The 2019 Americana Honors & Awards winners revealed

The ceremony was the hallmark event for the 20th annual AMERICANAFEST, held at various venues throughout Nashville, September 10-15, 2019.

In Brief

Album of the Year: “The Tree of Forgiveness,” John Prine, produced by Dave Cobb
Artist of the Year: Brandi Carlile
Song of the Year: “Summer's End,” John Prine, written by Pat McLaughlin and John Prine
Duo/Group of the Year: I'm With Her
Emerging Act of the Year: The War and Treaty
Instrumentalist of the Year: Chris Eldridge
President's Award: Felice & Boudleaux Bryant
Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting: Elvis Costello
Legacy of Americana Award, presented in partnership with the National Museum of African American Music:
Rhiannon Giddens and Frank Johnson
Lifetime Achievement Award for Performance: Delbert McClinton
Trailblazer Award: Maria Muldaur
Inspiration Award, presented in partnership with the First Amendment Center: Mavis Staples

PRESENTERS: Dan Auerbach, Andrew Bird, T Bone Burnett, Shawn Colvin, National Museum of African American Music President & CEO H. Beecher Hicks III,  Joe Henry, Jack Ingram, Jim Lauderdale, Civil Rights Activist and “Freedom Rider” Ernest (Rip) Patton, Bonnie Raitt, Josh Ritter, Ketch Secor, Television News Anchor John Seigenthaler, Billy Strings, Tanya Tucker, Molly Tuttle and Joy Williams were on hand to present at the 18th Annual Americana Honors & Awards on  Wednesday, September 11 at the Ryman Auditorium.

The critically acclaimed program was hosted by The Milk Carton Kids and featured musical direction by Buddy Miller.

In addition to the live stream via NPR Music and broadcast via SiriusXM’s Outlaw Country, WMOT (89.5 FM), WRLT (100.1 FM) and WSM (650 AM), the show was taped for later broadcast on PBS as ACL Presents: The Americana 18th Annual Honors later this fall.

PERFORMERS: Performers for the Americana Honors & Awards include legends and fan favorites Brandi Carlile, Elvis Costello, Rhiannon Giddens, I'm With Her, Delbert McClinton, Lori McKenna, Maria Muldaur, John Prine, Amanda Shires and Mavis Staples, along with present-day buzz generators Jade Bird, Mark Erelli, Ruston Kelly, J.S. Ondara, Our Native Daughters, Erin Rae, The War and Treaty, Yola and special surprise guests.

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - SEPTEMBER 11: Mavis Staples, Michael Trotter Jr. , Elvis Costello and Tanya Blount of The War and Treaty onstage for the grand finale during the 2019 Americana Honors & Awards at Ryman Auditorium on September 11, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Americana Music Association)   

The Americana Honors & Awards was produced by the Americana Music Association and Two Talented Cats Entertainment. Jed Hilly and Martin Fischer are executive producers, while Grant Alden and Michelle Aquilato are producers; Michael McNamara is the show director and Alden serves as the head writer.

The Winners Of The 18th Annual Americana Honors & Awards

The Americana Music Association celebrated distinguished members of its community tonight and revealed the winners of the 18th annual Americana Honors & Awards at the historic Ryman Auditorium.

A generation-bridging group of musical innovators garnered coveted awards, including Brandi Carlile (Artist of the Year), John Prine (Album of the Year and Song of the Year), I’m With Her (Duo/Group of the Year), The War and Treaty (Emerging Act of the Year) and Chris Eldridge (Instrumentalist of the Year).

Wrapping up a milestone year with her GRAMMY®-winning record, “By the Way, I Forgive You,” Carlile took home an Americana trophy for Artist of the Year. 2003 Americana Lifetime Achievement (Songwriting) honoree Prine secured two of the evening's top honors with Album of the Year for “The Tree of Forgiveness,” produced by Dave Cobb; and Song of the Year for “Summer’s End,” written by Pat McLaughlin and Prine.

Being named the @AmericanaFest's 2019 Artist the Year is an honor that I will never forget @KaceyMusgraves @RhiannonGiddens @mavisstaples I am such a fan of you all and humbled to have been nominated with you in this incredible category.

Photo: Getty for Americana Music pic.twitter.com/R7dncWyMLv

— Brandi Carlile (@brandicarlile) September 12, 2019

I’m With Her (Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’Donovan and Sara Watkins) won Duo/Group of the Year after an extensive touring year anchored by their critically acclaimed album, “See You Around.” 

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - SEPTEMBER 11: I'm With Her 2019 Americana Honors & Awards at Ryman Auditorium on September 11, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Americana Music Association)

Also honored by the Americana music community were The War and Treaty. The dynamic husband-and-wife duo was named Emerging Act of the Year following a prolific 2018 thanks to their debut "Healing Tide," which landed them on notable year-end lists including NPR Music and Rolling Stone. Punch Brothers veteran Eldridge was recognized with his first Americana Award in the category of Instrumentalist of the Year.

For nearly two decades, the Americana Honors & Awards program has provided a unique platform for commemorating the best and brightest musicians in the Americana music scene while showcasing once-in-a-lifetime performances. After a soul-stirring opener by Our Native Daughters, the evening featured a captivating rendition of “Angel From Montgomery” by John Prine and Bonnie Raitt as well as an homage to Bob Dylan’s duet with Johnny Cash from “Nashville Skyline” by Rodney Crowell and Joe Henry. Paying tribute to the legendary songwriting duo Felice & Boudleaux Bryant, The Milk Carton Kids delivered an entrancing take on The Everly Brothers classic “Sleepless Nights.”

The Pendulum Swings — Slowly — For Diversity at the Americana Awards Maybe Brandi Carlile should have thanked Jason Isbell in her Artist of the Year acceptance speech at the 2019 Americana Music Honors & Awards ceremony, held Wednesday night at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Read more.

A full list of category winners and nominees for the Americana Music Association’s 19th annual Americana Honors & Awards is below:

ALBUM OF THE YEAR:
TO THE SUNSET, Amanda Shires, Produced by Dave Cobb
THE TREE, Lori McKenna, Produced by Dave Cobb
THE TREE OF FORGIVENESS, John Prine, Produced by Dave Cobb * WINNER *
WALK THROUGH FIRE, Yola, Produced by Dan Auerbach

ARTIST OF THE YEAR:
Brandi Carlile * WINNER *; Rhiannon Giddens; Kacey Musgraves; Mavis Staples

DUO/GROUP OF THE YEAR:
I’m With Her * WINNER *; Our Native Daughters; Tedeschi Trucks Band; The War and Treaty

EMERGING ACT OF THE YEAR:
Jade Bird; J.S. Ondara; Erin Rae; The War and Treaty * WINNER *; Yola

INSTRUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR:
Chris Eldridge * WINNER *; Eamon McLoughlin; Chris Powell; Michael Rinne

SONG OF THE YEAR:
“By Degrees,” Mark Erelli, Rosanne Cash, Sheryl Crow, Lori McKenna, Anais Mitchell & Josh Ritter, Written by Mark Erelli
“Mockingbird,” Ruston Kelly, Written by Ruston Kelly
“People Get Old,” Lori McKenna, Written by Lori McKenna
“Summer’s End,” John Prine, Written by Pat McLaughlin and John Prine * WINNER *

For more information on the association or to purchase tickets for this year's Americana Honors & Awards and passes to AMERICANAFEST, please visit www.americanamusic.org.

CONNECT with the Americana Music Association:

About the Americana Music Association:

The Americana Music Association is a professional not-for-profit trade organization whose mission is to advocate for the authentic voice of American roots music around the world. The Association produces events throughout the year; including AMERICANAFEST and the critically acclaimed Americana Honors & Awards program. The Americana Music Association receives enormous support from the Tennessee Department of Tourism, Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, ASCAP, BMI, SESAC.

About AMERICANAFEST:
The 20th annual AMERICANAFEST will take place on Sept. 10-15, 2019 in Nashville, Tenn. The event brings together fans and music industry professionals alike, offering six days of celebration through seminars, panels and networking opportunities by day and raw, battery recharging showcases each night. The Americana Honors & Awards Show is the featured performance of the festivities, taking place at the historic Ryman Auditorium. For more information, please visit www.americanamusic.org.

The 2019 Americana Honors & Awards Nominees have been revealed

Brandi Carlile, Rhiannon Giddens, Kacey Musgraves, John Prine, Mavis Staples, Tedeschi Trucks Band and More Announced as the Americana Music Association’s 2019 Americana Honors & Awards Nominees

The Milk Carton Kids and Mavis Staples unveiled this year’s nominations this afternoon

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (May 14, 2019) - The Americana Music Association announced the nominees for its 18th annual Americana Honors & Awards this afternoon from the rehearsals of “Mavis & Friends: Celebrating 80 Years of Mavis Staples," which you can watch here. This year’s nominations were revealed by previous Duo/Group of the Year winners The Milk Carton Kids with special guest Mavis Staples, who received a nod in the association’s coveted Artist of the Year category.

Set volume & Tap or click to watch the Facebook Video announcements here:

Congratulations to all the 2019 Americana Honors & Awards Nominees! Watch the announcement now.
Posted by Americana Music Association on Tuesday, 14 May 2019

A full list of categories and nominees for the Americana Music Association’s 18th annual Americana Honors & Awards is below:

ALBUM OF THE YEAR:
TO THE SUNSET, Amanda Shires, Produced by Dave Cobb
THE TREE, Lori McKenna, Produced by Dave Cobb
THE TREE OF FORGIVENESS, John Prine, Produced by Dave Cobb
WALK THROUGH FIRE, Yola, Produced by Dan Auerbach

ARTIST OF THE YEAR:
Brandi Carlile; Rhiannon Giddens; Kacey Musgraves; Mavis Staples

DUO/GROUP OF THE YEAR:
I’m With Her; Our Native Daughters; Tedeschi Trucks Band; The War and Treaty

EMERGING ACT OF THE YEAR:
Jade Bird; J.S. Ondara; Erin Rae; The War and Treaty; Yola

INSTRUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR:
Chris Eldridge; Eamon McLoughlin; Chris Powell; Michael Rinne

SONG OF THE YEAR:
“By Degrees,” Mark Erelli, Rosanne Cash, Sheryl Crow, Lori McKenna, Anais Mitchell & Josh Ritter, Written by Mark Erelli
“Mockingbird,” Ruston Kelly, Written by Ruston Kelly
“People Get Old,” Lori McKenna, Written by Lori McKenna
“Summer’s End,” John Prine, Written by Pat McLaughlin and John Prine

The winners of each category will be announced during the Americana Honors & Awards on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2019 at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn. The celebrated program is the hallmark event of AMERICANAFEST, which runs from Sept. 10-15, 2019.

Every year, the Americana Music Association honors distinguished members of the music community with six member-voted annual awards and with Lifetime Achievement Awards, which will be announced leading up to Americana music’s biggest night.

“I am thrilled that our membership has chosen to highlight such an incredible slate of talent,” said Jed Hilly, Executive Director of the Americana Music Association. “Each of these musicians has constantly pushed the creative envelope, as evidenced by their musical contributions from this past year. That said, it’s no surprise that these nominees and their art have resonated within our community.”

Described by Emmylou Harris as “the shining star of Nashville and music everywhere,” the Americana Honors & Awards has been broadcast in years past on CMT, Austin City Limits via PBS, AXS TV and via SiriusXM Radio, BBC2, WMOT, WRLT, WSM, Voice of America and NPR Music - with the awards show being the most-streamed music event on NPR Music for three consecutive years.

For almost two decades, the prestigious ceremony has celebrated pioneering mainstays and trailblazing newcomers, while featuring unforgettable moments in musical history including Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash's last live performance together, as well as offering show-stopping appearances by k.d. lang, Van Morrison, Bob Weir, George Strait, Don Henley, Bonnie Raitt, Gregg Allman, The Avett Brothers, Solomon Burke, Rosanne Cash, Civil Wars, Dr. John with Dan Auerbach, Patty Griffin, Levon Helm, Robert Plant and many more.

Tickets for the Americana Honors & Awards are currently only available for purchase by AMERICANAFEST Conference Registrants.

For more information on the association or to purchase tickets for this year's Americana Honors & Awards and passes to AMERICANAFEST, please visit www.americanamusic.org.

About the Americana Music Association:

The Americana Music Association is a professional not-for-profit trade organization whose mission is to advocate for the authentic voice of American roots music around the world. The Association produces events throughout the year; including AMERICANAFEST and the critically acclaimed Americana Honors & Awards program. The Americana Music Association receives enormous support from the Tennessee Department of Tourism, Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, ASCAP, BMI, SESAC.

About AMERICANAFEST:
The 20th annual AMERICANAFEST will take place on Sept. 10-15, 2019 in Nashville, Tenn. The event brings together fans and music industry professionals alike, offering six days of celebration through seminars, panels and networking opportunities by day and raw, battery recharging showcases each night. The Americana Honors & Awards Show is the featured performance of the festivities, taking place at the historic Ryman Auditorium. For more information, please visit www.americanamusic.org.