The 7th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards were held on September 26, 1996, at RiverPark Center, Owensboro, Kentucky. The awards recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. 5 awards were won by either Del McCoury or his sons (Ronnie McCoury, Rob McCoury) and they were nominated in 10 of the categories.
Award winners Entertainer of the Year The Del McCoury Band IIIrd Tyme Out Alison Krauss & Union Station Lonesome River Band Nashville Bluegrass Band
Vocal Group of the Year IIIrd Tyme Out Alison Krauss & Union Station Lonesome River Band Del McCoury Nashville Bluegrass Band
Instrumental Group of the Year The Del McCoury Band Richard Greene & The Grass Is Greener Alison Krauss & Union Station Nashville Bluegrass Band Tony Rice Unit
Male Vocalist of the Year Del McCoury Ronnie Bowman Dudley Connell Russell Moore Alan O'Bryant
Female Vocalist of the Year Lynn Morris Suzanne Cox Alison Krauss Laurie Lewis Claire Lynch
Song Of The Year "Mama's Hand" Hazel Dickens, songwriter (Lynn Morris) "Another Place, Another Time" Jerry Chestnut, songwriter (Ronnie & Rob McCoury) "In The Gravel Yard" Malcolm Pulley, songwriter (Blue Highway) "Tear My Stillhouse Down" Gillian Welch, songwriter (The Nashville Bluegrass Band) "Wing and a Prayer" Kim Williams, Sam Login & Jim Olander, songwriters (David Parmley, Scott Vestal & Continental Divide)
Album of the Year It's A Long Long Road - Blue Highway Blue Highway, producer Mama's Hand - Lynn Morris Lynn Morris, producer One Step Forward - The Lonesome River Band The Lonesome River Band, producer Ronnie & Rob McCoury - Ronnie & Rob McCoury Ronnie McCoury, producer Unleashed - The Nashville Bluegrass Band Jerry Douglas, producer
Recorded Event of the Year Bluegrass '95 - Scott Vestal, Aubrey Haynie, Adam Steffey, Wayne Benson, Barry Bales & Clay Jones David Parmley, producer Fiddle And A Song - Byron Berline Byron Berline, producer Rose Of Old Kentucky - Byron Berline featuring Vince Gill Byron Berline, producer 60 Years of Bluegrass with My Friends - Curly Seckler Billy Henson, producer That High Lonesome Sound - Old & In the Way David Grisman, producer
Instrumental Recording of the Year Ronnie & Rob McCoury - Ronnie & Rob McCoury Ronnie McCoury, producer''' An American Original - The '94 Sessions - Chubby Wise Sonny Osborne, producer Dancing In The Hog Trough - Lynn Morris Lynn Morris, producer Southern Comfort - The Lonesome River Band The Lonesome River Band, producer Wolves A' Howlin - Richard Greene & The Grass Is Greener Richard Greene, producer
Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year There's A Light Guiding Me'' - Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver Doyle Lawson, producer Glory Train - Southern Rail Bob Dick and Southern Rail, producers I Can Call Jesus - Lynn Morris Lynn Morris, producer My God Made It All - Bass Mountain Boys Butch Baldassari, producer Pathway To Heaven - The McPeak Brothers The McPeak Brothers, producers
Emerging Artist of the Year Blue Highway Laurel Canyon Ramblers Chris Jones & The Night Drivers Wyatt Rice & Santa Cruz The Sidemen
Instrumental Performers of the Year Banjo Player of the Year Sammy Shelor Scott Vestal Ron Block J.D. Crowe Rob McCoury
Dobro Player of the Year Rob Ickes Mike Auldridge Jerry Douglas Sally Van Meter Gene Wooten
Bass Player of the Year Mike Bub Roy Huskey Jr. Gene Libbea Missy Raines Mark Schatz
Fiddle Player of the Year Stuart Duncan Byron Berline Jason Carter Alison Krauss Chubby Wise
Guitar Player of the Year Tony Rice David Grier Del McCoury Larry Sparks Doc Watson
Mandolin Player of the Year Ronnie McCoury Butch Baldassari Sam Bush Bill Monroe Adam Steffey
References