IBMA Announces Industry, Momentum Awards Nominations For 2019

The International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) has revealed its slate of nominees for this year’s Industry Awards and Momentum Awards, ahead of the IBMA Business Conference (part of the organization’s World of Bluegrass event).

The Industry Awards recognize excellent work in various categories, including Broadcaster of the Year, Event of the Year, Graphic Designer of the Year, Liner Notes of the Year, Writer of the Year, Sound Engineer of the Year, and Songwriter of the Year. Nominees in each category are selected by specially appointed committees made up of bluegrass music professionals who possess significant knowledge of that field. The recipient of each award is decided on by the Panel of Electors, an anonymous group of over 200 veteran bluegrass music professionals selected by the IBMA Board of Directors.

The Momentum Awards recognize both musicians and bluegrass industry professionals who, in the early stages of their careers, are making significant contributions to or are having a significant influence upon bluegrass music. These contributions can be to bluegrass music in general, or to a specific sector of the industry. The Mentor Award, in contrast to the other Momentum Awards, recognizes a bluegrass professional who has made a significant impact on the lives and careers of newcomers to the bluegrass industry. Starting with recommendations from the IBMA membership, nominees are chosen through a multi-stage process by committees made up of respected musicians and industry leaders in the bluegrass world.

The 2019 Momentum Awards recipients will be presented with their honors at a conference luncheon on Sept. 25, while the the Industry Awards winners will be presented with their awards at a conference luncheon on Sept. 26. Thursday’s Awards Luncheon will also include a segment honoring the recipients of the 2019 Distinguished Achievement Awards.

 Industry Awards nominees:

Graphic Designer of the Year
Michael Armistead
Steve Cooley
Landon Elmore
Grace Van’t Hof
Lee Swartz

Liner Notes of the Year
Allison De Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves – Project: Allison De Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves
Akira Otsuka, Dudley Connell, Jeff Place, Katy Daley – Project: Epilogue: A Tribute to John Duffey (Various Artists)
Colin Escott – Project: The Louvin Brothers – Love and Wealth: The Lost Recordings
Neil V. Rosenberg – Project: Tribute to the Kentucky Colonels (Roland White and Friends)
Ted Olson – Project: Didn’t He Ramble, Songs of Charlie Poole (David Davis & The Warrior River Boys)

Broadcaster of the Year
Jan Dale (“Southern Style” – PBS-FM)
Barb Heller (“String Fever” – NCPR)
Brad Kolodner (“Brad Kolodner Show”- Bluegrass Country Radio, “Old Time Jam” – Radio Bristol)
Michelle Lee (“Bluegrass Borderline” – WOBL, “Smoked Country Jam” – WOBL)
Peter Thompson (“Bluegrass Signal” – KALW)

Writer of the Year
Craig Havighurst
Ted Lehmann
David Morris
Bill Nowlin
Greg Reish

Songwriter of the Year
Charles Humphrey III
Thomm Jutz
Rick Lang
Milan Miller
Jerry Salley

Sound Engineer of the Year
Dewey Boyd
Steve Chandler
Anna Frick
Tim Reitnouer
Ben Surratt

Event of the Year
Bloomin’ Bluegrass Festival (Farmers Branch, Texas)
Blueberry Bluegrass Festival (Stony Plain, Alberta Canada)
Emelin Theatre Bluegrass Concert Series (Mamaroneck, New York)
County Bluegrass (Fort Fairfield, Maine)
The Crooked Road’s Mountains of Music Homecoming (Southwest Virginia)

Momentum Awards Nominees:

Industry Involvement
Dustin Boyd
Kara Kundert
Bennett Sullivan

Mentor of the Year
Anni Beach
Mark Fain
Tom Mindte
Jon Weisberger

Band
A.J. Lee & Blue Summit (California)
Cane Mill Road (Deep Gap, NC)
Circus No. 9 (East Tennessee)
The Price Sisters (Sardis, Ohio)
Slocan Ramblers (Canada)

Vocalist
Kristy Cox
Jacob Greer
Ellie Hakanson
A.J. Lee
Lauren Price Napier

Instrumentalist [two are chosen in this category]
Daniel Amick
Aaron “Frosty” Foster
Ellie Hakanson
Liam Purcell
Jeremy Stephens
Jerrod Walker
Tray Wellington

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Jessica Nicholson

Jessica Nicholson serves as the Managing Editor for MusicRow magazine. Her previous music journalism experience includes work with Country Weekly magazine and Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) magazine. She holds a BBA degree in Music Business and Marketing from Belmont University. She welcomes your feedback at jnicholson@musicrow.com.

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