NC group nominated for multiple bluegrass awards

The International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Awards will be held in Raleigh on Sept. 27.

Posted 6:12 p.m. Jul 25, 2018 — Updated 6:12 p.m. Jul 25, 2018

Kathy Hanrahan, Out

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RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina's own Balsam Range is up for several International Bluegrass Music Association Awards this year.

Nominees were announced Wednesday in Nashville, Tenn., for the awards, which take place Sept. 27 at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts as part of IBMAs World of Bluegrass event, which is Sept. 25-29

Balsam Range is up against The Del McCoury Band, The Earls of Leicester, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver and The Gibson Brothers in the Entertainers of the Year category. The group is also also nominated for Vocal Group of the Year.

The band from Haywood County, N.C., took home IBMA awards for both Entertainer of the Year and Vocal Group of the Year in 2014 and 2015. The band won album of the year for their record Mountain Voodoo last year.

Becky Buller and Molly Tuttle lead IBMA nominations with six each. Get a full list of nominees

The awards are part of a packed week activities associated with IBMA's World of Bluegrass, which also includes a business conference, Bluegrass Ramble and Wide Open Bluegrass festival.

Last week, singer Rhiannon Giddens was added to the lineup for the Wide Open Bluegrass.

Giddens, a member of the North Carolina trio The Carolina Chocolate Drops, won the Steve Martin Prize for banjo music in 2016. During Wide Open Bluegrass, Giddens will perform as part of a special collaboration with Alison Brown, Becky Buller, Sierra Hull, Missy Raines, Molly Tuttle and Gillian Welch.

Also added to the festival lineup is a special performance from Chatham County Line, who will be joined by Mandolin Orange, Mipso's Libby Rodenbough, Bobby Britt and Mike Compton and Joe Newberry.

The schedule for the ticketed portion of the Wide Open Bluegrass Festival, which takes place at Red Hat Amphitheater Sept. 28-29, also includes:

Friday, Sept. 28

Special collaboration with Alison Brown, Becky Buller, Sierra Hull, Missy Raines, and Molly Tuttle and guest appearances by Gillian Welch and Rhiannon Giddens
Earls of Leicester presented by Jerry Douglas - Live CD release
The TRUST, featuring Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Balsam Range, Lonesome River Band, Donna Ulisse, Chris Jones & The Night Drivers, Sideline, and Love Canon
Flatt Lonesome

Saturday, Sept. 29

Leftover Salmon presents the Wide Open Jam (more special guests to be announced)
Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder with guest appearance by Patty Loveless
Chatham County Line with special guests Mandolin Orange; Libby Rodenbough (of Mipso); Bobby Britt (of Town Mountain); Mike Compton & Joe Newberry
The Gibson Brothers
Laurie Lewis & Friends
Volume Five

Tickets are currently on sale, with a portion of proceeds going to the Bluegrass Trust Fund.

Wide Open Bluegrass also includes a free street festival.

Organizers announced in May that the World of Bluegrass festival will remain in Raleigh through 2021.