The 52nd Annual GRAMMY^® Nominees were announced yesterday with Bluegrass Artists from Rounder, Sugar Hill, Rural Rhythm, Compass Records and Rebel Records picking up nominations in the Bluegrass related categories.

Nominations for the Best Bluegrass Album (Vocal or Instrumental) went to Jim Lauderdale’s “Could We Get Any Closer?” (Sky Crunch Records); Steve Martin “The Crow / New Songs For The Five-String Banjo” (Rounder); Michael Martin Murphey “Buckaroo Blue Grass” (Rural Rhythm Records); Bryan Sutton “Almost Live” (Sugar Hill Records); and Rhonda Vincent’s “Destination Life” (Rounder).

Picking up nods in the Best Traditional Folk Album (Vocal or Instrumental) category where  David Holt & Josh Goforth’s “Cutting Loose” (High Windy Audio) and “High Wide & Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project” from loudon Wainwright III on 2nd Story Sound Records.

The Best Country Instrumental Performance (single track) category is packed full of Bluegrass artists. The nominees include:

• “Under The (Five) Wire” from Alison Brown’s “The Company You Keep” (Compass Records)
• “The Crystal Merchant” The Greencards from their Sugar Hill release “Fascination“
• “Mansinneedof” Sarah Jarosz from “Song Up In Her Head” (Sugar Hill)
• “Producer’s Medley” Steve Wariner “Steve Wariner C.G.P. My Tribute To Chet Atkins” (SelecTone Records)

“In God’s Time” (Rebel Records)  from Barry Scott & Second Wind picked up a nomination in the Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album category.

Béla Fleck picked up 2 nominations for his release “Throw Down Your Heart: Tales From The Acoustic Planet, Vol. 3 — Africa Sessions” on the Rounder label. The title track was nominated for Best Pop Instrumental Performance and Fleck also picked up a nod for Best Contemporary World Music Album.

“Banjo to Beatbox” (Community Music, Inc) from Cathy Fink  & Marcy Marxer With Special Guest Christylez Bacon picked up a nomination for Best Musical Album For Children.

A complete list of this years GRAMMY^® nominees is available here.