Int’l Bluegrass Awards Back Home At Ryman

6/12/2008 Webb   Ricky Skaggs  The 19th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards Show (IBMA) be held at the historic Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville on October 2. The show will feature a wide variety of performances by the top artists in bluegrass music, along with special guests, and the presentation of the genre’s major awards, including the induction of this year’s IBMA Hall of Fame honorees.   Nominees for the 2008 IBMA Awards will be announced at a press conference at the Ford Theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum on August 14.   The Ryman holds a unique position in the history of bluegrass music as a primary stage on which the music was born and gained national prominence through some of its most notable performances.  The music’s pioneers, including Bill Monroe, Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, The Osborne Brothers, Jim & Jesse, Mac Wiseman and many, many others essentially defined the style with regular performances on WSM’s Grand Ole Opry when it was hosted at the Ryman from 1943 to 1974.   According to this year’s awards show producers and talent coordinators, Cindy Baucom and Ned Luberecki, “We’re honored to be in a position of helping put all the right elements in place, as we celebrate bluegrass music's most outstanding achievements of the year.  Returning the show to the historic Ryman lends an extra special air of excitement for everyone, including the audience, the performers and each of the nominees.”   Tickets to the 19th Annual IBMA Awards Show are currently only available through IBMA by calling 1-888-438-4262 or at www.ibma.org.    The awards show will be broadcast live and syndicated to more than 300 radio affiliates.