We’ve just returned from the second UK Americana Awards which took place at London’s St John at Hackney last night, rounding off two days of activities at this year’s Americana Music Association UK conference, with performances from Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Richard Thompson and Mary Chapin Carpenter. There were performances too from UK artists Yola Carter, William the Conqueror, Peter Bruntnell, Danni Nicholls, Lewis & Leigh and Ethan Johns, and a particularly good performance from International Album of the Year Award winner Sam Outlaw. 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 number one on the chart.
Harry Shearer presented Richard Thompson with the AMA-UK’s Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his contribution to, and continuing influence on, the UK’s roots music scene. Andy Fairweather Low introduced a video acceptance from Trailblazer Award winner Albert Lee. Devon trio Wildwood Kin received the prestigious Bob Harris Emerging Artist Award.
The evening which was hosted by Bob Harris, saw AMA-UK membership-voted awards presented by Imelda May, Jim Lauderdale, Timothy B Schmit, Angaleena Presley, Guy Fletcher and Kiki Dee (although she didn’t break anyone’s heart).
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
