra Hull
• Amanda Smith
• Molly Tuttle
Banjo Player of the Year
• Ned Luberecki
• Joe Mullins
• Noam Pikelny
• Kristin Scott Benson
• Sammy Shelor
Bass Player of the Year
• Barry Bales
• Alan Bartram
• Mike Bub
• Missy Raines
• Tim Surrett
Fiddle Player of the Year
• Becky Buller
• Jason Carter
• Michael Cleveland
• Stuart Duncan
• Patrick McAvinue
• Ron Stewart
Dobro Player of the Year
• Jerry Douglas
• Andy Hall
• Rob Ickes
• Phil Leadbetter
• Josh Swift
Guitar Player of the Year
• Jim Hurst
• Kenny Smith
• Bryan Sutton
• Molly Tuttle
• Josh Williams
Mandolin Player of the Year
• Jesse Brock
• Sam Bush
• Sierra Hull
• Frank Solivan
• Adam Steffey
Distinguished Achievement Award recipients
• Norman Blake
• BluegrassToday.com
• Fletcher Bright
• Silver Dollar City
• Louisa Branscomb
Hall of Fame inductees
• Hazel Dickens and Alice Gerrard
• Bobby Hicks
• Roland White
July 28, 2017 @ 9:04 am
The real thing ….real writers , vocalists and instrumentalists ….timeless music played and sung from the heart by some of the best musicians in the world . Bluegrass .
This is perhaps neither here nor there , but Sara Evans , who in my opinion has one of , if not THE best voice in ‘ country ‘ music today , has just released her new record . She has covered ” Long Way Down ” a song from the most recent Steeldriver’s album . If you are familiar with ” Suds In The Bucket ‘ , ” No Place That Far ” and some of her other earlier work , its no stretch to imagine Sara doing a straight-up Bluegrass record with that amazing vocal ability , character , range and knack for tapping into the emotion of a song with absolute conviction . Unfortunately , as with all of the forgotten COUNTRY music talents of our time , she gets little support from ‘ country radio ‘ for her gifts . I think Bluegrass would not only be a great fit for Sara but it would be a great thing for Bluegrass . As amazing as her vocals are , she seems to have been stumbling around in some undefinable pop-country limbo on her past several records and falling through the cracks at every turn . No doubt she , like so many REAL talents , are just so clearly frustrated with the direction ‘ county’ has moved in that she needs to challenge herself and be inspired elsewhere . THIS is country music’s loss ….BIGTIME . Radio , it seems , would rather listen to Big Little Town cover a bland Taylor Swift song or one more bro- boy cloning Hunt than acknowledge the gifted folks like Sara Evans , Miranda and so many up-and-comers committed to the REAL thing .
July 28, 2017 @ 11:10 am
Speaking of the Steeldrivers, I think they’re working with Dave Cobb and David Ferguson on their next album ?
July 28, 2017 @ 9:57 am
Michael Cleveland should take all of these.
The Fiddler’s Dream album is exquisite, totally a masterpiece.
but I don’t think it was as good as Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper’s “Fired Up” album.
I get it, that album was… different. it wasn’t what a lot of people were expecting.
but it’s one of my favorite bluegrass albums.
saw them live twice once with Jesse Brock, Jessie Baker, Marshall Wilburn and Tom Adams, and then again with Glenn Gibson and Nathan Livers.
the first show was better I think but it was an indoor actual concert the 2nd time was at a festival.
then I saw Jessie Baker again with Dailey and Vincent.
the dude is hands down one of the most exciting people in the music scene right now.
and come on, Stuart Duncan doesn’t have “it.”
he plays well, but he’s no one of a kind master like Mark O’Connor was when he was the top session fiddler in the industry.
basically Stuart Duncan is a technically brilliant placeholder filling the space where Mark O’Connor sat.
He’s great, but in a line of other fiddlers he’s just so…
boring,
familiar
conventional
repetetive
or any other word you can think of
I prefer Cleveland’s Benny Martin style of fiddling since it’s more improvisational and free form and more about emotion than just doing complicated phrases.
OOOHH Brock vs Sam Bush for mandolinist!!!
Sam Bush is an amazing musician but I feel like he’s got a lot more style and uniqueness whereas Jesse Brock might be able to outperform him on a technical front but isn’t quite as versatile or creative.
Jesse Brock’s album “Kicking Grass” is really fun, if the songs sort of run together a bit.
compared to Sam Bush’s “Circles Around Me” for instance, which breaks a lot of new ground but doesn’t always make a lot of sense, it’s just kind of out there at times.
both albums are great but Circles Around me doesn’t focus a lot on mandolin work. haven’t heard Sam’s newest yet and has Jesse Brock even recorded another album?
the next mandolin album I want is from Ashby Frank… haven’t heard from him since he did a brief stint with Flamekeeper…
as far as I’m concerned there are only 2 dobroists. Glenn Gibson and Jerry Douglas. Rob Ickes is a clown compared to these 2.
All the recorded events are awesome, I think “Steamboat whistle blues” is a long shot. I mean, I love it and want it to win but Sam Bush just can’t sell the thing vocally, it’s so… dry.
I haven’t heard any of the new artists/groups and I won’t be at least for a while. I’m so broke right now since some idiot sucked up all my money. next album on the list is Memory Lane by the High Kings and I need to replace my copy of “War Paint” which is my favorite Lorrie Morgan album this will be my third copy.
Barry Bales is my favorite bass player. don’t know that he “deserves” to win, though.
If Noam doesn’t win for banjo playing we should riot.
July 28, 2017 @ 10:53 am
nice breakdown F2S…enjoyed that …….
July 28, 2017 @ 1:01 pm
glad somebody appreciates me
July 28, 2017 @ 11:22 am
Bobby Osborne’s latest album, ‘Original’, is very good. He still sounds great at 85 years old. A lot of great contributors on the album as well. If you’re a fan of the Osborne Brothers, there is a lot on the album to love. Much of the mandolin work is shared with contributors (such as Sierra Hull) since Bobby doesn’t play quite like he used to, but his wonderful voice can still move you.
“I’ve Gotta Get A Message To You”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pABaFx3jY90
July 28, 2017 @ 3:34 pm
Trig, you’re amazing and I’m grateful and I know you’re overrun with good things to do…that being said, I wouldn’t complain about a little more bluegrass coverage here. Maybe bluegrass’ ability to flourish on its own as a separate genre has led some to believe the state of bluegrass is not related to saving country music. However, I would argue the contrary, and especially so in relation bluegrass’ importance to the larger “roots” scene
July 28, 2017 @ 4:20 pm
Yeah, I would love to cover more bluegrass too, but it’s kind of it’s own world, and I don’t want to go in there throwing my weight around if I can’t be immersed enough to be an expert.
July 28, 2017 @ 7:12 pm
If you want I can give you some tips and pointers and stuff about Bluegrass, that’s my genre right there
July 28, 2017 @ 9:33 pm
It’s not really about not knowing the ins and outs of the genre, it’s more about being connected enough to what is going on currently to be able to speak on trends, who is rising, who is falling, etc.
August 2, 2017 @ 12:38 pm
I was a member of IBMA for 5 years so I still have enough connections to keep Bluegrass on even keel with my interests in Swing and Western music.
July 29, 2017 @ 3:15 am
The Gibson Brothers, The Gibson Brothers, The Gibson Brothers. Almost every Category. An Absolutely amazing group of individuals. And and the Singing of Eric and Leigh , there is no one else like them in Bluegrass or Country Music. It is Awesome and kinda stinks at the same time that they are both in Male Vocalist Of The Year category. Wish they could both win. But that is the way the game is played. They have been a great band since they were younger and Jr. Barber (Mike’s Dad) played Dobro with them. It seems the last few years have put them more into the spotlight than any before. And I really hope that more stations start playing their music. Real Country stations that is. Not this new Hick-Hop junk , and pop country that plays. It would be great if country stations started getting back to their roots of REAL COUNTRY MUSIC. Where it all began. And Bluegrass is apart of that. Its probably wishful thinking, but it would be nice. But either way, I hope The Gibson Brothers win every single category.
August 2, 2017 @ 12:40 pm
The Gibson Brothers have been in my rotation since I got into internet radio in 2007. Eric is well versed in the country scene.
August 1, 2017 @ 5:43 am
Mac Wiseman !!!!
August 4, 2017 @ 12:42 pm
Thank God for Bluegrass. After the death of country music, we music fans still have some real country music to listen to.