The Year of the Banjo:
Béla Fleck wins “Album of the Year”,
“Instrumental Group of the Year”,
“Instrumental Recording of the Year” and “Banjo Player of the Year”
at 33rd Annual IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards Presented by Yamaha
Billy Strings Named “Entertainer of the Year” for Second Consecutive Year;
Wins “Song of the Year”
Dolly Parton Track Takes “Gospel Recording of the Year”
and “Collaborative Recording of the Year” Honors
Nashville, Tennessee — Billy Strings received the coveted “Entertainer of the Year” Award for the second year in a row, along with “Song of the Year” honors, at the 33rd Annual IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards Presented by Yamaha. Banjo was king this year as well, with Béla Fleck taking home awards for “Album of the Year”, “Instrumental Group of the Year”, “Instrumental Recording of the Year”, and “Banjo Player of the Year.”
Dolly Parton’s recent recording of the gospel classic “In the Sweet By and By”, featured on the 2021 Country Faith Bluegrass album, won “Gospel Recording of the Year” and “Collaborative Recording of the Year” honors.
The Awards show, hosted by artists Ronnie Bowman and Dan Tyminski, was held September 29 at Raleigh, NC’s Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts.
Previously announced inductees into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame – beloved multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Norman Blake, broadcast pioneer and recording artist Paul “Moon” Mullins, and eclectic, influential singer-songwriter Peter Rowan – were honored during the show.
The recipients of the 2022 IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards:
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR: Billy Strings
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR: Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR: Béla Fleck My Bluegrass Heart
SONG OF THE YEAR: “Red Daisy”
Billy Strings
Written by Jarrod Walker/Christian Ward
ALBUM OF THE YEAR: My Bluegrass Heart
Béla Fleck
GOSPEL RECORDING OF THE YEAR: “In the Sweet By and By”
Dolly Parton with Carl Jackson, Larry Cordle, Bradley Walker, and Jerry Salley
INSTRUMENTAL RECORDING OF THE YEAR: “Vertigo”
Béla Fleck featuring Sam Bush, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer, and Bryan Sutton
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Rick Faris
COLLABORATIVE RECORDING OF THE YEAR: “In the Sweet By and By”
Dolly Parton with Carl Jackson, Larry Cordle, Bradley Walker, and Jerry Salley
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR: Molly Tuttle
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR: Del McCoury
BANJO PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Béla Fleck
BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jason Moore
RESOPHONIC GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Justin Moses
FIDDLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Bronwyn Keith-Hynes
GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Cody Kilby
MANDOLIN PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Sierra Hull
Awards were voted on by the professional membership of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA).
The show was aired live on SiriusXM’s Bluegrass Junction channel and was livestreamed on IBMA’s Facebook Live.
Awards sponsors include Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum, BMI, Boston Bluegrass Union, Compass Records, Deering Banjo Company, Mountain Home Music Company, Recording Academy, Virginia is for Music Lovers, and VisitLex.