May 25-26-27, 2017

"Maybe world peace
can start with a banjo intro."
- Liz Meyer

Liz Meyer European Innovation of Bluegrass Music Award

Liz Meyer (1952-2011) was widely regarded as an accomplished musician and singer-songwriter, and always a great support to other musicians in her field.

In the earlier part of her career, Liz was best known for her innovative songwriting and for performing and recording with a succession of legendary musicians, including Bela Fleck, Emmylou Harris, Sam Bush and Jerry Douglas.

But beyond her own musical pursuits, Liz's career is also typified by her generosity towards other musicians. Always willing and able to offer practical advice and creative outlets to aspiring musicians, she helped numerous European bluegrass artists to set and achieve new goals within their art-form.

Liz's own songwriting and musical arrangements stem from a broad range of influences. Likewise her name is often cited by European bands as an inspiration for implementing aspects of their musical heritage into their songs in a way that is at once tasteful and innovative.

This award was devised both to honor Liz's memory and to encourage promising musicians to bring their music to a broader audience.

The European World of Bluegrass Board has so far presented the Liz Meyer European Innovation of Bluegrass Music Award to the Belgian band Louvat Brothers, the Belgian band Rawhide and the Dutch band Stroatklinkers and now to the Estonian band Curly Strings.