The Americana Music Association celebrates its 25th anniversary as a trade organization dedicated to respecting, supporting and advocating for the myriad forms of roots music with its 23rd annual conferenceRD The annual America’s Honors and Awards ceremony was held Wednesday night (September 18) at Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.
explore
Check out the latest videos, charts and news
Check out the latest videos, charts and news
The historic building, home to generations of performers, was perfect for the ceremony, as the evening was a celebration of the roots and branches of American music, rock and roll, gospel, folk, country, blues, R&B and more.
Sierra Ferrell was the biggest winner of the night, taking home coveted Artist of the Year honors as well as Album of the Year (for traces of flowers). “Wondering Why” hitmaker Red Clay Strays has been named Emerging Artist of the Year.
Duane Betts pays homage to his late father, Dee, with a breezy rendition of the Allman Brothers Band’s “Blue Sky” (from the Allman Brothers’ 1972 album) The show kicked off with a tribute to Dickey Betts. eat a peach), Bates’ flawless guitar technique and effortless yet commanding guitar acumen.
“That’s for you, Dad. We love you,” Bates said, honoring his father Dickey, who died in April.
Milk Carton Kids welcomes those watching live at the Ryman as well as those watching at home. Buddy Miller continues as band leader, leading the 2024 house band along with Don Was, The McCrary Sisters, Bryan Owings, Jerry Pentecost, Jen Gunderman, Jim Hoke and Larry Campbell.
From there, Oklahoma native and Emerging Artist of the Year nominee Kaitlin Butts belted out a witty, fiddle-filled rendition of “You Ain’t Gotta Die (to Be Dead to Me).” The first award of the night, Instrumentalist of the Year, went to 18-year-old guitarist/vocalist phenom Grace Bowers, who released her debut album in August. wine on venus. Powers was on the road and unable to attend.
Waxahatchee performs song of the year nominee “Right Back To It” from her album tiger blood. Charles Wesley Godwin’s voice was golden and bright as he sang the banjo-style love song “All Again.”
The evening kicked off with performances from the vocally agile Jobi Riccio and Wyatt Flores, who previewed the title track from his upcoming project welcome to plain.
Milk Carton Kids dedicated their performance of “When You’re Gone” to sound engineer Mark Richards. Also wowing the crowd were brother duo Larkin Poe, red dirt rockabilly outfit Turnpike Troubadours and octave, incomparable vocal superstars The War and Treats (who immediately received a standing ovation) performance. Also featured are stunning performances from Sarah Jarosz, Brandy Clark with SistaStrings, and Ferrell’s stunning performance of “American Dreams” on the list. Noah Kahan also performed his hit song “Dial Drunk.”
The evening was punctuated by exciting performances from more winners, including Larkin Poe (Duo/Group of the Year), Grace Powers (Instrumentalist of the Year) and Brandi Clark (Song of the Year, “Dear Insecurities” with Brandy Carlisle).
“I’ve spent most of my career trying to find the music that works for me, and you guys have made me feel at home,” Clark said while accepting the song of the year honor. “I remember I was at a low point where I wasn’t adapting. [Americana Music Association executive director] Jed Healy invited me to the American Music Festival. Clark also thanked several of her music industry champions, including Gail Gellman, Tracy Gershon, CMT’s Leslie Fram, and Clark’s fellow musicians on the album of the same name and Carlile, who not only sang the song but also produced the album.
The American Music Association also honored several artists and musicians with Lifetime Achievement Awards, including gospel group the Blind Boys of Alabama, who performed “Work Until My Days are Done” to rapturous applause. Lifetime Achievement Award recipients include Dave Alvin (best known as an artist, author and member of The Blasters, X and The Knitters), Rev. Gary Davis, Shelby Shelby Lynne, Dwight Yoakam and musician/producer Don Was (famous for acts including Bonnie Raitt, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Elton John, John Mayer, Ziggy Marley, Lucinda Williams, Ringo Starr, Delbert McClinton, Hootie & the Blowfish, The Black Crowes and Martina McBride (her evening celebration).
“Go where the love is,” Alvin advised the audience. “Surround yourself with people who love music as much as you do, regardless of taste or fashion, and always surround yourself with musicians who are better than you.”
The American Music Association has been working with the National Museum of African American Music for the past five years and was instrumental in honoring Davis with the American Heritage Award on Wednesday night, as Amazing Negrito performed “Samson and Delilah.” .
Singer-songwriter Allison Moorer celebrated her sister and Lifetime Achievement Award winner Shelby Lynne on Wednesday night, calling Lynne “my personal trailblazer.”
“I’m proud to be a part of America. If I’m going to fit in anywhere, it’s with the misfits, the storytellers, the outlaws and the truth tellers, the heartbreakers, the hippies,” Lynn said she and Moore then sang “Gotta Get Back” from Lynn’s Landmark album I’m Shelby Lynn.
Yoakam, an accomplished musician, writer and actor, was also honored by Clark with a Lifetime Achievement Award. He received a standing ovation when he took the stage, and he began by paying tribute to Alvin, saying, “If Dave Alvin hadn’t come into my life, I don’t know where my journey would have taken me. What if. Without Dave’s support, the twists and turns I faced wouldn’t have turned into bright sunshine…I owe him a debt of gratitude [guitarist/producer] Pete Anderson.
“This is really an independent record,” Yoakam said Guitars, Cadillacs, etc.Yoakam was originally released as a six-song standalone record in 1984, and was later acquired by Warner’s Reprise Records and re-released with additional songs in 1986. The album topped the Billboard Country Albums chart. On Wednesday night, Yoakam also said that the original independent project is “…a reminder of why the spirit of the AMAs makes me feel so at home…thank you every year when the AMAs allow me to be a part of whatever they are doing. They always make space for us… Every decade or so, another generation rediscovers the huge influences of early country music, blues, rock, soul, all of which can have a huge impact on their peers and a whole new audience. My only win of the year. The Place for Artist Awards is the American Awards [in 2013],” he pointed out. From there, Yoakam laced up his guitar straps and immersed the crowd in the Bakersfield-meets-rockabilly vibe of his 1993 hit “Fast as You.”
During the night, Elizabeth Cook also took time to pay tribute to SiriusXM Outlaw Country Radio executive and program director Jeremy Tepper, who passed away in June.
“Jeremy is an important part of this community,” Cook said. “He was a musician first and a record label owner, a very smart man who recognized that truck stops still had jukeboxes…and so Diesel Only Records was born…He was an early and enthusiastic supporter of the American Music Association who.
The star-studded evening ended with Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell singing Gram Parsons’ “Return of the Grievous Angel.”
See the full list of this year’s American Music Honors and Awards recipients below:
Instrumentalist of the Year: Grace Powers
Album of the Year: traces of flowersSierra Ferrell (produced by Eddie Spear and Gary Pazosa)
Duo/Group of the Year: Larkin Poe
Rookie of the Year: The Red Clay Strays
Song of the Year: “Dear Insecurity” by Brandy Clark (Brandi Carlile) (written by Clark and Michael Pollack)
Artist of the Year: Sierra Ferrer
