If there’s anyone who knows their way around bluegrass bass, it’s Missy Raines. That’s why it’s no surprise at all that Missy walked away with not one, but two awards at this year’s International Bluegrass Music Awards. 

Missy’s exceptional bass playing has won her an IBMA award for Bass Player of the Year for the eighth time, more than any other bass player in the organization. This isn’t the first time Missy has broken records at the IBMA though; she made history in 1998 by becoming the first woman to win a Bass Player of the Year award.

2018 IBMA Recorded Event of the Year, “Swept Away,” a standout track from Missy’s latest album Royal Traveller, is a nod to Missy’s groundbreaking accomplishment. The track features the first five women to win IBMA instrumentalist awards; Raines, Alison Brown, Sierra Hull, Becky Buller, and Molly Tuttle.

Royal Traveller sees Missy acting as a songwriter for the first time in her career, where she discusses topics like  family, tradition and self-growth. Songs like “Allegheny Town” and “Royal Traveller” touch on these themes and are complemented by Missy’s tactful playing, while “To Here From There” and “So Good (Tell Me What to Keep)" showcase some of Missy’s notoriously impressive bass work. One listen to this album is all it takes to see why Missy won another Bass Player of the Year award.

Speaking of recordings, Missy also nabbed an Instrumental of the Year IBMA award for “Darlin’ Pal(s) of Mine.” Featuring bluegrass legends Alison Brown, Mike Bub and Todd Phillips, this is her take on the Flatt & Scruggs duet “Little Darlin', Pal of Mine.” The end result of this collaboration is a cover that’s equal parts modern and faithful to the original. In fact, we recently featured the tune as one of five amazing performances for World Bluegrass Day.

These two IBMA awards are yet another landmark in Missy’s iconic career. Missy has proven time and time again to be an iconic bluegrass musician, and an absolute titan on the upright bass. All of us at ArtistWorks would like to congratulate Missy on this historic achievement, and thank her for her hard work as our premier bluegrass upright bass instructor.