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.
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.
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.
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.
