In what’s become a signature event in the roots music scene, the Americana Music Festival was back in full swing this year in the third week of September. Although unofficial events start on Tuesday, the traditional kick-off is the Americana Music Awards held on Wednesday night at the amazing Ryman Auditorium. It’s a chance to celebrate the up-and-coming stars, acknowledge the genre’s musical luminaries and, increasingly, honor the musicians who laid much of the foundation for American music.
The event kicked off with Phosphorescent performing Are You Ready For the Country off of Neil Young’s Harvest record, which turned 50 years old this year. Two other groundbreaking albums that turned 50 were also honored, with The Milk Carton Kids doing Something Fine off Jackson Browne’s self-titled debut, and Lyle Lovett doing a stellar Willin‘ from Little Feat’s Sailin’ Shoes. Speaking of Lovett, he sang a song he wrote about being on tour with Chris Isaak, after presenting Isaak the Lifetime Achievement award for Performance. Isaak showed a comedic sense of timing as he snuck on stage for the song, and then followed it up with his hit, Somebody’s Crying.
Brandi Carlile was everywhere this year, winning Song Of the Year for Right On Time, presenting the Indigo Girls with the Spirit Of Americana award, and singing (by my count) on 4 different performances. The most heartwarming visual, though, was seeing her literally jump for joy when pal Allison Russell won Album Of the Year, for which Carlile was nominated. She was also nominated for Artist Of the year, a category won this time by Billy Strings.
As the three-and-a-half hour event wound to a close, the McCrary Sisters honored their recently passed sister Deborah with a version of Amazing Grace that gave me chills. The show wrapped up with everyone on stage doing a version of I’ll Take You There, made famous by the Pointer Sisters, but written by this year’s Lifetime Achievement winner as a music executive, Al Bell.
Here’s the full list of this year’s winners.
Album of the Year: Outside Child, Allison Russell; Produced by Dan Knobler
Artist of the Year: Billy Strings
Song of the Year: Right On Time, Brandi Carlile; Written by Brandi Carlile, Dave Cobb, Phil Hanseroth and Tim Hanseroth
Duo/Group of the Year: The War and Treaty
Emerging Act of the Year: Sierra Ferrell
Instrumentalist of the Year: Larissa Maestro
Legacy of Americana Award, presented in partnership with the National Museum of African American Music: Fairfield Four
President’s Award: Don Williams (posthumous)
Lifetime Achievement Award for Performance: Chris Isaak
Lifetime Achievement Award for Executive: Al Bell
Spirit of Americana Award: Indigo Girls
Enjoy more Twangville coverage of the Americana Conference and Awards.
About the author: I've actually driven from Tehatchapee to Tonopah. And I've seen Dallas from a DC-9 at night.