Nominations for the 32nd annual IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards were announced on Tuesday, with Balsam Range, Billy Strings, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Del McCoury Band, and the Po’ Ramblin’ Boys all vying for the Entertainer of the Year prize. The honors will be presented in person (after a virtual event in 2020) on September 30th at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Balsam Range, a past Entertainer of the Year winner, scored nominations in several categories, including Vocal Group of the Year and Song of the Year (for “Richest Man”). Strings, who has released recent collaborations with Fences and RMR, earned nods for Instrumental Group of the Year as well as an individual nomination for Guitar Player of the Year. Also nominated among the guitarists is singer-songwriter Molly Tuttle, who is also up for Female Vocalist of the Year alongside Brooke Aldridge, Dale Ann Bradley, Sierra Hull, and Rhonda Vincent.
In addition to the nominations, IBMA announced three new inductees to the Bluegrass Hall of Fame. Alison Krauss, bandleader/banjoist Lynn Morris, and early influence the Stoneman Family will all be inducted at the 2021 IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards.
Tickets are on sale for the 32nd annual IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards now. The show will also be broadcast on SiriusXM’s Bluegrass Junction and streamed on Facebook Live.
Entertainer of the Year
Balsam Range
Billy Strings
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
The Del McCoury Band
The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
Vocal Group of the Year
Darrin & Brooke Aldridge
Balsam Range
Blue Highway
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
Sister Sadie
New Artist of the Year
Appalachian Road Show
Carolina Blue
Gina Furtado Project
High Fidelity
Merle Monroe
Song of the Year
“Banjo Player’s Blues,” High Fidelity
“Hitchhiking to California,” Alan Bibey & Grasstowne
“Just Load the Wagon,” Junior Sisk
“Leaving on Her Mind,” Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
“Richest Man,” Balsam Range
Album of the Year
Bluegrass 2020, Scott Vestal, Patrick McAvinue, Cody Kilby, Dominick Leslie, Curtis Vestal
Distance and Time, Becky Buller
Fall Like Rain, Justin Moses
Industrial Strength Bluegrass: Southwestern Ohio’s Musical Legacy, Various Artists
Load the Wagon, Junior Sisk
Still Here, Steve Gulley & Tim Stafford
Gospel Recording of the Year
“After Awhile,” Dale Ann Bradley
“Grit and Grace,” Balsam Range
“Hear Jerusalem Calling,” Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers
“In the Resurrection Morning,” Sacred Reunion featuring Doyle Lawson, Vince Gill, Barry Abernathy, Tim Stafford, Mark Wheeler, Jim VanCleve, Phil Leadbetter, Jason Moore
“When He Calls My Name,” Alan Bibey & Grasstowne
Instrumental Recording of the Year
“The Appalachian Road,” Appalachian Road Show
“Foggy Mountain Chimes,” Scott Vestal, Patrick McAvinue, Cody Kilby, Dominick Leslie, Curtis Vestal
“Ground Speed,” Kristin Scott Benson, Skip Cherryholmes, Jeremy Garrett, Kevin Kehrberg, Darren Nicholson
“Mountain Strings,” Sierra Hull
“Taxland,” Justin Moses with Sierra Hull
Collaborative Recording of the Year
“Birmingham Jail,” Barry Abernathy with Vince Gill
“In the Resurrection Morning,” Sacred Reunion featuring Doyle Lawson, Vince Gill, Barry Abernathy, Tim Stafford, Mark Wheeler, Jim VanCleve, Phil Leadbetter, Jason Moore
“My Baby’s Gone,” Justin Moses with Del McCoury
“Tears of Regret,” High Fidelity with Jesse McReynolds
“White Line Fever,” Bobby Osborne with Tim O’Brien, Trey Hensley, Sierra Hull, Stuart Duncan, Todd Phillips, Alison Brown
Male Vocalist of the Year
Ronnie Bowman
Del McCoury
Danny Paisley
Junior Sisk
Larry Sparks
Female Vocalist of the Year
Brooke Aldridge
Dale Ann Bradley
Sierra Hull
Molly Tuttle
Rhonda Vincent
Banjo Player of the Year
Gena Britt
Gina Furtado
Rob McCoury
Kristin Scott Benson
Scott Vestal
Bass Player of the Year
Mike Bub
Todd Phillips
Missy Raines
Mark Schatz
Marshall Wilborn
Fiddle Player of the Year
Jason Carter
Michael Cleveland
Stuart Duncan
Bronwyn Keith-Hynes
Deanie Richardson
Resophonic Guitar Player of the Year
Jerry Douglas
Andy Hall
Rob Ickes
Phil Leadbetter
Justin Moses
Guitar Player of the Year
Trey Hensley
Billy Strings
Bryan Sutton
Molly Tuttle
Jake Workman
Mandolin Player of the Year
Jesse Brock
Sam Bush
Sierra Hull
Ronnie McCoury
Tristan Scroggins