Nominees Named for 36th Annual SPBGMA Bluegrass Music Awards

Dailey & Vincent and Rhonda Vincent & The Rage both scored eight nominations in the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America (SPBGMA) 36th Annual Bluegrass Music Awards. Winners will be announced during an awards show on February 7, 2010 at the Sheraton Music City Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee. The awards show is a centerpiece of the organization’s annual national convention.

Reigning SPBGMA Bluegrass Band of the Year Dailey & Vincent received nominations for Entertaining Group of the Year, Bluegrass Band of the Year, Vocal Group of the Year, Gospel Group of the Year-Contemporary, Entertainer of the Year (Jamie Dailey), Male Vocalist of the Year-Contemporary (Dailey, who also won it for 2009), Bass Fiddle Player of the Year (Darrin Vincent), and Mandolin Player of the Year (Jeff Parker). Although relatively new on the scene as a duo, having released their debut album last year and followed it up with their sophomore release, Brothers From Different Mothers, on Rounder this year, Dailey & Vincent apprenticed for years under Doyle Lawson and Ricky Skaggs, respectively. They are two-time winners of IBMA Entertainer and Vocal Group of the Year honors and have won a bevy of other awards.

Current and multi-time SPBGMA Entertainer and Female Vocalist of the Year Rhonda Vincent and her band, The Rage, also received eight nominations for the 2010 Bluegrass Music Awards. The All-American Bluegrass Girl is again nominated for Entertainer of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year. Vincent, whose Good Thing Going was named Bluegrass Album of the Year for 2009, is up for album honors again for her latest Rounder release, Destination Life. Along with The Rage, she is nominated for Vocal Group and Bluegrass Band of the Year, while members of The Rage Mickey Harris, Hunter Berry and Aaron McDaris received nominations for Bass Fiddle, Fiddle and Banjo Performer of the Year, respectively. Berry was named Fiddle Player of the Year for 2009.

The SPBGMA, established in 1979 as a nonprofit organization that aims to preserve the traditional spirit and art form of bluegrass music, announced nominees in 23 categories earlier this week.

Nominees in select categories appear below, while a complete listing can be found at www.spbgma.com.

Bluegrass Songwriter of the Year: Becky Buller & Justin Carbone, Grady Bullins, Tom T. Hall & Dixie Hall, Aubrey Holt, Jennifer Strickland, Chris Stuart

Bluegrass Album of the Year: Blue Side of the Blue Ridge by Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice (Rebel), Destination Life by Rhonda Vincent (Rounder), Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out (Rural Rhythm), My Own Set of Rules by Lou Reid & Carolina (Rural Rhythm), Open For Business by Big Country Bluegrass (Mountain Roads), The Other Side of Towne by Grasstowne (Pinecastle), Chris Sexton

Female Vocalist of the Year (Contemporary): Dale Ann Bradley, Cia Cherryholmes, Carrie Hassler, Alison Krauss, Christy Reid, Rhonda Vincent

Female Vocalist of the Year (Traditional): Lorraine Jordan, Claire Lynch, Frances Mooney, Alecia Nugent, Valerie Smith, Jeanette Williams

Male Vocalist of the Year (Contemporary): Mike Andes, Jamie Dailey, Steve Gulley, Russell Moore, Larry Stephenson, Bradley Walker

Male Vocalist of the Year (Traditional): James King, Jeff Michael, Dan Paisley, Lou Reid, Junior Sisk, Dan Tyminski

Vocal Group of the Year: Dailey & Vincent, The Grascals, Grasstowne, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, Nothin’ Fancy, Rhonda Vincent & The Rage

Instrumental Group of the Year: Big Country Bluegrass, Dailey & Vincent, The Grascals, Grasstowne, Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice, Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder

Bluegrass Band of the Year (Overall): Big Country Bluegrass, Dailey & Vincent, The Grascals, Grasstowne, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, Rhonda Vincent & The Rage

Song of the Year: “Amanda Lynn” by Lou Reid & Carolina (Rural Rhythm), “Big, Big Heartaches” by Grasstowne (Pinecastle), “Hard Rock Mountain Prison” by Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out (Rural Rhythm), “High Alleghenies” by Big Country Bluegrass (Mountain Roads), “Leaving Baker County” by Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice (Rebel Records), “Train Songs” by Ralph Stanley II (Lonesome Day)

Entertaining Group of the Year: Dailey & Vincent, The Grascals, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, Nothin’ Fancy, Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice

Entertainer of the Year: Jamie Dailey, Lorraine Jordan, Doyle Lawson, Russell Moore, Junior Sisk, Rhonda Vincent