NO SURPRISES AT IBMA AWARDS!

... they won't be any different than before. Isn't it time to step aside and let some new folks in?”...

As Prescription Bluegrass predicted, the big award from the IBMA this year goes to Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers for Entertainer of the Year. Martin and the Rangers have been unofficial ambassadors for Bluegrass Music for much of the past year, appearing on numerous television shows both to tout the success of Martin's first Solo CD “The Crow”, and most recently to entice fans into a fever over Martin's second bluegrass CD (and his first with The Rangers), entitled “Rare Bird Alert” - a CD which Martin managed to also claim first rights on getting Paul McCartney into the bluegrass realm.

Martin and the Rangers also performed before millions live in-person on the Washington Mall and simultaneously to millions more watching around the world on Public Television as the sextet rocked the Annual Capitol Fourth celebration for the U.S. Independence Day Celebration.

Another Prescription Bluegrass prediction came true for the Gibson Brothers who take home a much overdue award for Album of the Year, “Help My Brother” as well as another for Vocal Group of the Year.

The remainder of the awards seemed to be nothing more than rehash of years gone by with artists receiving their 7^th, 8^th, or 9^th award in the very same category. It's almost as if the voters wish not to bother themselves with thinking or deciding who actually deserves the award but more likly just rounding up the usual suspects and let's be done with it.

To quote one very much deserving artist, who could easily take home several awards in numerous categories, but who shall remain nameless, “Why go to the awards – they won't be any different than before. Isn't it time to step aside and let some new folks in?”

• Entertainer of the year Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers
• Album of the year Help My Brother by the Gibson Brothers
• Song of the year "The Trains I Missed," recorded by Balsam Range. Writers Walt Wilkins, Gilles Godard and Nicole Witt
• Emerging artist of the year The Boxcars
• Male vocalist of the year Russell Moore
• Female vocalist of the year Dale Ann Bradley
• Vocal group of the year The Gibson Brothers.
• Instrumental group of the year The Boxcars.
  
  
  • Bass player of the year Marshall Wilborn
  • Banjo player of the year Ron Stewart and Kristin Scott Benson (tie)
  • Mandolin player of the year Adam Steffey
  • Guitar player of the year Bryan Sutton
  • Dobro player of the year Rob Ickes.
  • Fiddle player of the year Michael Cleveland
  
  
  
• Instrumental recorded performance “Going Up Dry Branch”, Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper
• Gospel song of the year "Prayer Bells of Heaven," recorded by J.D. Crowe, Doyle Lawson and Paul Williams.
• Recorded event of the year Prayer “Prayer Bells of Heaven”, with J.D. Crowe, Doyle Lawson and Paul Williams