Reigning IBMA Entertainer of the Year, The Earls of Leicester, lead this year’s IBMA awards nominations, which were announced Wednesday (July 27) in Nashville. Individually and as a group, The Earls of Leicester picked up nominations for Entertainer of the Year, Vocal Group of the Year and Instrumental Group of the Year while individual nominations go to members Shawn Camp for Male Vocalist of the Year, Jerry Douglas for Dobro Player of the Year, Barry Bales for Bass Player of the Year and Charlie Cushman for Banjo Player of the Year.

Douglas also earned a nod for Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year (“Cazenovia Casanova,” with Frank Solivan and Sam Bush)

Del McCoury Band follows with six nominations (for the band and individuals), including Entertainer of the Year, Recorded Event of the Year (“Pretty Woman,” with Frank Solivan); Male Vocalist of the Year for Del McCoury, Fiddle Player of the Year for Jason Carter, Bass Player of the Year for Alan Bartram and Instrumental Group of the Year for the Travelin’ McCourys.

Flatt Lonesome, who earned the 2014 Emerging Artist of the Year honor, garnered five nominations this year, including Entertainer of the Year, Vocal Group of the Year, Album of the Year (for Runaway Train), Song of the Year (“You’re the One”), and Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year (“In The Heat of the Fire”).

Becky Buller, Sam Bush, Sierra Hull, and Frank Solivan earned three nominations apiece.

This year’s winners will be announced during the International Bluegrass Music Awards, slated for Thursday, Sept. 29 at Duke Energy Performing Arts Center in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Also announced Wednesday morning were the latest inductees into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame. Guitarist/singer Clarence White, and Rounder Records founders Bill Nowlin, Marian Leighton Levy and Ken Irwin will be inducted during the awards show on Sept. 29. The Rounder founders celebrated 45 years in 2015.

Each year, the IBMA also recognizes up to five individuals for their significant contributions to bluegrass music, with its Distinguished Achievement Award. This year’s recipients include Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine, the Boston Bluegrass Union, William Hundley “Bill” Emerson, Jr. (founder of groups The Country Gentlemen and Emerson & Waldron), producer/manager/publisher Jim Rooney, and SiriusXM Radio’s Bluegrass Junction. The Distinguished Achievement Awards will be presented during an awards luncheon on Thursday, Sept. 29 during IBMA’s World of Bluegrass Week in Raleigh, North Carolina.

2016 IBMA Awards Nominations

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Balsam Range
The Del McCoury Band
The Earls of Leicester
Flatt Lonesome
The Gibson Brothers

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Balsam Range
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
The Earls of Leicester
Flatt Lonesome
The Gibson Brothers

INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
The Earls of Leicester
Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen
Punch Brothers
Sam Bush Band
The Travelin’ McCourys

EMERGING ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Band of Ruhks
The Lonely Heartstring Band
Mountain Faith
Sister Sadie
Steve Gulley & New Pinnacle
Town Mountain

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Shawn Camp
Del McCoury
Buddy Melton
Tim O’Brien
Danny Paisley

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Becky Buller
Dale Ann Bradley
Claire Lynch
Amanda Smith
Rhonda Vincent

BANJO PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Charlie Cushman
Jens Kruger
Mike Munford
Noam Pikelny
Sammy Shelor

BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Barry Bales
Alan Bartram
Mike Bub
Missy Raines
Mark Schatz

FIDDLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Becky Buller
Jason Carter
Michael Cleveland
Stuart Duncan
Ron Stewart

DOBRO PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jerry Douglas
Andy Hall
Rob Ickes
Phil Leadbetter
Josh Swift

GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Chris Eldridge
Jim Hurst
Kenny Smith
Bryan Sutton
Josh Williams

MANDOLIN PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jesse Brock
Sam Bush
Sierra Hull
Frank Solivan
Adam Steffey

SONG OF THE YEAR
“Black River,” Sierra Hull (Artist) – Sierra Hull (Writer) – Rounder Records (Label)
“Long Way Down,” The SteelDrivers (Artist) – Elizabeth Mala Hengber, Tammy Rogers King, and Jerry Salley (Writers) – Rounder Records (Label)
“Radio,” Steep Canyon Rangers (Artist) – Graham Paul Sharp (Writer) – (Label)
“Thunder & Lightning,” Lonesome River Band (Artist) – Adam Wright (Writer) – Mountain Home Music (Label)
“You’re the One,” Flatt Lonesome (Artist) – Dwight Yoakam (Writer) – Mountain Home Music (Label)

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Bridging the Tradition, Lonesome River Band; Mountain Home Music (Label)
It’s About Tyme, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out; Break A String (Label)
Runaway Train, Flatt Lonesome; Mountain Home Music (Label)
The Muscle Shoals Recordings, The SteelDrivers; Rounder Records (Label)
Weighted Mind,  Sierra Hull; Rounder Records (Label)

GOSPEL RECORDED PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
“All Dressed Up,” Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers; Sacred Memories; Rebel Records (Label)
“In The Heat of the Fire,” Flatt Lonesome; Runaway Train; Mountain Home Music (Label)
“Rocking of the Cradle,” Lonesome River Band; Bridging the Tradition; Mountain Home Music (Label)
“The Savior Is Born,” Becky Buller; The Christmas 45 Vol. 1; Dark Shadow Recording (Label)
“Won’t You Come and Sing For Me,” Laurie Lewis and the Right Hands; The Hazel and Alice Sessions; Spruce and Maple Music (Label)

INSTRUMENTAL RECORDED PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
“Cazenovia Casanova,” Frank Solivan with Sam Bush and Jerry Douglas; Family, Friends & Heroes; Compass Records (Label)
“Fireball,” Special Consensus featuring Rob Ickes, Trey Hensley, and Alison Brown; Long I Ride; Compass Records (Label)
“Hogan’s Goat,” The Boxcars; Familiar with the Ground; Mountain Home Music (Label)
“Hogan’s House of Music,” Ron Block; Hogan’s House of Music; Hogan’s House of Music (Label)
“Smartville,” Ron Block; Hogan’s House of Music; Hogan’s House of Music (Label)

RECORDED EVENT OF THE YEAR
“Fireball,” Special Consensus featuring Rob Ickes, Trey Hensley, and Alison Brown; Long I Ride; Compass Records (Label)
“Highway 40 Blues,” Special Consensus with Della Mae; Long I Ride; Compass Records (Label)
“In The Pines,” Carl Jackson and Brad Paisley; Orthophonic Joy: The 1927 Bristol Sessions Revisited; Birthplace of Country Music (Label)
“Longneck Blues,” Junior Sisk and Ronnie Bowman; Poor Boy’s Pleasure; Mountain Fever (Label)
“Pretty Woman,” Frank Solivan with Del McCoury; Family, Friends & Heroes; Compass Records (Label)

Peter Strickland has been named Chief Marketing Officer of Warner Music Nashville and Matt Signore will be the label’s future Chief Operating Officer.

Strickland was formerly EVP/GM at Warner Music Nashville; his role in the newly-created position goes into effect immediately. He joined WEA in 1988 as a field representative based in Boston. He moved to Nashville in 1995, becoming sales manager for Warner Bros. Records, and went on to serve as Vice President of Sales/Marketing for Warner/Reprise Nashville. He was upped to SVP, Brand Management & Sales before being named WMN’s EVP/GM in 2013.

Strickland also oversees WMN’s comedy imprint LoudMouth Entertainment, and executive produced Jimmy Fallon’s 2013 Grammy-winning comedy album, Blow Your Pants Off.

Signore is currently president of WEA, the global artist and label services division of Warner Music. He will begin his new role on Jan. 1, 2017, and will report to Warner Music Nashville Chairman/CEO John Esposito.

Signore joined WEA in 2005 as Chief Financial Officer, and soon added General Manager to his responsibilities. He became President of WEA in 2013. Prior to his WEA tenure, Signore served as CFO & GM of Island Def Jam (IDJ), before which he held various senior finance positions at Island Records.

“Since we launched Warner Music Nashville seven years ago, our single focus has been artist development,” said Esposito. “We have nurtured a diverse roster of extraordinary talent, while building the finest team and label culture in Music City, ensuring that country music’s best artists have the most creative and dedicated support in the business. Peter has been at the heart of this effort. He has not only been a partner with me from day one, but also draws on his 20 years of experience and deep relationships in Nashville.”

Esposito added, “I have known and worked with Matt for over two decades, including our years together at WEA. He is a trusted colleague and a great friend, with an exceptional depth of knowledge and experience. His strategic, operational, and financial insights will be invaluable as we continue to develop our artists’ careers, and I am thrilled that we will be partners again as he begins this new phase of his life.”

CMT has announced a second season, 13-episode renewal of Still The King, starring Billy Ray Cyrus, Joey Lauren Adams and Madison Iseman.

The one-hour season finale airs Sunday, Aug. 14 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Season 2 will begin production this fall and is slated to premiere next year.

The premiere of Still The King on June 8 marked CMT’s highest rated original series premiere to date grossing more than 4.7 million total viewers (L+3) for a 1.03 rating A18-49 rating across a 3 network simulcast (CMT, TV Land, Nick@Nite). The series is currently reaching nearly 4.5 million viewers each week.

“Working on the series has been a career highlight,” said Cyrus, who is also executive producer. “Thanks to the fans for embracing these crazy characters and all of their beautiful flaws. We’re going to take this mess to a whole new level next season.”

“The success of Still The King is a wonderful start for our move into scripted programming,” said Jayson Dinsmore, EVP of development for CMT. “Both charming and irreverent, this series is like nothing else on television and we can’t wait to continue the journey.”