2023 IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards nominees announced – Bluegrass Today

The eyes and ears of the bluegrass industry were focused this morning on the Nashville headquarters of SiriusXM’s country and bluegrass operation for the announcement of the 2023 nominees for the IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards.

These prestigious awards are determined by a vote of the professional membership of the International Bluegrass Music Association, choosing the best of the best from among their peers. Trophies are awarded in 17 categories, picking the top pickers and singers, songs and albums, of any given year.

Also announced this morning were the 2023 inductees into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame, and the five individual or groups receiving IBMA’s Distinguished Achievement Award. These are given to people and organizations who have made extraordinary contributions to bluegrass music.

Music was provided by the Sam Bush and the Lonesome River Band.

IBMA will announce the nominees for their Momentum and Industry awards in the coming weeks.

2023 Hall Of Fame Inductees

• Sam Bush
• Wilma Lee Cooper
• David Grisman

2023 Distinguished Achievement Award Recipients

• The Bluegrass Situation
• Terry Baucom
• Tom Ewing
• Carl Goldstein
• Red Wine

2023 IBMA Bluegrass Music Award Nominees

Entertainer Of The Year

• Appalachian Road Show
• Billy Strings
• Del McCoury Band
• Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
• The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys

Vocal Group Of The Year

• Authentic Unlimited
• Balsam Range
• Blue Highway
• Del McCoury Band
• Sister Sadie

Instrumental Group Of The Year

• Billy Strings
• Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
• The Infamous Stringdusters
• Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
• The Travelin’ McCourys

New Artist Of The Year

• Authentic Unlimited
• East Nash Grass
• Henhouse Prowlers
• The Tennessee Bluegrass Band
• Tray Wellington

Song Of The Year

• Blue Ridge Mountain Baby – Appalachian Road Show (artist); Barry Abernathy/Jim VanCleve (writers); Billy Blue Records (label); Appalachian Road Show (producers)
• Crooked Tree – Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway (artist); Molly Tuttle/Melody Walker (writers); Nonesuch Records; (label), Jerry Douglas and Molly Tuttle (producers)
• Diane – Sister Sadie (artist); Jeffrey Nath Bhasker/Samuel Tyler Johnson/Cameron Marvel Ochs (writers); Mountain Home Music Company (label); Sister Sadie (producer)
• Heyday – Lonesome River Band (artist); Barry Huchens/Will Huchens (writers); Mountain Home Music Company (label); Lonesome River Band (producers) 
• Power of Love – Rick Faris (artist); Johnny Colla/Huey Lewis/Christopher Hayes (writers); Dark Shadow Recording (label); Stephen Mougin (producer)

Album Of The Year

• Crooked Tree – Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway (artist); Jerry Douglas and Molly Tuttle (producers); Nonesuch Records (label)
• Lovin’ of the Game – Michael Cleveland (artist); Jeff White, Michael Cleveland, and Sean Sullivan (producers); Compass Records (label)
• Lowdown Hoedown – Jason Carter (artist); Jason Carter and Brent Truitt (producers); Fiddle Man Records (label)
• Me/And/Dad –  Billy Strings and Terry Barber (artist); Billy Strings and Gary Paczosa (producers); Rounder Records (label)
• Radio John: The Songs of John Hartford – Sam Bush (artist); Sam Bush (producer); Smithsonian Folkways (label)

Gospel Recording Of The Year

• The Glory Road – Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers (artist); JPaul Martin/Harry Stinson/Marty Stuart (writers); Joe Mullins and Adam McIntosh (producers); Billy Blue Records (label)
• Jordan –Darin & Brooke Aldridge with Ricky Skaggs, Mo Pitney and Mark Fain (artists); Fred Rich (writer); Darin Aldridge/Mark Fain (producer); Billy Blue Records (label)
• The Scarlet Red Lines – Larry Sparks (artist); Daniel Crabtree (writer); Larry Sparks (producer); Rebel Records (label)
• Take a Little Time for Jesus – Junior Sisk (artist); David Marshall (writer); Junior Sisk and Aaron Ramsey (produces); Mountain Fever Records (label)
• Tell Me the Story of Jesus – Becky Buller with Vince Gill and Ricky Skaggs (artists); Fanny Crosby, arrangement by Becky Buller (writers); Stephen Mougin (producer); Dark Shadow Recording (label)

Instrumental Recording Of The Year

• Contact – Michael Cleveland with Cody Kilby, Barry Bales, and Béla Fleck (artists); Michael Cleveland (writer); Jeff White, Michael Cleveland, and Sean Sullivan (producer); Compass Records (label)
• Foggy Morning Breaking – Alison Brown with Steve Martin (artists); Alison Brown/Steve Martin (writer); Alison Brown and Garry West (producers); Compass Records (label)
• Gold Rush – Scott Vestal’s Bluegrass 2022 (artist); Bill Monroe (writer); Scott Vestal (producer); Pinecastle Records (label)
• Kissimmee Kid – Jason Carter (artist); Vassar Clements (writer); Jason Carter and Brent Truitt (producers); Fiddle Man Records (label)
• Scorchin’ the Gravy – Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen (artists); Frank Solivan (writer); Frank Solivan (producer); Compass Records (label)

Collaborative Recording Of The Year

• Alberta Bound – Special Consensus with Ray Legere, John Reischman, Tisha Gagnon, Claire Lynch, Pharis & Jason Romero (artists); Gordon Lightfoot (writer); Alison Brown (producer); Compass Records (label)
• Big Mon  – Andy Leftwich with Sierra Hull (artists); Bill Monroe (writer); Andy Leftwich (producer); Mountain Home Music Company (label)
• Foggy Morning Breaking – Alison Brown with Steve Martin (artists); Alison Brown/Steve Martin (writer); Alison Brown and Garry West (producers); Compass Records (label)
• For Your Love – Michael Cleveland with Billy Strings and Jeff White (artists); Joe Ely (writer); Jeff White, Michael Cleveland, and Sean Sullivan; (producer), Compass Records (label)
• From My Mountain (Calling You) – Peter Rowan with Molly Tuttle and Lindsay Lou (artists); Peter Rowan (writer); Peter Rowan (producer); Rebel Records (label)

Male Vocalist Of The Year

• Greg Blake
• Del McCoury
• Danny Paisley
• Larry Sparks
• Dan Tyminski

Female Vocalist Of The Year

• Brooke Aldridge
• Dale Ann Bradley
• Jaelee Roberts
• Molly Tuttle
• Rhonda Vincent

Instrumental Performers Of The Year

Banjo

• Kristin Scott Benson
• Alison Brown
• Béla Fleck
• Ned Luberecki
• Scott Vestal

Bass

• Mike Bub
• Todd Phillips
• 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
• Matt Leadbetter
• Justin Moses

Guitar

• Chris Eldridge
• Trey Hensley
• Billy Strings
• Bryan Sutton
• Molly Tuttle

Mandolin

• Alan Bibey
• Jesse Brock
• Sam Bush
• Sierra Hull
• Ronnie McCoury

Congratulations and best of luck to all the 2023 nominees!

Winners will be announced during the 34th Annual IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards, to be held in Raleigh, NC on September 28 at the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are available now online.