SPBGMA Celebrates Fifty Years of Bluegrass

Junior Sisk Band (photo credit: Charlie Herbst)

The Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in American is a mouthful; most folks just call it SPBGMA (pronounced SPIG-ma). January 23–26 marked the 50th anniversary of the annual convention, held at the Music City Sheraton in Nashville.

All it takes to immerse oneself in the experience is walking into the hotel lobby. From opening to close of the weekend, jam groups fill every nook and cranny and flatfoot dances claim the space right inside the door. For the first time in my memory, the “No Jamming in the Hallway” sign was gone—evidently taken as a souvenir last year after serving as the visual for several memes.

The SPBGMA experience has a family feel—like Old Home Week, a combination of scheduled workshops, showcases, and competitions along with impromptu jamming and networking. Jams and workshops are also held in a number of suites, some for more than a dozen years. Pickers and listeners alike fill the rooms.

The SPBGMA awards recognize both established traditional groups and newer artists to the scene. “It’s an honor to be nominated” comes across as genuine, particularly since the performers and songwriters competing against one another can also be found co-writing and performing together.

A favorite part of SPBGMA is the band contest, won this year by Texas band Riley Gilbreath and Long Star Blue. Florida band Remedy Blue placed second in the competition.

Riley Gilbreath & Lone Star Blue (photo credit: Charlie Herbst)

If the IBMA Awards Night is the Bluegrass Prom, the SPBGMA Award are a family reunion. Fans fill the seats, often singing along with the performers and reacting verbally to the winner announcements.

The Kody Norris Show took home a number of awards for the night—Entertainer of the Year and Best Bluegrass Vocal group, along with Kody’s award for bluegrass guitar performer and Mary Rachel Nalley-Norris for bluegrass fiddle performer.

The Kody Norris Show (photo credit: Charlie Herbst)

Junior Sisk was backstage with his band, preparing for their performance, when they received the Bluegrass Album Award for If There’s a Will, There’s a Way. He appeared genuinely surprised to learn he was in the running. During his band’s showcase, he stepped aside and let his backup musicians perform two songs as The Red Camel Collective from their new album.

Bluegrass Songwriter of the Year Daryl Mosely (photo credit: Charlie Herbst)

Daryl Mosely was named Bluegrass Songwriter of the Year. When he took the stage, he acknowledged other nominees who, he said, had done so much for bluegrass songwriting. Authentic Unlimited was named Bluegrass Gospel Band of the Year. Rhonda Vincent and the Rage, who closed out the show, were named overall Bluegrass Band of the Year. East Nash Grass, who have enjoyed growing recognition in the last couple of years, was named Bluegrass Instrumental Group of the Year.

With blue jeans and cowboy hats mingling with matching sequined and jeweled Western suits, amateur musicians mingling with some of the biggest stars in bluegrass, SPBGMA weekend brings together hundreds of people who share one thing—a love of bluegrass music.

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