History, News

IBMA Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame announces 2018 Class

by Jessica Blankenship
Tom T. Hall, as well as his wife Dixie Hall, were announced as part of the 2018 IBMA Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame Class.
Tom T. Hall, as well as his wife Dixie Hall, were announced as part of the 2018 IBMA Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame Class.

This morning, the IBMA Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame Class of 2018 was announced with 3 having Kentucky ties. East Kentucky natives, Ricky Skaggs, Tom T. Hall and his late wife, Dixie Hall, will join Paul Williams into the prestigious Hall of Fame. They will be officially inducted on Thursday, September 27 in Raleigh, NC at the International Bluegrass Music Awards. The awards show will be broadcast live at 7:00 p.m./ET on SiriusXM’s Bluegrass Junction (Ch. 62).

“I’m very honored to be inducted into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame along with the ‘Father of Bluegrass,’ Bill Monroe,” says Skaggs. “His impact on me and all of us as musicians and singers that love bluegrass music will never be replicated. With so many other heroes in the Hall, I’m just thankful to have my name mentioned alongside theirs.”

Skaggs promised the late Bill Monroe that he’d do his part to keep bluegrass alive. Since Monroe’s passing in 1996, he has kept that promise, playing thousands of live bluegrass shows and releasing several albums dedicated to the genre. In 1997, he founded his own record label, Skaggs Family Records, to help keep bluegrass music alive and growing. Over the years, he’s helped numerous bluegrass acts forge ahead, nurturing their careers with invaluable advice and counsel. Now, the 13-time IBMA Award winner will be recognized with the highest honor a bluegrass performer can achieve.

“Ricky Skaggs has introduced the ‘ancient tones’ of bluegrass to so many new audiences with his brilliant vocals, instrumental skills, and innovation,” notes IBMA Executive Director Paul Schiminger. “He has been a key connector between the first generation of bluegrass in the Stanley Brothers and Bill Monroe and the far-reaching popularity of the music today. Ricky is among only a handful of people to have the musical impact great enough to warrant induction in both the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame. And, having those inductions occur in the same year is truly extraordinary!”

Paul Williams, Ricky Skaggs and Tom T. and Dixie Hall join previously-announced posthumous inductees — Vassar Clements, Mike Seeger, Allen Shelton, Jake Tullock and Joe Val. Those inductees will be honored during an Oct. 18 ceremony at the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Owensboro, Kentucky.

Several other Kentucky natives were recognized as nominees for the upcoming awards ceremony.  Ricky Skaggs, Larry Cordle, and Dale Ann Bradley were nominated in various categories.

Below is a list of the 2018 IBMA International Bluegrass Music Award Nominees:

Entertainer of the Year
Balsam Range
Del McCoury Band
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
The Earls of Leicester
Gibson Brothers

Vocal Group of the Year
Balsam Range
Flatt Lonesome
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
Gibson Brothers
I’m With Her

Instrumental Group of the Year
Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
Sam Bush Band
The Travelin’ McCourys
Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
Punch Brothers

Emerging Artist of the Year
Mile Twelve
Molly Tuttle
Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
Billy Strings
Jeff Scroggins & Colorado
Sister Sadie

Song of the Year
“Calamity Jane” – Becky Buller (artist), Becky Buller/Tim Stafford (writers)
“If I’d Have Wrote That Song” – Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers (artist), Larry Cordle/Larry Shell/James Silvers (writers)
“Swept Away” – Missy Raines (artist), Laurie Lewis (writer)
“Way Down the River Road” – Special Consensus (artist), John Hartford (writer)
“You Didn’t Call My Name” – Molly Tuttle (artist and writer)

Album of the Year
“Life Is a Story” – Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver (artist), Doyle Lawson (producer), Mountain Home Music Company (label)
“Mayhayley’s House” – Lonesome River Band (artist), Lonesome River Band (producers), Mountain Home Music Company (label)
“Rise” – Molly Tuttle (artist), Kai Welch (producer), Compass Records (label)
“Rivers & Roads” – Special Consensus (artist), Alison Brown (producer), Compass Records (label)
“The Story We Tell” – Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers (artist), Joe Mullins (producer), Rebel Records (label)

Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year
“I’m Going Under” – Darin & Brooke Aldridge (artist), Karen Taylor-Good/Bill Whyte (writers), single release, Mountain Home Music Company (label)
“Little Girl” – Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver (artist), Harley Lee Allen (writer), “Life Is a Story” (album), Doyle Lawson (producer), Mountain Home Music Company (label)
“Speakin’ to That Mountain” – Becky Buller (artist), Becky Buller/Jeff Hyde (writers), “Crepe Paper Heart” (album), Stephen Mougin (producer), Dark Shadow Recording (label)
“Travelin’ Shoes” – Special Consensus (artist), Traditional arranged by Special Consensus (writer), “Rivers & Roads” (album), Alison Brown (producer), Compass Records (label)
“When God’s in It” – Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers (artist), Ronnie Bowman/Jerry Salley (writers), “The Story We Tell” (album), Joe Mullins (producer), Rebel Records (label)

Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year
“Lynchburg Chicken Run” – The Grascals (artist), Danny Roberts/Adam Haynes (writers), “Before Breakfast” (album), The Grascals (producer), Mountain Home Music Company (label)
“Medley: Sally in the Garden/Big Country/Molly, Put the Kettle On” – Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn (artists), “Sally in the Garden” and “Molly, Put the Kettle On” – Traditional, arranged by Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn, Big Country – Bela Fleck (writer), “Echo in the Valley” (album), Bela Fleck (producer), Rounder Records (label)
Sirens – Infamous Stringdusters (artist), Infamous Stringdusters (writers), “Laws of Gravity” (album), Infamous Stringdusters, Billy Hume (producers), Compass Records (label)
“Squirrel Hunters” – Special Consensus with John Hartford, Rachel Baiman & Christian Sedelmyer (10 String Symphony), & Alison Brown (artists), Traditional, arranged by Alison Brown/Special Consensus (writers), “Rivers & Roads” (album), Alison Brown (producer), Compass Records (label)
“Wickwire” – Mile Twelve (artist), Mile Twelve (writers), “Onwards” (album), Stephen Mougin (producer), Delores the Taurus Records (label)

Recorded Event of the Year
“Calamity Jane” – Becky Buller with Rhonda Vincent (artists), “Crepe Paper Heart” (album), Stephen Mougin (producer), Dark Shadow Recording (label)
“I’ll Just Go Away” – Dale Ann Bradley & Vince Gill (artists), “Dale Ann Bradley” (album), Dale Ann Bradley (producer), Pinecastle Records (label)
“The Rebel and the Rose” – Becky Buller with Sam Bush (artists), “Crepe Paper Heart” (album), Stephen Mougin (producer), Dark Shadow Recording (label)
“She Took the Tennessee Rive”r – Special Consensus with Bobby Osborne (artists), “Rivers & Roads” (album), Alison Brown (producer), Compass Records (label)
“Swept Away” – Missy Raines with Alison Brown, Becky Buller, Sierra Hull, and Molly Tuttle (artists), single release, Alison Brown (producer), Compass Records (label)

Male Vocalist of the Year
Shawn Camp
Buddy Melton
Del McCoury
Russell Moore
Tim O’Brien

Female Vocalist of the Year
Brooke Aldridge
Dale Ann Bradley
Becky Buller
Molly Tuttle
Rhonda Vincent

Banjo Player of the Year
Kristin Scott Benson
Gina Clowes
Ned Luberecki
Noam Pikelny
Sammy Shelor

Bass Player of the Year
Barry Bales
Mike Bub
Missy Raines
Mark Schatz
Tim Surrett

Fiddle Player of the Year
Hunter Berry
Becky Buller
Jason Carter
Michael Cleveland
Stuart Duncan

Dobro Player of the Year
Jerry Douglas
Andy Hall
Rob Ickes
Phil Leadbetter
Justin Moses

Guitar Player of the Year
Kenny Smith
Billy Strings
Bryan Sutton
Molly Tuttle
Josh Williams

Mandolin Player of the Year
Sam Bush
Jesse Brock
Sierra Hull
Ronnie McCoury
Frank Solivan

Distinguished Achievement Award
George Gruhn
Christopher Howard-Williams
Curtis McPeake
Walter Saunders
Chris Thile