Americana Music Association Announces 2015 Honors & Awards Winners

Courtesy Americana Music Association

Americana -- "A lively genre embodies both the continuity and evolution of roots music," (Wall Street Journal) -- celebrated its 14th Annual Americana Honors & Awards tonight at the historic Ryman Auditorium. This year's winners reflected the community's "spirit of eclecticism" (New York Times), with Shakey Graves as Emerging Artist of the Year; John Leventhal, Instrumentalist of the Year; The Mavericks, Group/Duo of the Year; Lucinda Williams, Album of the Year ('Down Where The Spirit Meets The Bone'); and Sturgill Simpson claiming both Song of the Year (for "Turtles All The Way Down") and Artist of the Year trophies.
 
Hosted by Jim Lauderdale, the show kicked off the 16th Annual Americana Music Festival and Conference, presented by Nissan, and featured an all-star house band -- led by Buddy Miller -- including legendary musicians, Dominic Davis, Chad Cromwell, Fats Kaplin, Ian Fitchuk, the McCrary Sisters and Bill Payne, legendary founding member of Little Feat.

Performances by Lifetime Achievement Award honorees Buffy Sainte-Marie, Don Henley, Gillian Welch, David Rawlings, Ricky Skaggs and Los Lobos brought the sold-out crowd to its feet, and in true Americana style, the evening was loaded with musical moments, including ovation-worthy performances by Ry Cooder with Sharon White; Shakey Graves with Esme Patterson and Rhiannon Giddens, John Hiatt, Houndmouth, Jason Isbell, Nikki Lane, Jim Lauderdale, The Lone Bellow, Mavericks, Buddy Miller with Marc Ribot, Keb Mo, Robert Randolph with The Fairfield Four and McCrary Sisters, Doug Seegers, Lucinda Williams and Lee Ann Womack.

This year's presenters included Joey Ryan and Kenneth Pattengale of the Milk Carton Kids; Rosanne Cash; Marc Ribot; Americana Chart Founding Fathers Rob Bleetstein and John Grimson; Abigail Washburn and Noam Pikelny; Mary Gauthier and Mike Farris; Ry Cooder; Rodney Crowell; Sara and Sean Watkins; John Kay and Ken Paulson; and Robyn Hitchcock.

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Americana Music Honors & Awards 2015 Winners:
Album of the Year: Down Where The Spirit Meets The Bone, Lucinda Williams, Produced by Lucinda Williams, Tom Overby and Greg Leisz
Artist of the Year: Sturgill Simpson
Duo Group of the Year: The Mavericks
Song of the Year: "Turtles All The Way Down" Written by Sturgill Simpson
Emerging Artist of the Year: Shakey Graves
Instrumentalist of the Year: John Leventhal
Spirit of Americana/Free Speech in Music Award co-presented by the Americana Music Association and the First Amendment Center: Buffy Sainte-Marie
Lifetime Achievement Award, Trailblazer: Don Henley
The Lifetime Achievement Award, Songwriting: Gillian Welch & David Rawlings
Lifetime Achievement Award, Instrumentalist: Ricky Skaggs
Lifetime Achievement Award, Performance: Los Lobos
President's Award: BB King
 
Americana's 14th Annual Honors & Awards, presented by Nissan, was broadcast live on SiriusXM's Outlaw Country; terrestrial radio partner, WSM; and streamed live through a partnership with NPR Music (Live Audio/Video) and Folk Alley (Audio only). PBS will broadcast an edited version of the show as an Austin City Limits special, "ACL Presents: Americana Music Festival" later this year, and Australia's County Music Channel (CMC) will also carry the show.
The Americana Honors & Awards executive producers are Jed Hilly, Martin Fischer (High Five Entertainment) and Terry Lickona (Austin City Limits). The show was produced by Michelle Aquilato and Edie Lynn Hoback.
The show kicked off the 16th Annual Americana Festival and Conference that runs through Sunday, Sept. 20 in Nashville. The conference, "the smaller, rootsier version of South by Southwest" according to the New York Times, will deliver a range of panels, networking and seminars, while the "finely-tuned festival" (Travel and Leisure) hosts a record 180 artist showcases across 15 Music City venues, including Loretta Lynne and Steve Earle at Ascend Amphitheater on Saturday, Sept., 19. A full list of venues and performers is available at americanamusic.org.aa

For more information on the Americana Music Association and to become a member:
Official Website: americanamusic.org
Facebook: facebook.com/americanamusicassociation
Twitter: twitter.com/americanafest
Instagram: instagram.com/americanafest