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Inside The 2018 IBMA Awards

WUNC News | By Frank Stasio,
Laura Pellicer
Published September 28, 2018 at 12:49 PM EDT

The sounds of bluegrass have taken over the streets and venues of Raleigh. The International Bluegrass Music Association’s World of Bluegrass is a five-day event that strings together free downtown shows, ticketed showcases, a business of bluegrass conference and the illustrious annual International Bluegrass Music Awards. 

Renowned bluegrass journalist John Lawless, editor and co-founder of Bluegrass Today joins host Frank Stasio with a rundown of this year’s International Bluegrass Music Association Festival events.

Renowned bluegrass journalist John Lawless, editor and co-founder of Bluegrass Today joins host Frank Stasio with a rundown of this year’s events. He highlights 2018 IBMA award winners including Molly Tuttle for guitarist of the year; Balsam Range for entertainer of the year, and the song of the year which was written by Larry Cordle, Larry Shell and James Silvers. Lawless shares music from award winners and from the bluegrass bands he’s most excited about. World of Bluegrass runs Tuesday, Sept. 25 through Saturday Sept. 29 in Raleigh.

Copyright 2018 North Carolina Public Radio
Frank Stasio
Longtime NPR correspondent Frank Stasio was named permanent host of The State of Things in June 2006. A native of Buffalo, Frank has been in radio since the age of 19. He began his public radio career at WOI in Ames, Iowa, where he was a magazine show anchor and the station's News Director.
See stories by Frank Stasio
Laura Pellicer
Laura Pellicer is a producer with The State of Things (hyperlink), a show that explores North Carolina through conversation. Laura was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, a city she considers arrestingly beautiful, if not a little dysfunctional. She worked as a researcher for CBC Montreal and also contributed to their programming as an investigative journalist, social media reporter, and special projects planner. Her work has been nominated for two Canadian RTDNA Awards. Laura loves looking into how cities work, pursuing stories about indigenous rights, and finding fresh voices to share with listeners. Laura is enamored with her new home in North Carolina—notably the lush forests, and the waves where she plans on moonlighting as a mediocre surfer.
See stories by Laura Pellicer