2023 SPBGMA National Award nominees

The Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America (SPBGMA) has announced the nominees for their 2023 National Bluegrass Awards. These awards will be decided by voting that takes place during the SPBGMA National Convention in Nashville over January 26-29.

The Nashville convention this month is also the site for their prestigious International Band Contest.

In a change from prior years, SPBGMA has also announced that they are moving the Awards Show from Sunday to Saturday night.

And the nominees are:

Bluegrass Promoter Of The Year 

  • Dell Davis 
  • Danny Stewart 
  • Darrell Adkins 
  • Cindy Pinion 
  • Ernie Evans 
  • Cody Johnson 

Bluegrass Radio Station Of The Year 

  • WDVX-FM, Knoxville, TN 
  • WOBL-Oberlin, OH 
  • Sirius XM 62 
  • WOBO-Batavia, OH 
  • WLHR-Lavonia, GA 
  • WBGJ-Princeton, NC 

Bluegrass DJ Of The Year 

  • Alex Leach-WDVX 
  • Michelle Lee-WOBL 
  • Kyle Cantrell-Sirius XM 
  • Gary Strong-WOBO 
  • Michael Branch-WLHR 
  • Joey Black-Sirius XM 

Bluegrass Songwriter Of The Year 

  • Edgar Loudermilk 
  • Jerry Cole 
  • John Meador 
  • Daryl Mosley 
  • Donna Ulisse 
  • Mark Brinkman 

Bluegrass Album Of The Year 

  • Something You Didn’t Count On – Jaelee Roberts for Mountain Home Music 
  • We’re All Crazy – Dave Adkins for Mountain Fever Records 
  • Never Slow Down – The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys for Smithsonian Folkways 
  • Changes – Amanda Cook Band for Mountain Fever Records 
  • In Dreams I Go Back – Seth Mulder and Midnight Run on Mountain Fever Records 
  • Small Town Dreamer – Daryl Mosley on Pinecastle Records 

Bass fiddle Performer Of The Year 

  • Mickey Harris 
  • Jason Moore 
  • Gary Trivette 
  • Zak McLamb 
  • Terry Smith 
  • Edgar Loudermilk 

Dobro Performer Of The Year 

  • Rob Ickes 
  • Andy Hall 
  • Justin Moses 
  • Jerry Douglas 
  • Josh Swift 
  • Tim Graves 

Guitar Performer Of The Year 

  • Josh Williams 
  • Rick Faris 
  • Greg Blake 
  • Kody Norris 
  • Zach Arnold 
  • Kenny Smith 

Mandolin Performer Of The Year 

  • Wayne Benson 
  • Larry Stephenson 
  • Alan Bibey 
  • Sierra Hull 
  • Ronnie McCoury 
  • C.J. Lewandowski 

Banjo Performer Of The Year 

  • Daxson Lewis 
  • Kristin Scott-Benson 
  • Gena Britt 
  • Greg Cahill 
  • Aaron McDaris 
  • Joe Mullins 

Fiddle Performer Of The Year 

  • Jason Carter 
  • Michael Cleveland 
  • Becky Buller 
  • Hunter Berry 
  • Mary Rachel Nalley-Norris 
  • Laura Orshaw 

Female Vocalist Of The Year 

  • Amanda Smith 
  • Jaelee Roberts 
  • Dale Ann Bradley 
  • Rhonda Vincent 
  • Donna Ulisse 
  • Amanda Cook 

Male Vocalist Of The Year 

  • Russell Moore 
  • Rick Faris 
  • Daryl Mosley 
  • Danny Paisley 
  • Alan Bibey 
  • Junior Sisk 

Gospel Group Of The Year 

  • King James Boys 
  • The Farm Hands 
  • The Isaacs 
  • Dailey and Vincent 
  • Nick Chandler and Delivered 
  • Balsam Range 

Vocal Group Of The Year 

  • Amanda Cook Band 
  • The Farm Hands 
  • The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys 
  • Balsam Range 
  • Blue Highway 
  • Rhonda Vincent & The Rage 

Instrumental Group Of The Year 

  • Rhonda Vincent & The Rage 
  • Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper 
  • Kody Norris Show 
  • Seth Mulder and Midnight Run 
  • Alan Bibey and Grasstowne 
  • Special Consensus 

Bluegrass Band (Overall) Of The Year 

  • Rhonda Vincent & The Rage 
  • The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys 
  • Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out 
  • The Farm Hands 
  • Grascals 
  • Alan Bibey and Grasstowne 

Entertainer(s) Of The Year 

  • Kody Norris 
  • Rhonda Vincent 
  • Fast Track 
  • Little Roy 
  • Po’ Ramblin Boys 
  • Balsam Range 

Song Of The Year 

  • Heartache & Trouble – Fast Track for Englehardt Music Group 
  • Deep River – Rick Faris for Dark Shadow Recording 
  • Riding the Chief – Chris Jones and the Night Drivers for Mountain Home Music 
  • Mill Worker – Becky Buller for Dark Shadow Recording 
  • My My My – Seth Mulder and Midnight Run for Mountain Fever Records 
  • Riding the Boston & Maine – Nick Dumas for Skyline Records

    Congratulations and best of luck to all the nominees!

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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 2004 until being folded into Bluegrass Today in September of 2011. He continues in that capacity here, managing a strong team of columnists and correspondents.