Nomination deadline nears for IBMA Momentum, Industry, and Distinguished Achievement awards

Nominations are set to close on June 3 for the non-performance awards presented by the International Bluegrass Music Association each year during their annual World of Bluegrass convention in Raleigh, NC. These include the IBMA Industry Awards, given to those who support the industry with important non-musical parts of the business, IBMA Momentum Awards which recognize people in bluegrass during the early stages of their careers, as well as the IBMA Distinguished Achievement Awards for those who have made a distinct and special contribution to the music or the industry.

Though most of these these awards have been given for quite some time, there remains an inaccurate notion that the organization nominates potential winners in committees set up for this purpose. Committees do exist to choose nominees, but serve only to consider suggestions from names submitted to IBMA during the nomination period. In other words, if you wonder why a certain person has never been nominated for a certain award, it may simply be because you never put their name forward!

The IBMA has set up straightforward web forms to suggest nominees for each category of awards on their web site. You do not need to be a member of the organization to submit potential nominees.

Categories for IBMA Momentum Awards include:

• Mentor of the Year
• Industry Involvement 
• Vocalist of the Year
• Instrumentalist of the Year (2)
• Band of the Year

Nominations can be submitted online.

Categories for the IBMA Industry Awards include:

• Broadcaster of the Year
• Event/Venue of the Year
• Graphic Designer of the Year
• Liner Notes of the Year
• Writer of the Year
• Sound Engineer of the Year
• Songwriter of the Year

Nominations can be submitted online.

Five Distinguished Achievement Awards are given each year, at least one in each of these categories:

• Music
• Media
• Business
• General

Nominations can be submitted online.

If you can think of anyone deserving of this sort of recognition, please take a few moments to put their name forward. That can include yourself, should you believe that you are worthy. There is no shame or boasting involved in nominating yourself! In fact, it is expected by the IBMA. There have been years where every submitted name is nominated, owing to a dearth of suggestions.

Submissions will be accepted through June 3.