The Gibson Brothers – Eric and Leigh – and their band had seven IBMA award nominations this year: Entertainer of the Year, Vocal Group of the Year, both brothers for Male Vocalist of the Year, Jesse Brock for Mandolin Player of the Year, Album of the Year for “In the Ground” and Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year for “I Found A Church Today.”

In a tie for first place, they shared the Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year honor with Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers.

Most of the IBMA awards were handed out the evening of Thursday, Sept. 28 at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh, North Carolina. The show, which was streamed live on Sirius XM radio and Facebook Live, was hosted by Grammy-winning banjoist Bela Fleck and old-time-meets-Far-East banjoist Abigail Washburn, a husband-and-wife team who joked about meeting on a fictitious dating website called BanjoMingle.com.

Earlier in the day, IBMA officials gave out their special awards.

The Distinguished Achievement Awards went to philanthropist Fletcher Bright; Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri; songwriter Louise Branscomb; Bluegrass Today; and flatpicker Norman Blake.

The other special awards were:

-Print/Media Person of the Year: John Lawless, Bluegrass Today

-Best Liner Notes of the Year: Bill Nowlin for “J.D. Crowe & the New South 40th Anniversary Edition”

-Graphic Design of the Year: Casey Campbell and Gina Leslie for “Mandolin Duets: Volume One”

-Bluegrass Broadcaster of the Year: Cindy Baucom, Knee Deep In Bluegrass

-Bluegrass Songwriter of the Year: Tim Stafford

-Event of the Year: Pickin’ In Parsons, Parson, West Virginia

The rest of the IBMA awards are listed below.

-Dobro Player of the Year: Josh Swift (Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver)

-Bass Player of the Year: Alan Bartram (Del McCoury Band)

-Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year (tie): “I Found A Church Today,” Gibson Brothers; and “Sacred Memories,” Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers with Ricky Skaggs and Sharon White Skaggs

-Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year: “Fiddler’s Dream,” Michael Cleveland

-Guitar Player of the Year: Molly Tuttle

-Mandolin Player of the Year: Sierra Hull

-Recorded Event of the Event: “I’ve Gotta Get a Message to You,” Bobby Osborne with Sierra Hull, Alison Brown, Rob Ickes, Stuart Duncan, Trey Hensley, Todd Phillips, Kenny Malone, Claire Lynch and Bryan McDowell

-Emerging Artist of the Year: Volume Five

-Fiddle Player of the Year: Patrick McAvinue

-Banjo Player of the Year: Noam Pikelny

-Instrumental Group of the Year: Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper

-Female Vocalist of the Year: Brooke Aldridge

-Vocal Group of the Year: Flatt Lonesome

-Male Vocalist of the Year: Shawn Camp (Earls of Leicester)

-Song of the Year: “I Am A Drifter,” Volume Five (artist), Donna Ulisse/Marc Rossi (writers)

-Album of the Year: “Mountain Voodoo,” Balsam Range

-Entertainer of the Year: Earls of Leicester

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Gibson Brothers

Growing up in Ellenburg Depot, Eric and Leigh Gibson have been touring for more than 30 years, playing many concerts in the Adirondack Park and around the Northeast before branching out into the national and international bluegrass markets.

Their band currently consists of Eric on banjo, Leigh on guitar, Mike Barber on bass, Clayton Campbell on fiddle and Jesse Brock on mandolin.

In its October 2017 issue, Bluegrass Unlimited magazine listed “In the Ground” at the No. 1 spot on its Album Chart for the fourth month in a row. Two tracks on the album are on the charts, “Highway” at No. 4 and “Homemade Wine” at No. 11.

The Gibson Brothers will be returning to the Lake Placid Center for the Arts for performances on Nov. 3-4. Tickets are $20 or $25, depending on the section, and they can be purchased at 518-523-2512 or online at www.lakeplacidarts.org.