The Grammy Awards category for Best Folk Album draws from one of the deepest talent pools across genres. Past winners have included icons like Bela Fleck, as well as up-and-comers like Sarah Jarosz, and this year, the lineup did not disappoint. Once again, competition for the trophy was fierce among talents such as Mary Gauthier, Joan Baez and more.

Folk / bluegrass / Americana collective the Punch Brothers won the 2019 Grammy Award for Best Folk Album for their most recent project, All Ashore. The trophy was handed out during the pre-telecast Premiere Ceremony on Sunday (Feb. 10). The talented five-member band, consisting of Chris Thile, Gabe Witcher, Noam Pikelny, Chris Eldridge and Paul Kowert, released their fifth full-length studio album as the follow up to their most recent project, 2015's The Wireless EP.

"Folks, this award is truly overdue," Pikelny said wryly, accepting the trophy. "We've been doing this for 10 years, but we'll take it."

Frontman Chris Thile was notably absent, as was bass player Paul Kowart. Pikelny says Thile told him "he'd prefer to lose to Joan Baez from afar ... Good work, buddy." Kowart, meanwhile, according to the banjo player, was unaware they were nominated.

Pikenly offered up a tongue-in-cheek acknowledgement of the bravery of supportive voters who gave a nod to an album, despite the fact that the project begins with several minutes of uninterrupted banjo music.