Richard Thompson, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Van Morrison, and More Honored at UK Americana Awards Held on Feb. 2

Photo: Matt Spracklen

LONDON (Feb. 7, 2017 Press Release) --  The second UK Americana Awards took place at London’s St John at Hackney this past Thursday, February 2, rounding off two days of activities at this year’s Americana Music Association UK conference.

In a wonderful night celebrating the thriving UK and International Americana music scene, an audience of guests, AMA-UK delegates, members of the music industry and the public were treated to performances from Lifetime Achievement Award recipient  Richard Thompson  and five-time GRAMMY® award-winner  Mary Chapin Carpenter. There were performances from UK artists  Yola Carter, William the Conqueror,  Peter Bruntnell,  Danni Nicholls,  Lewis & Leigh  and  Ethan Johns, alongside  International Album of the Year Award winner  Sam Outlaw.
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In attendance lending transatlantic support were Nashville-based Americana Music Association℠ delegates Jed Hilly (Executive Director) and Michelle Aquilato (Americana Honors & Awards producer), along with artists  Jim Lauderdale   and  Angaleena Presley. 

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To mark the first anniversary of the launch of the Official Americana Albums Chart,  Jools Holland  joined Martin Talbot, CEO of the Official Charts Company, in presenting  Van Morrison with the award for Best Selling UK Americana Album of 2016 for his album  Keep Me Singing, which spent ten weeks at #1 on the chart.

Actor Harry Shearer presented Thompson with the AMA-UK's Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his unparalleled contribution to, and continuing influence on, the UK’s roots music scene. Guitarist Andy Fairweather Low introduced a video acceptance from Trailblazer Award winner Albert Lee. Trio Wildwood Kin received the prestigious Bob Harris Emerging Artist Award. 

The star-studded event, hosted by  Bob Harris, saw AMA-UK membership-voted awards presented by  Imelda May,  Kiki Dee, Lauderdale,  Timothy B Schmit,  Presley  and  Guy Fletcher.

Winners of the seven membership-voted Awards were as follows:
UK Album of The Year  presented by Imelda May
Ghost  by Lewis & Leigh (produced by Matt Ingram)
 
International Album of the Year  presented by Jim Lauderdale
Angeleno  by Sam Outlaw (produced by Ry Cooder and Joachim Cooder)
 
UK Artist of the Year  presented by Al Booth
Yola Carter
 
International Artist of the Year   presented by Timothy B Schmit
Sturgill Simpson
 
UK Song of the Year  presented by Kiki Dee 
"The  4:19" by Lewis & Leigh (written by Al Lewis and Alva Leigh)
 
International Song of the Year   presented by Angaleena Presley
"Hands of Time" by Margo Price (written by Margo Price)
 
UK Instrumentalist of the Year  presented by Guy Fletcher
Chris “CJ” Hillman