Dailey and Vincent Take Top Honors at Bluegrass Awards

Dailey and Vincent held on to their status as the IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) Entertainer of the Year for the second consecutive year Thursday night at the association's annual awards show in Nashville. The duo also took home awards for Vocal Group and Album, for 'Dailey and Vincent Sing the Statler Brothers.'

Jamie and Darrin also joined Larry Stephenson in winning Recorded Event for the song "Give This Message To Your Heart," which was on Larry's '20th Anniversary' album.

Upon winning the award for Album, Jamie said, "This was my dream record. I listened to all the bluegrass greats of the day, but I also listened to the Statler Brothers. They were great singers and entertainers." After receiving the Entertainer award, he told the audience, "We are really touched by this. We feel that it is our job to go out there and try to make people forget their cares and worries for an hour or hour-and-a-half when they come to see us play."

Russell Moore of IIIrd Tyme Out received the Male Vocalist honors. He promised to do his best to uphold the responsibilities of the year for the next year. Claire Lynch took home the trophy for Female Vocalist. "It is indeed a great honor to get this honor from all of you. You are wonderful people who are in bluegrass music; you are my family."

Dierks Bentley, who released the bluegrass-based album, 'Up on the Ridge,' earlier this year, performed his tune 'Fiddlin' Around' as the opening number with Jon Randall Stewart, Sierra Hull and Ronnie McCoury. Later in the program, he sang 'You Are My Flower' with Earl Scruggs and his sons, Randy and Gary, along with Jon Randall and Rob Ickes. "We asked Dierks to sing with us because his first name sounds bluegrassy," Gary joked.

There were several other special performances during the awards show, including former Statler Brother Jimmy Fortune coming out to sing with Dailey and Vincent on the song he wrote, 'Elizabeth.' Guitar virtuoso Tony Rice joined the Josh Williams Band on 'Blue Railroad Train' and Darrell Scott sang the song he wrote, 'A Little Piece of Mind,' with Blue Highway. The Sam Bush Band performed a song he co-wrote, 'The Ballad of Stringbean and Estelle,' which recounts the tragic murders of Grand Ole Opry member Stringbean and his wife, who were killed during a burglary of their home in 1973. The grand finale of the evening was the John Hartford String Band performing 'Gentle on my Mind' with Alison Brown, Jamie Hartford, Tut Taylor, Jerry Douglas, Peter Rowan, Sam Bush and Tim O'Brien.

In a special tribute, several artists payed homage to the tenth anniversary of the soundtrack to 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?' Jerry Douglas and Alison Krauss, who co-hosted the awards show, did ' Down to the River to Pray,' while the Whites reprised the Carter Family's 'Keep on the Sunny Side.' Dan Tyminski sang 'I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow,' the song he sang which George Clooney lip-synced in the movie. The soundtrack has now sold more than eight million copies.

Other performers included Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Claire Lynch, Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out, and the Del McCoury Band. Sisters Sharon and Cheryl White were co-hosts along with Dobro great Jerry Douglas, who used to travel with their family group The Whites.

The two newest members of the Bluegrass Hall of Fame are Louise Scruggs, wife of Earl Scruggs, who was his manager and booking agent for many years, and John Hartford, songwriter, musician and entertainer who wrote 'Gentle on my Mind.' Louise's son Gary told the audience, "It was truly a man's world when our mom was working with my dad, but she didn't let that man's world define her." Randy added, "She did as much to take bluegrass to another level and expose it to new audiences as anyone who has worked in it."

During his induction of John Hartford, Tim O'Brien said, "John represents the past, present and future of our music." John's son Jamie and daughter Katie accepted his award. "Dad loved this music and the people who make it," Katie said. "I was trying to think what dad would say, and I think I found it on one of his three-by-five cards, where he wrote 'Bluegrass is America's small town. Everyone knows everyone and you don't have to lock your doors'."

2010 IBMA Award Winners:

Entertainer of the Year

Dailey and Vincent

Female Vocalist of the Year

Claire Lynch

Male Vocalist of the Year

Russell Moore

Vocal Group of the Year

Dailey and Vincent

Emerging Artist of the Year

Josh Williams Band

Album of the Year

'Dailey and Vincent Sing the Statler Brothers;' Dailey and Vincent

Recorded Event of the Year

'Give This Message To Your Heart,' Larry Stephenson featuring Dailey and Vincent

Song of the Year

Ring the Bell,' Gibson Brothers; Chet O'Keefe, songwriter

Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year

'Ring the Bell,' Gibson Brothers; Chet O'Keefe, songwriter

Instrumental Group of the Year

Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper

Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year

'Durang's Hornpipe' by Adam Steffey (artist), Barry Bales and Gary Paczosa (producers)