The Americana Music Association’s annual Americana Honors & Awards is returning for its 20th year on September 22nd at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, and the nominees for the award categories were announced yesterday by Keb’ Mo’ and Old Crow Medicine Show’s Ketch Secor during an afternoon event at Nashville’s National Museum of African-American Music.
Nominations are led by Jason Isbell and Brandi Carlile, both of whom are up for Artist of the Year, while Isbell’s ‘Reunions’ is nominated for Album of the Year and Carlile’s Highwomen are nominated for Duo/Group of the Year.
Other award nominees include Kathleen Edwards, Margo Price, and Billy Strings. In the Emerging Category, nominees include the always wonderful Charley Crockett, Joy Oladokun, Allison Russell, and a well-deserved nomination for indie-rockers Waxahatchee, whose country-tinged ‘Saint Cloud’ album made several end of year lists in 2020.
The Americana Honors & Awards is part of the annual AmericanaFest, which will return with several days of musical showcases from September 22nd to 25th in Nashville. Although it may be a lower-key affair this year because of travel restrictions, it won’t be as lowkey as 2020 where the awards were held as a virtual event, with the Highwomen, John Prine, and Black Pumas among the winners.
Album of the Year
Cuttin’ Grass – Vol. 1 (Butcher Shoppe Sessions), Sturgill Simpson [Produced by David Ferguson & Sturgill Simpson]
J.T., Steve Earle & The Dukes [Produced by Steve Earle]
The Moon and Stars: Prescriptions for Dreamers, Valerie June [Produced by Valerie June, Ben Rice, and Jack Splash]
Reunions, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit [Produced by Dave Cobb]
World on the Ground, Sarah Jarosz [Produced by John Leventhal]
Artist of the Year
Brandi Carlile
Kathleen Edwards
Jason Isbell
Margo Price
Billy Strings
Duo/Group of the Year
Black Pumas
The Highwomen
Our Native Daughters
The War and Treaty
Gillian Welch and David Rawlings
Emerging Act of the Year
Charley Crockett
Amythyst Kiah
Joy Oladokun
Allison Russell
Waxahatchee
Instrumentalist of the Year
Megan Coleman
Robbie Crowell
Jay Jacildo
Philip Towns
Kristin Weber
Song of the Year
“Black Myself,” Amythyst Kiah [Written by Amythyst Kiah]
“Call Me a Fool,” Valerie June featuring Carla Thomas [Written by Valerie June]
“Dreamsicle,” Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit [Written by Jason Isbell]
“I Remember Everything,” John Prine [Written by Pat McLaughlin and John Prine]
“Long Violent History,” Tyler Childers [Written by Tyler Childers]
