North Carolinians up for bluegrass music awards

The 23rd annual International Bluegrass Music Awards take place at The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville Thursday and Cherryville's Darin and Brooke Aldridge Band (pictured above) are up for Emerging Artist of the Year. The emerging artist award is given to a new group on the bluegrass scene that's made particularly strong strides either commercially or artistically. The title has previously been awarded to Nickel Creek, the Infamous String Dusters, and current IBMA 2012 Entertainer of the Year nominees Dailey & Vincent and the Steep Canyon Rangers (who are nominated in that category along with band leader/actor Steve Martin).

The Aldridges conclude their busy 2012 touring schedule with a holiday concert at the Joy Performance Center in Kings Mountain on November 10.

The IBMA awards show will air live online simultaneously at www.bluegrassnation.org and www.bluegrasstoday.com Thursday at 8:30 p.m. EST. The awards ceremony is part of World of Bluegrass Week, which includes a business conference and fan fest. Darin and Brooke Aldridge performed for fans there earlier this week.

It isn't the only NC group up for an IBMA this year. Steep Canyon Rangers is up for its work with Martin, who they met in their hometown of Brevard, as well as for the SCR album "Nobodoy Knows You." "Nobody Knows You" is up for best graphic design for a recorded project. NC music legend Doc Watson, who died in May, is also up for guitarist of the year.