Womack and Douglas to Host 25th IBMA Awards

By: Laura Hostelley
Lee Ann Womack will host the 25th annual International Bluegrass Music Awards, part of the 2014 World of Bluegrass event. Womack will be joined by Dobro player Jerry Douglas as they honor outstanding achievement in the genre.
The Oct. 2 award show will take place at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh, N.C. and is part of IBMA’s five-day event, running Sept. 30 – Oct. 4.
“Last year, I came as a fan—and I loved every moment of World of Bluegrass!” said Womack. “To be a part of the IBMA Awards is such an honor, and to get to co-host with Jerry Douglas? How lucky can one girl get?”
The week include four parts: the IBMA Business Conference (Sept. 30-Oct. 2), the 25th annual International Bluegrass Music Awards (Oct. 2), the Wide Open Bluegrass Music Festival (Oct. 3-4) and the Bluegrass Ramble, a series of bluegrass showcases (Sept. 30-Oct. 2).
The festival lineup this year includes Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder with Bruce Hornsby, Gibson Brothers, Steep Canyon Rangers and many more.
Last year’s World of Bluegrass welcomed a total estimated attendance of more than 154,000 to witness over 300 performances from more than 160 different artists. The events, which moved from Nashville two years ago, were estimated to generate $10 million in direct visitor spending in 2013.
Tickets for the Award Show, as well as for the ticketed portion of Wide Open Bluegrass (which takes place at Red Hat Amphitheater and Raleigh Convention Center Ballroom Stages), Bluegrass Ramble Showcase passes, and IBMA Business Conference registration can be purchased at ibma.org.