A pair of western North Carolina grassers are set to receive the highest honor bestowed by their state, the North Carolina Award, by Governor Josh Stein on November 13.
Woody Platt, who served as a founding member of the Steep Canyon Rangers and is now pursuing a solo musical career, and Buddy Melton, and founder of Balsam Range also just beginning a solo career, have been singled out for their lifetime efforts with North Carolina Awards in Fine Arts.
Since 1961, the North Carolina Awards have been given in recognition of significant contributions to the state and nation in the fields of fine arts, literature, public service, and science. This year the award committee specifically recognized North Carolinians from the western part of the state, so severely affected by Hurricane Helene in 2024. In honor of the resilience and determination of those people, the awards ceremony will also be held at the historic Grove Park Inn in Asheville, the first time it will be hosted outside of the state capitol in Raleigh.
Governor Stein says
“Over the past six decades, the North Carolina Award has been given to many remarkable North Carolinians. I am pleased to note that our 2025 recipients all either hail from, or have made a particular impact, in western North Carolina, and I look forward to honoring them in the mountains we all love.”
Also honored this year are Wiley Cash for Literature, Roy Williams and James Ferguson for Public Service, and Kathie Dello for Science.
The North Carolina Awards committee prepared these brief biographies for Buddy and Woody.
Fine Arts: Woody Platt
Woody Platt is a Grammy award-winning bluegrass guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, and producer originally from Brevard, NC. A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Platt is a founding member of western North Carolina-based bluegrass and roots band Steep Canyon Rangers. He helped shape modern bluegrass, earning multiple Grammy nominations, receiving International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) awards, gaining induction into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame, and touring alongside actor, comedian, and banjo player Steve Martin for more than a decade. A passionate fly fisherman and environmentalist, Platt worked with Conserving Carolina and a host of partners to restore a section of the East Fork of the French Broad River near his home in western North Carolina.
Fine Arts: Buddy Melton
As a guiding force and founding member of the bluegrass band Balsam Range, fiddler and singer Buddy Melton has been the voice behind multiple hit songs and has performed on some of the most prestigious stages in the country, including the Grand Ole Opry, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, and MerleFest. Balsam Range has received countless awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), including multiple trophies for Entertainer of the Year, Vocal Group of the Year, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year. Melton was named the Male Vocalist of the Year by the IBMA in 2014 and 2018. Buddy has produced multiple historical based musical projects to help preserve and promote the heritage of North Carolina. Originally from Haywood County, NC, Melton is a graduate of Western Carolina University.
Congratulations to Buddy and Woody, and all the 2024 North Carolina Award recipients!
Tickets for the November 13 awards ceremony are available online.
