By Katherine Cole

I think I could hear the screaming all the way down here in DC. Maybe not, but there’s no doubt in my mind that there was much celebrating by their hometown fans in upstate New York last night when word came that The Gibson Brothers (individually and as a group)  had received 8 nominations for the 2013 International Bluegrass Music Awards.

Their nominations are spread across a variety of categories—some solo awards, some for the band. Their CD, “They Called It Music” is up for Album of the Year and the title track has been nominated for Song of the Year. Eric Gibson (seen there playing banjo, his brother Leigh is on guitar. Also in that video: Mike Barber on bass, Clayton Campbell playing fiddle and Joe Walsh is on Mandolin in that video. He has since left the band and has been replaced by Jesse Brock.) also received a nomination for writing that song with Joe Newberry. Eric’s other solo nomination is for Bluegrass Songwriter of the Year. The band is also nominated in the Gospel Recorded Event category for their song “Home On The River”(also off “They Called It Music”) and Vocal Group of the Year. Jesse Brock is up for Mandolin Player of the Year, an award he took home in 2009.

The Gibson Brothers are the reigning IBMA Entertainer of the Year and they’re nominated in that category again. As you might expect, it’s a tough one. The other nominees are: Balsam Range, Blue Highway, Dailey & Vincent and The Del McCoury Band.  Of that group,  Balsam Range, a band from Western North Carolina,  is probably the newest band and perhaps the least well known outside of  US. But here, they’re doing quite well– receiving  7 nominations including Album of the Year and two in the Song of the Year category.  One is for “Papertown.”

The 2013 IBMA awards will be handed out September 26th in Raleigh, North Carolina. The awards show will be broadcast on VOA’s Roots and Branches the following week! I’ll be there, so get ready for photos and the scoop on all the excitement.  The complete list of nominations can be found here–if you have any thoughts on them, please leave a comment!