Fervor Coulee Bluegrass Blog

2021 IBMA Award Nominees, Inductees Announced

Donald Teplyske  |  July 20, 2021

The International Bluegrass Music Association announced their 2021 nominee today. Among the usual names are a few new ones:

From the IBMA:

Nashville, TN, July 20, 2021 – – Nominees for the 32nd Annual IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards presented by Yamaha were announced today in Nashville, Tennessee. The five nominees for "Entertainer of the Year" are Balsam Range, Billy Strings, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Del McCoury Band, and The Po' Ramblin' Boys. The five nominees for this year's top award include two Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame members (Del McCoury, Doyle Lawson), past winners of "Entertainer of the Year" (Balsam Range, Del McCoury), the second "Entertainer of the Year" nomination for Billy Strings, and the first EoY nomination for The Po' Ramblin' Boys.

Results of the balloting will be revealed at the IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards on Thursday, September 30, at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Awards are voted on by the professional membership of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), the professional nonprofit association for the bluegrass music industry.

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR Balsam Range Billy Strings Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver The Del McCoury Band The Po' Ramblin' Boys

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR Darin & Brooke Aldridge Balsam Range Blue Highway Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver Sister Sadie

INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR Appalachian Road Show Billy Strings Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper The Infamous Stringdusters The Travelin' McCourys

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR sponsored by Ron & Nancy McFarlane Appalachian Road Show Carolina Blue Gina Furtado Project High Fidelity Merle Monroe

SONG OF THE YEAR

"Banjo Player's Blues" Artist: High Fidelity Songwriter:Charlie Monroe Producers: Jeremy Stephens, Brad Benge Label:Rebel Records

"Hitchhiking to California" Artist: Alan Bibey & Grasstowne Songwriters: Wes Golding/Alan Bibey/Jerry Salley Producers: Jerry Salley, Ron Stewart, Dottie Leonard Miller Label:Billy Blue Records

"Just Load the Wagon" Artist: Junior Sisk Songwriter:J.R. Satterwhite Producers: Amanda Cook, Junior Sisk, Mark Hodges Label:Mountain Fever Records

"Leaving on Her Mind" Artist: Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver Songwriter:Jack Clement Producer:Rosta Capek Label:Billy Blue Records

"Richest Man" Artist: Balsam Range Songwriters: Jim Beavers/Jimmy Yeary/Connie Harrington Producer:Balsam Range Label:Mountain Home Music Company

ALBUM OF THE YEAR (Tie)

Bluegrass 2020 Artist: Scott Vestal, Patrick McAvinue, Cody Kilby, Dominick Leslie, Curtis Vestal Producers: Scott Vestal, Ethan Burkhardt, Lonnie Lassiter Label:Pinecastle Records

Distance and Time Artist: Becky Buller Producer:Stephen Mougin Label:Dark Shadow Recording

Fall Like Rain Artist: Justin Moses Producer:Justin Moses Label:Mountain Fever Records

Industrial Strength Bluegrass: Southwestern Ohio's Musical Legacy Artist: Various Artists Producer:Joe Mullins Label:Smithsonian Folkways Recordings

Load the Wagon Artist: Junior Sisk Producers: Amanda Cook, Junior Sisk, Mark Hodges Label:Mountain Fever Records

Still Here Artist: Steve Gulley & Tim Stafford Producers: Steve Gulley, Tim Stafford Label:Mountain Home Music Company

GOSPEL RECORDING OF THE YEAR

"After Awhile" Artist: Dale Ann Bradley Songwriter:Public Domain Producer:Dale Ann Bradley Label:Pinecastle Records

"Grit and Grace" Artist: Balsam Range Songwriters: Ann Melton/Milan Miller/Beth Husband Producer:Balsam Range Label:Mountain Home Music Company

"Hear Jerusalem Calling" Artist: Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers Songwriters: Marty Stuart/Jerry Sullivan Producers: Joe Mullins, Dottie Leonard Miller Label:Billy Blue Records

"In the Resurrection Morning" Artists: Sacred Reunion featuring Doyle Lawson, Vince Gill, Barry Abernathy, Tim Stafford, Mark Wheeler, Jim VanCleve, Phil Leadbetter, Jason Moore Songwriter:Mark Wheeler Producers: Barry Abernathy, Jim VanCleve, Dottie Leonard Miller Label:Billy Blue Records

"When He Calls My Name" Artist: Alan Bibey & Grasstowne Songwriters: Alan Bibey/Ronnie Bowman Producers: Alan Bibey & Grasstowne, Ron Stewart, Jerry Salley, Dottie Leonard Miller Label:Billy Blue Records

INSTRUMENTAL RECORDING OF THE YEAR

"The Appalachian Road" Artist: Appalachian Road Show Songwriter:Jim VanCleve Producers: Jim VanCleve, Barry Abernathy, Appalachian Road Show, Dottie Leonard Miller Label:Billy Blue Records

"Foggy Mountain Chimes" Artists: Scott Vestal, Patrick McAvinue, Cody Kilby, Dominick Leslie, Curtis Vestal Songwriter:Earl Scruggs Producer:Scott Vestal Label:Pinecastle Records

"Ground Speed" Artists: Kristin Scott Benson, Skip Cherryholmes, Jeremy Garrett, Kevin Kehrberg, Darren Nicholson Songwriter:Earl Scruggs Producer:Jon Weisberger Label:Mountain Home Music Company

"Mountain Strings" Artist: Sierra Hull Songwriters: Frank Wakefield/Red Allen Producer:Joe Mullins Label:Smithsonian Folkways Recordings

"Taxland" Artist: Justin Moses with Sierra Hull Songwriter:Justin Moses Producer:Justin Moses Label:Mountain Fever Records

COLLABORATIVE RECORDING OF THE YEAR

"Birmingham Jail" Artists: Barry Abernathy with Vince Gill Songwriter:Public Domain Producers: Barry Abernathy, Jim VanCleve, Dottie Leonard Miller Label:Billy Blue Records

"In the Resurrection Morning" Artists: Sacred Reunion featuring Doyle Lawson, Vince Gill, Barry Abernathy, Tim Stafford, Mark Wheeler, Jim VanCleve, Phil Leadbetter, Jason Moore Songwriter:Mark Wheeler Producers: Barry Abernathy, Jim VanCleve, Dottie Leonard Miller Label:Billy Blue Records

"My Baby's Gone" Artists: Justin Moses with Del McCoury Songwriter:Dennis Linde Producer:Justin Moses Label:Mountain Fever Records

"Tears of Regret" Artists: High Fidelity with Jesse McReynolds Songwriters: Jesse McReynolds/Lucille Hutton Producers: Jeremy Stephens, Corrina Rose Logston, Brad Benge Label:Rebel Records

"White Line Fever" Artists: Bobby Osborne with Tim O'Brien, Trey Hensley, Sierra Hull, Stuart Duncan, Todd Phillips, Alison Brown Songwriters: Merle Haggard/Jeff Tweedy Producers: Alison Brown, Garry West Label:Compass Records

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 sponsored by Yamaha 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

Also announced were:

Nashville, TN, July 20, 2021 – – Five people who have made significant contributions to bluegrass music were named as recipients of the IBMA Distinguished Achievement Award: industry leader Nancy Cardwell Webster, broadcaster Lee Michael Demsey, Czech luthier/performer Jaroslav Prucha, musician/performer Cliff Waldron, and Boston Bluegrass Union's Stan Zdonik.

Finally, the inductees for the Bluegrass Hall of Fame were also announced:

Nashville, TN, July 20, 2021 – – One of the most acclaimed artists in the history of bluegrass, Alison Krauss (Donald's comment: About freakin' time), trailblazing bandleader/banjoist Lynn Morris (Donald's comment: Flippin' ditto), and early bluegrass influencers the Stoneman Family were announced as the 2021 inductees into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame.