IBMA, Special Awards Luncheon

At the special awards luncheon today at The IBMA World of Bluegrass, Distinguished Service Awards were presented to the following.

Art Menius

Bill Harrell

Ernest Tubb Record Shop

The Banjo Newsletter

Joe Carr and Alan Munde

More awards and details coming.

Selection criteria:
The Distinguished Achievement Award IBMA's Distinguished Achievement Award program exists to honor those in bluegrass music who have:
proven to be forerunners in their particular field of endeavor, and/or
fostered bluegrass music's image with developments that will broaden the music's recognition and accessibility.
The awards extended to individuals for there contributions shall fall into specific categories and are especially appropriate when they provide acclaim for those not recognized by other IBMA Awards categories.Candidates for the Distinguished Achievement should be judged on the degree to which they have contributed to or influenced bluegrass music in general or to a specific part of the industry. Their contributions should be unique given the relative period of time in which they were made and should embody the spirit of one who "pioneers" or open new possibilities for the music. The selection committee is also urged to consider significant recent influences on the music as well as historic ones.The selection committee is required to spread the recognition afforded by the Distinguished Achievement Award to the various fields of endeavor which have an impact on bluegrass music. Each year the committee will achieve th awards purpose by recognizing one individual from each of the following four categories except that it can recognize two in the "General" category (a total of five recipients) whose contributions fit the above criteria
Music - Artists, Composers, Side/Session Musicians.
Media - Journalists, Broadcasters (Radio or Television), Photographers, Historians/Folklorists, Publishers
Business - Promoters, Music Publishers, Agents, Recording Manufacturers and Distributors, Recording Engineers, Luthiers.
General - International Organizers, Association Leaders, Friends of the Music, Philanthropists, Arts Administrators, Teachers/Educators, and other Innovators.
Criteria and Categories of RecognitionSelection ProcessThe Selection Committee of five members is appointed by the IBMA board chairperson. The committee is made up of professional members with at least ten years experience in bluegrass music and a demonstrated significant knowledge of the history of the music. The committee shall actively seek out potential honorees and solicit candidate's names from the IBMA membership. A brief letter of recommendation, sent to IBMA, and any support information on the candidate is sufficient for the committee's consideration.From recommendations solicited and received, the selection committee shall compile a list of potential candidates (including recommendations from the selection committee itself). The committee shall convene at an appropriate time to review all candidates (usually in June or July prior to the IBMA Awards presentations) and shall select by majority vote the recipients of the awards for any given year.