Americana Music Honors and Awards 2023 Wrap

Posted on Sep 22, 2023 in Guided Tours, Latest News

2023 Americana Honors and Awards

Credit: Getty Images for the Americana Music Association

Americana Honors and Awards 2023

The Best Roots Music Night On The Planet?

Part Of Our USA GrassRoots Music Tour 2023

By Rob Dickens

The Americana Music Association celebrated distinguished members of its community last night, revealing the winners of the 22nd Annual Americana Honors & Awards at the historic Ryman Auditorium.

Award Winners

Album of the Year: Can I Take My Hounds to Heaven?, Tyler Childers; Produced by Tyler Childers

Artist of the Year: Billy Strings

Duo/Group of the Year: The War and Treaty (Michael and Tanya Trotter)

Emerging Act of the Year: S.G. Goodman

Song of the Year: “Just Like That,” Bonnie Raitt; Written by Bonnie Raitt

Instrumentalist of the Year: SistaStrings (Chauntee and Monique Ross)

Bonne Raitt (Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images for Americana Music Association)

Honorees

The Avett Brothers and Nickel Creek were presented with Trailblazer Awards.

Patty Griffin received the Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting and Allison Russell was presented with the Spirit of Americana / Free Speech in Music Award.

New West Record’s George Fontaine Sr. was awarded the Jack Emerson Lifetime Achievement for Executive.

Bettye LaVette accepted the Legacy of Americana Award (in partnership with the National Museum of African American Music [NMAAM]).

Allison Russell (Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images for Americana Music Association )

The Performances

Logan Ledger opened the evening with a posthumous tribute to Jimmy Buffett’s “Come Monday”.

Throughout the night, attendees were treated to performances by Sunny War (“Whole”), 49 Winchester (“Russell County Line”), Adeem the Artist (“Middle Of A Heart”), Bettye LaVette (“In The Meantime”), William Prince (“When You Miss Someone”), S.G. Goodman (“Space In Time”), Nickel Creek (“Where The Long Line Leads”), The War and Treaty (“Stretch Out”), Margo Price (“Been To The Mountain”), Allison Russell (“Eve Was Black”), Patty Griffin (“Shine A Different Way”), Bonnie Raitt (“Made Up Mind”), Buddy Miller with Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams, Brandy Clark and Brandi Carlile (“Dear Insecurity”), Hermanos Gutiérrez, Angel Olsen (“All The Good Times”) and The Avett Brothers (“I Wish I Was”).

The evening also included tributes to two albums celebrating their 50th anniversary: Rufus Wainwright‘s tribute to Tom Waits’ Closing Time, and Milk Carton Kids and Noah Kahan tribute to Paul Simon’s There Goes Rhymin’ Simon.

A multi-artist grand finale tribute to Robbie Robertson with The Band’s “Up On Cripple Creek” closed the show.

Rufus Wainwright (Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images for Americana Music Association )

The House Band

Buddy Miller returned as musical director for the Americana All-Star Band, featuring Brady Blade, Catherine Popper, Fred Eltringham, Jen Gunderman, Jim Hoke, Larry Campbell and The McCrary Sisters.

(L-R) Brandy Clark and Brandi Carlile (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Americana Music Association )

Presenters

Presenters included appearances from Lyle Lovett, Kacey Musgraves, John Oates, Milk Carton Kids, Teddy Thompson, Sarah Silverman and Jim Lauderdale.

Snap Judgement

The best roots music night on the planet?

Damn right it is.

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