IBMA Announces Nominees for 2024 Bluegrass Awards
Bluegrass is no longer the cute little subgenre of country just trying to keep the traditions going in fiddle camps across the country. It’s that too, but Billy Strings has taken it to the arena level, while Molly Tuttle, Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper, East Nash Grass, The Po’ Ramblin Boys, Sierra Hull, and a host of other flaming hot bands are right on Billy’s heels. Meanwhile, we’re still living in an era when you can see bluegrass legends like Del McCoury in the flesh.
All of this is the precursor to the revealing of the nominees for the 2024 International Bluegrass Music Awards, or IBMAs. Along with announcing the nominees on Wednesday (7-17) via Sirius/XM, the IBMA also announced new Hall of Fame inductees, which include dobro god Jerry Douglas, banjo player and educator Alan Munde, and broadcaster Katy Daley.
This year a new category was also christened: Video of the Year, speaking to how this very old and acoustic version of music is still benefiting from technology spreading the word. They also added a Best Photographer category for the industry awards. The IBMA Awards will transpire on September 26th in Raleigh, North Carolina at the IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards as part of the greater World of Bluegrass gathering.
See all the nominees below.
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Billy Strings
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
Del McCoury Band
Sister Sadie
The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Authentic Unlimited
Sister Sadie
Blue Highway
Del McCoury Band
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Billy Strings
Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
Travelin’ McCourys
East Nash Grass
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
SONG OF THE YEAR
“Fall in Tennessee” – Authentic Unlimited (songwriters: John Meador and Bob Minner)
“Willow” – Sister Sadie (songwriter: Ashley McBryde)
“Too Lonely, Way Too Long” – Rick Faris with Del McCoury (songwriter: Rick Faris)
“Forever Young” – Daniel Grindstaff with Paul Brewster and Dolly Parton (songwriters: Jim Cregan, Kevin Savigar, Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart)
“Kentucky Gold” – Dale Ann Bradley with Sam Bush (songwriters: Wayne Carson and Ronnie Reno)
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
City of Gold – Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
Last Chance to Win – East Nash Grass
Jubilation – Appalachian Road Show
No Fear – Sister Sadie
So Much for Forever – Authentic Unlimited
GOSPEL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
“When I Get There” – Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
“Thank You Lord for Grace” – Authentic Unlimited
“Just Beyond” – Barry Abernathy with John Meador, Tim Raybon, Bradley Walker
“God Already Has” – Dale Ann Bradley
“Memories of Home” – Authentic Unlimited
INSTRUMENTAL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
“Rhapsody in Blue(grass)” – Béla Fleck
“Knee Deep in Bluegrass” – Ashby Frank
“Panhandle Country” – Missy Raines & Allegheny
“Lloyd’s of Lubbock” – Alan Munde
“Behind the 8 Ball” – Andy Leftwich
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
East Nash Grass
Bronwyn Keith-Hynes
AJ Lee & Blue Summit
Wyatt Ellis
The Kody Norris Show
COLLABORATIVE RECORDING OF THE YEAR
“Brown’s Ferry Blues” – Tony Trischka featuring Billy Strings
“Fall in Tennessee” – Authentic Unlimited with Jerry Douglas
“Forever Young” – Daniel Grindstaff with Paul Brewster, Dolly Parton
“Bluegrass Radio” – Alison Brown and Steve Martin
“Too Old to Die Young” – Bobby Osborne and CJ Lewandowski
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Dan Tyminski
Greg Blake
Del McCoury
Danny Paisley
Russell Moore
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Molly Tuttle
Jaelee Roberts
Dale Ann Bradley
AJ Lee
Rhonda Vincent
BANJO PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Kristin Scott Benson
Gena Britt
Alison Brown
Béla Fleck
Rob McCoury
BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Missy Raines
Mike Bub
Vickie Vaughn
Todd Phillips
Mark Schatz
FIDDLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jason Carter
Bronwyn Keith-Hynes
Michael Cleveland
Stuart Duncan
Deanie Richardson
RESOPHONIC GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Justin Moses
Rob Ickes
Jerry Douglas
Andy Hall
Gaven Largent
GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Billy Strings
Molly Tuttle
Trey Hensley
Bryan Sutton
Cody Kilby
MANDOLIN PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Sierra Hull
Sam Bush
Ronnie McCoury
Jesse Brock
Alan Bibey
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
“Willow” – Sister Sadie
“Fall in Tennessee” – Authentic Unlimited
“The City of New Orleans” – Rhonda Vincent & The Rage
“I Call Her Sunshine” – The Kody Norris Show
“Alberta Bound” – Special Consensus with Ray Legere, John Reischman, Patrick Sauber, Trisha Gagnon, Pharis & Jason Romero, and Claire Lynch
July 17, 2024 @ 7:09 pm
Really loved Authentic Unlimited’s new album. It’s been one of my favorites of the year. Glad to see them getting several nominations. I said in a comment some weeks back that I love guitar solos, but I also love vocal harmony. It’s an ongoing disappointment for me that so many singers just double their voice in the studio. I can appreciate that technique, but I do feel it’s a bit of a shame that traditional harmony has decline so much in mainstream music.
July 18, 2024 @ 6:07 am
It’s awesome to see this genre growing. I also love how collaborative it is, although sometimes that makes the community still seem kind of small. Lord knows how many recordings and artists Jerry Douglas has played on and for. Not knocking that and am really looking forward to seeing him at the Earl Scruggs Fest. The level of talent is crazy and I couldn’t begin to guess who will win some of the instrument categories. Michael Cleveland is phenomenal, but I’ve been playing the hell out of Lowdown Hoedown by Jason Carter lately (released 2022). That album is awesome (and more Jerry Douglas on that). Billy is probably my favorite guitarist, but I also love Bryan Sutton and of course Cody, Molly, and Trey are great as well. Seeing Andy Hall sit in with Billy in Denver this year was really fun. I still need to check out Andy Dunnigan/The Lil Smokies after reading Trig’s post on Under the Big Sky.
July 18, 2024 @ 7:06 am
Weird that “Songwriter of the Year” is listed under “Industry Awards” instead of whatever category this is… That’s the one I always look for!
Bluegrass is super cool because the artists are still accessible. I can pitch DIRECTLY to the artist instead of going through a manager, producer, and label team before ever getting to the artist.
it also pays hardly anything, even if you have a #1, but if you’re writing for money you’re screwed anyway.
Also, The Kody Norris Show is somebody to watch. I had them at Ragamuffin Hall this year and they tore the place down. Modern-day Jimmy Martin IMO.
July 18, 2024 @ 7:35 am
Speaking of Del McCoury, I saw his band this past spring in Newton, NJ. They put on an awesome show.
July 18, 2024 @ 8:40 am
IMO this is another year that is dominated by Molly Tuttle.
July 18, 2024 @ 10:11 am
Trigger, off-topic (and I didn’t want to post it on your tribute to the great Don Rich), but I wonder if you plan to write something on the Record Plant closing. While the studio has had no real connection to country music, I think that the reasons being given for it’s closure and the possibility that other studios may go the same route is an important topic. A few quotes from the article announcing the closure: “There is no money in the recording music business. That’s basically like a flyer for your show. I don’t think there’s much hope for the recording industry in LA. If you want to go to the studio and spend $2,000 a day, just take that and buy a laptop and a sample library, or tell AI what song you want to make and it’ll make it.” Also, “The need for a big room is pretty minor at this point. There are less and less rock bands, and you could record Taylor Swift in a vocal booth the size of a closet.”
July 18, 2024 @ 1:35 pm
I will honestly have to look into it further. Sure, technology is eating into the recording industry, but there are a ton of studios still doing just fine. I hope they’re wrong and this is a bit hyperbolic, but maybe it’s true.
July 18, 2024 @ 2:31 pm
“Bluegrass is no longer the cute little subgenre of country just trying to keep the traditions going in fiddle camps across the country.” – That’s a disappointingly ignorant and disparaging comment, but I am pleased that a lot of folks that have been sleeping on bluegrass music for the last decade or two are now getting pulled in thanks to the crossover appeal of Billy, Sierra(s), Molly, etc. I hope you’ll review AJ Lee & Blue Summit’s highly anticipated release tomorrow – that’s another name we’ll be seeing a lot of.
July 18, 2024 @ 5:22 pm
Well, many comments can be taken as disparaging and ignorant when they’re taken out-of-context.
Featured AJ Lee and mentioned her new album when seeing her play recently at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. Lots of albums coming out so I might not have a review up tomorrow. But hope to have one up sometime.
https://www.instagram.com/p/C8hf03oucw4/?img_index=1
July 18, 2024 @ 9:24 pm
Just saw Sister Sadie at the Grey Fox festival.
Those ladies have more talent, drive, and skill in one song than in everything Morgan Wallen has ever done. Super-tight harmonies, great song selection (including a Merle Haggard cover) and take-no-prisoners picking. No autotune, no overdubs, real people playing the hell out of real music, on the border of bluegrass and acoustic country. They should be Opry members.
Saw East Nash Grass recently too- wow, they’ve got some firepower but aren’t the vocal powerhouses that Sister Sadie are.