IBMA Announces International Bluegrass Music Award Nominees

Nashville, TN- IBMA is proud to announce the nominees for the 20th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards, hosted by Grammy^®-winning country artist Kathy Mattea and the legendary bluegrass band, Hot Rize, on Thursday, October 1, 2009, at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee.

Two decades after the very first IBMA Award Show–an intimate industry gathering at the Executive Inn’s Showroom Lounge in Owensboro, Kentucky, hosted by Vince Gill and the Dirt Band’s John McEuen–bluegrass music’s premier night continues to be the most anticipated evening of the year. Now a generation away from that first show, the bluegrass tradition of passing the music on from one generation to the next also continues, evidenced by the six bands nominated for Entertainer of the Year in 2009. All have gained valuable experience as journeymen musicians with established artists in the past, and have now become the band leaders and musical stylists who will inspire future generations.

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Kathy Mattea and Hot Rize to Host 20th International Bluegrass Music Awards

Nashville, TN- Grammy^®-winning country artist Kathy Mattea and the legendary bluegrass band, Hot Rize will co-host the 20^th annual International Bluegrass Music Awards on Thursday, October 1, at 7:30 p.m. at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium.

According to show co-producer Cindy Baucom, “Kathy Mattea and Hot Rize are a perfect fit as our hosts.  With their long musical history, the chemistry between them gives us the elements for a fun show.”

The members of Hot Rize have a long association with IBMA. In fact, they took home the Entertainer of the Year trophy at the very first International Bluegrass Music Awards in 1990. Pete “Dr. Banjo” Wernick served as president of IBMA from 1986-2001. Tim O’Brien, who followed as president from 2001-2004, was also named Male Vocalist of the Year in 1993 and 2006. Bryan Sutton received the IBMA award for Guitar Player of the Year in 2000, and then every year from 2003-2006. The entire group, including bass player/ renowned public radio etown host Nick Forster, took top honors for Song of the Year in 1991, for their performance of “Colleen Malone.”

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Swallow Hill Announces Lineup for Third Annual RootsFest Denver

Denver, CO- In celebration of its 30th anniversary, Swallow Hill is pleased to announce the artist lineup for the Third Annual RootsFest Denver (formerly known as the Denver Folk & Roots Music Festival) on Saturday, March 28, 2009, in the unique setting of one of the finest acoustic concert halls in America, the Ellie Caulkins Opera House at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. RootsFest Denver 2009 will feature headliners Hot Rize, Shawn Colvin, and Leo Kottke, who will be joined by some of the hottest young acts in roots music today, including Tallest Man on Earth, Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams, Joe Pug, and Boulder Acoustic Society.

The evening begins at 6 p.m. sharp with a series of four showcases featuring some of the most buzz-worthy up-and-coming roots artists in the nation.

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2009 RockyGrass Lineup Announced

Steve Earle & the Bluegrass Dukes * Hot Rize w/ Red Knuckles & the Trailblazers * Del McCoury Band * Earl Scruggs w/ Family & Friends * Claire Lynch Band * California * Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper * Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass * Mike Marshall & Darol Anger w/ Väsen * Darrell Scott Bluegrass Band * Three Ring Circle * Kruger Brothers * Bearfoot * Sarah Jarosz * The High 48s * and many more…

LYONS, COLORADO ­ Planet Bluegrass is proud to announce the initial lineup for the 37th Annual RockyGrass  Festival, held July 24-26 at the Planet Bluegrass Ranch in Lyons, CO.  The lineup includes headliners Steve Earle & the Bluegrass Dukes, Hot Rize, Earl Scruggs, Del McCoury Band and many, many more along the banks of the St. Vrain River.  Tickets and camping are on sale now at www.bluegrass.com or 800-624-2422, including a limited number of holiday-priced ($30 discount) three-day passes.

This year’s lineup brings together multiple generations of bluegrass legends.  Earl Scruggs (the father of bluegrass banjo), Del McCoury, and Byron Berline defined the bluegrass style as members of Bill Monroe’s seminal Bluegrass Boys. Younger bands like Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass and Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper carry on the tradition of gritty, soulful bluegrass. Meanwhile newgrass pioneers California, Three Ring Circle, Mike Marshall, and Darol Anger push traditional bluegrass music in new directions.

Award-winning bands and musicians perform on-stage all day long. From the nine-time International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) entertainer of the year Del McCoury Band; to two-time instrumental groups of the year California and Flamekeeper; to vocalists of the year Claire Lynch, Tim O’Brien, and Del McCoury; to instrumentalists of the year Rob Ickes, Michael Cleveland, Ronnie McCoury, Bryan Sutton, Jim Hurst, Jason Carter, Mark Schatz, and others.

Songwriters Steve Earle, Claire Lynch, Darrell Scott, and Tim O’Brien continue to add pages to the bluegrass songbook with modern, political, and personal themes.  Younger bands Bearfoot, Sarah Jarosz, and The High 48s show off the next directions in this American artform; while bluegrass music crosses international boundaries as the Swiss-born Kruger Brothers and the Swedish stringband Väsen broaden the world’s acoustic palette.  Many more artists will be added in the coming months; this represents about two-thirds of the final lineup.

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