IBMA Announces 2018 Annual Inductees to International Bluegrass Music Association Hall of Fame: Ricky Skaggs, Paul Williams, and Tom T. and Dixie Hall
“Live From Here” host and music virtuoso Chris Thile
named as one of the Distinguished Achievement Award Recipients
Nashville, TN – Nominees for the 2018 International Bluegrass Music Awards were announced today at a press conference in Nashville, Tennessee; artists Becky Buller and Molly Tuttle lead the field, with each receiving six nominations. Close behind, with five nominations each are Special Consensus, and The Del McCoury Band/The Travelin’ McCourys, with strong showings by Rhonda Vincent, The Earls of Leicester, Balsam Range, and Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver. Results of the balloting will be revealed at the International Bluegrass Music Awards on Thursday, September 27, at the Duke Energy Performing Arts Center in Raleigh, North Carolina.
The IBMA Awards Show will be broadcast live on Sirius XM Satellite Radio (Bluegrass Junction) on Thursday, September 27th at 7:30 p.m. EDT, streamed via Facebook Live, and will be made available for rebroadcast by radio stations worldwide, thanks to the sponsorship of Chiesi USA, Virginia Tourism, Deering Banjos, Compass Records, the International Bluegrass Music Museum, BMI, and Boston Bluegrass Union.
Overall, this year’s balloting reflects how competitive the current field of performers is, with finalists in several categories voted in by a decidedly narrow margin. The competition extends to the next wave of major artists, with the category of Emerging Artist of the Year resulting in a tie, yielding six finalists. (All tallies represent the band and individual members, where it applies. A full list of nominations appears below.)
Becky Buller is nominated for Song of the Year, Gospel Performance of the Year, Recorded Event of the Year (with three different nominations), Female Vocalist of the Year, and Fiddle Player of the Year, while an individual nomination goes to band member Ned Luberecki for Banjo Player of the Year. Becky is the first woman to win IBMA’s Fiddle Player of the Year, and the first to win both Female Vocalist and an Instrumentalist of the Year Award. 2017’s first-ever woman Guitar Player of the year, Molly Tuttle, is nominated for Emerging Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Album of the Year, Recorded Event of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, and Guitar Player of the Year.
Further indication that women are receiving deserved support for their outstanding work in bluegrass can be found in the Banjo Player of the Year nominations, where for the first time two women are in the running for this award.
IBMA voters this year endorsed a broad spectrum of bluegrass styles, with a strong showing for traditional and contemporary bluegrass among the Entertainer of the Year contenders, while the boundary-pushing sounds of I’m With Her and the Punch Brothers earned these bands berths for Vocal Group of the Year and Instrumental Group of the Year, respectively, on the final ballot.
International Bluegrass Music Association Hall of Fame members Doyle Lawson, Del McCoury, Bobby Osborne, and the late John Hartford have all been nominated for this year’s awards. Other multiple nominees include Darin & Brooke Aldridge, The Sam Bush Band, Michael Cleveland, The Gibson Brothers, Sierra Hull, The Infamous Stringdusters, Lonesome River Band, Mile Twelve, Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers, Punch Brothers, Missy Raines, Sister Sadie, and Rhonda Vincent. (All tallies represent the band and individual members, where it applies. A full list of nominations appears below.)
“Congratulations to Ricky Skaggs, Paul Williams, and Tom T. & Dixie Hall. For the indelible impact each of them has made on bluegrass music, they are receiving our highest honor, induction into the IBMA Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame,” says IBMA’s Executive Director Paul Schiminger. “Congratulations as well to the Distinguished Achievement Award recipients and all of the awards nominee finalists. From the established leaders in our music to those who are working tirelessly to become our future leaders, we celebrate your hard-earned achievements. You inspire all of us. I look forward to us continuing this celebration on September 27th at the biggest night in our community, the International Bluegrass Music Awards!”
Awards are voted on by the professional membership of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), the professional nonprofit association for the bluegrass music industry.
The International Bluegrass Music Awards Show is the centerpiece of the IBMA’s World of Bluegrass week, which is brought to you by Chiesi USA. Tickets for the 29th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards Show are available by logging onto worldofbluegrass.org or by calling 1-800-514-3849. IBMA Business Conference registration and hotel reservation info can also be found on this site.
For more information about the IBMA’s awards or how to obtain a recording of the IBMA Awards Show for rebroadcast, please go to www.ibma.org.
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Balsam Range
Del McCoury Band
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
The Earls of Leicester
Gibson Brothers
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Balsam Range
Flatt Lonesome
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
Gibson Brothers
I’m With Her
INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
Sam Bush Band
The Travelin’ McCourys
Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
Punch Brothers
EMERGING ARTIST OF THE YEAR (Tie)
Mile Twelve
Molly Tuttle
The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
Billy Strings
Jeff Scroggins & Colorado
Sister Sadie
SONG OF THE YEAR
Calamity Jane – Becky Buller (artist), Becky Buller/Tim Stafford (writers)
If I’d Have Wrote That Song – Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers (artist), Larry Cordle/Larry Shell/James Silvers (writers)
Swept Away – Missy Raines (artist), Laurie Lewis (writer)
Way Down the River Road – Special Consensus (artist), John Hartford (writer)
You Didn’t Call My Name – Molly Tuttle (artist), Molly Tuttle (writer)
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Life Is a Story – Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver (artist), Doyle Lawson (producer), Mountain Home Music Company (label)
Mayhayley’s House – Lonesome River Band (artist), Lonesome River Band (producers), Mountain Home Music Company (label)
Rise – Molly Tuttle (artist), Kai Welch (producer), Compass Records (label)
Rivers & Roads – Special Consensus (artist), Alison Brown (producer), Compass Records (label)
The Story We Tell – Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers (artist), Joe Mullins (producer), Rebel Records (label)
GOSPEL RECORDED PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
I’m Going Under – Darin & Brooke Aldridge (artist), Karen Taylor-Good/Bill Whyte (writers), single release, Mountain Home Music Company (label)
Little Girl – Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver (artist), Harley Lee Allen (writer), Life Is a Story (album), Doyle Lawson (producer), Mountain Home Music Company (label)
Speakin’ to That Mountain – Becky Buller (artist), Becky Buller/Jeff Hyde (writers), Crepe Paper Heart (album), Stephen Mougin (producer), Dark Shadow Recording (label)
Travelin’ Shoes – Special Consensus (artist), Traditional arranged by Special Consensus (writer), Rivers & Roads (album), Alison Brown (producer), Compass Records (label)
When God’s in It – Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers (artist), Ronnie Bowman/Jerry Salley (writers), The Story We Tell (album), Joe Mullins (producer), Rebel Records (label)
INSTRUMENTAL RECORDED PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
Lynchburg Chicken Run – The Grascals (artist), Danny Roberts/Adam Haynes (writers), Before Breakfast (album), The Grascals (producer), Mountain Home Music Company (label)
Medley: Sally in the Garden/Big Country/Molly Put the Kettle On – Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn (artists), Sally in the Garden and Molly Put the Kettle On – Traditional arranged by Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn, Big Country – Bela Fleck (writers), Echo in the Valley (album), Bela Fleck (producer), Rounder Records (label)
Sirens – Infamous Stringdusters (artist), Infamous Stringdusters (writers), Laws of Gravity (album), Infamous Stringdusters, Billy Hume (producers), Compass Records (label)
Squirrel Hunters – Special Consensus with John Hartford, Rachel Baiman & Christian Sedelmyer (10 String Symphony), & Alison Brown (artists), Traditional arranged by Alison Brown/Special Consensus (writers), Rivers & Roads (album), Alison Brown (producer), Compass Records (label)
Wickwire – Mile Twelve (artist), Mile Twelve (writers), Onwards (album), Stephen Mougin (producer), Delores the Taurus Records (label)
RECORDED EVENT OF THE YEAR
Calamity Jane – Becky Buller with Rhonda Vincent (artists), Crepe Paper Heart (album), Stephen Mougin (producer), Dark Shadow Recording (label)
I’ll Just Go Away – Dale Ann Bradley & Vince Gill (artists), Dale Ann Bradley (album), Dale Ann Bradley (producer), Pinecastle Records (label)
The Rebel and the Rose – Becky Buller with Sam Bush (artists), Crepe Paper Heart (album), Stephen Mougin (producer), Dark Shadow Recording (label)
She Took the Tennessee River – Special Consensus with Bobby Osborne (artists), Rivers & Roads (album), Alison Brown (producer), Compass Records (label)
Swept Away – Missy Raines with Alison Brown, Becky Buller, Sierra Hull, and Molly Tuttle (artists), single release, Alison Brown (producer), Compass Records (label)
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Shawn Camp
Buddy Melton
Del McCoury
Russell Moore
Tim O’Brien
FEMALE VOCALIST
Brooke Aldridge
Dale Ann Bradley
Becky Buller
Molly Tuttle
Rhonda Vincent
BANJO PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Kristin Scott Benson
Gina Clowes
Ned Luberecki
Noam Pikelny
Sammy Shelor
BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Barry Bales
Mike Bub
Missy Raines
Mark Schatz
Tim Surrett
FIDDLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Hunter Berry
Becky Buller
Jason Carter
Michael Cleveland
Stuart Duncan
DOBRO 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
Sam Bush
Jesse Brock
Sierra Hull
Ronnie McCoury
Frank Solivan