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Nominees Announced for the 2010 International Bluegrass Music Awards

The International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) announced nominees on August 18th for the 21st annual International Bluegrass Music Awards to be held Thursday September 30th in Nashville's historic Ryman Auditorium.  At a press conference held at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the names were read by singer-songwriter Claire Lynch and mandolinist Adam Steffey, who also had multiple nominations.

The awards show is part of the annual World of Bluegrass event, a combination trade show, concert and awards presentation that IBMA has been putting on since 1990.  Set to run this year September 27th through October 3rd in Nashville, IBMA describes it as being "about the relationships you build and keep for the life of your business", your business being, of course, bluegrass music.

Sam Bush, a mandolinist and singer-songwriter who has been playing bluegrass for 40 years and who received five nominations for awards this year, said that the IBMA Awards show "is based not around haircut trends, television or necessarily airplay. It's based around integrity and an honest music that is handed down and learned. ... It's one of the few awards shows where the audience is made up -- and I may be underestimating this -- of at least 50 percent musicians. It's pretty gratifying that your peers are the ones who are nominating you and being in the audience, too."

Here's a complete list of the 2010 IBMA nominees:

Entertainer of the Year
Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
Dailey & Vincent
the Grascals
The Del McCoury Band
Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out

Vocal Group
Blue Highway
Dailey & Vincent
The Gibson Brothers
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out

Instrumental Group
Blue Highway
Sam Bush Band
Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
The Infamous Stringdusters
Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder

Male Vocalist
Jamie Dailey
Russell Moore
Tim O'Brien
Junior Sisk
Dan Tyminski

Female Vocalist
Dale Ann Bradley
Sonya Isaacs
Alison Krauss
Patty Loveless
Claire Lynch

Album of the Year
Circles Around Me
Sam Bush

Dailey & Vincent Sing the Statler Brothers
Dailey & Vincent

Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out

Ring the Bell
The Gibson Brothers

The Famous Lefty Flynn's
The Grascals

Song of the Year
"Elizabeth"
Artist: Dailey & Vincent
Writer: Lester James Fortune

"Hard Rock Mountain Prison ('Till I Die)"
Artist: Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
Writers: Ray Edwards, Larry Cox and Terry Foust

"My Florida Sunshine"
Artist: Claire Lynch
Writer: Bill Monroe

"Ring the Bell"
Artist: The Gibson Brothers
Writer: Chet O'Keefe

"The Ballad of Stringbean and Estelle"
Artist: Sam Bush
Writers: Guy Clark, Verlon Thompson and Sam Bush

Recorded Event
"Bleeding for a Little Peace of Mind"
Blue Highway featuring Darrell Scott

"Give This Message to Your Heart"
Larry Stephenson featuring Dailey & Vincent

"I'm Blue, I'm Lonesome"
The Grascals with Hank Williams Jr.

"Talk to Me Lonesome Heart"
Larry Stephenson featuring Connie Smith and Marty Stuart

"That's What Makes You Strong"
Claire Lynch with Jesse Winchester

Gospel Recorded Performance
"Don't You Wanna Go to Heaven"
Dailey & Vincent

"I Just Want to Thank You Lord"
Larry Sparks

"Light on My Feet, Ready to Fly"
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver

"Ring the Bell"
The Gibson Brothers

"The Eastern Gate"
Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out

Instrumental Recorded Performance
"Blue Mountain"
Sam Bush

"Blue Rock Slide"
The Grascals

"Cherokee Shuffle"
Josh Williams

"Durang's Hornpipe"
Adam Steffey

"Mourning Dove"
Steep Canyon Rangers

Emerging Artist
Balsam Range
Sierra Hull & Highway 111
Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass
Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice
Josh Williams Band

Instrumental Performers

Banjo
Terry Baucom
Kristin Scott Benson
J.D. Crowe
Sammy Shelor
Ron Stewart

Bass
Barry Bales
Mike Bub
Missy Raines
Darrin Vincent
Marshall Wilborn

Fiddle
Jason Carter
Michael Cleveland
Stuart Duncan
Andy Leftwich
Ron Stewart

Dobro
Mike Auldridge
Jerry Douglas
Andy Hall
Rob Ickes
Randy Kohrs

Guitar
Cody Kilby
Tony Rice
Kenny Smith
Bryan Sutton
Josh Williams

Mandolin
Jesse Brock
Sam Bush
Sierra Hull
Ronnie McCoury
Adam Steffey

Bluegrass Event
Pass It On: The 30th Anniversary Minnesota Bluegrass and Old-Time Music Festival (St. Cloud, Minn.)

The 14th Annual Podunk Bluegrass Music Festival (East Hartford, Conn.)

The Red, White & Bluegrass Festival (Morgantown, N.C.)

Bluegrass Broadcaster:
Kyle Cantrell (Sirius XM Satellite Radio, Nashville)
Katy Daley (WAMU's BluegrassCountry.org, Washington, D.C.)
Chris Jones (Sirius XM Satellite Radio, Nashville)

Bluegrass Print Media Person
Eddie Dean and Dr. Ralph Stanley, authors of Man of Constant Sorrow: My Life and Times

Derek Halsey, freelance writer, The Herald Dispatch, Gritz magazine and Bluegrass Unlimited

Larry Nager, freelance writer, Bluegrass Unlimited

Liner Notes for Recorded Project

Writer: Fred Bartenstein
Singing From the Heart, Dailey & Vincent

Writer: Benji Flaming
Solo Banjo, Benji Flaming

Writer: Dr. Ted Olson
Appalachia Music From Home, Ralph Stanley, Jean Ritchie, Dock Boggs, Darrell Scott, Robin & Linda Williams, Blue Highway and others

Best Graphic Design for Recorded Project
Designer: Julie Craig (Cracker Barrel)
Dailey & Vincent Sing the Statler Brothers, Dailey & Vincent

Designer: Benji Flaming
Solo Banjo, Benji Flaming

Designer: Bill Womack (Hellos Inc.)
Appalachia Music From Home, Ralph Stanley, Jean Ritchie, Dock Boggs, Darrell Scott, Robin & Linda Williams, Blue Highway and others

About the Author

Ross Pincock is an accomplished musician and writer. He has been writing and performing since 1990, and has designed some web pages on the side. Ross loves to travel and write about the local music scenes of the places he visits.