Marty Party Comes To Louisville

Marty Stuart To Host IBMA Awards Show

Country star with bluegrass roots Marty Stuart will host the 11th annual International Bluegrass Music Awards Show, scheduled for Thursday, October 19, at the Kentucky Center for the Arts in Louisville, Kentucky. The broadcast portion of the Awards Show will begin at 9:00 p.m. (EST), and will feature a number of live musical performances, the announcement of winners in 17 award categories, and the 2000 inductions into the Bluegrass Hall of Honor: Doc Watson and Lance LeRoy.

Grand Ole Opry member Marty Stuart began his music career in 1972 at age 13, playing mandolin and lead guitar with Lester Flatt and the Nashville Grass, until Lester's death in 1979. After a six-year stint in Johnny Cash's band, Stuart continued to play bluegrass with Mississippi based gospel group, The Sullivan Family.

Marty signed with CBS records in 1989, breaking the top 10 for the first time in 1990 with a song and album title that described not only the artist himself, but a new direction for country music: Hillbilly Rock, which earned a gold LP. His second MCA album, Tempted, was also certified gold and spawned four hits: the title cut, "Little Things," "Till I Found You" and "Burn Me Down."

Stuart's critically acclaimed and highly popular "Marty Party" series of specials was launched on TNN in 1994, allowing Marty to play host to a dazzling variety of performers for two years. The high-spirited series inspired a Marvel Comics special edition comic book, "The Marty Party in Space."

Today Stuart is known as a world-wide ambassador for country music, as well as something of a Renaissance man in the arts world. Marty has been nominated for eight Grammy Awards and has won three. He is currently serving his fourth term as president of the Country Music Foundation and has recorded duets with artists as diverse as Ralph Stanley, Hank Thompson, B.B. King, Travis Tritt, Willie Nelson, Steve Earle, George Jones, John Anderson, The Staple Singers and The Jordanaires. He has written songs that have been recorded by the likes of Linda Rondstadt, Clint Black and Del McCoury.

Marty's essays have been published in everything from the Oxford American to Southern Living, and his photographs have been published in Southern Living, The Journal of Country Music, Country Music Magazine and People. His home state of Mississippi recently awarded Marty with the Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts. The city of Nashville recently presented the Mayor's Metronome Award, reinstated the award after 12 years.

In June, 1999, Marty released the critically acclaimed album, The Pilgrim, which he describes as "a mirrored look into the last quarter century of my life. A pause in the midst of a three chord trip of dreams that's led me around the world and brought me face to face with some of the greatest singers, writers and musicians of our time. The Pilgrim is a literal journey based on a true story." Stuart also scored and produced the music for the upcoming Billy Bob Thornton movie, "Daddy And Them." Early this year he produced an album for Jerry & Tammy Sullivan, his third project with the father/daughter bluegrass gospel duo.

It's easy to see why jack of all trades Marty Stuart can't be pigeon-holed. In an age of specialization, he continues to "specialize" in diversity. If there's anyone today who can rival Marty Stuart for the title, "Country Music's Renaissance Man," they've yet to make their presence known.