The Roys Named Top Bluegrass Artist

The Roys have achieved another career highlight. The brother and sister duo were named the Top Bluegrass Artist at the 10th Annual International Acoustic Music Awards (IAMA) last week.

'Another Minute,' a song that was penned by Lee Roy in honor of their grandfather,  went up against songs from all over the world. Winners were chosen by an expert panel of judges that included A&R executives, publishers and producers. Each song was considered based on music performance, production, originality, lyrics, melody and composition

“What an honor it is to be recognized internationally for this song!” Lee Roy says. “My grandfather was such an incredible person, and the time I had with him was so precious!  Looking back, I realized how much he helped to shape my life and I set out to write a song about it. Fans just immediately connected with it, so we included it on our latest album. It’s really cool to win this award but even better that my grandfather helped me to win it!”

His sister, Elaine Roy, says she was deeply moved by the poignant tune. “When Lee brought me this song, it brought tears to my eyes,” she recalls. “Pepere [French for grandfather] would be humbled by it all, but so proud that his grandson was able to write something that would resonate with fans all over the world. We couldn’t be more thrilled!”

The song can be found on their latest album, 'Gypsy Runaway Train,' which includes both original tunes and classic covers, including their take on the gospel song, 'He Took Your Place.'

The Roys will spend much of the next few months on the road, including performing at the Folk Alliance International Conference in Kansas City, Mo. this weekend. See all of their upcoming shows here.