Noam and other winners at IBMA

[BradKlein]

I was just so pleased to see Noam take Banjo Player of the Year, AND Best Album for Noam Pikelny Plays Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe!



It's been almost a year since it came out, and I did not feel that it got the recognition it deserved. It's clear that Noam put his heart and soul into it, and to see that recognized really makes me feel good about IBMA. It's that rarest of things, a true 'landmark' recording, that will influence how musicians treat this major American body of musical work, the Monroe instrumentals, for years to come. I couldn't be happier for Noam.

PS Also great to see Dominick Leslie win the Momentum award for mandolin. If you haven't seen his recordings with Chris Eldridge on YouTube, check them out.

[Mike Bunting]

I was just so pleased to see Noam take Banjo Player of the Year, AND Best Album for Noam Pikelny Plays Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe!



It's been almost a year since it came out, and I did not feel that it got the recognition it deserved. It's clear that Noam put his heart and soul into it, and to see that recognized really makes me feel good about IBMA. It's that rarest of things, a true 'landmark' recording, that will influence how musicians treat this major American body of musical work, the Monroe instrumentals, for years to come. I couldn't be happier for Noam.

PS Also great to see Dominick Leslie win the Momentum award for mandolin. If you haven't seen his recordings with Chris Eldridge on YouTube, check them out.

Who else won?

[45ACP-GDLF5]

2014 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
The Original Seldom Scene
Neil Rosenberg

2014 DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENTS
Deering Banjo Company
The Delmore Brothers
European Bluegrass Music Association
Hillbilly at Harvard
Bill Keith

[45ACP-GDLF5]

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Balsam Range

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Balsam Range

INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen

SONG OF THE YEAR
Claire Lynch (artist & co-writer) and Louisa Branscomb (co-writer) - "Dear Sister"

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Noam Pikelny - "Noam Pikelny Plays Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe"

GOSPEL RECORDED PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
Dailey & Vincent - "Won't It Be Wonderful There?"

INSTRUMENTAL RECORDED PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
Special Consensus - "Thank God I'm a Country Boy"

RECORDED EVENT OF THE YEAR
"Wild Montana Skies" by Special Consensus feat. Claire Lynch and Rob Ickes

[45ACP-GDLF5]

EMERGING ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Flatt Lonesome

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Buddy Melton

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Amanda Smith

INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMERS OF THE YEAR
BANJO
Noam Pikelny

BASS
Barry Bales

FIDDLE
Jason Carter

DOBRO
Phil Leadbetter

GUITAR
Bryan Sutton

MANDOLIN
Adam Steffey

[45ACP-GDLF5]

BLUEGRASS BROADCASTER OF THE YEAR
Kyle Cantrell

BLUEGRASS EVENT OF THE YEAR
Bluegrass Underground

BEST GRAPHIC DESIGN FOR A RECORDED PROJECT
Lou Everhart (designer) - Chris Jones & The Nightdrivers' "Lonely Comes Easy"

BLUEGRASS PRINT/MEDIA PERSON OF THE YEAR
Chris Jones

BLUEGRASS SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
Tim Stafford

[William Smith]

Gee Adam Steffy again. don't know about you all but WHY!?!?!? Granted his style is what everyone "accept me and maybe a few others don't really care for. He is awesome but not my style I like!!!!!!!!!
People froth at their mouths but I just don't get it. To me I want originality not freak speed. just saying the days of Duffey,McReynolds,Osborne.Dawg,McCoury and could name a handfull more are over!

[sgarrity]

That's why these awards are pretty much a joke.

[BradKlein]

It was Steffy wasn't it, who kind of shocked the audience when, complimenting the other nominees, saying of Thile, 'I'm not worthy to carry his case…', which set off laughs and murmurs. Thile didn't play much bluegrass this past year, so I don't think the comment deserves any flame wars. It was meant as an admiring joke and that seems the right way to take it.

But having watched the whole awards feed, I was quite impressed by many of the choices, performances and tributes. Probably the best award ceremony of any kind that I've ever watched - and that's thanks to Producer, Amy Reitnouer of the Bluegrass Situation, I suspect.

[coletrickle]

Gee Adam Steffy again. don't know about you all but WHY!?!?!? Granted his style is what everyone "accept me and maybe a few others don't really care for. He is awesome but not my style I like!!!!!!!!!
People froth at their mouths but I just don't get it. To me I want originality not freak speed. just saying the days of Duffey,McReynolds,Osborne.Dawg,McCoury and could name a handfull more are over!

Noam's album featured Ronnie on mando on every track, and won Album of the Year. The days aren't over and that award proves it. Ultimately it comes down to the output of the year and the influence of the artist (among other things). I will say the amount of positive press the entire event is getting after moving to North Carolina should be encouraging to all bluegrass fans, and most of the awards went to more traditional minded players this year (even if they aren't that way all of the time).

[johnmarkva]

Boxcars played last weekend at OBX Festival. Took this shot of Adam and for those that are interested it was shot on real b&w film with a Nikon FE camera.

[Ivan Kelsall]

From Brad - "'I'm not worthy to carry his case…',...". Adam Steffey could get a better tone out of any of my cases that i get out of the mandolins !. There's no need for comparisons when you reach the level of CT & AS. They are both incredible players who choose to play in different styles. For me,i don't care for the stuff that CT 'currently' plays,although i have to admire his tremendous talent.
Interesting to see AS playing what appears to be an Ellis - i wonder what his current mando.arsenal is ?,
Ivan

[re simmers]

The awards are great marketing for bluegrass music. As far as who is the best, what song is the best, etc., that's all subjective. If you don't think so, start a thread about 'the best' here.

Having said that, IMHO, Adam is the most 'musical' and most tasteful mandolin player and has been for 20 years. His playing matches and blends and actually enhances the music better than any. Just saw him at the Outer Banks Bluegrass Festival last week, and he confirmed it. Of course, that's only my humble opinion.

Bob

[LongBlackVeil]

The awards are great marketing for bluegrass music. As far as who is the best, what song is the best, etc., that's all subjective. If you don't think so, start a thread about 'the best' here.

Having said that, IMHO, Adam is the most 'musical' and most tasteful mandolin player and has been for 20 years. His playing matches and blends and actually enhances the music better than any. Just saw him at the Outer Banks Bluegrass Festival last week, and he confirmed it. Of course, that's only my humble opinion.

Bob

Agreed, no matter who they picked, someone is gonna say so and so deserved it more.

[sachmo63]

That's NOT true! Long Black Vail. These awards pick the same people over and over. Adam is fantastic but there are other mandolin players out there and again they go unnoticed as with Barry bales, Jason carter, Byron sutton. How many times have these guys won?

Yes they are a joke!

[bigskygirl]

From the IBMA website....

These awards are to honor people who are known as, and have achieved fame as, bluegrass music performers.......

So the issue is the criteria, the award is for "bluegrass" and if you're not playing in the genre you will get overlooked. Players I can think of aren't considered "bluegrass" so they aren't eligible to win...a shame really but I guess they can compete for other awards.

[Mark Christensen]

Wow, not sure how it's possible to diss Adam Steffey just because he won another award. Listen to the tone, timing and taste on New Primitive (played at fairly moderate tempos) and the last couple Boxcars cds and I say he deserves all the accolades he gets. If he's not your cup of tea that's your prerogative but I don't think he deserves to be bad mouthed on here.

[Mike Bunting]

Wow, not sure how it's possible to diss Adam Steffey just because he won another award. Listen to the tone, timing and taste on New Primitive (played at fairly moderate tempos) and the last couple Boxcars cds and I say he deserves all the accolades he gets. If he's not your cup of tea that's your prerogative but I don't think he deserves to be bad mouthed on here.

It's not Adam Steffey that is being dissed, it is the whole award show charade.

[Mark Christensen]

Refer to #7, sounds like a Diss to me but you agreed with him so your response is no surprise.

[Bradley]

I think AS is the most influential mandolin player in my lifetime and such a nice guy that talks to every fan that comes along. What an ambassador for our music, we couldn't as for any better.
But, I do think that the comment back by Bluegrass78 said in the correct context and spirit does have some merit. Adam has been so influential that if you DONT play like him you are considered sub par either on a amateur or higher level by especially the younger bands and players out there.

I will also say that bluegrass music is the absolute worst genre of music for competition among the players. I have found this true in both secular and gospel music after playing for 30 years. Shame on us for being that way, it's not good for the future of the music.

As a side note, I hope he is playing an Ellis....

[burt50]

Nice picture. Can't beat film if you ask me.
What film are you shooting? I've got an FE2 and a freezer full of Agfapan...
Brian

[45ACP-GDLF5]

That's why these awards are pretty much a joke.

According to who?

[Ivan Kelsall]

My own opinion of the IBMA awards is that they are certainly NOT a 'joke',far from it - but - i will say that there are some very fine musicians who have been overlooked,as mentioned above, Jason Carter to name but one. Jason's been a mainstay of Del McCoury's band for a long time (since 1992) & he's one of my top 3 favourite fiddle players of the current era. his CD "On The Move" is one of the best fiddle albums i have. With so many great musicians in Bluegrass music,it's not really surprising that many deserving ones are overlooked.
From burt50 - "Can't beat film if you ask me". As a one time avid film user,i tend to agree.However Eastman Kodak would have a different opinion - sadly !,
Ivan

[BradKlein]

Jason Carter: Fiddler Player of the Year, 2014.
Look, no award ceremony is going to please everyone, and most have some bias built into the voting rules et c. But if you watched the ceremony this year, you had to be moved by Phil Leadbetter's acceptance talk, by Critter's masterful induction of the original Seldom Scene (including his dad), by Noam's carefully thought out explanation of how the years stretching the limits with Punch Brothers are what let him find his own voice when he went back to play the Monroe/Baker cannon, and lots of great performances. And I missed a lot, watching the live feed when I could. Even the dance number was sweet and appropriate. I think they're heading in a good direction.

[Cheryl Watson]

Boxcars played last weekend at OBX Festival. Took this shot of Adam and for those that are interested it was shot on real b&w film with a Nikon FE camera.

Very nice photo. Love the graininess quality of this particular REAL B&W film. He's playing his Ellis.