Balsam Range wins big IBMA award
Brooke Aldridge won female vocalist of the year for the second straight year. Molly Tuttle won guitar player for the second straight year, and Sierra Hull was mandolin player for the third straight year.
Other instrumental winners were:
Banjo player of the year: Ned Luberecki (Becky Buller Band, Nedski & Mojo)
Dobro player of the year: Justin Moses
Fiddle player of the year: Michael Cleveland
The winner of Recorded Event of the Year was "Swept Away" with Missy Raines, Alison Brown, Becky Buller, Hull and Tuttle.
Other winners were:
Vocal group of the Year: Doyle Lawson & Quicksliver
Song of the Year: "If I'd Have Wrote That Song" (written by Larry Cordle, Larry Shell and James Silvers)
Album of the Year: "Rivers & Roads," Special Consensus
Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year: Becky Buller, "Speakin' to That Mountain"
Instrumental Recorded Performance: "Squirrel Hunters," Special Consensus
Emerging Artist of the Year: Po' Ramblin' Boys
Bluegrass songwriter: Jerry Salley
Best sound engineer: Ben Surratt
Three performers were inducted into the IBMA Hall of Fame: Ricky Skaggs; Paul Williams, who was one of the Sunny Mountain Boys with fellow Hall of Famers Jimmy Martin and J.D. Crowe; and songwriters Tom T. & Dixie Hall.
More news for Balsam Range
- 09/09/25: Balsam Range longs for "Virginia Girl"
- 01/06/25: Melton leaves Balsam Range
- 12/01/23: Kissel, Balsam Range release new discs
- 05/02/23: Nicholson plans first post-Balsam Range disc
- 11/07/22: Nicholson leaves Balsam Range for solo career
- 08/12/21: Balsam Range shows its' "Moxie and Mettle"
- 12/06/19: Balsam Range is out with "The Gospel Collection"
- 01/04/19: Balsam Range releases "Aeonic"
CD reviews for Balsam Range
Formed in 2007, Balsam Range already earned many international Bluegrass Music Association Awards across six albums. On their seventh, the acoustic quintet features four-part harmonies on most tunes, while the prevailing instruments are fiddle, mandolin, banjo, upright bass and guitar. Balsam Range is Buddy Melton (fiddle, vocals), Darren Nicholson (mandolin, vocals), Dr. Marc Pruett (banjo), Tim Surrett (bass, Dobro, Weissenborn, vocals) and Caleb Smith (guitar, vocals).
The curious ...
Since forming a little more than a decade ago, North Carolina-based Balsam Range (Buddy Melton, fiddle; Darren Nicholson, mandolin; Tim Surrett, bass; Marc Pruett, banjo; and Caleb Smith, guitar) have established themselves over the course of six critically applauded albums (not counting a Christmas album, though that was well done too) as one of the more dynamic and accomplished bands on the modern bluegrass scene, with a basket full of IBMA awards to back that claim up. ...
You can have your silver bells for Christmas time in the city, but if you're looking to experience a mountain Christmas, look no further than Balsam Range. "It's Christmas Time" opens with the moody "Christmas Lullaby," and ends on an instrumental note, with a bluegrass-y "Jingle Bells."
This six-song EP is heavy on familiar holiday songs, including "The First Noel," "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" and "Hark! The Harold Angeles Sing. ...
©Country Standard Time • Jeffrey B. Remz, editor & publisher • countrystandardtime@gmail.com
About • Copyright • Newsletter • Our sister publication Standard Time
Country News
CD Reviews
Follow us on
