NC's Balsam Range Named Entertainer of the Year at IBMA Awards

RALEIGH, NC (October 2, 2014) – North Carolina’s own Balsam Range took home the Entertainer of the Year award at the 25th annual International Bluegrass Music Awards Thursday night, October 2^nd, at Raleigh, North Carolina’s Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts.

It was an exciting night for the band, who also received awards for Vocal Group of the Year, and Male Vocalist (Buddy Melton).

Banjo player Noam Pikelny had a breakout night, winning Banjo Player of the Year and Album of the Year for Noam Pikelny Plays Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe. At an earlier awards ceremony, Hall of Fame inductee Neil Rosenberg won Best Liner Notes for the same album.

Flatt Lonesome was named Emerging Artist of the Year, and in its 39^th year as a band, Special Consensus took both Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year and Recorded Event of the Year, winning IBMA awards for the first time.

Amanda Smith took home the award for Female Vocalist of the Year; both Smith and Melton were first-time winners in these categories.

Bluegrass Hall of Fame inductees, the original Seldom Scene and Dr. Neil Rosenberg, of Canada, were honored in special presentations. Rosenberg’s induction was celebrated with a performance from fellow Canadians The Spinney Brothers, joined by fiddle players Michael Cleveland, Stuart Duncan, and Jason Carter. Original members of the Seldom Scene – Ben Eldridge, John Starling and Tom Gray – accepted their award to a standing ovation, noting the late John Duffey and Mike Auldridge in their acceptance speech. The band – both original members and the current band – then performed their signature hit “Wait A Minute.”

Hosted by Lee Ann Womack and Jerry Douglas, the 2014 IBMA Awards Show featured a number of virtuoso-level, high-energy live performances from The Boxcars, Claire Lynch, Gibson Brothers, Della Mae, Blue Highway, Noam Pikelny, Del McCoury Band, Balsam Range, Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen and individual performances from each host, Lee Ann Womack and Jerry Douglas.