# International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame

For a professional in the bluegrass music field, election to the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame is the highest honor the genre can bestow. An invitation can be extended to performers, songwriters, promoters, broadcasters, musicians, and executives in recognition of their contributions to the development of bluegrass music worldwide. The hall of fame honor was created in 1991 by the International Bluegrass Music Association and the inductees are honored annually at the International Bluegrass Music Awards ceremony. The Hall's first inductees were Bill Monroe, widely considered as the founder of the genre, and Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, two of bluegrass music's most pioneering and influential artists. The most recent inductees (class of 2024) are Katy Daley, Jerry Douglas, and Alan Munde. The Hall itself is maintained at the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum in Owensboro, Kentucky. The institution received its current name in 2007, and was known prior to this as the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor.

## Member selection

Each year a nominating committee creates a slate of 10-15 candidates. From these names, electors cast ballots to narrow the nominees to five finalists. There are over 200 electors who, themselves, must have participated actively in bluegrass for at least 10 years, and must merit respect and recognition for their accomplishments and/or knowledge in one or more aspects of the field. After the five finalists have been selected, the electors again vote to select the inductee(s) for that year. The name(s) of the newest Hall of Honor inductee(s) are made public immediately following the final stage of balloting and the formal induction takes place each year during the International Bluegrass Music Awards Show. The plaques are then displayed at the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum in Owensboro, Kentucky.

### Eligibility

Only people or performing groups are eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame. Companies, institutions, publications, radio stations, and other organizations – many of which significantly foster bluegrass music – are not eligible for Hall of Fame recognition. People are not eligible for induction in the year following their death. Eligible people and musical groups may include:
* Individuals such as performing artists, songwriters, music business executives, promoters, and broadcasters. It is permitted to include multiple individuals simultaneously under one induction when those individuals are part of an influential collaboration. Examples might include musical duos, songwriting partners, record label owners, or similar collaborations. Hall of Fame recognition is given to the individual(s).
* Performing groups that present exclusively as a “band,” without a named headlining personality. Hall of Fame recognition is given to the performing group as an entity, not to any of its individual members, and regardless of band configuration or time period.

### Categories

The International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame inducts its members in one of three categories:
* Open Category: Two inductions are selected annually for the Hall of Fame Open Category. Eligible candidates may be living or deceased and may include performing artists, bands, and industry professionals.
* Early Contributor Category: One induction is selected during odd-numbered years for the Hall of Fame Early Contributor Category. Eligible candidates may be living or deceased and should include performing artists, bands, and industry professionals who first came to prominence at least 50 years prior to the induction year.
* Non-Performer Category: One induction is selected during even-numbered years for the Hall of Fame Non-Performer Category. Eligible candidates may be living or deceased and should include those whose primary contributions to bluegrass music are apart from performing

### Criteria

Candidates for the Hall of Fame are appraised by the Nominating Committee and Panel of Electors in accordance with the criteria below:
* Basic Standard - Candidates should be judged according to their contribution to the advancement of bluegrass music and the indelibility of that impact.
* Individuals Versus Performing Groups – Nomination of a performing band may take priority over its individual band members, unless the contributions of an individual band member to the greater whole of bluegrass music greatly overshadows the influence of the band. The Nominating Committee is encouraged to wait three years after a band induction before individual band members may be again eligible for the Hall of Fame. Exceptions may be made at the discretion of the Nominating Committee.
* Scope of Activity - Candidates may have excelled in a specific sphere such as songwriting, publishing, performing, recording, or producing; or they may have been active in several areas. Regardless of their focus, candidates must have achieved definitive leadership in their field(s) and must compete with all candidates in all fields.
* Span of Influence - The time factor of a candidate's impact on bluegrass music is completely flexible (except as provided for the Early Contributor Category). It may cover an uninterrupted span of many years or it may cover two or more distinct and separate time cycles. A candidate may earn Hall of Fame recognition by one transient act, momentary in time, providing the impact on bluegrass music is deemed significant enough. Longevity of involvement with bluegrass music, therefore, will not in itself warrant recognition in the Hall of Fame.
* Influence on Others – Inspirational effect on others is a most significant criterion in evaluating candidates; the degree to which their influence is multiplied through others to create an impact on bluegrass music far beyond direct individual contribution

## Inductees
### 1990s

1991
* Bill Monroe
* Earl Scruggs
* Lester Flatt
1992
* The Stanley Brothers
** Ralph Stanley
** Carter Stanley
* Reno and Smiley
** Don Reno
** Arthur Lee "Red" Smiley
1993
* Mac Wiseman
* Jim & Jesse
** Jim McReynolds
** Jesse McReynolds
1994
* Osborne Brothers
** Bobby Osborne
** Sonny Osborne
1995
* Jimmy Martin
1996
* Peter V. Kuykendall
* The Country Gentlemen
** Charlie Waller
** John Duffey
** Eddie Adcock
** Tom Gray
1997
* Josh Graves
1998
* Chubby Wise
* Carlton Haney
1999
* Kenny Baker

### 2000s

2000
* Lance LeRoy
* Doc Watson
2001
* Carter Family
** A. P. Carter
** Sara Carter
** Maybelle Carter
2002
* The Lilly Brothers & Don Stover
** Michael Burt "Bea" Lilly
** Charles E. "Everett" Lilly
** Don Stover
* David Freeman
2003
* J. D. Crowe
2004
* John Ray "Curly" Seckler
* Bill Vernon
2005
* Red Allen
* Benny Martin
2006
* The Lewis Family
** James Ray "Pop" Lewis
** Blanche "Mom" Lewis
** Nannie Lewis
** James Wallace Lewis
** Talmadge Lewis
** Polly Lewis
** Roy Lewis
** Travis Lewis
** Janis Lewis Phillips
** Lewis Phillips
* Syd Nathan
2007
* Howard Watts ("Cedric Rainwater")
* Carl Story
2008
* Bill Clifton
* Charles Wolfe
2009
* Lonesome Pine Fiddlers
** Charlie Cline
** Curly Ray Cline
** Ezra Cline
** Melvin Goins
** Paul Williams
* The Dillards
** Doug Dillard
** Rodney Dillard
** Mitchell F. Jayne
** Dean Webb

### 2010s

| Inductee | Year | Birth date | Death date | Notes |
| John Hartford | 2010 | December 30, 1937 | June 4, 2001 | Singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, steamboat pilot |
| Louise Scruggs | 2010 | February 17, 1927 | February 2, 2006 | Talent manager, booking agent |
| Del McCoury | 2011 | February 1, 1939 | – | Singer, guitarist, bandleader |
| George Shuffler | 2011 | April 11, 1925 | April 7, 2014 | Guitarist |
| Doyle Lawson | 2012 | April 20, 1944 | – | Singer, bandleader |
| Ralph Rinzler | 2012 | July 20, 1934 | July 2, 1994 | Mandolinist, founder of Smithsonian Folklife Festival |
| Tony Rice | 2013 | June 8, 1951 | December 25, 2020 | Guitarist, songwriter |
| Paul Warren | 2013 | May 17, 1918 | January 12, 1978 | Fiddle player |
| Neil Rosenberg | 2014 | March 21, 1939 | – | Author and music historian, banjo player |
| The Original Seldom Scene | 2014 | Mike Auldridge (December 30, 1938) John Duffey (March 4, 1934) Ben Eldridge (August 15, 1938) Tom Gray (February 1, 1941) John Starling (March 26, 1940) | December 29, 2012 December 10, 1996 – – May 2, 2019 | Band |
| Larry Sparks | 2015 | September 25, 1947 | – | Singer, guitarist |
| Bill Keith | 2015 | December 20, 1939 | October 23, 2015 | Banjo player |
| The Rounder Founders | 2016 | Ken Irwin (May 23, 1944) Marian Leighton Levy (August 22, 1948) Bill Nowlin (February 14, 1945) | – | Music executives, founders of Rounder Records |
| Clarence White | 2016 | June 7, 1944 | July 15, 1973 | Singer, guitarist, member of The Kentucky Colonels and The Byrds |
| Hazel Dickens and Alice Gerrard | 2017 | Dickens (June 1, 1925) Gerrard (July 8, 1934) | April 22, 2011 – | Musical duo |
| Bobby Hicks | 2017 | July 21, 1933 | – | Musician |
| Roland White | 2017 | April 23, 1938 | April 1, 2022 | Mandolinist |
| Vassar Clements | 2018 | April 25, 1928 | August 16, 2005 | Fiddle player |
| Tom T. Hall and Dixie Hall | 2018 | Tom. T Hall (May 25, 1936) Dixie Hall (May 26, 1934) | August 20, 2021 January 16, 2015 | Singer-songwriter and author Songwriter |
| Mike Seeger | 2018 | August 15, 1933 | August 7, 2009 | Musician |
| Allen Shelton | 2018 | July 2, 1936 | November 21, 2009 | Banjo player |
| Ricky Skaggs | 2018 | July 18, 1954 | – | Singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, bandleader |
| Jake Tullock | 2018 | July 23, 1922 | June 18, 1988 | Bass player |
| Joe Val | 2018 | June 26, 1926 | June 11, 1985 | Musician and singer |
| Paul Williams | 2018 | March 30, 1935 | – | Singer, musician |
| Terry Woodward | 2018 | July 19, 1937 | – | Volunteer leader |
| Mike Auldridge | 2019 | December 30, 1938 | December 29, 2012 | Dobro player |
| Bill Emerson | 2019 | January 22, 1938 | August 21, 2021 | Banjo player |
| The Kentucky Colonels | 2019 | Roger Bush (September 16, 1940) Billy Ray Latham (January 12, 1938) LeRoy McNess (September 19, 1940) Clarence White (June 7, 1944) Eric White (July 9, 1942) Roland White (April 23, 1938) | – August 18, 2018 – July 5, 1973 June 7, 2012 April 1, 2022 | Band |

### 2020s

| Inductee | Year | Birth date | Death date | Notes |
| Earl "J. T." Gray | 2020 | March 7, 1946 | March 20, 2021 | Owner of the Station Inn |
| Johnson Mountain Boys | 2020 | Dudley Connell (February 18, 1956) Francis "Frannie" Davidson (September 29, 1958) Richard Underwood (July 14, 1956) Raymond "Tom" Adams Jr. (November 17, 1958) David McLaughlin (February 13, 1958) Edward "Eddie" Z'Mura (November 30, 1955) Eddie Stubbs (November 25, 1961) Gary Reid (October 2, 1956) Mark Prindle (January 24, 1956) Larry Robbins (April 25, 1945) Marshall Wilborn (March 12, 1952) Hugh "Earl" Yeager (November 2, 1953) | – | Band |
| New Grass Revival | 2020 | Curtis Birch (January 24, 1945) Sam Bush (April 13, 1952) John Cowan (August 24, 1953) Béla Fleck (July 10, 1958) Pat Flynn (May 17, 1952) Courtney Johnson (December 20, 1939) Joseph "Butch" Robins (May 12, 1949) Ebo Walker (October 19, 1941) | – – – – – June 7, 1996 – – | Band |
| Alison Krauss | 2021 | July 23, 1971 | – | Singer, fiddle player |
| Lynn Morris | 2021 | October 8, 1948 | – | Musician |
| The Stoneman Family | 2021 | Ernest "Pop" Stoneman (May 25, 1893) Hattie Stoneman (September 28, 1899) Patsy Stoneman (May 25, 1925) Calvin Stoneman (August 4, 1932) Donna Stoneman (February 7, 1934) Oscar Stoneman (March 8, 1937) Veronica "Roni" Stoneman (May 5, 1938) Van Stoneman (December 31, 1940) | June 14, 1968 July 22, 1976 July 23, 2015 March 4, 1973 – September 22, 2002 February 22, 2024 June 3, 1995 | Band |
| Norman Blake | 2022 | March 10, 1938 | – | Multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter |
| Paul "Moon" Mullins | 2022 | September 24, 1936 | August 3, 2001 | Fiddle player |
| Peter Rowan | 2022 | July 4, 1942 | – | Singer-songwriter, musician |
| Sam Bush | 2023 | April 13, 1952 | – | Mandolinist, singer-songwriter |
| Wilma Lee Cooper | 2023 | February 7, 1921 | September 13, 2011 | Singer, musician |
| David Grisman | 2023 | March 23, 1945 | – | Mandolinist, producer, songwriter, owner of Acoustic Disc records |
| Katy Daley | 2024 | | – | Broadcaster, producer, voice-over at the IBMA Awards |
| Jerry Douglas | 2024 | May 28, 1956 | – | Dobro and steel guitar player, producer, member of Union Station and The Earls of Leicester, co-director of Transatlantic Sessions |
| Alan Munde | 2024 | November 4, 1946 | – | Banjo player, session musician, member of Country Gazette, music educator, author |

### Multiple inductees

To date, there have been six artists who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame more than once:
| Name | First | Year | Second | Year |
| John Duffey | The Country Gentlemen | 1996 | The Original Seldom Scene | 2014 |
| Tom Gray | The Country Gentlemen | 1996 | The Original Seldom Scene | 2014 |
| Mike Auldridge | The Original Seldom Scene | 2014 | Solo career | 2019 |
| Clarence White | Solo career | 2016 | The Kentucky Colonels | 2019 |
| Roland White | Solo career | 2017 | The Kentucky Colonels | 2019 |
| Sam Bush | New Grass Revival | 2020 | Solo career | 2023 |