Alison Krauss & Union Station's 2011 CD, Paper Airplane. Photo courtesy of Rounder Records.

Billboard.com has released their list of the Top 50 Bluegrass Albums of 2011. Albums were ranked by sales data as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. Congratulations to Alison Krauss & Union Station for having the Top Bluegrass Album of the year with Paper Airplane! What do you think of this ranking? Who’d top YOUR Top 50 list? Leave us a comment below!

1. Paper Airplane – Alison Krauss & Union Station
2. Rare Bird Alert – Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers
3. Up On The Ridge – Dierks Bentley
4. The Goat Rodeo Sessions – Yo-Yo Ma/Stuart Duncan/Edgar Meyer/Chris Thile
5. Follow Me Down – Sarah Jarosz
6. The Grascals and Friends: Country Classics With A Bluegrass Spin – The Grascals
7. Palomino – Trampled By Turtles
8. Bright Morning Stars – The Wailin’ Jennys
9. Genuine Negro Jigs – Carolina Chocolate Drops
10. Best of Bluegrass – Steve Ivey
11. Antifogmatic – Punch Brothers
12. City of Refuge – Abigail Washburn
13. Christmas – The Isaacs
14. Sleep With One Eye Open – Chris Thile & Michael Daves
15. Reckless – The SteelDrivers
16. Daybreak – Sierra Hull
17. Dailey & Vincent Sing The Statler Brothers – Dailey & Vincent
18. The Isaacs Naturally: An Almost A Cappella Collection – The Isaacs
19. Taken – Rhonda Vincent
20. Country Hits Bluegrass Style – Ricky Skaggs Continue Reading

ShareThis

Robert Plant and Patty Griffin, with Gregg Allman, perform "Glory, Glory Hallelujah" during the finale of the 10th Annual Americana Honors and Awards Show. Photo by Erika Goldring.

Robert Plant’s Band of Joy picked up album of the year honors, and Buddy Miller earned an Artist of the Year nod, during the Americana Music Association’s 10th Annual Honors and Awards tonight at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium.

The event celebrated a year of the best in roots music. It opened with a moving tribute to the late John Hartford, represented by an unaccompanied banjo and bolo hat side stage,  followed by Buddy Miller, Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, Jerry Douglas and Don Was performing “I’ll Fly Away” in celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the O’ Brother Where Art Thou? soundtrack.

Jim Lauderdale served again as master of ceremonies, his ninth in-a-row, while Miller led an all-star house band comprised of famed record producer Don Was on bass, Cody and Luther Dickinson on drums, guitars and various other instruments, Greg Leisz on steel guitar and John Deaderick on keys. Adding harmonies were The McCrary Sisters: Ann, Regina and Alfreda.

It was a big night for Miller, winning not only the Artist of the Year Award, but adding another Instrumentalist of the Year Award to his treasure chest of Americana trophies, now totaling twelve. Raul Malo and Carrie Rodriguez handed him the award. Marshall Chapman presented him with the Artist of the Year.

The 2009 New/Emerging Artist Justin Townes Earle cemented his place as one of Americana Music’s heirs apparent by picking up Song of the Year for “Harlem River Blues.”  John Oates and Mindy Smith presented.

The Avett Brothers walked away with another Duo/Group of the Year win, their third after winning in 2007 and 2010 and fourth overall,  while Mumford and Sons were crowned New/Emerging Artist of the Year. Mark Olsen and Gary Louris of The Jayhawks presented the Duo/Group  Award; The Greencards, winners in 2006, presented New/Emerging Artist.

Other award highlights of the night included a tearful Lucinda Williams accepting the Lifetime Achievement Award for songwriting from record executive Luke Lewis, who last year earned the Lifetime Achievement Award for Executive. She followed it with a haunting performance of “Blessed.”

Buddy Miller accepts his Instrumentalist of the year award, one of two he collected at the 10th Annual Americana Honors and Awards Show. Photo by Erika Goldring.

Joining Williams in the Lifetime Achievement categories,  the legendary Gregg Allman received the Lifetime Achievement Award in Performance. Allman is one of the architects of Southern Rock and member of the Allman Brothers Band.  Keb Mo handled the presenting honors.

Alison Krauss gave the Lifetime Achievement Award for Instrumentalist to Jerry Douglas, equally revered for his solo work, session playing, and as a longtime member of Krauss’ Union Station.

R&B Legend Candi Staton presented the Jack Emerson Lifetime Achievement for Executive to Rick Hall, whose groundbreaking production work at FAME Studios created the Muscle Shoals sound, a unique style that crossed musical formats.  Afterward, she took to the Ryman stage to sing her hit “Heart On A String.”

Bob Harris crossed the pond to accept his Trailblazer Award from Emmylou Harris. The celebrated radio host and journalist works as a tireless advocate for exceptional artistry, playing a pivotal role in exposing listeners to rising talent, no matter the genre.

The annual Americana Award Show was peppered with standout performances, from Amos Lee (“Cup of Sorrow”), Elizabeth Cook (“El Camino”), Earle (“Harlem River Blues”), Jessica Lea Mayfield (“For Today”), Hayes Carll (“KMAG YOYO”), The Secret Sisters (“Why Don’t You Love Me?”), Miller (“Gasoline and Matches”), The Civil Wars (“Barton Hollow”), The Avett Brothers (“The Once and Future Carpenter”) and Plant (“Monkey”).

The event was broadcast live throughout Middle Tennessee on Nashville Public Television (NPT).  An abridged version will be broadcast on PBS stations nationwide on November 19th (check local listings) as a special episode of  Austin City Limits Presents.

2011 Americana Honors and Awards recipients

ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Band Of Joy, ROBERT PLANT

ARTIST OF THE YEAR: BUDDY MILLER

INSTRUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR:  BUDDY MILLER

NEW / EMERGING ARTIST: MUMFORD AND SONS

SONG OF THE YEAR: Continue Reading

ShareThis

Marty Stuart will be attending the Americana Music Association Festival & Conference, October 12-15, 2011.

Lucinda Williams, Peter Rowan, Nanci Griffith, James McMurtry and the Blind Boys of Alabama will attend the Americana Music Association Festival & Conference, to be held in Nashville October 12-15. More than twenty additional artists including Sierra Hull, Will Hoge, Marty Stuart and Matraca Berg are scheduled to appear during the event.

The Americana Music Festival & Conference will include showcases, luncheons, a trade show and a panel discussion. The Honors & Awards presentation at the Ryman Auditorium on October 13 is one of the highlights of the event and will feature Lucinda as well as Jim Lauderdale, Robert Plant and the Band of Joy, Gregg Allman, Hayes Carll, The Civil Wars, Elizabeth Cook, Justin Townes Earle, Jessica Lea Mayfield, The Secret Sisters and more. Continue Reading

ShareThis

The Americana Music Association announced its year end Top 100 Albums of the Year.  The Top 100 albums are based on those records reported to the Americana Airplay Chart during the period of November 17, 2009 through November 15, 2010.  We’ll serve up the first half of the list and you can visit the Americana Music Association website to access the full list of all 100 albums…

The Top 50 most played albums, as charted on the Americana Airplay Chart are:

1.       Various Artists, Crazy Heart Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, New West

2.       Rosanne Cash, The List, Manhattan

3.       John Hiatt, The Open Road, New West

4.       Carolina Chocolate Drops, Genuine Negro Jig, Nonesuch

5.       Ray Wylie Hubbard, A Enlightenment B Endarkenment Hint There Is No C, Bordello/Thirty Tigers

6.       Robert Earl Keen, The Rose Hotel, Lost Highway

7.       Band Of Heathens, One Foot In The Ether, BOH Records

8.       Avett Brothers, I And Love And You, Columbia

9.       Patty Griffin, Downtown Church, Credential

10.   Reckless Kelly, Somewhere In Time, Yep Roc Continue Reading

ShareThis

Gwyneth Paltrow & Tim McGraw from the upcoming movie, Country Strong, in theaters January 7, 2011. Photo by Scott Garfield, courtesy of Sony Pictures USA & Monarch Publicity.

From Crazy Heart to Country Strong, Hollywood and Nashville were tightly linked in 2010.

Tim McGraw, Julianne Hough, Trace Adkins and Carrie Underwood all went in front of the cameras. And artists as diverse as Ryan Bingham, Billy Currington, Taylor Swift and Kenny Chesney got their music on the big screen in one way or another.

Country’s role in a large number of movies ranks No. 7 in GAC’s countdown of the dozen top stories of 2010.

Continue Reading

ShareThis

Lady Antebellum photo courtesy of Capitol Nashville.

“Need You Now” lofted Lady Antebellum from a well-regarded band within country music to one that’s recognized across multiple genres, and it already won Single Record and Song of the Year during the Academy of Country Music Awards in April.

With the Country Music Association set to hand out its trophies on Wednesday, “Need You Now” claimed yet another victory Monday when it won Song of the Year from SESAC and — combined with “I Run To You” and “Our Kind Of Love” — earned group member Hillary Scott recognition as the performing-rights organization’s Songwriter of the Year in a black-tie event on Music Row.

SESAC is one of three American PROs, responsible for collecting and distributing money for songwriters, so its recognition is symbolic of just how financially rewarding the song has been.

Continue Reading

ShareThis

Garth Brooks photo by Mark Tucker, courtesy of Pearl Records.

The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame added four new people to its rolls Sunday night. They’re four people whose names are more likely to be in parentheses in an album’s liner notes than on a marquee. But without writers such as Paul Davis, Pat Alger, Steve Cropper and Stephen Foster to come up with the words and the melodies, many of the folks with a microphone in their hands would have nothing to sing.

And the artists know it. That’s why Tanya Tucker, Jimmy Wayne, T. Graham Brown and Garth Brooks were among the acts who took part in Sunday’s induction ceremony at the Nashville Renaissance Hotel.

Continue Reading

ShareThis

Ryan Bingham photo courtesy of UMG Nashville.

Film makers want very much for the general public to buy in to the magic of movies. You can count Ryan Bingham among those who believe in celluloid’s power.

After sharing a Golden Globe and an Oscar Award for Best Song with T Bone Burnett for writing the “The Weary Kind (Theme From Crazy Heart),” Ryan took home two trophies — Song and Artist of the Year — Thursday during the ninth annual Americana Music Association Honors & Awards in Nashville.

The Americana nods only add to the lists in which Ryan finds himself. The Song of the Year Oscar put him in the company of such songwriters as Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Henry Mancini and Irving Berlin — all of whom have won the Film Academy’s Best Song prize at least once. Ryan’s new album, Junky Star, made its chart debut this week, landing at No. 2 on the Billboard Country Albums list. And the Americana Artist of the Year trophy put him on yet another list among such previous winners as Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Neil Young and Jim Lauderdale, who hosted Thursday’s show.

Continue Reading

ShareThis

Emmylou Harris photo by Rocky Schenck, courtesy of Nonesuch Records.

Dave Rawlings grabbed four nominations to lead the rootsy field as Emmylou Harris and Todd Snider announced the nominees for the Americana Awards & Honors Wednesday at the W.O. Smith Music School in Nashville.

Dave’s nominations came for music he recorded at the historic RCA Studio B with a band shaped out of members from Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers, Bright Eyes and Old Crow Medicine Show. The Machine’s A Friend Of A Friend is a finalist for Album of the Year, and “Ruby” — co-written with Dave’s frequent collaborator Gillian Welch — is in the running for Song of the Year. Dave is up for Instrumentalist and the Machine is a finalist for Duo Group.

Ray Wylie Hubbard rode his cleverly titled album A. Enlightenment B. Endarkenment (Hint: There Is No C) to a trio of nominations. Ryan Bingham, whose “The Weary Kind (Theme From Crazy Heart” has already won a Golden Globe and an Oscar award, picked up three as well.

Continue Reading

ShareThis

Dierks Bentley photo courtesy of Capitol Nashville.

No, they’re not leaving their “day jobs” as country artists, but Dierks Bentley, Pam Tillis and Jim Lauderdale will moonlight as deejays for Nashville’s legendary radio station, 650 AM WSM. On March 15 the station will kick off a series of new midday shows hosted by various award-winning artists. 

The three weekly one-hour shows hosted by Dierks, Pam and Jim will air Monday – Wednesday at 2 p.m. CT.  The shows can also be heard online at http://www.wsmonline.com/ or as podcasts via iTunes.

You’re not likely to hear a strict “Top 40″-type playlist on the shows — these will be songs that the artists want to play, so expect a nice mix of country, bluegrass and Americana music. There may also be in-studio guests and jam sessions. Continue Reading

ShareThis