Steve Martin and Allison Brown host Chattanooga’s first IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — The IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards kicked of with two excited cohost.

Allison Brown cohosted with Steve Martin. She said, “We are thrilled to be here and I think it is so exciting for the IMBA world of bluegrass to have a new home here in Chattanooga. We are thrilled to be kicking it off.”

Although both Steve Martin and Allison Brown are excellent banjo players, even they feel nervous when surrounded by decades of talent.

Steve Martin said,  “10 years ago I was hosting Saturday night live 40th anniversary. I was standing on stage and right over here was Paul Simon and right here was Paul McCartney. I’m standing there and thinking how did this happen. Just now I was standing on stage with all these greatest bluegrass musicians running our song and I thought the same thing, how did I get on this stage with all these great musicians including Allison.”

Steve Martin and Allison Brown received nominations for their new song, ‘5 Days Out, 2 Days Back,’ which will appear on their upcoming album.

Martin doesn’t know how Chattanooga will take it. He said, “I don’t know the local zeitgeist, but it is musical and cheerful bluegrass music.”

Brown added, “I’m just thinking the only thing better than one banjo is two banjos so I think Chattanooga can get next to some banjo’s. I think we will be okay.”

The audience is certainly a fan of more banjo, especially with some bluegrass royalty in attendance.

The band The Grascals earned a nomination for Song of the Year. They said, “To be in the room with all your heroes and all the up-and-coming tremendous talent in this genre. I think it is a privilege to be here, especially 20 years into this thing.”

Not only are there some all time greats but up and coming artist as well, showing the genre is here to stay.

Jerry Salley earned a nomination for Gospel Recording of the Year. He like seeing the younger interest in the genre, “It encourages me. This is our first year in Chattanooga but I have seen more young people carrying around their instrument cases than I’ve seen in a long time at IBMA. As far as we are going with this, wherever we take it.

Brand new faces are welcome into the genre as well as some hometown locals.

East Nash Grass was up for entertainer of the year. One of their members is a Chattanooga native.

He said, “I lived here for almost 30 years. It’s a great place to live. It is a wonderful place to live. This is a great new home for IBMA. Wouldn’t you agree?

Many nominees were thrilled about the move to the Scenic City.

Hot Rize, a Canadian bluegrass band, is being inducted into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame. They said, “We have been here before. We have played the Three sisters festival before. We have been through the area a lot. It seems like a really good home for IBMA both the facilities and the town itself.”

The IBMA is just beginning its work here in town.

Darin and Brooke Aldridge earned multiple nominations tonight. Darin Aldridge said, “Like we say at IBMA, we are always glad to plant seeds in other parts of the country. Sprout those up into more fans and spread the bluegrass and the bluegrass world everywhere we can and Chattanooga is right in line for that.”

Chattanooga welcomes bluegrass. The IBMA festival will continue until Saturday September 20th.