Photo Credit: Hana Gustafson
On Wednesday, Sept. 18, the Americana Music Association presented its 23rd annual Americana Honors & Awards ceremony. In an expansive celebration of the vibrant variety of traditions and styles that inform this distinctly American folk genre, the now 25-year-old trade organization brought a dazzling lineup of stars to Nashville, Tenn.’s storied Ryman Auditorium, welcoming 19 performances and offering six member-voted awards.
The evening’s festivities commenced with a performance from Duane Betts, who gave tribute to his late father, the legendary Dickey Betts, with a wide-eyed, heartful and virtuosic treatment of the Eat a Peach centerpiece “Blue Sky.” “This one’s for you, dad,” said the artist, who recently paid tribute to the Allman Brothers Band drummer at his Horseshoe Music Festival. “We love you.”
Further standout performances came from artists like Emerging Act of the Year nominee Kaitlin Butts, who fiddled through “You Ain’t Gotta Die (to Be Dead to Me),” Waxahatchee, who tapped MJ Lenderman for the Song of the Year-nominated “Right Back To It,” Group of the Year nominees The Milk Carton Kids, who staged “When You’re Gone,” and The Blind Boys of Alabama, who shared the soul-stirring “Work Until My Days Are Done.” Other featured performers included Hurray for the Riff Raff, Sarah Jarosz, Turnpike Troubadours, Wyatt Flores, Noah Kahan, Charles Wesley Godwin, Dave Alvin, Dwight Yoakam, Brandy Clark, Larkin Poe and The War and Treaty, among others.
In the awards portion of the evening, Sierra Ferrell came out as a clear champion, taking home the prestigious Artist of the Year and Album of the Year honors for her massively acclaimed Trail of Flowers and tireless year of touring around it. To celebrate the honor, Ferrell performed the fan-favorite “American Dreaming.” Roots-rock sister act Larkin Poe, comprising Rebecca Lovell and Megan Lovell, were awarded Duo/Group of the Year, and The Red Clay Strays were named Emerging Act of the Year. Among a stacked lineup, 18-year-old Nashville-based guitar ace Grace Bowers received the Instrumentalist of the Year Award. Finally, storied singer-songwriter Brandy Clark earned the Song of the Year award for “Dear Insecurity,” her collaboration with Brandi Carlile.
“I have struggled most of my career with where my music fits and you guys have made me feel at home,” Clark said of the Americana Music Association while accepting the honor. “I remember I was at a low time of not fitting in and [Americana Music Association executive director] Jed Hilly invited me to play AmericanaFest.”
Echoing this sentiment of belonging, Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Shelby Lynne offered, “I am proud to be a part of Americana. If I was ever to fit in anywhere, it was with the misfits, storytellers, outlaws and truth-tellers, the heartbreakers, the hippies.” Other artists honored for longstanding service to the genre were The Blind Boys of Alabama, Dave Alvin, Rev. Gary Davis, Dwight Yoakam and Don Was.
Americanafest 2024 continues through Sept. 21. For more information on the Americana Music Association, visit americanamusic.org
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