This morning in Nashville the International Bluegrass Music Association announced the nominees for their 33rd annual Bluegrass Music Awards. This yearly ritual grabs the attention of everyone in the bluegrass world, when fans, artists, labels, radio, pickers, singers, songwriters, and media folks join together to see who is up for our music’s biggest honors.
Also announced this morning were the 2022 inductees into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame, and recipients of this year’s Distinguished Achievement Awards, given to people and organizations who have made extraordinary contributions to bluegrass music. IBMA will announce the nominees for their Momentum and Industry awards in the coming weeks.
And the nominees are…
2022 Hall Of Fame Inductees
- Norman Blake
- Paul “Moon” Mullins
- Peter Rowan
2022 Distinguished Achievement Award Recipients
- Dan Crary
- FreshGrass Foundation
- Steve Huber
- Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
- Peghead Nation
2022 IBMA Bluegrass Music Award Nominations
Entertainer Of The Year
- Billy Strings
- Del McCoury Band
- The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
- Sister Sadie
- Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
Vocal Group Of The Year
- Balsam Range
- Blue Highway
- Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
- Del McCoury Band
- Sister Sadie
Instrumental Group Of The Year
- Billy Strings
- Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
- Béla Fleck’s My Bluegrass Heart
- The Travelin’ McCourys
- Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
New Artist Of The Year
- Rick Faris
- Fireside Collective
- Laura Orshaw
- Jaelee Roberts
- Tray Wellington
Song Of The Year
- Blink of an Eye – Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass (artist); Robert Amos (writer); Pinecastle Records (label); Bobby Lundy/Danny Paisley/Ryan Paisley/Wes Easter (producers)
- Deep River – Rick Faris (artist); Rick Faris/Brink Brinkman (writers); Dark Shadow Recording; (label), Stephen Mougin (producer)
- I’ll Take the Lonesome Every Time – Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver (artist); Glen Duncan/Jerry Salley (writers); Billy Blue Records (label); Doyle Lawson (producer)
- Red Daisy – Billy Strings (artist); Jarrod Walker/Christian Ward (writers); Rounder Records (label); Jonathan Wilson/Billy Strings (producers)
- Riding the Chief – Chris Jones & The Night Drivers (artist); Chris Jones/Thomm Jutz (writers); Mountain Home Music Company (label); Chris Jones (producer)
Album Of The Year
- Bluegrass Troubadour – Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass (artist); Wes Easter (producer); Pinecastle Records (label)
- Crooked Tree – Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway (artist); Molly Tuttle/Jerry Douglas (producers); Noneuch Records (label)
- My Bluegrass Heart – Béla Fleck (artist); Béla Fleck (producer); Renew Records (label)
- Never Slow Down – The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys (artist); The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys/Dave Maggard (producers); Smithsonian Folkways Recordings (label)
- Renewal – Billy Strings (artist); Jonathan Wilson/Billy Strings (producers); Rounder Records (label)
Gospel Recording Of The Year
- A Little More Faith in Jesus – Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver (artist); Jerry Cole/Doyle Lawson (writers); Doyle Lawson (producer); Billy Blue Records (label)
- He’s Gettin’ Me Ready –Darin & Brooke Aldridge with The Oak Ridge Boys (artists); Jimmy Fortune (writer); Darin Aldridge/Mark Fain (producer); Billy Blue Records (label)
- In The End – Dale Ann Bradley (artist); Jill Gilliam (writer); Dale Ann Bradley (producer); Pinecastle Records (label)
- In the Sweet By and By –Dolly Parton with Carl Jackson, Larry Cordle, Bradley Walker, and Jerry Salley (artists); S. Fillmore Bennett/Joseph Webster (writers); Jerry Salley; (producer), Billy Blue Records (label)
- See You On The Other Side – Rick Faris featuring Sam Bush (artists); Rick Faris/Rick Lang (writers); Stephen Mougin (producer); Dark Shadow Recording (label)
- Traveling the Highway Home – The Grascals (artist); Frankie Bailes/Walter Bailes (writers); The Grascals (producer); Mountain Home Music Company (label)
Instrumental Recording Of The Year
- EMD – Scott Vestal – Bluegrass 2022 (artists); David Grisman (writer); Scott Vestal (producer); Pinecastle Records (label)
- Happy Go Lucky – Doyle Lawson & Alan Bibey (artists); Doyle Lawson (writer); Doyle Lawson (producer); Billy Blue Records (label)
- Ice Bridges – Billy Strings (artist); William Apostol (writer); Jonathan Wilson/Billy Strings (producer); Rounder Records (label)
- Orange Blossom Breakdown – Mike Compton (artist); Bill Monroe (writer); Mark Howard (producer); Taterbug Records (label)
- Vertigo – Béla Fleck featuring Sam Bush, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer, and Bryan Sutton (artists); Béla Fleck (writer); Béla Fleck (producer); Renew Records (label)
Collaborative Recording Of The Year
- Blackbird – Special Consensus with Amanda Smith, Dale Ann Bradley, Rob Ickes, and Alison Brown (artists); J.P. Cormier (writer); Alison Brown (producer); Compass Records (label)
- East Bound and Down – The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys featuring Jason Carter and Bronwyn Keith-Hynes (artists); Jerry Reed/Dick Feller (writers); The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys/Dave Maggard (producers); Sound Biscuit Productions (label)
- Honky Tonk Nights – Del McCoury Band featuring Vince Gill (artists); Mike O’Reilly (writer); Del McCoury/Ronnie McCoury (producers); McCoury Music (label)
- In the Sweet By and By –Dolly Parton with Carl Jackson, Larry Cordle, Bradley Walker, and Jerry Salley (artists); S. Fillmore Bennett/Joseph Webster (writers); Jerry Salley; (producer), Billy Blue Records (label)
- One By One – Dale Ann Bradley with Danny Paisley (artists); Jim Anglin/Jack Anglin/Johnny Wright (writers); Dale Ann Bradley (producer); Pinecastle Records (label)
Male Vocalist Of The Year
- Greg Blake
- Rick Faris
- Del McCoury
- Danny Paisley
- Larry Sparks
Female Vocalist Of The Year
- Brooke Aldridge
- Dale Ann Bradley
- Sierra Hull
- Molly Tuttle
- Rhonda Vincent
Instrumental Performers Of The Year
Banjo
- Gena Britt
- Béla Fleck
- Rob McCoury
- Kristin Scott Benson
- Scott Vestal
Bass
- Mike Bub
- Jason Moore
- Missy Raines
- Mark Schatz
- Vickie Vaughn
Fiddle
- Jason Carter
- Michael Cleveland
- Stuart Duncan
- Bronwyn Keith-Hynes
- Deanie Richardson
Resophonic Guitar
- Jerry Douglas
- Andy Hall
- Rob Ickes
- Phil Leadbetter
- Justin Moses
Guitar
- Billy Strings
- Trey Hensley
- Cody Kilby
- Bryan Sutton
- Molly Tuttle
Mandolin
- Alan Bibey
- Jesse Brock
- Sam Bush
- Sierra Hull
- Ronnie McCoury
Congratulations and best of luck to all the 2022 nominees!
Winners will be announced during the 33rd Annual IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards, to be held in Raleigh, NC on September 29. Tickets are available now online.
