Dan Tyminski was voted male vocalist of the year for the fourth time Thursday night at the 20th annual International Bluegrass Music Awards.
Tyminski , who also won the award in 2001, 2002 and 2003, thanked his band members.
“I couldn’t ask for a better bunch of guys,” he said, battling loss of voice on bluegrass’ biggest night.
In another early award presentation, Dailey & Vincent won vocal group of the year.
About 20 other awards were being presented at the Ryman Auditorium, with comedian/actor Steve Martin up for six honors. He said before the show it would feel like the Academy Awards to win something.
Martin was a finalist for instrumental recorded performance, recorded event (for two songs, “Daddy Played the Banjo” and “The Crow”), banjo player of the year, best liner notes and best graphic design for a recorded project.
“I’ll be excited. It could be better than an Oscar,” said Martin, who has hosted the Oscars and won an Emmy award for his comedy writing and Grammy awards for music and comedy.
Martin’s first music album, “The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo,” has topped the bluegrass chart this year.
Tyminski, a guitarist and singer, and his band had nine nominations including entertainer of the year. The duo Dailey & Vincent had seven.
Tyminski is a member of Alison Krauss’ group Union Station, but he had time away from the band in recent months as Krauss was busy working with Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant.
Joining Tyminski as finalists for entertainer of the year were Dailey & Vincent, The Grascals, Del McCoury and Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out.
As announced previously, The Dillards and The Lonesome Pine Fiddlers were inducted into the IBMA Hall of Fame. The Dillards were the Darlins on “The Andy Griffith Show,” and The Lonesome Pine Fiddlers became pioneers as the first bluegrass band signed to the RCA Victor label in the late 1950s.
Kathy Mattea and the band Hot Rize were hosts of the show.
Winners were chosen by the 2,500 members of the Nashville-based International Bluegrass Music Association.
The show was not televised but was broadcast on satellite radio to more than 300 U.S. markets and 14 foreign networks.