2016 IBMA Awards Nominees Announced

Nominees for the 2016 International Bluegrass Music Association Awards have been announced. Multi-nominees include the Earls of Leicester, the SteelDrivers and more.

In 2015, the Earls of Leicester took home the IBMA trophies for Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year, Instrumental Group of the Year and Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year; in addition, the group's Jerry Douglas was awarded Dobro Player of the Year, and another of the band’s members, Shawn Camp, earned Male Vocalist of the Year. In 2016, the Earls are again nominated for Entertainer of the Year and Instrumental Group of the Year; they also received a nod for Vocal Group of the Year, while Camp earned a Male Vocalist of the Year nom, Charlie Cushman has a Banjo Player of the Year nod, Douglas earned a nod for Dobro Player of the Year and Barry Bales received a Bass Player of the Year nom.

The SteelDrivers, meanwhile, earned recognition in the Song of the Year and Album of the Year categories. Of the nominations, the group's Tammy Rogers says in a press release, "We are thrilled and honored to be among the nominees for the 2016 IBMA Awards. These nominations continue to make 2016 our best year ever. Thank you to all who have believed and supported the SteelDrivers!"

A complete list of 2016 IBMA Awards nominees is below; nominees for Bluegrass Songwriter of the Year, as well as Special Awards and Momentum Awards recipients, have yet to be revealed. The awards ceremony is set to take place on Sept. 29 in Raleigh, N.C., during the annual World of Bluegrass event.

2016 International Bluegrass Music Association Awards Nominees

Entertainer of the Year

Balsam Range
Del McCoury Band
The Earls of Leicester
Flatt Lonesome
The Gibson Brothers

Female Vocalist of the Year

Becky Buller
Dale Ann Bradley
Claire Lynch
Amanda Smith
Rhonda Vincent

Male Vocalist of the Year

Shawn Camp
Del McCoury
Buddy Melton
Tim O'Brien
Danny Paisley

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

Song of the Year

"Black River," Sierra Hull
"Long Way Down," the SteelDrivers
"Radio," Steep Canyon Rangers
"Thunder & Lightning," Lonesome River Band
"You're the One," Flatt Lonesome

Album of the Year

Bridging the Tradition, Lonesome River Band
It's About Tyme, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
Runaway Train, Flatt Lonesome
The Muscle Shoals Recordings, the SteelDrivers
Weighted Mind, Sierra Hull

Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year

"All Dressed Up," Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers
"In the Heat of the Fire," Flatt Lonesome
"Rocking the Cradle," Lonesome River Band
"The Savior Is Born," Becky Buller
"Won't You Come Sing for Me," Laurie Lewis and the Right Hands.

Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year

"Cazenovia Cassanova," Frank Solivan with Sam Bush and Jerry Douglas
"Fireball," Special Consensus feat. Rob Ickes, Trey Hensley and Alison Brown
"Hogan's Goat," the Boxcars
"Hogan's House of Music," Ron Block
"Smartville," Ron Block

Emerging Artist of the Year

Band of Ruhks
The Lonely Heartstring Band
Mountain Faith
Sister Sadie
Steve Gulley & New Pinnacle
Town Mountain

Recorded Event of the Year

"Fireball," Special Consensus feat. Rob Ickes, Trey Hensley and Alison Brown
"Highway 40 Blues," Special Consensus with Della Mae
"In the Pines," Carl Jackson and Brad Paisley
"Longneck Blues," Junior Disk and Ronnie Bowman
"Pretty Woman," Frank Solivan and Del McCoury