IBMA announces hosts, performers for 2020 Bluegrass Music Awards

"Chosen as co-hosts this year are Sierra Hull, Joe Newberry, Tim O’Brien, and Rhonda Vincent, who will hold down the central part of the program, throwing to pre-recorded live sets and award presentations on tape.

As is usually the case, live performances are on tap from all six Entertainer of the Year nominees, as well as special features celebrating 2020 as the 75th anniversary of the birth of bluegrass. These have been shot in advance on video, in various locations in Nashville and Raleigh.

Other show segments announced by IBMA include:

• On stage at the Ryman, the Del McCoury Band will perform a classic Bill Monroe song in celebration of the 75th anniversary of bluegrass.
  
  
• In a tribute to Doc Watson, his longtime band mate T. Michael Coleman is joined by all five Guitar Player of the Year nominees for a rousing Black Mountain Rag.
  
  
• In a tribute to J.D. Crowe, his ex-band member Jerry Douglas has collected an amazing lineup of IBMA royalty, including all five banjo nominees, joined by Douglas, Sam Bush, Missy Raines and David Grier.
  
  
• Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper will perform a song from the fiddling virtuoso’s 2020 GRAMMY-winning album, Tall Fiddler.
  
  
• Taj Mahal joins the fun virtually – from Northern California – when he joins Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley with nominated sidemen Mike Bub and Stuart Duncan, performing at the Ryman, for Sittin’ on Top of the World.
  
  
• Becky Buller, Missy Raines, and Alison Brown will perform an original hymn by Buller, Take Me Over Jordan, for the In Memoriam segment.
  
  
• To salute women in bluegrass history and the 20th anniversary of the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack, four female nominees (including host Rhonda Vincent) will sing the a cappella Down to the River to Pray from the groundbreaking project.
  
  
• An opening number recreating that night 75 years ago when Flatt and Scruggs joined Bill Monroe on stage at the Ryman Auditorium."

IBMA announces hosts, performers for 2020 Bluegrass Music Awards - Bluegrass Today