Doyle Lawson receives NEA honor

Friday, September 15, 2006 – Bluegrass veteran Doyle Lawson received the highest honor from the National Endowment for the Arts Thursday in Washington.

Lawson received his National Heritage Fellowship, calling it "an awesome feeling when you're up there, and to know that I'm in the company of so many of my heroes. It really didn't hit me until I got a look at the award given to the lady sitting next to me, while I was waiting for my turn to come - and then the full impact finally did hit me emotionally. I was glad I didn't have to go up next!"

The award is the highest given by the NEA upon folk and traditional artists "whose contributions, primarily through teaching, advocacy, organizing, and preserving important repertoires, have greatly benefited their artistic tradition."

Other bluegrassers getting the award included Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson and Jerry Douglas. For Lawson, the honor caps a year of unprecedented recognition. After performing at a concert given by Fellowship honorees on Friday, he'll return to his home in Tennessee--and then in short order to Nashville and the International Bluegrass Music Association's annual Awards Show. Lawson and his group, Quicksilver, have received a remarkable seven nominations there in most major categories, including Entertainer of the Year, Vocal Group of the Year, Song of the Year, Album of the Year, Gospel Recording of the Year and individual entries for Mandolin Player of the Year (Lawson) and Banjo Player of the Year (Terry Baucom). "It's been a banner year," he says, "so much so that sometimes I just have to sit and really ponder. The IBMA represents the world that I thrive in, and it's such a great honor to know that you've made the final cut in so many categories. And then to top it off with the Fellowship, I'm overjoyed beyond words. When you spend your lifetime in music, it's not about awards, it's about love of the music, and I've been fortunate just to make a career playing the music I love. But at the same time, when somebody does show the appreciation for the art that you do that has been shown to me, it makes me want to try even harder."