NC band vying for multiple bluegrass awards

The awards will be held Oct. 1 in Raleigh as part of the IBMA World of Bluegrass event set for Sept. 29-Oct. 3.

Posted 4:56 p.m. Aug 12, 2015 — Updated 4:56 p.m. Aug 12, 2015

Kathy Hanrahan

RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina's own Balsam Range is nominated for Entertainer of the Year at this year's International Bluegrass Music Association Awards.

Nominees were announced Wednesday in Nashville, Tenn., for the awards, which take place Oct. 1 at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts as part of IBMAs World of Bluegrass event, which is Sept. 29-Oct.3.

Balsam Range are up against Hot Rize, The Del McCoury Band The Earls of Leicester and The Gibson Brothers in the Entertainers of the Year category. Balsam Range is also nominated for Vocal Group of the Year, Song of the Year, Album of the Year, Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year and Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year.

The band from Haywood County, N.C., took home last year's trophies for Entertainer of the Year and Vocal Group of the Year.

See a complete list of nominees

This year's Hall of Fame inductees are five-string banjoist Bill Keith and two-time IBMA Mall Vocalist of the Year, Larry Sparks.

Special awards, including those for Distinguished Achievement, will be presented during a luncheon on Oct. 1 during the World of Bluegrass Business Conference. Distinguished Achievement Award recipients this year include actor and performer Steve Martin, Alison Brown, Murphy Henry, the International Bluegrass Music Museum and “Bashful Brother” Oswald Kirby.

Awards are voted on by the professional membership the IBMA, the trade association for the bluegrass music industry.

The IBMA Awards Show will be broadcast live on SiriusXM Satellite Radio (Bluegrass Junction) and syndicated to more than 300 U.S. markets and 14 foreign networks.

IBMA’s World of Bluegrass event consists of four partsL the IBMA Business Conference, Sept 29-Oct.1, the IBMA Awards on Oct. 1, Wide Open Bluegrass Oct. 2-3 (which includes both free stages and ticketed festival performances) and the Bluegrass Ramble, an innovative series of showcases, taking place Sept.29 – Oct. 1.

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