It was good to be back. The annual awards show, held at the fabulous Ryman Auditorium, is always a highlight of my musical year. First, how can you not favor any show at the Ryman. The acoustics, the atmosphere, the decor, it would make any event special. Second, although showcases have starting creeping in ahead of the awards presentations, the event at the Ryman is still the spiritual kick-off to the AmericanaFest: four-plus days of musical indulgence. Finally, there’s the music itself, with many unannounced guests adding to the festival up on the stage.
The agenda always features some loving tributes to recently passed stars, but when you add that to the throttled-back capacity and vax wristbands, this year felt a little more, I don’t know, respectful I guess. Which is not to say there weren’t plenty of magical moments. Aoife O’Donovan and Joe Henry did a beautiful version of Nanci Griffith‘s Gulf Coast Highway. Steve Earle did a moving version of Harlem River Blues from his late son, Justin Townes Earle. The highlight of the entire evening was Amanda Shires, Brandi Carlile, and Margo Price doing John Prine‘s I Remember Everything. Standing just off-stage was wife Fiona and John’s two sons, having just accepted the Song Of the Year award. Anyone without a lump in their throat wasn’t paying attention.
You can count on the house band to be stellar, and this year’s line-up was no exception, led again by Buddy Miller. Aaron Lee Tasjan played front man for the band and did a ripping version of Can’t You Hear Me Knocking while people were taking their seats. Allison Russell quickly changed the pace with a gorgeous version of Nightflyer. A few songs later, Yola appeared with The Highwomen doing the title track from their self-titled 2020 Album Of the Year winner. In a segment acknowledging the role Black singers have had on Americana, all 15(?) of the Fisk Jubilee Singers packed the stage to do one of their signature spiritual numbers, and marked 150 years the group has been performing. The evening closed out with Rodney Crowell and Emmylou doing a tribute to the Everly Brothers.
In case you didn’t see it elsewhere, here are this year’s award winners.
Album Of the Year: Cuttin’ Grass – Volume 1 (Butcher Shoppe Sessions) by Sturgill Simpson
Artist Of the Year: Brandi Carlile
Duo/Group Of the Year: Black Pumas
Emerging Act Of the Year: Charlie Crockett
Instrumentalist Of the Year: Kristin Weber
Song Of the Year: I Remember Everything by John Prine
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.