The Earls of Leicester, Del McCoury Band Lead IBMA Award Nominations

Earls Of Leicester

Reigning IBMA Entertainer of the Year, The Earls of Leicester, lead this year’s IBMA awards nominations, which were announced Wednesday (July 27) in Nashville. Individually and as a group, The Earls of Leicester picked up nominations for Entertainer of the Year, Vocal Group of the Year and Instrumental Group of the Year while individual nominations go to members Shawn Camp for Male Vocalist of the Year, Jerry Douglas for Dobro Player of the Year, Barry Bales for Bass Player of the Year and Charlie Cushman for Banjo Player of the Year.

Douglas also earned a nod for Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year (“Cazenovia Casanova,” with Frank Solivan and Sam Bush)

Del McCoury Band follows with six nominations (for the band and individuals), including Entertainer of the Year, Recorded Event of the Year (“Pretty Woman,” with Frank Solivan); Male Vocalist of the Year for Del McCoury, Fiddle Player of the Year for Jason Carter, Bass Player of the Year for Alan Bartram and Instrumental Group of the Year for the Travelin’ McCourys.

Flatt Lonesome, who earned the 2014 Emerging Artist of the Year honor, garnered five nominations this year, including Entertainer of the Year, Vocal Group of the Year, Album of the Year (for Runaway Train), Song of the Year (“You’re the One”), and Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year (“In The Heat of the Fire”).

Becky Buller, Sam Bush, Sierra Hull, and Frank Solivan earned three nominations apiece.

This year’s winners will be announced during the International Bluegrass Music Awards, slated for Thursday, Sept. 29 at Duke Energy Performing Arts Center in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Rounder Founders Ken Irwin, Marian Leighton Levy, and Bill Nowlin.

Also announced Wednesday morning were the latest inductees into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame. Guitarist/singer Clarence White, and Rounder Records founders Bill Nowlin, Marian Leighton Levy and Ken Irwin will be inducted during the awards show on Sept. 29. The Rounder founders celebrated 45 years in 2015.

Each year, the IBMA also recognizes up to five individuals for their significant contributions to bluegrass music, with its Distinguished Achievement Award. This year’s recipients include Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine, the Boston Bluegrass Union, William Hundley “Bill” Emerson, Jr. (founder of groups The Country Gentlemen and Emerson & Waldron), producer/manager/publisher Jim Rooney, and SiriusXM Radio’s Bluegrass Junction. The Distinguished Achievement Awards will be presented during an awards luncheon on Thursday, Sept. 29 during IBMA’s World of Bluegrass Week in Raleigh, North Carolina.

2016 IBMA Awards Nominations

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Balsam Range
The Del McCoury Band
The Earls of Leicester
Flatt Lonesome
The Gibson Brothers

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Balsam Range
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
The Earls of Leicester
Flatt Lonesome
The Gibson Brothers

INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
The Earls of Leicester
Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen
Punch Brothers
Sam Bush Band
The Travelin’ McCourys

EMERGING ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Band of Ruhks
The Lonely Heartstring Band
Mountain Faith
Sister Sadie
Steve Gulley & New Pinnacle
Town Mountain

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Shawn Camp
Del McCoury
Buddy Melton
Tim O’Brien
Danny Paisley

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

BANJO PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Charlie Cushman
Jens Kruger
Mike Munford
Noam Pikelny
Sammy Shelor

BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Barry Bales
Alan Bartram
Mike Bub
Missy Raines
Mark Schatz

FIDDLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Becky Buller
Jason Carter
Michael Cleveland
Stuart Duncan
Ron Stewart

DOBRO PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jerry Douglas
Andy Hall
Rob Ickes
Phil Leadbetter
Josh Swift

GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Chris Eldridge
Jim Hurst
Kenny Smith
Bryan Sutton
Josh Williams

MANDOLIN PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jesse Brock
Sam Bush
Sierra Hull
Frank Solivan
Adam Steffey

SONG OF THE YEAR
“Black River,” Sierra Hull (Artist) – Sierra Hull (Writer) – Rounder Records (Label)
“Long Way Down,” The SteelDrivers (Artist) – Elizabeth Mala Hengber, Tammy Rogers King, and Jerry Salley (Writers) – Rounder Records (Label)
“Radio,” Steep Canyon Rangers (Artist) – Graham Paul Sharp (Writer) – (Label)
“Thunder & Lightning,” Lonesome River Band (Artist) – Adam Wright (Writer) – Mountain Home Music (Label)
“You’re the One,” Flatt Lonesome (Artist) – Dwight Yoakam (Writer) – Mountain Home Music (Label)

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Bridging the Tradition, Lonesome River Band; Mountain Home Music (Label)
It’s About Tyme, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out; Break A String (Label)
Runaway Train, Flatt Lonesome; Mountain Home Music (Label)
The Muscle Shoals Recordings, The SteelDrivers; Rounder Records (Label)
Weighted Mind,  Sierra Hull; Rounder Records (Label)

GOSPEL RECORDED PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
“All Dressed Up,” Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers; Sacred Memories; Rebel Records (Label)
“In The Heat of the Fire,” Flatt Lonesome; Runaway Train; Mountain Home Music (Label)
“Rocking of the Cradle,” Lonesome River Band; Bridging the Tradition; Mountain Home Music (Label)
“The Savior Is Born,” Becky Buller; The Christmas 45 Vol. 1; Dark Shadow Recording (Label)
“Won’t You Come and Sing For Me,” Laurie Lewis and the Right Hands; The Hazel and Alice Sessions; Spruce and Maple Music (Label)

INSTRUMENTAL RECORDED PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
“Cazenovia Casanova,” Frank Solivan with Sam Bush and Jerry Douglas; Family, Friends & Heroes; Compass Records (Label)
“Fireball,” Special Consensus featuring Rob Ickes, Trey Hensley, and Alison Brown; Long I Ride; Compass Records (Label)
“Hogan’s Goat,” The Boxcars; Familiar with the Ground; Mountain Home Music (Label)
“Hogan’s House of Music,” Ron Block; Hogan’s House of Music; Hogan’s House of Music (Label)
“Smartville,” Ron Block; Hogan’s House of Music; Hogan’s House of Music (Label)

RECORDED EVENT OF THE YEAR
“Fireball,” Special Consensus featuring Rob Ickes, Trey Hensley, and Alison Brown; Long I Ride; Compass Records (Label)
“Highway 40 Blues,” Special Consensus with Della Mae; Long I Ride; Compass Records (Label)
“In The Pines,” Carl Jackson and Brad Paisley; Orthophonic Joy: The 1927 Bristol Sessions Revisited; Birthplace of Country Music (Label)
“Longneck Blues,” Junior Sisk and Ronnie Bowman; Poor Boy’s Pleasure; Mountain Fever (Label)
“Pretty Woman,” Frank Solivan with Del McCoury; Family, Friends & Heroes; Compass Records (Label)