Although the official events of the weeklong Americana Music Association’s AmericanaFest start on Tuesday, the main event is the Honors and Awards show Wednesday evening (Sept 16th) at the iconic Ryman Auditorium. It was streamed live on a variety of sites, and you can see a recap later this fall on PBS. This year’s hosts were again The Milk Carton Kids; Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan. The duo’s easy banter and self-deprecating style works well to keep the attention focused on the musical performances which, after a couple of years of cultural diversions, is what the show is all about.
The evening started not just with a bang, but with a BANG! On the 50th anniversary of their formation, the original, reunited Heartbreakers opened the event with a three song set featuring Chris Stapleton filling in for the late Tom Petty. In a town filled with jaded performers, people were still talking about it several days later. Boy Golden had the unenviable task of following that up, and the Emerging Act of the Year nominee did so admirably, with a rocking version of his hit, Suffer. Most of the other Emerging Act nominees followed, including Kashus Culpepper, the Crowe Boys, and category winner Ken Pomeroy.
Then another surprise came in the form of a video recorded by Dolly Parton, virtually accepting her Lifetime Achievement Award. Clearly taped when she knew she wouldn’t be physically around to accept it, the segment was followed by Brandi Carlile and I’m With Her doing a reprise of Coat Of Many Colors. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
After a couple of other performances, Robert Plant, the third Lifetime Achievement recipient came out. His acceptance speech was a heartwarming story about how the Americana and roots music community had accepted him, not as a rock star but as one of their own. He then did noteworthy renditions of the traditional Satan, Your Kingdom Must Come Down and his own Angel Dance. Later in the evening Hayes Carll and Elizabeth Cook sang Play A Train Song in an emotional tribute to Todd Snider, and the evening’s encore was Dance the Night Away as a salute to Raul Malo.
Perhaps the evening was best summed up by Bernie Taupin, who presented the Song of the Year award to Brandi Carlile for Returning To Myself. He noted he learned three things during the evening: Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers were the greatest rock and roll band in the last 50 years; Robert Plant is a musical encyclopedia, and Dolly Parton should be on Mt. Rushmore.
Here’s a full list of award winners from the evening.
Album of the Year – Snipe Hunter by Tyler Childers
Artist of the Year – Molly Tuttle
Duo/Group of the Year – Gillian Welch and David Rawlings
Emerging Act of the Year – Ken Pomeroy
Song of the Year – Returning To Myself by Brandi Carlile
Instrumentalist of the Year – Mandy Fer
About the author: I've actually driven from Tehatchapee to Tonopah. And I've seen Dallas from a DC-9 at night.