Nominees Revealed For 2025 IBMA Momentum & Industry Awards

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The International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) has unveiled the nominees for this year’s Momentum and Industry Awards. All awards will be presented Sept. 16-18 during IBMA World of Bluegrass in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

The Momentum Awards will be presented Sept. 17. These awards are given to artists and industry professionals who are in the early stages of their bluegrass music careers. An award is also presented to a mentor for their positive influence on new artists and industry professionals.

The Industry Awards are presented for outstanding work in non-performing industry categories and will be given out on Sept. 18. Songwriters, broadcasters, writers, graphic designers, event promoters and sound engineers who have been active during the eligibility period are invited to apply annually for nominations.

Tickets to IBMA World of Bluegrass and more information on the events can be found here.

Momentum Award Nominees:

Band of the Year:
The Burnett Sisters Band
Country GongBang
Jackson Hollow
Mountain Grass Unit
Wyatt Ellis Band

Industry Involvement:
Jordan Laney
Helen Ludé
Austin Scelzo

Instrumentalist of the Year (2 awarded):
Justin Alexander
Luke Black
Marissa Colter
Kyser George
Anthony Howell
Rainy Miatke
Sam Stage

Vocalist of the Year:
Kristen Bearfield
Carly Greer
Yebin Kim
Seth Mulder
Ali Vance

Mentor of the Year:
Becky Buller
Louisa Branscomb
Martin Gilmore
Rick Lang
Deanie Richardson

Industry Award Nominees:

Writer of the Year:
Dan Miller
Alisa Murphy
Jessica Nicholson
Gary Reid
Garret K. Woodward

Photographer of the Year:
Sophie Clark
Laci Mack
Kevin Slick
Jason Tanner
Madison Thorn

Sound Engineer of the Year:
Scott Barnett
Eddie Faris
Clay Miller
Stephen Mougin
Rebekah Speer

Event of the Year:
DelFest – Cumberland, Maryland
Earl Scruggs Music Festival – Mill Spring, North Carolina
Hartford’s Mammoth Marathon – Nashville, Tennessee
High Mountain Hay Fever – Westcliffe, Colorado
Jerry Garcia – A Bluegrass Journey – Owensboro, Kentucky

Broadcaster of the Year:
Barb Heller- String Fever Bluegrass- North Country Public Radio- Canton, New York
Matt Hutchinson- Bluegrass Jam Along- London, England
Michelle Lee- Smoked Country Jam & Bluegrass Borderline- Michelle Lee On Air- Columbus, Ohio
Ronnie Moretz- WMMY- Jefferson, North Carolina
Daniel Mullins- Real Roots Radio- Walls of Time Bluegrass Podcast- Front Porch Fellowship- Xenia, Ohio

Songwriter of the Year:
Becky Buller
Brenna MacMillan
Jon Weisberger
Rick Lang
Thomm Jutz

Graphic Designer of the Year:
Andrea Roberson
Audrey Fletcher
Carla Wehby
Gina Dilg
Rebekah Speer

Liner Notes of the Year:
Jubilee – Becky Buller – Written by Becky Buller
Julia Belle: The John Hartford Fiddle Tune Project, Vol. 2 – Various Artists – Written by Rachel Baiman
Destinations & Fun Places – Rhonda Vincent – Written by Daniel Mullins
Earl Jam – Tony Trischka – Written by Neil V. Rosenberg
Remains to Be Scene – The Seldom Scene – Written by Ben Eldridge, Doug McKelway, Dudley Connell, Lou Reid, Ronnie Simpkins, Ron Stewart, and Fred Travers

Lauryn Sink
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