VOA常速英语2007-Several First-Time Winners Honored at 2007 Inter

By Katherine Cole
Washington
30 October 2007

The International Bluegrass Music Association, or IBMA, recently held its annual convention and festival in Nashville, Tennessee. The highlight of "bluegrass week" was the annual Awards show, honoring the year's best singers, songwriters and performers. VOA's Katherine Cole reports, who didn't win at the 18th annual International Bluegrass Music Awards was as big a story as who did.

For the past seven years, Rhonda Vincent has won Female Vocalist of the Year honors at the IBMA Awards show, but not this year. Instead, the award went to Dale Ann Bradley.

 

"I don't have anything prepared, but I've got a lot in my heart to tell you! I appreciate this more than I can ever tell you," he said. "I thank everyone I've had the opportunity to work for throughout my career, and especially the band I have now."

Dale Ann Bradley wasn't the only first-time winner. Bradley Walker, who has muscular dystrophy and sings seated in a wheelchair, received a standing² ovation³ when Kathy Mattea announced that he had beaten Larry Sparks, Ronnie Bowman, Tim O'Brien and Russell Moore to take the Male Vocalist of the Year Award.

"Oh man! This is unbelievable y'all. This is unbelievable! I do not know what to say. I've been singing all my life, as a lot of y'all know, and for this to happen tonight is just unbelievable," he said. "My parents have always supported me, running me up and down the road. You all know how hard it is to get to these shows. It takes a lot of work, and for me, it takes a lot of extra work. There are a lot of folks who do a lot of that, my mama, my dad, my grandparents, and my Aunt Caroline. My whole family that is here tonight, and everybody who has just always supported me, thank you all so much.

But the upset of some perennial⁴ IBMA prizewinners wasn't the only story of the night. For the first time, there was a tie in the Album of the Year category, something that seemed to surprise even Chris Jones, who himself won the 2007 IBMA Broadcaster of the Year and Songwriter of the Year awards.

"And the award goes to … Lefty's Old Guitar, by J.D. Crowe and the New South, produced by J.D. Crowe and the New South for Rounder Records," Jone said. "But wait! We have a tie! It's a tie with Fork in the Road, by the Infamous⁵ Stringdusters, produced by Tim Stafford and the Infamous Stringdusters for Sugar Hill Records."

The Infamous Stringdusters, a young band that has only released one record, scored three big wins. In addition to Album of the Year, they shared Song of the Year with writers Chris Jones and John Pennell, and were also awarded the prestigious⁶ Emerging Artist of the Year trophy¹. Not bad for a band who wasn't even performing together two years ago.

But they weren't the only three-time winner at the 18th annual IBMA Awards. Banjomaster Tony Trischka received Banjo Player of the Year, and his most recent album, Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular, featuring Earl Scruggs, Bela Fleck⁷ and Steve Martin among the guest pickers, won both Instrumental Album of the Year and Recorded Event of the Year. Tony also performed during the IBMA Awards, accompanied by fellow banjo pickers Alison Brown, Kenny Ingram, and Scott Vestal.

1 trophy   

n.优胜旗，奖品，奖杯，战胜品，纪念品

参考例句：

• The cup is a cherished trophy of the company.那只奖杯是该公司很珍惜的奖品。
• He hung the lion's head as a trophy.他把那狮子头挂起来作为狩猎纪念品。

2 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

3 ovation   

n.欢呼，热烈欢迎，热烈鼓掌

参考例句：

• The hero received a great ovation from the crowd. 那位英雄受到人群的热烈欢迎。
• The show won a standing ovation. 这场演出赢得全场起立鼓掌。

4 perennial   

adj.终年的；长久的

参考例句：

• I wonder at her perennial youthfulness.我对她青春常驻感到惊讶。
• There's a perennial shortage of teachers with science qualifications.有理科教学资格的老师一直都很短缺。

5 infamous   

adj.声名狼藉的，臭名昭著的，邪恶的

参考例句：

• He was infamous for his anti-feminist attitudes.他因反对女性主义而声名狼藉。
• I was shocked by her infamous behaviour.她的无耻行径令我震惊。

6 prestigious   

adj.有威望的，有声望的，受尊敬的

参考例句：

• The young man graduated from a prestigious university.这个年轻人毕业于一所名牌大学。
• You may even join a prestigious magazine as a contributing editor.甚至可能会加入一个知名杂志做编辑。

7 fleck   

n.斑点，微粒 vt.使有斑点，使成斑驳

参考例句：

• The garlic moss has no the yellow fleck and other virus. 蒜苔无黄斑点及其它病毒。
• His coat is blue with a grey fleck.他的上衣是蓝色的，上面带有灰色的斑点。