The 2017 Americana Honors & Awards were held tonight (Sept. 13) at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. The ceremony is the centerpiece of Nashville’s Americana Fest (Sept. 12–17), which features almost 300 artists performing at different venues throughout Nashville.
During tonight’s ceremony, Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to Van Morrison (Songwriter), Iris Dement (Trailblazer), Robert Cray (Performance), Hi Rhythm Section (Instrumentalist), Graham Nash (Free Speech) and Larry Sloven and Bruce Bromberg (Executives).
Additional awards were presented in the following categories:
Album of the Year
American Band – Drive-By Truckers (Produced by David Barbe)
A Sailor’s Guide to Earth – Sturgill Simpson (Produced by Sturgill Simpson) WINNER
Close Ties – Rodney Crowell (Produced by Kim Buie and Jordan Lehning)
Freedom Highway – Rhiannon Giddens (Produced David Bither, Rhiannon Giddens and Dirk Powell)
The Navigator – Hurray for the Riff Raff (Produced by Paul Butler)
Artist of the Year
Jason Isbell
John Prine WINNER
Lori McKenna
Margo Price
Sturgill Simpson
Duo/Group of the Year
Billy Bragg & Joe Henry
Drive-By Truckers
Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives WINNER
The Lumineers
Emerging Artist of the Year
Aaron Lee Tasjan
Amanda Shires WINNER
Brent Cobb
Sam Outlaw
Song of the Year
“All Around You” – Sturgill Simpson (Written by Sturgill Simpson)
“It Ain’t Over Yet” – Rodney Crowell (feat. Rosanne Cash & John Paul White) (Written by Rodney Crowell) WINNER
“To Be Without You” – Ryan Adams (Written by Ryan Adams)
“Wreck You” – Lori McKenna (Written by Lori McKenna and Felix McTeigue)
Instrumentalist of the Year
Spencer Cullum Jr.
Jen Gunderman
Courtney Hartman
Charlie Sexton WINNER
