Ira is listed in the Rockabilly Hall of Fame for his self-penned song “Nursery Rock” in 1958.

As a songwriter, Ira was a “Nashville Songwriter’s Association” Award Winner in 1967 and 1968.

Ira co-wrote “Hangin On” (Just enough To Keep Me) with Buddy Mize. To date, it has been recorded 80 times with several versions in country, R & B & Pop. The first to record it was The Gosdin Brothers and 9 years later, it was Vern Gosdin’s solo version that hit Billboard. Others recording it include Leon Ashley & Margie Singleton, Lane Brody, Joe Simon, Ann Peebles, Billy Vera, Barbara Mandrell, Waylon Jennings, Jean Shepherd, Ferlin Huskey, Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn, and Cher.

In 1985, Ira won the Maine Country Music Association’s “Male Vocalist of the Year” and the most prestigious award of “Entertainer Of The Year”

Ira starred in a one hour special on P.B.S. Network, “So You Want To Be A Star” with “Opry” favorites Minnie Pearl, Grandpa Jones, Slim Whitman, Don Gibson and Little Jimmy Dickens.

While on “Capital”, Ira recorded his own composition “Cold Cold Wind” on Buck Owens’ “Big In Vegas” Album, produced by Buck and Ken Nelson.

For more than 1 year, he was the featured performer at the World Famous “Palomino Club” in Hollywood, California.

1999 through 2000 he emceed and performed at the “Nashville Nightlife” dinner theater.

As a bandleader, Ira was nominated by the Academy of Country Music 3 times as having the best non-touring band in Country Music. He was the winner of that prestigious award in 1977.

For the past 24 years he has headlined the annual “Maine Country Pioneer Show” and scheduled for his 25th year in 2010.

2009 found Ira releasing 8 new CD’s… 4 from live performances over the years to 4 Cd’s featuring songs he recorded during his Dot-Capital days, some of which he penned.

Ira has lived his dream but he has a lot more “hillbilly dreams” to follow in the years forthcoming.