The year's unlikeliest chart force, the soundtrack to O Brother Where Art Thou? continued its run, taking home a handful of awards at the 2001 International Bluegrass Music Awards in Louisville, Kentucky today.

The soundtrack, which features a collection of old-time music performed by the likes of Alison Krauss, Gillian Welch, Norman Blake and others, won Album of the Year. Two songs from the album also took awards: "I'll Fly Away," performed by Krauss and Welch won Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year, while the Soggy Bottom Boys' (featuring Dan Tyminski) won Song of the Year for "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow." Tyminski also received his first ever Male Vocalist of the Year award. Filmmakers Joel and Ethan Cohen (who wrote and directed O Brother along with producer T Bone Burnett won an IBMA Distinguished Achievement Award, along with album contributor John Hartford, who died earlier this year.

The weeklong bluegrass summit is enjoying something of an identity boost, due in part to the success of O Brother. But the soundtrack has managed to mask a more subtle success achieved by twentysomething mandolin phenom Chris Thile. Thile's new grass group, Nickel Creek (whose self-titled debut is fast approaching the 300,000 units sold mark) won Instrumental Group of the Year and the young picker took his first ever Mandolin Player of the Year award, breaking Ronnie McCoury's string of eight years.

Rhonda Vincent's breakthrough was also noted. Vincent and her band, the Rage, took Entertainer of the Year honors, while the frontwoman won Female Vocalist of the Year, and fiddler Michael Cleveland won top honors for his instrument for the first time.

IBMA winners (partial list):

Hall of Honor Inductee
Carter Family

Entertainer of the Year
Rhonda Vincent and the Rage

Male Vocalist of the Year
Dan Tyminski

Female Vocalist of the Year
Rhonda Vincent

Vocal Group of the Year
Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver

Instrumental Group of the Year
Nickel Creek

Song of the Year
"I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow"

Album of the Year
O Brother Where Art Thou

Instrumental Album of the Year
Knee Deep in Bluegrass: The Acutab Sessions

Recorded Event of the Year
Follow Me Back to the Fold: A Tribute to Women in Bluegrass

Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year
"I'll Fly Away," Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch

Emerging Artists of the Year
Karl Shiflett and Big Country Show

Banjo Player
Jim Mills

Bass Player
Missy Raines

Dobro Player
Jerry Douglas

Fiddle Player
Michael Cleveland

Guitar Player
Jim Hurst

Mandolin Player
Chris Thile

ANDREW DANSBY
(October 4, 2001)