Its a weekend full of bluegrass music from the Midwest's top bands of the genre, awards for their continued talents and original music, and "fun for the entire family" as its tagline suggests.
The Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America (SPBGMA) will host its 45th annual Midwest Bluegrass Music Awards and 36th Midwest Convention Friday and Saturday at Capitol Plaza Hotel and Convention Center, 415 W. McCarty St.
With the Capitol Plaza Hotel ballroom opening at 1 p.m. Friday, guests can enjoy a slew of performances from the region's best bluegrass artists beginning at 2 p.m. and lasting well into the evening. The Collins Brothers, The Baker Family, That Dalton Gang, The Greg Blake Band, Bluegrass Blondies, Possum Trot, Lori Kind and Junction 63, Lonesome Road, Casey and The Atta Boys, and Bull Harman and Bull's Eye will all take the stage Friday, with many of these artists returning to begin performing from 12:30-5:30 p.m. Saturday before breaking for dinner. There will be jams Friday and Saturday night, as well.
Gilbert Humphrey and Bull Harman will serve as the masters of ceremonies during the two-day event, and The Farm Hands, who will also perform at 2:45 p.m. Saturday, will return to serve as the Bluegrass Awards host beginning at 7 p.m. Saturday night.
The awards show will start with an opening performance from the Collins Brothers at 7 p.m. Additional performances during the show include Casey and the Atta Boys at 7:35 p.m., Lonesome Road at 8:20 p.m., Bull Harman & Bull's Eye at 9:10 p.m. and the awards host, The Farm Hands, closing the event at 9:35 p.m.
In between these performances, 16 awards will be given. Nominees for each category were announced before the new year. They are:
Bluegrass Promoter of the Year: Darrell and Ashley Turnbull, Joe and Lori King, Don and Bobbie Day, and D.A. Callaway
Bluegrass Songwriter of the Year: Darrell Turnbull, Hal Cottrell, Kelli Jo Kingrey and Katrina Harper
Bluegrass Album of the Year: "Songs of the Mountains, Songs of the Plains" by The Roe Family Singers/Pinecastle Records, "Begin Again" by That Dalton Gang, "Walking a Straight Path" by The Baker Family/independent label and "Greater" by The Punches/independent label
Bass Fiddle Performer of the Year: Wyatt Harman, Lori King, Anne Martin and Elijah Baker
Dobro Performer of the Year: Brooke Punches, Jimmy Campbell, Larita Martin and Jacob Metz
Guitar Performer of the Year: Joe King, Emily Punches, Bull Harman and David Maravilla
Mandolin Performer of the Year: Kevin Amburgey, Hal Cottrell, Carina Baker and Bruce Punches
Banjo Performer of the Year: Mark Hargrove, Jeremy Boling, Randy Denny and Mason Ruble
Fiddle Performer of the Year: Trustin Baker, Graham Punches, Ed Sellers and Gerald Jones
Female Vocalist of the Year (overall): Lori King, Emily Punches, Jeana Martin-Faris and Carina Baker
Male Vocalist of the Year (overall): Bruce Punches, Joe King, Dave Maravilla and Wyatt Harman
Bluegrass Gospel Group of the Year: That Dalton Gang, The Bluegrass Blondies, The Punches and Potters Wheel
Vocal Group of the Year: Lori King and Junction 63, That Dalton Gang, The Punches and The Bluegrass Missourians
Instrumental Group of the Year: The Martins, Lori King and Junction 63, Bull Harman and Bull's Eye and The Punches
Bluegrass Band of the Year (overall): Lori King and Junction 63, Bull Harman and Bull's Eye, Lonesome Road and The Bakers
Entertainer(s) in Bluegrass Music: Lori King, Bull Harman, Wyatt Harman and The Bakers
These events are open to the public. A special bluegrass flat rate is $91 plus tax. Other admission prices are $15 for both shows (2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.) Friday, $10 for Friday night show only, $20 for both shows Saturday (1 p.m. and 7 p.m.), $15 for Saturday night show and awards, and $30 for a two-day pass.
To make room reservations, which include unlimited parking with enclosed parking to hotel for hotel guests, call 573-635-1234. For more information on groups and tickets, contact SPBGMA at [email protected] or visit spbgma.com.