LOUISVILLE, KY. (International Bluegrass
Music Association/ www.ibma.org) - Del McCoury took home his ninth Entertainer of the Year award at the 15th Annual International Bluegrass
Music Awards on Thursday, October 7th at the Kentucky Center in Louisville, KY.
McCoury and his band also garnered the crystal trophies for Album of the Year for their album It's Just The Night (McCoury Music).
Hosted by
Alison Krauss and Dan Tyminski, for the second year in a row, the evening featured a number of rousing, live performances from award nominees who played for a sold-out crowd and a worldwide radio audience.
To the delight of the crowd and in the same year he celebrates forty years of performing, longtime bluegrass favorite Larry Sparks received his first award for Male Vocalist of the Year from music industry peers. Sparks reputation as a gifted and soulful vocalist is legendary and evident on his latest album, The Coldest Part of Winter (Rebel), which also garnered a nomination for Song of the Year for "You Ain't Lived."
Rhonda Vincent received her fifth consecutive Female Vocalist of the Year award, more than any female in history, as well as being recognized for Song of the Year for "Kentucky Borderline" from her highly touted album One Step Ahead (Rounder). Vincent co-wrote the song with Terry Herd of the Bluegrass Radio Network and Sirius Satellite Radio, who was also named Broadcaster of the Year earlier in the day.
Blue Highway received their second award for Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year for their Alan O'Bryant produced album Wondrous Love (Rounder). The album also received a Dove Award from the Gospel Music Association earlier in the year. The group's Dobro master Rob Ickes was awarded the Dobro Player of the Year award, adding a seventh trophy to his collection.
Harmony masters Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver were recipients of their fourth consecutive Vocal Group of the Year award, a nice conclusion in a year that included a 25th anniversary celebration of the founding of the influential group.
The Recorded Event of the Year was Livin' Lovin' Losin': Songs of the Louvin Brothers (Universal South) which brought a diverse group of artists together in tribute to the work of Charlie & Ira Louvin whose songs and harmony stylings have long been influential in bluegrass music. The album was produced by Carl Jackson and featured the talents of Joe Nichols, Rhonda Vincent, Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell, James Taylor, Alison Krauss, Vince Gill, Terri Clark, Merle Haggard, Carl Jackson, Ronnie Dunn, Rebecca Lynn Howard, Glen Campbell, Leslie Satcher, Kathy Louvin, Pamela Brown Hayes, Linda Ronstadt, Patty Loveless, Jon Randall, Harley Allen, Dierks Bentley, Larry Cordle, Jerry Salley, Dolly Parton, Sonya Isaacs, Marty Stuart, Del McCoury, Pam Tillis, Johnny Cash & the Jordanaires.
Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder picked up their sixth win for Instrumental Group of the Year. Instrumental Album of the Year went to the work of Michael Cleveland and Tom Adams, for Live At The Ragged Edge (Rounder), an album the two also produced. In addition to those honors, Cleveland was also named Fiddle Player of the Year, his third career win in that category, having taken home the honor in 2001 and 2002. Guitar virtuoso Bryan Sutton received the Guitar Player of the Year nod for his third career win since 2000.
It was an exciting night for the newly crowned Emerging Artists of the Year King Wilkie, as they accepted their first International Bluegrass Music Award. Adam Steffey, a member of Mountain Heart, took home the award for Mandolin Player of the Year for the third year in a row and the Bass Player of the Year recipient was Missy Raines, who returned to the stage for her fifth win in the category, with previous wins from 1998 through 2001. Last year's Hall of Honor Inductee J.D. Crowe was back in the spotlight for his second career win for Banjo Player of the Year (the first being in 1994), proving the IBMA membership recognizes the enduring talents of legends as well as the younger generation.
The 2004 IBMA Bluegrass Hall of Honor inductees were Curly Seckler and the late Bill Vernon. Seckler, one of the most important sidemen in bluegrass music history, added significantly to the quality and professionalism of the music during its early "golden era." He was best known for his rhythm mandolin playing and tenor harmony singing while working intermittently with Flatt & Scruggs from 1949 to 1962. Bill Vernon's work in the broadcast and print media and in other endeavors introduced thousands to bluegrass music.
He began as a part-time broadcaster in New York City, later taking a full-time job at WDHA in Dover, NJ in 1970. The bulk of his radio work was done at stations in Virginia, principally 21 years at WYTI in Rocky Mount. He was also a significant early contributor to publications like Muleskinner News, Pickin', and Bluegrass Unlimited magazines.
The International Bluegrass Music Awards are being broadcast live on Sirius Satellite Radio and syndicated to radio stations in over 300 U.S. markets and 14 foreign networks, thanks to the support of Sirius Satellite Radio, Merlefest, Sugar Hill Records, Martha White, Deering Banjos and GHS Strings. For broadcast information, contact Shari Lacy, Marketing/PR Director with the IBMA at 888-GET-IBMA.
For more information on the IBMA call us or visit our website at www.ibma.org.
RECIPIENTS OF THE 2004 INTERNATIONAL BLUEGRASS MUSIC AWARDS
HALL OF HONOR INDUCTEES
Curly Seckler, Bill Vernon
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
The Del McCoury Band
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Larry Sparks
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Rhonda Vincent
INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
EMERGING ARTIST OF THE YEAR
King Wilkie
SONG OF THE YEAR
"Kentucky Borderline," Rhonda Vincent (artist), Rhonda Vincent & Terry Herd (songwriters)
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
It's Just the Night, The Del McCoury Band. McCoury Music (label), produced by Del & Ronnie McCoury
GOSPEL RECORDED PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
Wondrous Love, Blue Highway, Rounder Records, produced by Alan O'Bryant
INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Live At The Ragged Edge, Tom Adams & Michael Cleveland, Rounder Records, produced by Tom Adams & Michael Cleveland
RECORDED EVENT OF THE YEAR
Livin' Lovin' Losin: Songs of the Louvin Brothers; featuring Joe Nichols, Rhonda Vincent, Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell, James Taylor, Alison Krauss, Vince Gill, Terri Clark, Merle Haggard, Carl Jackson, Ronnie Dunn, Rebecca Lynn Howard, Glen Campbell, Leslie Satcher, Kathy Louvin, Pamela Brown Hayes, Linda Ronstadt, Patty Loveless, Jon Randall, Harley Allen, Dierks Bentley, Larry Cordle, Jerry Salley, Dolly Parton, Sonya Isaacs, Marty Stuart, Del McCoury, Pam Tillis, Johnny Cash & the Jordanaires; Universal South Records; produced by Carl Jackson
INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMERS OF THE YEAR
BANJO
J.D. Crowe
DOBRO
Rob Ickes
BASS
Missy Raines
FIDDLE
Michael Cleveland
GUITAR
Bryan Sutton
MANDOLIN
Adam Steffey
DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENTS
Art Stamper
Kirk & Becky Brandenberger
Moses 'Mo' Asch
Tom T. & Dixie Hall
Jimmie Skinner
BROADCASTER OF THE YEAR
Terry Herd, Bluegrass Radio Network & Sirius Satellite Radio, Nashville, TN
BLUEGRASS EVENT OF THE YEAR
California Bluegrass Association 28th Annual Father's Day Bluegrass Festival, Grass Valley, CA.
PRINT MEDIA PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
Thomas Goldsmith, editor of the book The Bluegrass Reader, features editor for the News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and freelance writer for Bluegrass Unlimited.
BEST GRAPHIC DESIGN FOR RECORDED PROJECT
Sue Meyer (designer) for Bluegrass All-Stars: 16 Grand Slams from Sugar Hill Records, Sugar Hill Records
BEST LINER NOTES FOR RECORDED PROJECT
Eddie Stubbs & Charles Wolfe, PhD (writers) for Tis Sweet to Be Remembered, by Mac Wiseman on Bear Family Records
