The Gibson Brothers Win “Entertainer of the Year” at the 23rd Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards

 The Gibson Brothers took home the “Entertainer of the Year” Award at the 23rd annual International Bluegrass Music Awards Thursday night, September 27 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Brothers Eric and Leigh Gibson, along with their band (Mike Barber, Clayton Campbell and Joe Walsh) also picked up an award for “Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year” for “Singing As We Rise.”

Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice was another big winner of the night, winning “Album of the Year” (The Heart of a Song) and “Single of the Year“ (“A Far Cry From Lester & Earl”). Russell Moore (of Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out) and Dale Ann Bradley were male and female vocalists of the year, respectively, and Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers were the recipients of the prestigious Emerging Artist award. A full listing of all this year’s winners and award recipients appears below.

Steve Martin on World News Tonight!

"...The reason I played it on stage is because my act was so crazy I thought it's probably good to show the audience I can do something that looks hard, because this act looks like I'm just making it up...."

"I heard Earl Scruggs, "I heard the Dillards -- I heard them live; they were fantastic -- and my ear was just transfixed by the sound of the banjo. And I got one as soon as I could." Martin told ABC's Diane Sawyer





He said being awarded entertainer of the year -- his first from the association -- was the greatest thing.

"The bluegrass community ... can be very strict," he told ABC News. "I didn't know if I'd be welcomed into the bluegrass community or not, but I think they judge you very fairly. ... I felt really welcome."

Martin performs two recently written and unreleased songs after the interview.