Americana Music Association℠ Announces its 2017 Honors & Awards Nominees

L-R, Back Row: Mike Cooley (Drive-By Truckers), Jason Isbell, Jerry Douglas, Caitlin Canty, Patterson Hood (Drive-By Truckers), Abi Tapia (Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum) / L-R, Front Row: Joey Ryan (The Milk Carton Kids), Jed Hilly, Executive Director (The Americana Music Association℠) and Kenneth Pattengale (The Milk Carton Kids) / Photo: Rick Diamond, Getty Images

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (May 9, 2017 Press Release) - The Americana Music Association℠ announced the nominees for its 16th annual Honors & Awards show this afternoon at an intimate members-only ceremony held at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. The live-streamed event was hosted by The Milk Carton Kids — Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan — and featured performances by Jason Isbell, Jerry Douglas, Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley of the Drive-By Truckers and Caitlin Canty.
A full list of categories and nominees for the Americana Music Association’s℠ 16th Annual Honors & Awards is below:


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​Album of the Year:
American Band, Drive-By Truckers, Produced by David Barbe
Close Ties, Rodney Crowell, Produced by Kim Buie and Jordan Lehning
Freedom Highway, Rhiannon Giddens, Produced David Bither, Rhiannon Giddens and Dirk Powell
The Navigator, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Produced by Paul Butler
A Sailor’s Guide to Earth, Sturgill Simpson, Produced by Sturgill Simpson

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Artist of the Year:
Jason Isbell
John Prine
Lori McKenna
Margo Price
Sturgill Simpson

Duo/Group of the Year:
Billy Bragg & Joe Henry
Drive-By Truckers
Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives
The Lumineers

Emerging Artist of the Year:
Aaron Lee Tasjan
Amanda Shires
Brent Cobb
Sam Outlaw

Song of the Year:
“All Around You,” Sturgill Simpson, Written by Sturgill Simpson
“It Ain’t Over Yet,” Rodney Crowell (feat. Rosanne Cash & John Paul White), Written by Rodney Crowell
“To Be Without You,” Ryan Adams, Written by Ryan Adams
“Wreck You,” Lori McKenna, Written by Lori McKenna and Felix McTeigue

Instrumentalist of the Year:
Spencer Cullum, Jr.
Jen Gunderman
Courtney Hartman
Charlie Sexton

The winners of each category will be announced during the Americana Honors and Awards show on September 13, 2017 at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN. The celebrated program is the capstone event of “AMERICANAFEST℠,” the Americana Music Festival and Conference, which runs from September 12-17, 2017.
Each year, the Americana Music Association℠ honors distinguished members of the music community with six member-voted annual awards and with Lifetime Achievement Awards, which will be announced leading up to the event.  
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Described by Emmylou Harris as “the shining star of Nashville and music everywhere,” the Americana Honors and Awards show has been broadcast in the past on AXS TV, PBS, and via SiriusXM Radio, BBC2, WMOT, WRLT, WSM, Voice of America and npr.org. The show has featured many amazing moments in musical history including Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash's last live performance together, as well as show-stopping appearances by Bob Weir, George Strait, Don Henley, Bonnie Raitt, Gregg Allman, The Avett Brothers, Solomon Burke, Rosanne Cash, Civil Wars, Dr. John with Dan Auerbach, Patty Griffin, Levon Helm, Robert Plant and many more. Tickets for the Americana Honors & Awards are available for purchase by conference registrants of the weeklong event.