Nominations for 2015 International Bluegrass Music Awards

Bill Keith (L) and Larry Sparks (R) will be inducted into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame.

Nominees for the 2015 International Bluegrass Music Awards were announced today (Aug. 12) during an event at the Sirius XM Theater inside Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena.

The awards ceremony will be Thursday, Oct. 1 in Raleigh, NC with hosts The Gibson Brothers.

IBMA’s World of Bluegrass event in Raleigh also consists of the IBMA Business Conference (Sept. 29 – Oct. 1), Wide Open Bluegrass presented by PNC (Oct. 2-3) and the Bluegrass Ramble showcases (Sept. 29 – Oct. 1).

Special Awards, including the Distinguished Achievement Awards, will be presented at a luncheon on Thursday, Oct. 1. The Momentum Awards will be presented at a luncheon on Wednesday, Sept. 30.

2015  HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
Bill Keith
Larry Sparks

2015 DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENTS
Alison Brown
Murphy Henry
International Bluegrass Music Museum
“Bashful Brother” Oswald Kirby
Steve Martin

2015 INTERNATIONAL BLUEGRASS MUSIC AWARD NOMINATIONS

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Balsam Range
Hot Rize
The Earls of Leicester
The Gibson Brothers
The Del McCoury Band

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Balsam Range
Blue Highway
Flatt Lonesome
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
The Gibson Brothers

INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Blue Highway
Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
Punch Brothers
Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen
The Earls of Leicester

SONG OF THE YEAR
“Big Black Train” – Earls of Leicester (artist), Stanley Johnson, George Sherry (writers)
“Fiddlin’ Joe” – Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper (artist), Mark Brinkman (writer)
“Her Love Won’t Turn On A Dime” – Lonesome River Band (artist), Bart Butler, Timothy Johnson, Shane Minor (writers)
“Moon Over Memphis” – Balsam Range (artist), Mark W. Winchester (writer)
“Southern Flavor” – Becky Buller (artist), Bill Monroe, Guy Stevenson, DeWayne Mize (writers)

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Brotherhood – The Gibson Brothers (artist), Eric Gibson, Leigh Gibson, Mike Barber (producers), Rounder
Five – Balsam Range (artist), Balsam Range (producer), Mountain Home Music Company
The Earls of Leicester – The Earls of Leicester (artist) Jerry Douglas (producer), Rounder
Too – Flatt Lonesome (artist), Andrea Roberts, Tim Surrett (producers), Mountain Home Music Company
When I’m Free – Hot Rize (artist), Hot Rize (producer), Ten In Hand Records
 
GOSPEL RECORDED PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
“Holding To The Right Hand” – Lonesome River Band (artist), Turn On A Dime (album), Marvin Clark (writer), Sammy Shelor (producer), Mountain Home Music Company
“Insured Beyond The Grave” – J.D. Crowe, Doyle Lawson & Paul Williams (artist), Standing Tall and Tough (album), Ira Louvin, Charlie Louvin (writers), Doyle Lawson (producer), Mountain Home Music Company
“Stacking Up the Rocks” – Balsam Range (artist), Five (album), Buddy Melton (writer), Balsam Range (producers), Mountain Home Music Company
“What a Wonderful Savior Is He” – The Gibson Brothers (artist), Brotherhood (album), William G. Brewster (writer), Eric Gibson, Leigh Gibson, Mike Barber (producer), Rounder Records
“Who Will Sing for Me” – The Earls of Leicester (artist), The Earls of Leicester (album), Carter Stanley, Ralph Stanley (writer), Jerry Douglas (producers), Rounder Records

INSTRUMENTAL RECORDED PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
“Backdraft (You Light It, You Fight It” – Balsam Range (artist), Five (album), Buddy Metlon, Marc Pruett, Tim Surrett, Darren Nicholson, Caleb B. Smith (writer), Balsam Range (producer), Mountain Home Music Company
“Come Along Jody” – Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper (artist), On Down the Line (album), Benjamin F.”Tex” Logan (writer), Jeff White, Michael Cleveland (producers), Compass Records
“Cumberland Gap” – Lonesome River Band (artist), Turn On A Dime (album), Sammy Shelor (arrangement), Sammy Shelor  (producer), Mountain Home Music Company
“The Three Bells” - Mike Auldridge, Jerry Douglas and Rob Ickes (artists), The Three Bells (album), Jean Villard, Bert Reisfeld (writers), Mike Auldridge, Jerry Douglas and Rob Ickes (producer), Rounder Records
“Yeah Man” – Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen (artist), Cold Spell (album), Michael Munford (writer), Frank Solivan (producer), Compass Records 

RECORDED EVENT OF THE YEAR
“Against The Grain”- Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time, featuring Garth Brooks (artists), Larry Cordle (producer), MightyCord Records
“Blue Memories” – J.D. Crowe, Doyle Lawson & Paul Williams (artists), Doyle Lawson  (producer), Mountain Home Music Company
“For Buddy” – Mike Auldridge, Jerry Douglas and Rob Ickes (artists), Mike Auldridge, Jerry Douglas and Rob Ickes (producers), Rounder Records
“Test of Time” – Steep Canyon Rangers & Edie Brickell (artists), Carl Jackson (producer)
“TheThree Bells” – Mike Auldridge, Jerry Douglas and Rob Ickes (artists), Mike Auldridge, Jerry Douglas and Rob Ickes (producers) Rounder Records
“Southern Flavor” – Becky Buller, with Peter Rowan, Michael Feagan, Buddy Spicher, Ernie Sykes, Roland White and Blake Williams (artists), Stephen Mougin (producer) Dark Shadow Recording

EMERGING ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Adkins & Loudermilk
Band of Ruhks
Becky Buller
Mountain Faith
Snyder Family Band
The Earls of Leicester
Volume Five

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Shawn Camp
Del McCoury
Buddy Melton
Russell Moore
Tim O’Brien

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Dale Ann Bradley
Becky Buller
Claire Lynch
Amanda Smith
Rhonda Vincent

BLUEGRASS SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
Mark ‘Brink’ Brinkman
Becky Buller
Bill Castle
Shawn Lane
Donna Ulisse

See complete list here.

Awards are voted on by the professional membership of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), the trade association for the bluegrass music industry.

The IBMA Awards Show will be broadcast live on SiriusXM Satellite Radio (Bluegrass Junction) and syndicated to more than 300 U.S. markets and 14 foreign networks, thanks to the sponsorship of BMI, Deering Banjos, the International Bluegrass Music Museum and Mountain Home Music Company.