On October 22, the 37th Annual IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards, will take place at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Hosting this year’s event will be two mandolin players of some renown: Sam Bush and Sierra Hull.
Both musicians are also slated to perform that evening, joining a bill that also includes The Del McCoury Band, Sister Sadie, Authentic Unlimited, The Grascals, Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, and more.
In making this announcement, Hull shared an image of herself will Bush at age 9, noting, “I first met Sam at International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) when I was 9 years old. Can’t believe I’ve gotten to be friends with my hero all these years. He’s the absolute best. This will be fun! See y’all in Chattanooga, Oct 22nd! ”
Tickets are now available for the event. The list of nominees in each category appears below the delightful image of Bush and Hull. The 2026 Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame inductees are: Byron Berline, Nashville Bluegrass Band, Barry Poss, and The Lost & Found.
IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards 2026 Nominees
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Billy Strings
Alison Krauss & Union Station
Sister Sadie
East Nash Grass
The Del McCoury Band
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Alison Krauss & Union Station
Authentic Unlimited
Sister Sadie
Blue Highway
Red Camel Collective
INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
Billy Strings
The Travelin’ McCourys
East Nash Grass
Appalachian Road Show
SONG OF THE YEAR
Broken Angels
Artist: The Grascals and Dolly Parton
Songwriters: Dolly Parton/Jamie Johnson
Producer: Kent Wells
Label: Billy Blue Records
Can’t Outrun the Blues
Artist: Trey Hensley
Songwriters: Trey Hensley/Bobby Starnes
Producer: Brent Maher
Label: Pinecastle Records
New Cluck Old Hen
Artist: Steve Martin and Alison Brown (Feat. Della Mae)
Arrangement: Steve Martin/Alison Brown
Producers: Alison Brown/Garry West
Label: Compass Records
Cost of Living
Artist: Authentic Unlimited
Songwriter: Jerry Cole
Producer: Authentic Unlimited
Label: Edisonic Records
Finding Your Way Home
Artist: Red Camel Collective
Songwriters: Heather Berry Mabe/Joseph Scott Patrick
Producer: Red Camel Collective/Stephen Burwell
Label: Pinecastle Records
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Can’t Outrun the Blues
Artist: Trey Hensley
Producer: Brent Maher
Label: Pinecastle Records
All Will Be Well
Artist: Sister Sadie
Producer: Deanie Richardson
Label: Mountain Home Music Company
All God’s Children
Artist: East Nash Grass
Producers: Jake Stargel/East Nash Grass
Label: Mountain Fever Records
Della Jane’s Heart
Artist: Appalachian Road Show
Producer: Appalachian Road Show
Label: Billy Blue Records
Songs That Sing Me
Artist: Becky Buller
Producer: Stephen Mougin
Label: Dark Shadow Recording
GOSPEL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
I Will Someday
Artist: NewFound Road
Songwriters: Ronnie Bowman/Garnet Bowman/Chris Stapleton/Morgane Stapleton
Producer: Tim Shelton
Label: Billy Blue Records
Where the Soul Never Dies
Artist: Bobby Osborne & C.J. Lewandowski
Songwriter: William M. Golden
Producer: C.J. Lewandowski
Label: Turnberry Records
Some Day
Artist: Blue Highway
Songwriters: Olive Stockton/Tim Stafford
Producer: Blue Highway/Dan Boner
Label: Down the Road Records
You Don’t Knock
Artist: Darin & Brooke Aldridge with John Cowan
Songwriters: Cedar Walton/Wesley Westbrooks
Producer: Mark Fain/Darin Aldridge
Label: Billy Blue Records
Two Old Church Pews
Artist: Danny Paisley
Songwriters: Mark “Brink” Brinkman/Daryl Mosley
Producer: Greg Cole
Label: Pinecastle Records
INSTRUMENTAL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Grandfather’s Clock
Artist: Bryan Sutton and Sierra Hull
Songwriter: Henry Clay Work arr. Bryan Sutton/Sierra Hull
Producer: Bryan Sutton
Label: Mountain Home Music Company
Big Daddy Rabbit
Artist: Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper (Feat. Nathan Livers)
Songwriter: Nathan Livers
Producer: Michael Cleveland
Label: Yeah, Man Records
Cacklin’ Hen
Artist: Deanie Richardson and Kimber Ludiker
Songwriter: Traditional
Producer: Deanie Richardson
Label: Mountain Home Music Company
Let’s Get Out of Here
Artist: Steve Martin and Alison Brown
Songwriters: Alison Brown/Steve Martin
Producers: Alison Brown/Garry West
Label: Compass Records
Tom & Jerry
Artist: Andy Leftwich
Songwriter: Traditional
Producer: Andy Leftwich
Label: Mountain Home Music Company
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Jaelee Roberts
Mason Via
Carson Peters & Iron Mountain
Vickie Vaughn
Daniel Grindstaff & The Uptown Troubadours
COLLABORATIVE RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Broken Angels
Artist: The Grascals and Dolly Parton
Songwriters: Dolly Parton/Jamie Johnson
Producer: Kent Wells
Label: Billy Blue Records
Gentle on My Mind
Artist: Tony Trischka and Billy Strings
Songwriter: John Hartford
Producer: Tony Trischka/Lawson White
Label: Down the Road Records
New Cluck Old Hen
Artist: Steve Martin and Alison Brown (Feat. Della Mae)
Songwriters: Arr. Steve Martin/Alison Brown
Producers: Alison Brown/Garry West
Label: Compass Records
The Devil Went Down to Deep Gap
Artist: Bryan Sutton with Billy Strings
Songwriters: Tom Crain/Charlie Daniels/Taz DiGregorio/Fred Edwards/Charlie Hayward/James W. Marshall adapted by Bryan Sutton/Billy Strings
Producer: Bryan Sutton
Label: Mountain Home Music Company
Just a Holler Over
Artist: Sister Sadie and The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
Songwriters: Robin Macy/Deanie Richardson
Producer: Sister Sadie/C.J. Lewandowski
Label: Mountain Home Music Company
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Dan Tyminski
Russell Moore
Greg Blake
Del McCoury
Trey Hensley
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Alison Krauss
Jaelee Roberts
Heather Berry Mabe
Sierra Hull
AJ Lee
BANJO PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Kristin Scott Benson
Gena Britt
Ron Block
Alison Brown
Tony Trischka
BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Mike Bub
Vickie Vaughn
Missy Raines
Barry Bales
Alan Bartram
FIDDLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Michael Cleveland
Jason Carter
Bronwyn Keith-Hynes
Deanie Richardson
Andy Leftwich
RESOPHONIC GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Justin Moses
Jerry Douglas
Rob Ickes
Andy Hall
Matt Leadbetter
GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Trey Hensley
Billy Strings
Bryan Sutton
Cody Kilby
Molly Tuttle
MANDOLIN PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Sierra Hull
Ronnie McCoury
Jesse Brock
Sam Bush
Alan Bibey
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Broken Angels
Artist: The Grascals and Dolly Parton
Videographer: Natalie Simmons
Producer: Olly Rowland
The Devil Went Down to Deep Gap
Artist: Bryan Sutton with Billy Strings
Animator: Pat Bradley, SpringShoe Animation
Producer: Josh Serrato
Ralph’s Banjo Special
Artist: Kristin Scott Benson, Gena Britt, & Alison Brown
Videographer: Joseph Spence
Producer: Alison Brown
New Cluck Old Hen
Artist: Steve Martin, Alison Brown (Feat. Della Mae)
Videographer: David Shayne
Producer: Andrew Rose Gregory/Scott Roberts
Let the Circle Be Broken
Artist: Sister Sadie
Videographer: David Rossow
Producer: Joshua Britt/Neilson Hubbard
