Shovels + Rope, Emmylou Harris, Buddy Miller top Americana Awards Nominees
Each autumn, the Americana Music Association (AMA) gathers in Nashville for a conference and festival to celebrate the incredible music which has been made in the past year. The event kicks off with an awards show aimed at recognizing the artists and albums that have most stirred the Americana community. When all this goes down this year, newcomer husband and wife duo Shovels + Rope will lead the field with four nominations, followed by legends Emmylou Harris and Buddy Miller with three each.
Indeed, the 2013 Americana Music Association Festival and Conference is scheduled for September 18-22, with the awards ceremony being held at the historic Ryman Auditorium on Thursday, Sep. 18. Jim Lauderdale will once again host the awards show, while Buddy Miller will lead the All-Star house band.
This afternoon, during a ceremony and concert in Los Angeles, the AMA paid tribute to the late George Jones as Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale (fresh from their AMA-nominated duo album) led a band featuring Fats Kaplin, Brian Owings, and Jay Weaver. This was followed by performances from Lisa Marie Presley with T Bone Burnett, Elizabeth Cook, and Emerging Artist of the Year nominees the Milk Carton Kids.
Without further ado, here is the full list of the 2013 Americana Music Award nominees (followed by a press release):
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Buddy & Jim, Buddy Miller & Jim Lauderdale
Cheaters Game, Kelly Willis & Bruce Robison
From The Ground Up, John Fullbright
O Be Joyful, Shovels and Rope
Old Yellow Moon, Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Buddy Miller
Dwight Yoakam
Emmylou Harris
Richard Thompson
EMERGING ARTIST OF THE YEAR
JD McPherson
John Fullbright
Milk Carton Kids
Shovels and Rope
SONG OF THE YEAR
Birmingham – Shovels & Rope
Good Things Happen to Bad People – Richard Thompson
Ho Hey – The Lumineers
North Side Gal – JD McPherson
DUO/GROUP OF THE YEAR
Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis
Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale
Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell
Shovels & Rope
INSTRUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR
Doug Lancio
Greg Leisz
Jay Bellerose
Larry Campbell
Mike Bub
From a press release:
(Nashville, TN) – May 14, 2013 – The Americana Music Association announced nominees today for the 2013 Honors & Awards in Los Angeles at the Grammy Museum®. The ceremony featured performances by now nominated artists Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale, T Bone Burnett with Lisa Marie Presley, Elizabeth Cook and The Milk Carton Kids. The program was broadcast live on AXS TV, who will present a special encore presentation of the event later this evening at 9PM ET/6PM PT.
Shovels & Rope, with four nominations, followed by Emmylou Harris and Miller, with three each, lead the
nominee slate while many other notable artists were recognized including: Rodney Crowell, John Fullbright,
Lauderdale, The Lumineers, JD McPherson, the aforementioned Milk Carton Kids, Bruce Robison & Kelly
Willis, Richard Thompson, and Dwight Yoakam. Winners will be announced live at the annual Americana Honors and Awards, presented by Nissan, on September 18th Live on AXS TV from the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN.
Today’s celebration in Los Angeles kicked off with an Americana tribute to George Jones featuring Buddy Miller
and Jim Lauderdale leading their all-star band comprised of Fats Kaplin, Brian Owings and Jay Weaver. The music
continued with performances by Lisa Marie Presley with special guest T Bone Burnett, Elizabeth Cook and the Milk Carton Kids.
Burnett, who produced Americana masterpieces ranging from “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” to the Americana and Grammy award winning “Raising Sand” by Alison Krauss and Robert Plant, spoke to the Clive Davis Theatre audience about the genre that honors the roots of American music that has grown to prominence in recent years.
This year, the nominees reflect the diverse and artistic breadth of the genre; where legends and the next generation of stars share the stage.
The Americana Honors & Awards, presented by Nissan, returns to the historically cool Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN on September 18, 2013 (as part of the Americana Music Festival – September 18-22, 2013 at venues throughout Music City). The iconic Jim Lauderdale will once again host the Honors & Awards, while the phenomenal Buddy Miller will lead the All-Star Band. Described by Paste Magazine as “…the world’s best awards show…,” the Americana Honors & Awards have featured once-in-a-lifetime moments, unforgettable performances and legendary collaborations. Tickets for the Honors & Awards show come with the purchase of Americana Music Festival & Conference Registrations.
About the Americana Music Association
The Americana Music Association is a not for profit professional trade organization whose mission is to advocate for the authentic voice of American roots music.
photo by Carol C