The International Bluegrass Music Association has announced that husband/wife banjo duo Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn will serve as hosts for the 28th annual International Bluegrass Music Awards, to be held September 28 in Raleigh, NC.
This gala awards presentation serves each year as the grand finale of the organization’s World Of Bluegrass convention, which brings together bluegrass lovers and players from all over the world. Professional members of the IBMA, made up of artists, songwriters, record labels, event producers, educators, and media folks, vote for the top entertainers in multiple categories with the winners announced and trophies distributed at the show.
Like most award shows you will have seen, there are also live stage performances from the top names in bluegrass, leading to IBMA Executive Director Paul Schiminger describing it as the biggest night in bluegrass.
“The annual IBMA Awards Show is truly the biggest night in bluegrass music. The unforgettable moments, the unique and incredible performances, and the overwhelming feeling of community, make this a must-attend event for both bluegrass professionals and fans. And, having Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn as hosts will send this one way over the top. I can’t wait!”
For 2017 they are taking the theme of the Bluegrass Songbook, celebrating the shared canon of music that has defined the style for the past 70 years.
Show producer Amy Reitnouer feels like the song is always a good place to start.
“The 2017 IBMA Awards Show will pay homage to this great body of music by gathering unlikely artistic combinations around the familiar tunes of the Bluegrass Songbook – bridging across generations, styles, backgrounds, and geographic boundaries, bringing life to the ‘I’ in the organization’s name and honoring the writers and musicians who paved the way for today’s vibrant, interconnected bluegrass community.”
Tickets to the International Bluegrass Music Awards are open to the general public; you don’t have to work in the industry to get one, but discounts are given to IBMA members. The show typically sells out, so it is a good idea to get tickets soon if you would like to attend.
