Cherryholmes Take Home First Entertainer of the Year Award

Cherryholmes Take Home First Entertainer of the Year Award

Larry Sparks Honored With Album of the Year and Male Vocalist

Rhonda Vincent Breaks Own Record With Sixth Female Vocalist

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Cherryholmes took home their first ever Entertainer of the Year award at the 16th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards on Thursday, October 27th at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn. Cherryholmes was the first group in the history of the awards to be simultaneously nominated for Entertainer of the Year and Emerging Artist of the Year. The family band has taken the bluegrass world by storm with their infectious blend of showmanship and high level of instrumental and vocal prowess.

Hosted by Alison Krauss and Ricky Skaggs, the evening featured a number of exciting live performances from award nominees who played for a sold-out crowd and worldwide radio audience, celebrating the 60th anniversary of bluegrass music, which began on the very same Ryman stage in 1945.

Celebrating forty years of performing has proven to be a delight for longtime bluegrass favorite Larry Sparks as he received his second award in a row for Male Vocalist of the Year. Sparks also took home Album of the Year and Recorded Event of the Year honors for 40, the album celebrating the span of his legendary career. The album brought Sparks together with a cadre of performers including Ronnie Bowman, Larry Cordle, Kevin Denney, Vince Gill, Andy Griggs, Tom T. Hall, Rebecca Lynn Howard, Jim Hurst, The Isaacs, Carl Jackson, Chris Jones, Alison Krauss, The Marshall Family, Russell Moore, Don Rigsby, Ricky Skaggs, Kenny Smith, Tim Stafford, Ralph Stanley, Dan Tyminski, Rhonda Vincent, Sharon White-Skaggs, Cheryl White & Paul Williams and was produced by Don Rigsby for Rebel Records.

Rhonda Vincent broke her own record by taking home her sixth consecutive Female Vocalist of the Year award, more than any female in history.

Harmony masters Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver were recipients of their fifth consecutive Vocal Group of the Year award in addition to Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year for "Praise His Name," from their album School of Bluegrass. Lawson recently released a DVD special surrounding the band's 25th anniversary celebration of the founding of the influential group.

Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder remain the kings of the instrumental groups with their seventh win for Instrumental Group of the Year. Instrumental Album of the Year went to the work of Wildfire band member and dobro player Phil Leadbetter for his album Slide Effects (Pinecastle). Leadbetter also became the new reigning Dobro Player of the Year, an award long alternated between dobro masters Jerry Douglas (Alison Krauss & Union Station) and Rob Ickes of Blue Highway. Fiddle player and Nashville Bluegrass Band founding member Stuart Duncan was named Fiddle Player of the Year, his 8th career win in that category, having last taken home the honor in 1996. Guitar virtuoso Bryan Sutton received the Guitar Player of the Year nod for his fourth career win since 2000.

It was an exciting night for the newly crowned Emerging Artists of the Year The Grascals, as they accepted the award for Emerging Artist in addition to taking home Song of the Year honors for the Harley Allen penned friendship song "Me and John and Paul."

Adam Steffey, a member of Mountain Heart, took home the award for Mandolin Player of the Year for the fourth year in a row and the Bass Player of the Year recipient went to longtime favorite Mike Bub, his fourth overall career win.

Kentucky Thunder banjo player and Sugar Hill Records solo artist Jim Mills received the Banjo Player of the Year trophy, the fifth such honor of his career and a great topper on a successful year with his solo release Hide Heads Blues.

The 2005 IBMA Bluegrass Hall of Honor inductees were the late Benny Martin and the late Red Allen. During a colorful career spanning over five decades, Benny Martin left a legacy as one of bluegrass and country music's most creative and exciting instrumentalists and vocalists. His robust voice and flamboyant style of fiddle playing placed him virtually in a class by himself as an entertainer. He played fiddle with Flatt & Scruggs in 1952-'53 and Johnnie & Jack in 1954-'55. Harley (Red) Allen was a member -- with Bobby and Sonny Osborne -- of the trio that conceived and first recorded in the "high lead" vocal harmony format in 1956-'58. These recordings are recognized as among the most emulated and significant in the bluegrass music genre.

The International Bluegrass Music Awards were broadcast live on XM Satellite Radio and syndicated to radio stations in over 300 U.S. markets and 14 foreign networks, thanks to the support of Martha White, Great American Television (GAC), Merlefest, Sugar Hill Records, Deering Banjos and GHS Strings.

Source: The International Bluegrass Music Association, Inc.

CONTACT: Shari Lacy, Marketing and PR Director of The International
Bluegrass Music Association, Inc., +1-888-GET-IBMA

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