Balsam Range, Sam Bush Band, The Earls of Leicester, Del McCoury Band,
and Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers are the “Entertainer of the Year” nominees
IBMA Announces 2019 Annual Inductees to the Bluegrass Hall of Fame: Mike Auldridge,
Bill Emerson, The Kentucky Colonels
Five Bluegrass Industry Innovators Announced
as Recipients of the Distinguished Achievement Award
Nashville, TN –Nominees for the 2019 International Bluegrass Music Awards were announced today in Nashville, Tennessee. The extraordinary talent of the performers nominated for “Entertainer of the Year”- Balsam Range, Sam Bush Band, The Earls of Leicester, Del McCoury Band, and Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers– is evident, with 24 Bluegrass Music Awards nominations among the five nominees this year. Multiple nominations for Sister Sadie, Carolina Blue, Mile Twelve, Molly Tuttle, Missy Raines and Rhonda Vincent also are notable on this year’s list of nominees.
Results of the balloting will be revealed at the International Bluegrass Music Awards on Thursday, September 26, at the Duke Energy Performing Arts Center in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Also announced today were three inductees into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame: prolific dobro innovator Mike Auldridge, influential banjo player Bill Emerson, and influential West Coast band The Kentucky Colonels; additionally, five people who have made significant contributions to bluegrass music were named as recipients of the Distinguished Achievement Award: broadcaster Katy Daley, label founder Mickey Gamble, former Executive Director of IBMA Dan Hays, musician Allen Mills, and Japanese bluegrass magazine Moonshiner.
Tickets for the 30th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards Show are available by logging onto worldofbluegrass.org or by calling 1-800-514-3849. The show will also be broadcast live on Sirius XM Satellite Radio (Bluegrass Junction) 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 Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum, BMI, and Boston Bluegrass Union.
In addition to their “Entertainer of the Year” nomination, North Carolina-based Balsam Range are also nominated for “Vocal Group of the Year,” “Song of the Year,” “Gospel Recording of the Year,” and “Collaborative Recording of the Year.” The Del McCoury Band’s nominations include “Entertainer of the Year,” “Album of the Year”, “Male Vocalist of the Year” (Del McCoury) “Fiddle Player of the Year” (Jason Carter) and “Mandolin Player of the Year” (Ronnie McCoury). Del McCoury guests on first-time “Entertainer of the Year” nominee Joe Mullins & Radio Rambler’s “Collaborative Recording Of The Year” nomination; the band’s other nominations are for “Song of the Year,” “Album of the Year,” and “Gospel Recording of the Year.” “Entertainer of the Year” nominee Sam Bush Band is also nominated for “Instrumental Group of the Year,” “Instrumental Recording of the Year” (Sam Bush & Bela Fleck), and “Mandolin Player of the Year” (Sam Bush). (All tallies represent the band and individual members, where it applies. A full list of nominations appears below.)
Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, The Travelin’ McCourys, Appalachian Road Show, Sideline, and Sierra Hull are among the many artists who also received nominations this year.
Awards are voted on by the professional membership of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), the professional nonprofit association for the bluegrass music industry.
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
Sam Bush Band
The Earls of Leicester
Del McCoury Band
Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Balsam Range
I’m With Her
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
Sister Sadie
INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Sam Bush Band
Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
The Earls of Leicester
Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
The Travelin’ McCourys
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Appalachian Road Show
Carolina Blue
High Fidelity
Mile Twelve
Billy Strings
SONG OF THE YEAR (7 nominees, due to a tie)
“Dance, Dance, Dance”
Artist: Appalachian Road Show
Writers: Brenda Cooper/Joseph Cooper/Steve Miller
Producers: Barry Abernathy, Darrell Webb, Ben Isaacs
Executive Producer: Dottie Leonard Miller
Label: Billy Blue Records
“The Girl Who Invented the Wheel”
Artist: Balsam Range
Writers: Adam Wright/Shannon Wright
Producer: Balsam Range
Executive Producer: Mickey Gamble
Label: Mountain Home Music Company
“The Guitar Song”
Artist: Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers with Del McCoury
Writers: Bill Anderson/Jamey Johnson/Vicky McGehee
Producer: Joe Mullins
Associate Producer: Jerry Salley
Label: Billy Blue Records
“The Light in Carter Stanley’s Eyes”
Artist: Peter Rowan
Writer: Peter Rowan
Producer: Peter Rowan
Associate Producer: Tim O’Brien
Label: Rebel Records
“Next Train South”
Artist: The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
Writer: Mac Patterson
Producers: The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, Dave Maggard, Ken Irwin
Label: Rounder Records
“Take the Journey”
Artist: Molly Tuttle
Writers: Molly Tuttle/Sarah Siskind
Producer: Ryan Hewitt
Label: Compass Records
“Thunder Dan”
Artist: Sideline
Writer: Josh Manning
Producer: Tim Surrett
Label: Mountain Home Music Company
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
City on a Hill
Artist: Mile Twelve
Producer: Bryan Sutton
Label: Independent
Del McCoury Still Sings Bluegrass
Artist: Del McCoury Band
Producers: Del and Ronnie McCoury
Label: McCoury Music
For the Record
Artist: Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers
Producer: Joe Mullins
Associate Producer: Jerry Salley
Label: Billy Blue Records
I Hear Bluegrass Calling Me
Artist: Carolina Blue
Producers: Bobby Powell, Tim and Lakin Jones
Executive Producers: Lonnie Lassiter and Ethan Burkhardt
Label: Pinecastle Records
Sister Sadie II
Artist: Sister Sadie
Producer: Sister Sadie
Label: Pinecastle Records
GOSPEL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
“Acres of Diamonds”
Artist: Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers
Producer: Joe Mullins
Associate Producer: Jerry Salley
Label: Billy Blue Records
“Gonna Sing, Gonna Shout”
Artist: Claire Lynch
Producer: Jerry Salley
Label: Billy Blue Records
“I Am a Pilgrim”
Artist: Roland White and Friends
Producers: Ty Gilpin, Jon Weisberger
Label: Mountain Home Music Company
“I See God”
Artist: Marty Raybon
Producer: Jerry Salley
Label: Billy Blue Records
“Let My Life Be a Light”
Artist: Balsam Range
Producer: Balsam Range
Executive Producer: Mickey Gamble
Label: Mountain Home Music Company
INSTRUMENTAL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
“Cotton Eyed Joe”
Artist: Sideline
Producer: Tim Surrett
Label: Mountain Home Music Company
“Darlin’ Pal(s) of Mine”
Artist: Missy Raines with Alison Brown, Mike Bub, and Todd Phillips
Producer: Alison Brown
Label: Compass Records
“Earl’s Breakdown”
Artist: The Earls of Leicester
Producer: Jerry Douglas
Label: Rounder Records
“Fried Taters and Onions”
Artist: Carolina Blue
Producers: Bobby Powell, Tim and Lakin Jones
Executive Producers: Lonnie Lassiter and Ethan Burkhardt
Label: Pinecastle Records
“Sunrise”
Artist: Sam Bush & Bela Fleck
Producers: Akira Otsuka, Ronnie Freeland
Label: Smithsonian Folkways Records
COLLABORATIVE RECORDING OF THE YEAR
“Burning Georgia Down”
Artist: Balsam Range with Atlanta Pops Orchestra Ensemble
Producer: Balsam Range
Label: Mountain Home Music Company
“Darlin’ Pal(s) of Mine”
Artist: Missy Raines with Alison Brown, Mike Bub, and Todd Phillips
Producer: Alison Brown
Label: Compass Records
“The Guitar Song”
Artist: Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers with Del McCoury
Producer: Joe Mullins
Associate Producer: Jerry Salley
Label: Billy Blue Records
“Please”
Artist: Rhonda Vincent and Dolly Parton
Producers: Dave Cobb, John Leventhal, Frank Liddell
Label: MCA Nashville
“Soldier’s Joy/Ragtime Annie”
Artist: Roland White with Justin Hiltner, Jon Weisberger, Patrick McAvinue, and Molly Tuttle
Producers: Ty Gilpin, Jon Weisberger
Label: Mountain Home Music Company
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Shawn Camp
Del McCoury
Russell Moore
Tim O’Brien
Danny Paisley
FEMALE VOCALIST
Brooke Aldridge
Dale Ann Bradley
Sierra Hull
Molly Tuttle
Rhonda Vincent
BANJO PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Gina Furtado
Mike Munford
Noam Pikelny
Kristin Scott Benson
Scott Vestal
BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Barry Bales
Mike Bub
Beth Lawrence
Missy Raines
Mark Schatz
FIDDLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Hunter Berry
Becky Buller
Jason Carter
Michael Cleveland
Stuart Duncan
RESOPHONIC GUITAR 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
Alan Bibey
Sam Bush
Sierra Hull
Ronnie McCoury
Frank Solivan
2019 Inductees to International Bluegrass Music Association Hall of Fame:
Mike Auldridge, Bill Emerson; and The Kentucky Colonels
MIKE AULDRIDGE
Born in 1938 and raised in Kensington, Maryland, Auldridge began playing guitar and banjo at an early age before settling on the resophonic guitar at age 17. While that instrument was used by earlier musicians like Josh Graves, Auldridge is credited with bringing new recognition to the instrument. World-renowned resophonic guitarist, Jerry Douglas said, “Mike changed everything. He phrased differently. He was the first guy to use the Dobro in a more modern way, to phrase it more like a saxophone or some other instrument.”
After graduating in 1967 from the University of Maryland, Auldridge continued to play in local clubs in the Washington, DC area. In 1969, he joined the band Emerson & Waldron, later called Cliff Waldron & the New Shades of Grass, and in 1971, he co-founded the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame band, the Seldom Scene, a group he remained with until the mid-1990s. The Seldom Scene, which performed weekly at the Birchmere in Virginia, became pioneers of the “newgrass” sound, which incorporated elements of jazz, folk, and rock into traditional bluegrass harmonies.
Auldridge’s solo albums, including a self-titled one, Treasures Untold, Eight String Swing, and Dobro/Blues and Bluegrass, demonstrated his versatility. Beyond his solo albums, he appeared on over 200 recordings, collaborating with a diverse array of artists including Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Patty Loveless, Lyle Lovett, Doc Watson, Ricky Skaggs, Hank Williams Jr., and Bill Monroe. In addition to the Seldom Scene, Auldridge performed with a number of other bands, including Chesapeake, Auldridge, Reid, & Coleman, Auldridge, Bennett, & Gadreau, the Good Deale Bluegrass Band, and John Starling & Carolina Star.
In 2007, Auldridge was recognized for his contributions in bluegrass with IBMA’s Distinguished Achievement Award, and in 2012, he received the National Heritage Fellowship. Auldridge passed away on December 29, 2012.
BILL EMERSON
Born in 1938, William “Bill” Hundley Emerson’s career in bluegrass music has spanned nearly sixty years. Early on, he worked with Buzz Busby and won a national banjo championship in 1959. An original member of The Country Gentlemen at the group’s founding in 1957, he left near the end of 1958. Emerson worked a short while for Bill Harrell and recorded with Red Allen. He then received international recognition during his years as a member of Jimmy Martin’s Sunny Mountain Boys from 1962 -1965. With Jimmy, he recorded a total of 29 songs and instrumentals, a number of which are now bluegrass standards, including “The Last Song,” “Sweet Dixie,” “Theme Time,” “Prayer Bell of Heaven,” “Stormy Waters” and “Tennessee.” From 1967 to 1969, he formed Emerson & Waldron with Cliff Waldron. They recorded three albums for Rebel Records, becoming one of the first groups whose song lyrics appealed to a younger audience. While with Emerson & Waldron, he played on the first bluegrass recording of “Fox on the Run”, released in 1970. Emerson then returned to The Country Gentlemen from 1970 to 1973, where he participated in several more classic bluegrass recordings.
In late 1973, he began leading Country Current, the U.S. Navy bluegrass band, serving twenty years before retiring from the Navy in 1993. During 1991, he became president and owner of Webco Records, which he sold to Pinecastle Records in 1994. He organized Bill Emerson & The Sweet Dixie Band in 2007, which continues to make personal appearances. The recipient of numerous awards over the years, Bill Emerson was elected to the Virginia Country Music Hall of Fame in 1984 and was an IBMA Distinguished Achievement Award recipient in 2016.
THE KENTUCKY COLONELS
The Kentucky Colonels were a high profile West Coast bluegrass band who enjoyed a brilliant heyday in the early and middle 1960s. The band began as a family group comprised of IBMA Hall of Famers Clarence and Roland White, their brother Eric and sister Joann. Through a series of personnel changes the classic configuration of the band came to include Clarence (guitar) and Roland (mandolin) White, Arkansas banjoist Billy Ray Latham, dobro player LeRoy Mack, and bass player Roger Bush. From 1961 to 1963, Roland was called away for military duty. While Roland was gone the group recorded its first album, The New Sound of Bluegrass America. The album was produced, in part, by Carter and Ralph Stanley who were on a 1962 West Coast tour. During this same period, Clarence White had the opportunity to see Doc Watson perform at the Ash Grove. The event had a profound effect on Clarence who soon developed into a guitar prodigy. His early efforts were captured on a 1964 album the Kentucky Colonels made for World Pacific called Appalachian Swing. The group, which once again included Roland White, increased the scope of their performance activities in 1964 and ’65 to include shows in New York; Washington, DC; the North and South Dakota, Canada, and folk festivals in Newport, Rhode Island and Los Angeles (UCLA). In 1965, the band was augmented by the talents of fiddle virtuoso Scotty Stoneman.
The Colonels disbanded in 1965 but reformed for shows in 1966 and 1967. Yet another re-formation was launched in 1973 but ended tragically when Clarence was killed by a drunk driver while loading gear into the band’s van after a performance. In the decades since, the Colonels’ reputation has continued to grow, especially with the release of key live recording collections, including Livin’ in the Past(Briar); Long Journey Home(Vanguard); Onstage(
Distinguished Achievement Award Recipients
Each year, the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) recognizes up to five individuals for their significant contributions to bluegrass music with its highest honor outside of induction into the Hall of Fame–the Distinguished Achievement Award. This year’s recipients of IBMA’s Distinguished Achievement Awards include:
Katy Daley – In recognition for her more than 30 year career in Bluegrass in the Washington, DC area, as one of the most prominent voices at bluegrass station WAMU, and the podcast “Bluegrass Stories.”
Mickey Gamble – In recognition for his leadership and vision in fostering award-winning bluegrass artists, from traditional to progressive, through his Mountain Home label.
Dan Hays– In recognition of his work to build the visibility and credibility of bluegrass as a genre while serving as the Executive Director of the International Bluegrass Music Association from 1990 – 2012.
Allen Mills – In recognition for his invaluable contribution to the genre as a founding member of The Lost and Found, credited with pushing the barriers of bluegrass in the 1970s and ’80s by incorporating many popular styles into its sound.
Moonshiner – In recognition of the tremendous impact that this premier Japanese language bluegrass and acoustic magazine, now in its 37th year, has had in fostering the love of bluegrass music in fans in Japan.
The IBMA’s Distinguished Achievement Awards will be presented at the Industry Awards Luncheon on Thursday, September 26. Those who would like to attend must purchase a business conference pass for Thursday by visiting worldofbluegrass.org.
More info about IBMA’s World of Bluegrass and the Wide Open Bluegrass Festival
IBMA’s World of Bluegrass, whose Principal Sponsor is Chiesi USA, is a five-day annual bluegrass music homecoming and convention. World of Bluegrass encompasses four events: the IBMA Business Conference, September 24-26; the Bluegrass Ramble, an innovative series of showcases, taking place September 24-26 in downtown Raleigh and at the Raleigh Convention Center; the 30thAnnual International Bluegrass Music Awards, scheduled for Thursday evening, September 26; and PNC presents Wide Open Bluegrass, September 27-28, a two-day festival. Wide Open Bluegrass features the best of the best in bluegrass today, benefiting the IBMA Bluegrass Trust Fund—a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that assists bluegrass professionals during financial emergencies—and introducing the music to thousands of new fans every year.
As in years past, events during World of Bluegrass will take place at the Raleigh Convention Center, the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, the Red Hat Amphitheater and at various venues in town.
The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau reported that last year’s World of Bluegrass events generated $12.7 million in direct visitor spending for that region, with total attendance for the week’s activities estimated to be a record-breaking 223,000 people. Over 220 acts performed throughout the entire week of World of Bluegrass.