Nominees for the 2014 International Bluegrass Music Awards were announced last night at a press conference at The Factory in Franklin, TN, where Compass Records artists and their respective band members received an impressive 18 nominations across 12 Award Categories. Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen lead the Compass Records nominees with four nominations, while Claire Lynch, Noam Pikelny and Special Consensuseach garnered three. A full list of nominations can be read here. “This is an awesome day for Special C,” says Founding Member, Greg Cahill, “After 39 years of touring and recording, it is a true honor to be recognized by our peers and friends in the world of bluegrass music. Thanks to the IBMA voters for this honor, to all the fantastic musicians who played with us on this John Denver tribute recording, to all the DJs who play our music and press who write about it, and to all our friends and fans for their support.” Special Consensus, their collaborators, and their liner notes writer, Dave Royko, received nominations for Recorded Event of the Year for “Wild Montana Skies” (with Claire Lynch & Rob Ickes), Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year for “Thank God I’m A Country Boy” (with Michael Cleveland,Buddy Spicher and Alison Brown) and for Best Liner Notes for their project COUNTRY BOY: A Bluegrass Tribute to John Denver. Fast rising Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen were nominated for the second year in a row for Instrumental Group of the Year Category and reigning 2013 IBMA Banjo player of the Year, Mike Munford, received a nomination for Banjo Player of the Year. Frank Solivan also received nods for Male Vocalist of the Year and Mandolin Player of the Year. Last Year’s IBMA Keynote Speaker, Noam Pikelny, received three nominations including Banjo Player of the Year. Pikelny claimed his spot on the list of Album of the Year nominees with his Compass release, NOAM PIKELNY PLAYS KENNY BAKER PLAYS BILL MONROE. The album also received a nomation for Best Liner Notes by Neil V. Rosenberg. Peter Rowan received a nomination for Recorded Event of the Year for the track “Keepin’ It Between the Lines (Old School)†from his Compass release, THE OLD SCHOOL. Collaborators with Peter on this track include Bobby Osborne, Jesse McReynolds, Ronnie McCoury and Del McCoury. “Dear Sister” received a nomination for Song of the Year, recognizing Claire Lynch (artist) and Claire Lynch and Louisa Branscom (writers). Additional nominees in the Vocalist and Instrumental categories include Claire Lynch and Dale Ann Bradley for Female Vocalist of the Year, Mark Schatz and Missy Raines for Bass Player of the Year, and Michael Cleveland for Fiddle Player of the Year. Nominations are voted on by the professional membership of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), the trade association for the bluegrass music industry. Results of the balloting will be revealed at the International Bluegrass Music Awards on Thursday, October 4 as the centerpiece of the World of Bluegrass Week, held September 30 – October 4 in Raleigh, North Carolina. The IBMA Awards Show will also be broadcast live on SiriusXM Satellite Radio (Bluegrass Junction).
