Some incredibly good music, along with tales of good vibes, family togetherness and even horrible tragedy , can be found in the grooves and behind the scenes of the five nominees for the International Bluegrass Music Association’s 2008 award for Recorded Event of the Year.

Have a look at the nominated projects:

Christmas Grass, Vol. 3; Featuring 3 Fox Drive, Sonya Isaacs, John Cowan, Sarah Jarosz, Larry Sparks, Russell Moore and Charlie Daniels (artists); Greg Cole, Chuck Rhodes & 3 Fox Drive (producers); KOCH Records

3 Fox Drive, a family trio of New Yorkers who now live in Nashville, isn’t exactly a driving force in bluegrass. But they sure put together an awesome collection of secular and spiritual songs with an outstanding lineup of guest artists for this holiday recording.

Guest musicians include dobro player Rob Ickes, guitarist Bryan Sutton, fiddler Aubrey Haynie and bass player Byron House. The guest vocal cast includes Sarah Jarosz, Sonya Isaacs, Larry Sparks, John Cowan and Charlie Daniels.

Everett Lilly & Everybody and Their Brother; Featuring Everett Lilly, Bea Lilly, Charles Lilly, Daniel Lilly, Mark Lilly, Marty Stuart, Rhonda Vincent, Billy Walker, Ronnie McCoury, Rob McCoury, David Ball, Charlie Cushman, Larry Stephenson, Joe Spivey, Eddie Stubbs, Jason Carter, Dickey Lee, Freddy Weller, Mike Bub, Rad Lewis, Andy May, Darrin Vincent, Marcia Campbell, Clay Rigdon, Eric Blankenship and Bill Wolfenbarger (artists); Charles Lilly & Bill Wolfenbarger (producers); Swift River Music

As the title and the list of performers suggest, everybody and their brother apparently did want to be a part of this project, a salute to Everett Lilly of the pioneering Lilly Brothers. Everett Lilly, himself, helped pick out the song selection for the project.

On the tragic side, Everett’s son and CD co-producer Charles Lilly was playing bass for Grand Ole Opry legend Billy Walker at the time the album was being recorded — and Lilly died with Walker, his wife and another band member in a May 2006 accident that occurred when the band was headed back to Nashville from a show in Alabama.

Everett Lilly eventually decided to forge ahead and finish the CD because of his son’s dedication to the recording.

Salt of the Earth, Ricky Skaggs & The Whites (artists & producers), Skaggs Family Records

This collaboration is one of those recording projects that’s simply been waiting in the wings in the many years that have passed since Ricky Skaggs and Sharon White said their vows

This album features gospel songs recorded by Skaggs and his band, Kentucky Thunder, and The Whites — that’s sisters Sharon and Cheryl and their father Buck. All four key players get a chance to shine individually and as the true family they are with some shining harmony and a capella work.

Even with Kentucky Thunder’s ace pickers providing the instrumentation, musicianship on this CD takes a back seat to the vocal efforts.

Standard Songs for Average People, John Prine & Mac Wiseman (artists), John Prine & David Ferguson (producers), Oh Boy Records

Could John Prine and Mac Wiseman qualify for bluegrass music’s Odd Couple of the Year? After all, they hadn’t even met each other until legendary maverick Nashville producer Cowboy Jack Clement conceived the idea for this CD and introduced them.

Standard Songs for Average People may be more squarely targeted to fans of classic country music since it is a collection of vintage country tunes, including several that have fallen off the map over the years.

Topping off the CD’s attraction is the use of the Grand Ole Opry’s Carol Lee Singers to provide background vocals on the CD. Now, if that ain’t country …

We Are Family; Jeff & Sheri Easter, The Lewis Family & The Easter Brothers (artists); Jeff & Sheri Easter (producers); Daywind Records

This one has memorable, family gospel written all over it. Stars of the show here read like a family tree, starting with Jeff & Sheri Easter — and Jeff’s family, which includes the Easter Brothers, and Sheri’s family, the Lewis Family.

We Are Family, the title track, was especially written for the project by Woody Wright. The CD includes nine other songs performed by at least one member of all three families that are represented here.

According to a press release that trumpeted the CD’s release, the family project carries combined achievements of more than 130 years of touring, 150-plus recordings and a lengthy list of Grammy nominations, IBMA honors and Dove Awards hanging on the walls of these families’ homes.

Who’s going to win the 2008 IBMA Recorded Event of the Year? Vote for your Favorite below!