International Bluegrass Music Awards 2014 Winners Announced

Balsam Range at the 2014 IBMA Awards ceremony - Photo by Dave Brainard
Balsam Range at the 2014 IBMA Awards ceremony – Photo by Dave Brainard

 

The winners of the 25th annual International Bluegrass Music Awards were announced Thursday night, October 2nd, in Raleigh, North Carolina. The event took place at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts.

As reported earlier by World Music Central, western North Carolina act Balsam Range received the Entertainer of the Year award, the Vocal Group of the Year, and Male Vocalist (Buddy Melton).

Banjo player Noam Pikelny (Punch Brothers, Leftover Salmon, John Cowan Band) from Chicago had a very successful night, winning Banjo Player of the Year and Album of the Year for Noam Pikelny Plays Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe.

 

Noam Pikelny
Noam Pikelny

 

Noam Pikelny - Noam Pikelny Plays Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe
Noam Pikelny – Noam Pikelny Plays Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe

 

Flatt Lonesome, from Florida, was named Emerging Artist of the Year. The family band includes Kelsi Harrigill on mandolin, her twin siblings Charli Robertson on fiddle, and Buddy Robertson on guitar, Kelsi’s husband Paul Harrigill on banjo and Michael Stockdon on dobro. The band has two albums available: Flatt Lonesome and Too.

 

Flatt Lonesome
Flatt Lonesome

 

Special Consensus, who are celebrating their 39th year as a band, took both Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year and Recorded Event of the Year, winning IBMA awards for the first time.

 

Special Consensus
Special Consensus

 

Amanda Smith received the award for Female Vocalist of the Year; both Smith and Melton were first-time winners in these categories

Bluegrass Hall of Fame inductees, the original Seldom Scene and Dr. Neil Rosenberg, of Canada, were honored in special presentations. Rosenberg’s induction was celebrated with a performance from fellow Canadians The Spinney Brothers, joined by fiddle players Michael Cleveland, Stuart Duncan, and Jason Carter.

Original members of the Seldom Scene – Ben Eldridge, John Starling and Tom Gray – accepted their award to a standing ovation, noting the late John Duffey and Mike Auldridge in their acceptance speech. The band – both original members and the current band – then performed their signature hit “Wait A Minute.”

Hosted by Lee Ann Womack and Jerry Douglas, the 2014 IBMA Awards Show featured live performances from The Boxcars, Claire Lynch, Gibson Brothers, Della Mae, Blue Highway, Noam Pikelny, Del McCoury Band, Balsam Range, Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen and individual performances from each host, Lee Ann Womack and Jerry Douglas.

The International Bluegrass Music Awards are voted on by the professional membership of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), which serves as the trade association for the bluegrass music industry. The IBMA Awards Show is the centerpiece of the World of Bluegrass Week, Sept 30 – October 4 in Raleigh, NC, that also includes the IBMA Business Conference and Wide Open Bluegrass festival.

Complete list of The 2014 International Bluegrass Music Awards

Hall of Fame Inductees: The Original Seldom Scene, Neil Rosenberg

Entertainer of the Year: Balsam Range

Vocal Group of the Year: Balsam Range

Instrumental Group of the Year: Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen

Male Vocalist of the Year: Buddy Melton

Female Vocalist of the Year: Amanda Smith

Emerging Artist of the Year: Flatt Lonesome

Album of the Year: Noam Pikelny Plays Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe – Noam Pikelny (artist) Gabe Witcher (producer), Compass Records

Song of the Year: “Dear Sister” – Claire Lynch (artist), Claire Lynch and Louisa Branscomb (writers)

Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year: “Thank God I’m A Country Boy”- Special Consensus with Buddy Spicher, Michael Cleveland and Alison Brown (artists), Country Boy: A Bluegrass Tribute to John Denver (album), John Martin Sommers (writer), Alison Brown (producer), Compass Records

Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year: “Won’t It Be Wonderful There” – Dailey & Vincent (artist), Brothers of the Highway (album), Mildred Styles Johnson (writer), Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent (producers), Rounder Records

Recorded Event of the Year: “Wild Montana Skies” – Special Consensus with Claire Lynch & Rob Ickes (artists), Alison Brown (producer), Compass Records

Mandolin Player of the Year: Adam Steffey

Dobro Player of the Year: Phil Leadbetter

Bass Player of the Year: Barry Bales

Fiddle Player of the Year: Jason Carter

Guitar Player of the Year: Bryan Sutton

Banjo Player of the Year: Noam Pikelny

Special Awards (presented earlier on Thurs. October 2)

Bluegrass Songwriter of the Year: Tim Stafford

Broadcaster of the Year: Kyle Cantrell, Bluegrass Junction, Sirius XM

Print/Media Person of the Year: Chris Jones, writer at Bluegrass Today

Bluegrass Event of the Year: Bluegrass Underground

Best Graphic Design for a Recorded Project: Lou Everhart (designer), Lonely Comes Easy, Chris Jones & the Night Drivers, Rebel Records

Best Liner Notes for a Recorded Project: Neil V Rosenberg, Noam Pikelny Plays Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe, Noam Pikelny, Compass Records

Distinguished Achievement Award recipients: Bill Keith, Deering Banjos, the European Bluegrass Music Association, Hillbilly at Harvard, and The Delmore Brothers.

For information about the IBMA Momentum Awards read: World of Bluegrass 2014 – Momentum Awards and Bluegrass Marketplace

Author: Angel Romero

Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.

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