It was a big night for Balsam Range at the 2014 International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) awards, which were 
announced during a red carpet event at the annual World of Bluegrass convention in Raleigh, NC.
Singer/Fiddler Buddy Melton was named Male Vocalist of the Year and shared his heartfelt gratitude from the stage. Balsam Range was honored as Vocal Group of the Year, and in the final award of the night, this band of friends from North Carolina's Haywood County was honored with the coveted 2014 IBMA Entertainer of the Year Award.
Guitar virtuoso and singer, Caleb Smith, however, nearly missed the big moment.
Balsam Range had just performed "Moon Over Memphis" and Caleb was backstage talking guitars with fellow-artist, Del McCoury. Guitars are, after all, a favorite topic for Smith, a luthier who makes Caleb Smith Guitars. When the Entertainer of the Year award was announced, McCoury had to interrupt Smith, saying "Son, I think they just said your name." No fret, Caleb made it to the stage in time to accept the award alongside Tim Surrett, Buddy Melton, Marc Pruett and Darren Nicholson.
Earlier this week we reported that the band's Tim Surrett had received the IBMA Momentum Award. (Read that story here.)
Label-mates at Mountain Home Music Company also received IBMA awards. Adam Steffey of The Boxcars was named Mandolin Player of the Year, and Flatt Lonesome won the Emerging Artist of the Year award. At an earlier luncheon program, Tim Surrett of Balsam Range was honored with the Mentor Award (one of a series of special honors called Momentum Awards) for his inspiration and work with young and developing artists.
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 39th 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.
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