JOHNSON CITY – Several alumni, faculty and staff of East Tennessee State University's Bluegrass, Old-Time and Country Music Studies were honored during the recent 2015 Grammy Awards and Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America awards programs.
Alumnus Barry Bales received his 15th Grammy award with this year's Best Bluegrass Album Award for the self-titled album by his band, The Earls of Leicester.
In the SPBGMA Awards, former students, faculty and staff of the ETSU program were nominated in 17 of 23 categories and won in six categories.
Rhonda Vincent and The Rage, with band members Hunter Berry and Brent Burke, took Bluegrass Band of the Year honors, with Berry also being named Fiddle Performer of the Year.
Tim Stafford earned the Guitar Performer of the Year Award.
"That's Kentucky" garnered Song of the Year honors for Lorraine Jordan and Carolina Road, of which Josh Goforth is a member.
Best Album of the Year went to "Pull Your Savior In" by the Larry Stephenson Band, with band members Danny Stewart and Colby Laney.
The Grascals, with band member Kristin Scott Benson, earned Instrumental Group of the Year honors.
Other ETSU program alumni receiving award nominations were Jason Davis and Shawn Lane.
