ETSU Bluegrass wins big at national conference

The ETSU Bluegrass Pride Band.

Dozens of faculty, alumni and students represented East Tennessee State University at the 2023 International Bluegrass Music Association World of Bluegrass Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina – one of the most significant bluegrass events in the world. Several ETSU faculty and alumni from the ETSU Bluegrass, Old Time and Roots Music Studies Program earned nominations for awards, and four took home honors in their respective categories.  

Artist in Residence and Grammy winning artist Tim Stafford won Songwriter of the Year. Stafford’s band Blue Highway took home Event of the Year for their annual Blue Highway Fest.  

Guitar Player of the Year was presented to faculty member and Grammy-nominated musician Trey Hensley.  

 Program director Dan Boner received the Momentum Award for Mentor of the Year.  

Nominees also included alumna Becky Buller for Gospel Recording of the Year; alumnus Adam Miller with the Lonesome River Band for Song of the Year; Stafford and fellow alumnus Gary Hultman of Blue Highway for Vocal Group of the Year; alumnus Lincoln Hensley and alumnae/faculty members Aynsley Porchak and Anissa Burnett with the Tennessee Bluegrass Band for New Artist of the Year; alumni Tray Wellington, Katelynn Bohn and Josiah Nelson with the Tray Wellington Band for New Artist of the Year; and ETSU Appalachian Studies professor Dr. Ted Olson for Liner Notes of the Year and Event of the Year for his collaboration on “Doc at 100.”  

Momentum Award Nominees included alumnus Nelson and alumnus/adjunct instructor Alex Genova for Instrumentalist of the Year. Industry Songwriter of the Year nominees included Buller and Appalachian Studies alumnus Thomm Jutz. 

Through various performances and workshops, over 38 ETSU alumni and faculty members appeared in bands at the IBMA World of Bluegrass street festival, including the ETSU Bluegrass Pride Band, Bluegrass Pythagoras, the U.S. Navy Band Country Current, the Thomas Cassell Band, the Tray Wellington Band, the Burnett Sisters Band, Hensley, Prairie Wildflower, Mike Compton, Buller, Seth Mulder and Midnight Run, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Ryn Riley and Appalachian Roots, Stafford, and the Tennessee Bluegrass Band. 

ETSU is a tremendous source of creativity and entertainment in the Appalachian Highlands, hosting dozens of concerts, exhibitions and more each year.

 Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Roots Music Studies is part of the Department of Appalachian Studies at ETSU, which offers a bachelor’s degree with concentrations in the bluegrass profession, old-time music studies, Scottish and Irish traditional music studies, and audio production. The department also offers a graduate certificate and Master of Arts in Appalachian Studies, with online classes available. ETSU’s Creative Arts Scholarship is available for out-of-state and international students to attend at an affordable tuition rate. For more information, email bluegrass@etsu.edu or call (423) 439-7072. 

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East Tennessee State University was founded in 1911 with a singular mission: to improve the quality of life for people in the region and beyond. Through its world-class health sciences programs and interprofessional approach to health care education, ETSU is a highly respected leader in rural health research and practices. The university also boasts nationally ranked programs in the arts, technology, computing, and media studies. ETSU serves approximately 14,000 students each year and is ranked among the top 10 percent of colleges in the nation for students graduating with the least amount of debt.