IBMA World Of Bluegrass 2021: awards and nominations news

Thanks to Uri Kohen, director of the Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival in Co. Mayo, for drawing attention to the awards and nominations for awards at this year's IBMA World Of Bluegrass in Raleigh, NC. Full details are given in press releases by Casey Campbell in the 'Latest news' section of the World Of Bluegrass website.

Three inductions into the Bluegrass Music Hall Of Fame have been made: Alison Krauss, who first played in Ireland in 1994 with her band Union Station; singer, banjoist, and bandleader Lynn Morris, whose band headlined the Athy Bluegrass Festival in 1995 or '6; and the Stoneman Family, of whom the unique Roni Stoneman toured Ireland in 2013 and 2016.

Five IBMA Distinguished Achievement Awards have been made: to industry leader Nancy Cardwell Webster, broadcaster Lee Michael Demsey, Czech luthier/ performer Jaroslav Prucha, musician/ performer Cliff Waldron, and Stan Zdonik of the Boston Bluegrass Union. Presentations will be made on 30 Sept. during the Business Conference section of World Of Bluegrass.

Nominations for awards include, as always, a fair number of artists who have visited Ireland over the years, though these are less common among the nominations for industry and momentum awards; however, Leanne Thorose, lead singer and mandolinist of the GB/NI band Midnight Skyracer, is a nominee for the Momentum Vocalist of the Year award.

© Richard Hawkins