For a professional in the bluegrass music field, election to the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame is the highest honor the genre can bestow. An invitation can be extended to performers, songwriters, promoters, broadcasters, musicians, and executives in recognition of their contributions to the development of bluegrass music worldwide. The hall of fame honor was created in 1991 by the International Bluegrass Music Association and the inductees are honored annually at the International Bluegrass Music Awards ceremony. The Hall's first inductees were Bill Monroe, widely considered as the founder of the genre, and Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, two of bluegrass music's most pioneering and influential artists. The most recent inductees (class of 2024) are Katy Daley, Jerry Douglas, and Alan Munde. The Hall itself is maintained at the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum in Owensboro, Kentucky. The institution received its current name in 2007, and was known prior to this as the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor.

Member selection

Each year a nominating committee creates a slate of 10-15 candidates. From these names, electors cast ballots to narrow the nominees to five finalists. There are over 200 electors who, themselves, must have participated actively in bluegrass for at least 10 years, and must merit respect and recognition for their accomplishments and/or knowledge in one or more aspects of the field. After the five finalists have been selected, the electors again vote to select the inductee(s) for that year. The name(s) of the newest Hall of Honor inductee(s) are made public immediately following the final stage of balloting and the formal induction takes place each year during the International Bluegrass Music Awards Show. The plaques are then displayed at the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum in Owensboro, Kentucky.

Eligibility

Only people or performing groups are eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame. Companies, institutions, publications, radio stations, and other organizations – many of which significantly foster bluegrass music – are not eligible for Hall of Fame recognition. People are not eligible for induction in the year following their death. Eligible people and musical groups may include:

Categories

The International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame inducts its members in one of three categories:

Criteria

Candidates for the Hall of Fame are appraised by the Nominating Committee and Panel of Electors in accordance with the criteria below:

Inductees

1990s

1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999

2000s

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

2010s

2020s

Multiple inductees

To date, there have been six artists who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame more than once: