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This fall, when the 2024 International Bluegrass Association hosts its annual awards ceremony, a local musician will be in the running for top honors.

Elizabethton native Daniel Grindstaff and critically-acclaimed banjo player, is nominated for two of the association’s most prestigious awards – Song of the Year and Collaborative Recording of the Year. 

Admittedly, the award nominations caught Grindstaff off guard. “At this point I am just not sure what to expect,” he said. “I’ve never been nominated before.”

Grindstaff learned of his nominations during an IBMA special event hosted by Grand Ole Opry stars Darrin Vincent and Jamie Dailey who served as the event’s hosts.

“I am thankful and honored ‘Forever Young’ featuring Paul Brewster and Dolly Parton is nominated for Song of the Year and Collaborative Recording of the Year,” Grindstaff said. “I am so grateful to everyone involved that captured my vision for this song – Stephen Burwell, Trey Hensley, Josh Swift, Andy Leftwich, Kent Blanton and Derek Deakins.”

Grindstaff also offered a special “thank you” to Brewster and Parton, his fans, the folks in radio and the IBMA voting members who supported the song “all the way to the final nominations.” 

“Forever Young,” was the first single released from his album, “Heroes & Friends,” and it took the bluegrass world by storm. Grindstaff gave the song — made famous by Rod Stewart – a whole new bluegrass vibe, and it featured two of the best in the business – Paul Brewster and Dolly Parton.

The song shot to Number One on both the Bluegrass Today and Bluegrass Unlimited charts. According to Grindstaff’s record label, Bonfire Music Group, the song is also amassing over a quarter of a million streams on Spotify. It has also been featured in top publications like American Songwriter, MSN, Authority Magazine, Fame Magazine, Hollywood Digest, Medium and others. 

Grindstaff described the way things fell into place to produce the recording as “surreal.” “That song and the experience I had recording it will always be one of the most amazing experiences of my life,” he said. “I believe with everything in me the Lord had his hand in bringing it all together.”

The 35th annual International Bluegrass Music Association Music Awards will be held on Thursday, Sept. 26, at the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh, N.C., beginning at 6 p.m. It is part of a five-day IBMA World of Bluegrass event, September 24-28 which also features the IBMA Bluegrass Live! festival, September 27-28, which will take place at Red Hat Amphitheater and other stages in downtown Raleigh, with multiple stages, an art market, food and music.

The album will be available on all streaming platforms, Grindstaff’s website and at The Coffee Company locally, along with any concerts including the 2024 Covered Bridge Festival on Friday, Sept. 20, at 7:30 p.m.