Del McCoury to Join IBMA Bluegrass Hall of Fame

Del McCoury, leader of the Del McCoury Band, and guitarist George Shuffler will be inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame on September 29 during the 22nd annual International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Awards at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.

On the same night, the IBMA will honor the artists who will take home trophies in 12 categories, including Entertainer, Male, Female, Group and Song and Album of the Year. Nominations for the categories were announced Tuesday evening (August 17) with the Boxcars taking a total of six. The group includes Adam Steffey, Ron Stewart, John R. Bowman, Keith Garrett and Harold Nixon. In the Instrumentalist of the Year category, Ron is not only nominated for Banjo Player of the Year, he also scored a nod in the Fiddle Player of the Year category, while bandmate Adam received a Mandolin Player of the Year nomination. The group also received nods in the Entertainer, Instrumental Group, Emerging Artist, and Album of the Year categories as well as Gospel Recorded Performance ('In God's Hands') and Instrumental Recorded Performance ('Jumpin' the Track').

The Gibson Brothers are nominated in six categories as well -- Entertainer of the Year, Vocal Group of the Year, Album of the Year for 'Help My Brother;' Gospel Recorded Performance for 'He Can Be Found;' and two Song of the Year nods --- 'Help My Brother,' written by Leigh Gibson, and 'Walkin' West to Memphis,' written by Chris Henry. Leigh is also nominated for Male Vocalist of the Year.

Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out are nominated in two categories, Vocal Group and Album and Recorded Event for their role in the multi-artist 'All Star Jam: Live at Graves Mountain.' Individually, Russell is nominated for Male Vocalist and group member Wayne Benson is nominated for Mandolin Player. Russell and Dale Ann Bradley are nominated for Gospel Recorded Performance for 'Sailing On.' Wayne is also nominated in the Instrumentalist Recorded Performance for 'Ground Speed' with the Rural Rhythm All-Stars featuring Russell and several other artists. They are also nominated in a second Recorded Event, 'Lonesome River,' recorded by Lou Reid & Carolina featuring Russell.

In addition to the Boxcars and Gibson Brothers, Entertainer of the Year nominees include Dailey & Vincent, the Grascals and Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers. Male Vocalist nominations are rounded out by Jamie Dailey of Dailey & Vincent, Dan Tyminski and Josh Williams, who admitted he was caught totally surprised by the nomination. "This is a dream come true, for me to play bluegrass," Josh tells The Boot. "It's all I've ever wanted to do."

Dale Ann, along with Sonya Isaacs, Alison Krauss, Claire Lynch and Rhonda Vincent, are nominated for Female Vocalist. Vocal Group nominees, in additon to the Gibson Brothers and Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, are Blue Highway, Dailey & Vincent and Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver.

Ronnie McCoury, son of Hall of Fame inductee Del McCoury, says hearing his father's name called gave him one of the greatest days of his life. Ronnie is nomianted for Mandolin Player, along with the aforementioned Wayne Benson and Adam Steffey, Sam Bush and Sierra Hull. "It is great to see it happen for him now," says Ronnie. "He's working hard and not slowing down."

Sam Bush, who with the Sam Bush Band is nominated for Instrumental Group of the Year, says he's honored to host the awards show in the year of the 100th anniversary of the birth of the Father of Bluegrass, Bill Monroe. "I'm excited to host the show, especially at the Ryman," Sam tells The Boot. "I know at some point that evening I'll look out and remember the night I first heard Bill Monroe, in 1964, and where I sat there at the Ryman. As host, my job is to present the show and let the nominees, presenters and performers be the star of the show."

Sam also knows what it's like to take bluegrass music to music fans across the country and around the world. "My band plays bluegrass, new grass, reggae and rock 'n roll, so it would be easy for a rock audience to think we are bluegrass, and for the bluegrass fans to think we're a rock 'n roll band. That way we can introduce our music to people who didn't know they liked bluegrass music."

The 22nd annual International Bluegrass Music Association Awards show will be held September 29 at the Ryman Auditorium as part of the week-long World of Bluegrass celebration, with musicians and fans from around the globe gathering in Music City. The awards show will also be broadcast live on Sirius XM Satellite Radio (on Bluegrass Junction, Channel 61) and syndicated to more than 300 U.S. markets and 14 foreign networks.

For a complete list of IBMA Award Honorees and Nominees, visit www.ibma.org.

BLUEGRASS MUSIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES:

Del McCoury

George Shuffler

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

The Boxcars

Dailey & Vincent

The Gibson Brothers

The Grascals

Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers

EMERGING ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Darin & Brooke Aldridge

Balsam Range

The Boxcars

Sierra Hull & Highway 111

Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

Jamie Dailey

Leigh Gibson

Russell Moore

Dan Tyminski

Josh Williams

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

Dale Ann Bradley

Sonya Isaacs

Alison Krauss

Claire Lynch

Rhonda Vincent