Krauss leads bluegrass nods

Alison Krauss & Union Station leads the pack with 13 nominations, with the Del McCoury Band right behind at an even dozen among contenders for the 14th annual International Bluegrass Music Awards, to be handed out Oct. 2 in Louisville, Ky.

Krauss and McCoury will be vying for entertainer of the year, instrumental and vocal group of the year awards.

The all-star “Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Vol. III” album also generated several nominations, including album and recorded event of the year. Singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Ricky Skaggs is up for seven awards and guitar great Doc Watson received five nominations, while the Dixie Chicks, whose music has bluegrass roots, are mentioned in the song of the year category for “Long Time Gone,” their hit single written by Darrell Scott.

-- Randy Lewis