JOHNSON CITY: East Tennessee State University Bluegrass, Old-Time and Country Music Studies congratulates its alumni, faculty and students who were recently announced as nominees for 2018 International Bluegrass Music Association Special and Momentum awards.
These nominations follow the earlier announcement of the main IBMA Award nominations, in which nine individuals with ties to the ETSU program were recognized.
The IBMA Special Awards recognize those who play a part behind the scenes, and the Momentum Awards recognize those who are “in the early stages of their careers.†A full list of the nominees can be viewed on Bluegrass Today’s website https://bluegrasstoday.com/ibma-special-awards-nominees-for-2018/.
Current faculty member Dr. Ted Olson was nominated for Liner Notes of the Year for the project “Big Bend Killing: The Appalachian Ballad Tradition†by various artists. Olson is a professor in the ETSU Department of Appalachian Studies.
Dan Boner, alumnus and program director, was nominated for Momentum Mentor of the Year.
Alumna Becky Buller was nominated for the Special Songwriter of the Year Award in addition to her eight previously announced 2018 IBMA nominations.
Alumna Haselden “Hasee†Ciaccio and three current students, Thomas Cassell, Trajan Wellington and Aynsley Porchak, were all nominated for the Momentum Instrumentalist of the Year Award.
Alumnus and former faculty member Kris Truelsen received nominations for the Special Bluegrass Broadcaster of the Year Award and the Momentum Industry Involvement Award. His event and live radio show, “Farm and Fun Time,†also received a nomination for the Momentum Festival/Event/Venue of the Year Award.
With the announcement of the Special and Momentum Awards, ETSU students, faculty and alumni have received a total of 31 nominations for 2018 International Bluegrass Music Awards.
The winners will be announced Sept. 27 at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh, North Carolina. The 2018 IBMA Awards Show will be broadcast live on Sirius XM Satellite Radio’s Bluegrass Junction station at 7:30 p.m., streamed via Facebook Live and made available for rebroadcast by radio stations worldwide. For more information on the IBMA Awards, visit www.ibma.org/awards.
