Two days after giving a candid and rapturously received keynote speech at the International Bluegrass Music Association’s 2025 convention, Billy Strings won his fourth Entertainer of the Year at the IBMA Awards on Thursday night in Chattanooga. The guitarist, songwriter and bandleader has set new benchmarks for success in bluegrass over the past five years, selling out arenas across the country. Strings, who played nearby shows in Chattanooga during the week of IBMA, spent more time at the convention than he has since his breakout days, walking the convention hall and picking with various musicians.
“As time goes on, I realize that I have a duty here to play (classic bluegrass) songs for the next generation,” he said at Tuesday night’s address, opening five days of conference and festival. “I've been very fortunate to attract a diverse audience, many of which come from backgrounds outside of bluegrass altogether. My hope is that some kid comes to one of my shows somewhere and gets inspired to pick up the guitar or banjo and go home to Google Tony Rice or Earl Scruggs.” On Thursday night, he was gracious but more succinct. “We've been ripping a lot of gigs, and it’s been a lot of fun,” he said before thanking his band and his team. “Thank you all for listening. Appreciate ya.”
The night’s biggest winner by trophy count was the duo of star fiddle players Jason Carter and Michael Cleveland. They won Album of the Year for Cleveland & Carter, released in March, Song of the Year for “Outrun The Rain” (written by Terry Herd and Jimmy Yeary), and Collaborative Recording of the Year for the same song, whose recording included guest vocals by Jaelee Roberts and Vince Gill. The house burst into “Happy Birthday” for Cleveland, who was turning 45, after they won the collaboration prize. Carter, who recently went solo after 30 years with the titanic Del McCoury Band, is 52.
Cleveland and Carter are the two most decorated fiddlers of modern times, with 18 Fiddle Player of the Year awards between them. They’ve had a notion to collaborate on a traditional twin fiddle album for 15 years, Cleveland said, as they accepted Album of the Year. “It kind of evolved because I think finally now the rest of the world has figured out what a great singer Jason Carter is. So now it kind of evolved into so much more than a twin fiddle album, and I was just happy to be a part,” Cleveland continued. “I can't tell you what an honor it's been. And I'm glad we finally got it done.”
The auspicious New Artist of the Year Award was a surprise, going to Red Camel Collective, a band that’s been touring under their own name for less than three years. The quartet is well-known to fans however as the band behind longtime star Junior Sisk, whom they thanked from the podium. “I want to say how much music has meant to me through the years since I was a child,” said singer and guitarist Heather Berry Mabe. “It's just meant everything to me. It's always been there for me, and I'm so thankful for that.” She then noted that music had also brought her together with her husband Tony Mabe – exactly 20 years ago at another IBMA World of Bluegrass. Today, Tony plays banjo next to her in the band. He said, all too humbly, that “I really want to thank these other musicians up here, because they are all better than I am. I'm just hanging on!”
The 36th annual IBMA Awards took place for the first time at Chattanooga’s Soldiers And Sailors Memorial Auditorium and was hosted by legendary comic actor Steve Martin and award-winning banjo player Alison Brown. Martin, whose banjo skills have netted him several IBMA Awards over the years, brought his signature dry humor to the night’s proceedings. “It has been a long time dream of mine to host the IBMA Awards here in Chattanooga with Alison Brown,” he said. “And tonight, I am one step closer to that dream.” They were nominated in three categories as well for their co-written song “5 Days Out, 2 Days Back,” but did not win a prize. They performed their whimsically updated “Cluck Old Hen” with lyrics by Martin.
Women enjoyed historic success in the instrumentalist categories, winning four of the six – Sierra Hull for Mandolin (her seventh), Vickie Vaughn for bass (her third consecutive), and Kristin Scott Benson for banjo (her seventh). In a breakthrough first-time win, Maddie Denton of East Nash Grass was named Fiddle Player of the Year. “I’m a third-generation fiddle player,” Denton said. “Fiddle has meant the world to me. I’d like to dedicate this award to my grandaddy Clyde and to East Nash Grass. I love you guys so much.”
In the remaining instrumental categories, Trey Hensley won his second Guitar Player of the Year, while Justin Moses (husband of Sierra Hull) won his sixth Resophonic Guitar Player of the Year trophy.
The night also featured extended tributes to three new inductees into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame. Hot Rize was one of the anchoring bands of the 1980s and 90s, bringing Tim O’Brien to the fore as a songwriter and singer, and shaping the sound of bluegrass from Colorado. The Bluegrass Cardinals played and recorded widely between the mid 1970s and mid-90s behind the father-son combo of Don and David Parmley. They also became a launch pad for Larry Stephenson, who sang in a powerful reunion of the band on stage. A posthumous Hall of Fame induction went to Arnold Shultz, the Kentucky guitar player and singer who proved a key influence on bluegrass music founding father Bill Monroe.
A complete list of winners follows:
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Billy Strings
SONG OF THE YEAR
Outrun the Rain - Jason Carter & Michael Cleveland
Songwriters: Terry Herd/Jimmy Yeary
Producers: Jason Carter/Michael ClevelandLabel: Fiddle Man Records
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Carter & Cleveland - Jason Carter & Michael Cleveland
Producers: Jason Carter/Michael Cleveland
Label: Fiddle Man Records
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Authentic Unlimited
INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
The Travelin' McCourys
GOSPEL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
He's Gone - Jaelee Roberts
Songwriter: Kelsi Harrigill
Producer: Byron House
Label: Mountain Home Music Company
INSTRUMENTAL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Ralph's Banjo Special - Kristin Scott Benson, Gena Britt & Alison Brown
Songwriter: Ralph Stanley
Producer: Alison Brown
Label: Compass Records
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Red Camel Collective
COLLABORATIVE RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Outrun the Rain - Jason Carter, Michael Cleveland, Jaelee Roberts & Vince Gill
Songwriters: Terry Herd/Jimmy Yeary
Producers: Jason Carter/Michael Cleveland
Label: Fiddle Man Records
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Greg Blake
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Alison Krauss
BANJO PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Kristin Scott Benson
BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Vickie Vaughn
FIDDLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Maddie Denton
RESOPHONIC GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Justin Moses
GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Trey Hensley
MANDOLIN PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Sierra Hull
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
The Auctioneer - The Kody Norris Show
Songwriters: Leroy Van Dyke/Buddy Black
Producer: James Gilley
Videographer: Nate Wiles
Label: Rebel Records
