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

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Elizabeth Cook and Robert Plant received the most nominations for the 2011 AMA Honors & Awards.

Rosanne Cash announced the list of 2011 Americana Music Association Honors & Awards nominees during an event at the Gibson/Baldwin Showroom in New York City on Monday. The Civil Wars, Levon Helm and His Dirt Farmer Quartet featuring Jim Lauderdale and Rosanne, with Benmont Tench on keys all performed during the event with Nashville Mayor Karl Dean joining the celebration and offering praise of the Music City Americana Music Association.

Elizabeth Cook and Robert Plant lead the nominees with three nominations each. Elizabeth’s Welder is nominated for Album of the Year field while her song “El Camino” is up for Song of the Year. Robert Plant and the Band of Joy are nominated for Duo/Group of the Year and their album Band of Joy is also up for Album of the Year nod. Both Cook and Plant are up for Artist of the Year.

Two recent New/Emerging Artist of the Year winners are living up to their title. The 2009 recipient, Justin Townes Earle, grabbed two nominations for Album of the Year for Harlem River Blues and Song of the Year for “Harlem River Blues; and last year’s winner, Hayes Carll, is nominated for Artist of the Year and Song of the Year for “Kmag Yoyo.” The Civil Wars and Mumford and Sons both are nominated for New/Emerging Artist and Duo/Group of the Year, while Buddy Miller is nominated for Artist and Instrumentalist of the Year. Continue Reading

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

Alison Krauss & Union Station
Paper Airplane

It’s hard to believe that Paper Airplane is the first Alison Krauss & Union Station studio album since 2004’s Lonely Runs Both Ways. That’s probably because Alison herself has remained in the spotlight and been extremely busy in recent years through projects like her high-profile collaboration with Robert Plant on 2007’s Raising Sand (which yielded platinum album sales and six Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year). Yet, despite the hiatus, Union Station returns with an evocative collection that in one measure honors tradition and in the other illustrates the timeless storytelling of bluegrass music. Continue Reading

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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

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Bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley.

Jaw-dropping.

There’s probably not a better phrase to describe an all-star band that’s being put together by producer T Bone Burnett. Bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley, who sung the Grammy-winning “O Death” on T Bone’s O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack, will share the stage with keyboard players Elton John and Leon Russell, eclectic rocker Elvis Costello, Americana artist Neko Case and actor Jeff Bridges under the banner T Bone Burnett’s Speaking Clock Revue. They’ll be assembled Oct. 24 at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, Calif., during the second day of Neil Young’s annual Bridge School Benefit.

The rock-and-country mix in T Bone’s ensemble is reflective of the multi-genre texture of the event’s larger lineup. Country-rock pioneers Buffalo Springfield will reunite for the weekend, and country’s Merle Haggard and Kris Kristofferson will play the same stage as Americana’s Lucinda Williams, classic-rockers Jackson Browne and Billy Idol, and modern-rock bands Pearl Jam and Modest Mouse.

The link between country artists and their pop and rock peers is strong these days. And it’s in full force in a lot of ways. Among other notable examples:

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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.

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Lady Antebellum photo courtesy of Capitol Nashville.

When Miranda Lambert set a record for female acts by picking up nine awards nominations this week from the Country Music Association, no one was more surprised than her.

But that wasn’t the only shock-a-roonie of the two-day nominations announcement. Lady Antebellum achieved something that’s never been done before, Steel Magnolia and The Band Perry each accomplished something that’s probably been done only once. And Miranda did something that’s only happened twice.

Here’s a bevy of CMA trivia that you may not have seen anywhere else:

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Willie Nelson photo by David McClister, courtesy of Lost Highway.

When fans talk about classic-country sounds in 2010, they more often than not are thinking about music by the likes of Merle Haggard, George Jones, Patsy Cline and Willie Nelson.

Who did those artists consider classic? Well, you get a bit of an answer to that question on Willie’s latest album, Country Music. Released Tuesday, it includes covers of songs first made famous by the likes of Porter Wagoner, Al Dexter, the Louvin Brothers and Merle Travis.

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Taylor Swift wins Entertainer of the Year at “The 43rd Annual CMA Awards,” on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009, live from the Sommet Center in Nashville on the ABC Television Network. Photographer: John Russell / CMA

Six decades from now, Taylor Swift can see herself as an annoying grandmother, boring the youngsters with a well-worn story about the good old days. Following a phenomenal 2009, she walked off with the final trophy handed out at Sunday’s Grammy Awards, Album of the Year, and she anticipates it might well be the highlight that stands out when she’s retired and looking back on her innocent years.

“This is the story all of us, when we’re 80 years old and we’re telling the same stories over and over again to our grandkids and they’re so annoyed with us, this is the story we’re gonna be telling over and over again,” she beamed at the podium in Los Angeles’ Staples Center. “In 2010, we got to win Album of the Year at the Grammys. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!”

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Sugarland photo courtesy of UMG Nashville.

For the 16th straight year, the Recording Academy is celebrating its awards show with the 2010 Grammy Nominees CD, with five of the 20 tracks on the latest edition coming from country acts: Taylor Swift, the Zac Brown Band, Sugarland, Lady Antebellum and Rascal Flatts.

It marks the most country releases ever featured on the multi-genre compilation, which has previously never had more than two from Nashville’s best-selling idiom in a single year. In fact, during four of the previous 15 years, no country artists made the nominees CD at all.

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