Balsam Range was honored with the “Entertainer of the Year” Award at the 29th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards held in Raleigh last week. The western North Carolina-based group previously won this award in 2014. Band member Buddy Melton (fiddle, lead and tenor vocals) took home the 2018 IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year Award and Tim Surrett (bass, dobro, baritone & lead vocals) won the Bass Player of the Year Award. The award-winning group also features Darren Nicholson (mandolin, octave mandolin, lead vocals, baritone and low tenor vocals), Dr. Marc Pruett (banjo), and Caleb Smith (guitar, lead & baritone vocals).

Last week, Balsam Range performed as part of "The TRUST" set at The Red Hat Amphitheater which coincided with the new album titled Come See About Me: A Benefit for the IBMA Trust Fund, a collection of songs chosen specifically for this project.

Balsam Range has received over a dozen other International Bluegrass Music Association Awards including the 2017 IBMA Album of the Year Award for Mountain Voodoo released on the Mountain Home Music Company label.

Earlier this year the label released the band’s latest album Mountain Overture that transforms Balsam Range’s most-loved songs from their first decade of recordings and features the Atlanta Pops Orchestra Ensemble. The band also has two new singles: “Hobo Blues” and “The Girl That Invented The Wheel” that includes an entertaining music video.

Balsam Range leaves audiences spellbound while headlining major festivals from coast to coast, selling out venues and appearing multiple times at the Grand Ole Opry. Remaining 2018 tour dates include:

·        Oct 5 – Huck Finn Jubilee, Ontario, CA

·        Oct 11 - Music on the Town, Dandridge, TN

·        Oct 21 – Festival of Mountain Music, Kiawah Island, SC

·        Nov 3 – Roy Chapman and Joe Byers Memorial Bluegrass Bash, Rosman, NC

·        Nov 17 – Historic Earle Theater, Mount Airy, NC

·        Nov 30 – Balsam Range Art of Music Festival, Lake Junaluska, NC