Winners of the 2014 International Bluegrass Music Awards
On Thursday night October 2nd, the International Bluegrass Music Association held their 25th Annual Awards ceremony in Raleigh, NC at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts. The awards were hosted by Lee Ann Womack and Jerry Douglas, and performers included The Boxcars, Claire Lynch, The Gibson Brothers, Lee Ann Womack, Noam Pikelny, Della Mae, Jerry Douglas, The Seldom Scene with its surviving original members and new members, Blue Highway, The Del McCoury Band, Balsam Range, and Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen.
Big winners included Noam Pikelny who won both Album of the Year for Noam Pikelny Plays Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe, as well as Banjo Player of the Year honors, Special Consensus who won both Recorded Event of the Year and Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year, and Balsam Range who took home Entertainer of the Year, Vocal Group of the Year, and Buddy Melton of Balsam Range won Male Vocalist of the Year.
Complete List of Winners:
Entertainer of the Year – Balsam Range
Album of the Year – Noam Pikelny Plays Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe Noam Pikelny (artist) Gabe Witcher (producer), Compass Records
Song of the Year – “Dear Sister” Claire Lynch (artist), Claire Lynch and Louisa Branscomb (writers)
Male Vocalist of the Year – Buddy Melton (Balsam Range)
Female Vocalist of the Year – Amanda Smith
Emerging Artist of the Year – Flatt Lonesome
Vocal Group of the Year – Balsam Range
Instrumental Group of the Year – Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen
Recorded Event of the Year – “Wild Montana Skies” Special Consensus with Claire Lynch & Rob Ickes (artists), Alison Brown (producer), Compass Records
Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year – “Thank God I’m A Country Boy“ – Special Consensus with Buddy Spicher, Michael Cleveland and Alison Brown (artists), Country Boy: A Bluegrass Tribute to John Denver (album), John Martin Sommers (writer), Alison Brown (producer), Compass Records
Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year – “Won’t It Be Wonderful There” Dailey & Vincent (artist), Brothers of the Highway (album), Mildred Styles Johnson (writer), Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent (producers), Rounder Records
Guitar Player of the Year – Bryan Sutton
Mandolin Player of the Year – Adam Steffey (The Boxcars)
Fiddle Player of the Year – Jason Carter
Dobro Performer of the Year – Phil Leadbetter
In 2011, Phil was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma. By 2012, he was totally cured and returned to playing.
Bass Player of the Year – Barry Bales
Banjo Player of the Year – Noam Pikelny
Hall of Fame Inductee – Dr. Neil Rosenberg
Hall of Fame Inductee – The original Seldom Scene
The Gibson Brothers performing:
October 2, 2014 @ 8:30 pm
Great night here in Raleigh and happy for Special C and the great showing by Mountain Home including emerging act Flatt Lonesome.
October 3, 2014 @ 2:40 am
Awardshow 2014 a great happening but for me a sad memory.
For the first time after 15 shows on a row I was not there owing to physical health problems .Congratulations for the winners and my best bluegrass greetings to all my friends . Loek Lamers D.J. Radio Westfriesland The Netherlands
October 3, 2014 @ 9:11 am
I saw Balsam Range at the Grand Ole Opry in July… They were fantastic live, definitely a band worth checking out.