2022 SPBGMA Awards nominees and Nashville convention

The big Nashville convention of the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America (SPBGMA) is back this year, after having been cancelled in 2021 due to the COVID restrictions in place at the time. It will be held this Thursday through Sunday (January 27-30) at the Sheraton Music City Hotel in Nashville.

This, of course, includes their 47th annual Bluegrass Music Awards on Sunday evening. As it happens, 2022 is the first year in quite some time when the awards ceremony did not coincide with the Super Bowl, so attendance should be much higher in the hotel ballroom this year.

The Nashville convention is really two events in one. Many people attend in order to enjoy the stage shows over four days at the Sheraton, while others come simply to jam and hang out in the hotel lobby and in the rooms. There are many showcase rooms in the evenings with live music, plus a free songwriters’ workshop led by Johnny Williams, featuring input from Larry Cordle, Milan Miller, and Jeanette Williams, and a free Wernick Method jam workshop taught by Gordon Nelson.

And then there is the 24th annual SPBGMA Banjo Workshop, a separately ticketed event at the hotel led by Jack Hatfield, on Sunday, January 30. Jack will teach a beginner/intermediate session from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m., followed by an intermediate/advanced session with Gary Davis from 10:30-noon. After a lunch break, Mike Munford will lead a banjo set up session from 1:00-2:00 p.m., which leads into an intermediate/advanced playing session with Mike from 2:00-3:30. The workshop concludes with an all hands plus the faculty jam from 3:30-4:00.

Registration is $50 for either the morning or afternoon sessions, or $90 for both. Registration info can be found online.

SPBGMA has also announced the nominees for the 2022 Bluegrass Music Awards.

Bluegrass Promoter of the Year

  • Norman Adams
  • Milton Harkey
  • D.A. Callaway
  • Ernie Evans
  • Calvin Mickey
  • Vic Adams

Bluegrass Radio Station of the Year

  • WDVX Knoxville, TN
  • WSM AM Nashville, TN
  • SiriusXM 62
  • WFPK FM Louisville, KY
  • WBRF FM Galax, VA
  • WPAQ AM Mt Airy, NC

Bluegrass DJ of the Year

  • Buddy Michaels WLHC
  • Michelle Lee WOBL
  • Kyle Cantrell SiriusXM
  • Chris Jones SiriusXM
  • Tim Frye WPAQ
  • Ned Luberecki SiriusXM

Bluegrass Songwriter of the Year

  • Donna Ulisse
  • Daryl Mosley
  • Larry Cordle
  • Chris Jones
  • Irene Kelley
  • Johnny Williams

Bluegrass Album of the Year

  • Take Me Back – Carolina Blue
  • Time For Love – Donna Ulisse
  • Chicago Barn Dance – Special Consensus
  • 4.0 – The Farm Hands
  • The Secret of Life – Daryl Mosley
  • Load The Wagon – Junior Sisk

Bluegrass Bass Fiddle Performer of the Year

  • Mickey Harris
  • Mike Bub
  • Reese Combs
  • Zak McLamb
  • Terry Smith
  • Scott Burgess

Bluegrass Dobro Performer of the Year

  • Rob Ickes
  • Josh Swift
  • Jerry Douglas
  • Tim Graves
  • Fred Travers
  • Brent Burke

Bluegrass Guitar Performer of the Year

  • Josh Williams
  • David Parmley
  • Jake Workman
  • Johnny Williams
  • Keith Tew
  • Larry Sparks

Bluegrass Mandolin Performer of the Year

  • Wayne Benson
  • Larry Stephenson
  • Alan Bibey
  • David Davis
  • Ronnie McCoury
  • Danny Roberts

Bluegrass Banjo Performer of the Year

  • Sammy Shelor
  • Kristin Scott Benson
  • Rob McCoury
  • Greg Cahill
  • Aaron McDaris
  • Gena Britt

Bluegrass Fiddle Performer of the Year

  • Hunter Berry
  • Michael Cleveland
  • Jason Carter
  • Steve Day
  • Kimberly Marrs
  • Mary Rachel Norris

Bluegrass Female Vocalist of the Year

  • Irene Kelley
  • Donna Ulisse
  • Dale Ann Bradley
  • Rhonda Vincent
  • Lorraine Jordan
  • Jeanette Williams

Bluegrass Male Vocalist of the Year

  • Russell Moore
  • Larry Stephenson
  • David Parmley
  • Danny Paisley
  • Josh Williams
  • Dave Adkins

Bluegrass Gospel Group of the Year

  • Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
  • The Farm Hands
  • King James Boys
  • Remington Ride
  • Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers
  • Carolina Blue

Bluegrass Vocal Group of the Year

  • The Kody Norris Show
  • The Farm Hands
  • Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
  • The Grascals
  • Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
  • Rhonda Vincent & The Rage

Bluegrass Instrumental Group of the Year

  • Rhonda Vincent & The Rage
  • Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
  • Alan Biby & Grasstowne
  • Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
  • The Grascals
  • The Farm Hands

Bluegrass Band of the Year

  • Rhonda Vincent & The Rage
  • Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
  • Russel Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
  • The Farm Hands
  • Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers
  • Carolina Blue

Bluegrass Entertainer of the Year

  • Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
  • Rhonda Vincent
  • The Farm Hands
  • Kody Norris
  • The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
  • The Grascals

Bluegrass Song of the Year

  • Just Load The Wagon – Junior Sisk
  • Sailor’s Regret – Larry Cordle
  • Hitchhiking To California – Alan Bibey & Grasstowne
  • Circle of Wood – The Farm Hands
  • Love Bug – The Kody Norris Show
  • Banjo Player’s Blues – High Fidelity

Best of luck to all the nominees!

Further details regarding featured performers, room reservations, and anything else SPBGMA Nashville related, can be found online. We are told that rooms at the Sheraton Music City Hotel are still available.

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About the Author

John Lawless

John had served as primary author and editor for The Bluegrass Blog from its launch in 2006 until being folded into Bluegrass Today in September of 2011. He continues in that capacity here, managing a strong team of columnists and correspondents.