International Bluegrass Music Association Announces 2019 Award Nominees

Live from Nashville on Wednesday, the International Bluegrass Music Association announced the nominees for its 2019 awards, as voted by the association’s professional members and committee members. The awards will be given out Thursday, Sept. 26, during IBMA’s World of Bluegrass conference in Raleigh, North Carolina. Tickets for the 30th annual awards show are available to the public here and the show will be broadcast live on Facebook and on Sirius XM’s Bluegrass Junction channel starting at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Here’s a partial list of nominees:

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
City on a Hill, Mile Twelve
Del McCoury Still Sings Bluegrass, Del McCoury Band
For the Record, Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers
I Hear Bluegrass Calling Me, Carolina Blue
Sister Sadie II, Sister Sadie

SONG OF THE YEAR
(seven nominees due to a tie)
“Dance, Dance, Dance,” Appalachian Road Show
writers Brenda Cooper, Joseph Cooper, Steve Miller

“Next Train South,” Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
writer Mac Patterson

“Take the Journey,” Molly Tuttle
writers Molly Tuttle and Sarah Siskind

“The Girl Who Invented the Wheel,” Balsam Range
writers Adam Wright and Shannon Wright

“The Guitar Song,” Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers with Del McCoury
writers Bill Anderson, Jamey Johnson, Vicky  McGehee

“The Light in Carter Stanley’s Eyes,” Peter Rowan
writer Peter Rowan

“Thunder Dan,” Sideline
writer Josh Manning

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR

Balsam Range
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
I’m With Her
Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
Sister Sadie

INSTRUMENTAL GROUP
Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
The Earls of Leicester
The Travelin’ McCourys
Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
Sam Bush Band

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Balsam Range
Del McCoury Band
Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers
The Earls of Leicester
Sam Bush Band

BANJO
Gina Furtado
Mike Munford
Noam Pikelny
Kristin Scott Benson
Scott Vestal

BASS
Barry Bales
Mike Bub
Beth Lawrence
Missy Raines
Mark Schatz

FIDDLE
Hunter Berry
Becky Buller
Jason Carter
Michael Cleveland
Stuart Duncan

RESOPHONIC GUITAR
Jerry Douglas
Andy Hall
Rob Ickes
Phil Leadbetter
Justin Moses

GUITAR
Billy Strings
Kenny Smith
Bryan Sutton
Molly Tuttle
Josh Williams

MANDOLIN
Alan Bibey
Ronnie McCoury
Sierra Hull
Sam Bush
Frank Solivan

FEMALE VOCALIST
Brooke Aldridge
Dale Ann Bradley
Sierra Hull
Molly Tuttle
Rhonda Vincent

MALE VOCALIST
Russell Moore
Danny Paisley
Shawn Camp
Tim O’Brien
Del McCoury

NEW ARTIST
Mile Twelve
Carolina Blue
High Fidelity
Billy Strings
Appalachian Road Show

DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT

Katy Daley
Radio personality

Mickey Gamble
Mountain Home label

Dan Hays
Former IBMA executive director

Alan Mills
Founding member of The Lost and Found

Moonshiner
Long-running Japanese-language bluegrass music magazine

IBMA HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

Mike Auldridge
Dobro player and co-founder of the Seldom Scene

Bill Emerson
Banjo player, original member of The Country Gentlemen, leader of U.S. Navy band Country Current

The Kentucky Colonels
West Coast bluegrass band led by Clarence and Roland White