Comedian Steve Martin competes for top honors at International Bluegrass Music Awards

Steve Martin competes for top bluegrass honors

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Comedian Steve Martin said it’ll feel like the Academy Awards if he wins at the 20th annual International Bluegrass Music Awards.

Martin was up for six awards at the Thursday night show: 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,” Martin, who has hosted the Oscars and won an Emmy award for his comedy writing and Grammy awards for music and comedy, said in an interview a few days before the show.

Martin’s first music album, “The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo,” has topped the bluegrass chart this year.

Dan 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 chosen for induction into the IBMA Hall of Fame.

Kathy Mattea and the band Hot Rize were to host the show at Ryman Auditorium.

Winners were chosen by the 2,500 members of the Nashville-based International Bluegrass Music Association.

The show will not be televised but was scheduled to be broadcast on satellite radio to more than 300 U.S. markets and 14 foreign networks.