Brandi Carlile, Sturgill Simpson win top Americana awards

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile added different trophy to her support arsenic she won creator of the twelvemonth astatine the 2021 Americana Honors and Awards show, portion state vocalist Sturgill Simpson took location the medium of the twelvemonth award.

The annual awards show returned in-person connected Wednesday astatine the Ryman Auditorium successful Nashville, Tennessee, aft it was canceled past twelvemonth due to the fact that of the pandemic.

“To beryllium creator of the twelvemonth aft a twelvemonth similar we person each had arsenic a community, there's a value to it and I cognize it's profound," said Carlile. “Because it was hard to beryllium an creator this year.”

Simpson won for “Cuttin’ Grass Vol. 1 - The Butcher Shoppe Sessions,” successful which helium recorded bluegrass versions of his songs. Simpson did not attend, truthful Shooter Jennings accepted the grant connected his behalf.

Carlile made the astir of her pandemic year, releasing a memoir and working connected a follow-up to her breakout 2018 grounds “By The Way, I Forgive You.” This is her 2nd creator of the twelvemonth trophy, aft winning successful 2019.

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The Washington autochthonal and philharmonic multi-hyphenate has worked arsenic a shaper and writer for Tanya Tucker’s Grammy-winning comeback grounds and arsenic a subordinate of The Highwomen. Carlile sat astatine the soft to sing “Right On Time,” a opus from her forthcoming medium “In These Silent Days," and besides performed with the Highwomen's Maren Morris, Amanda Shires and Natalie Hemby with peculiar impermanent Yola.

The precocious people vocalist John Prine, who Carlile called “the godfather of Americana,” won opus of the twelvemonth for “I Remember Everything." Prine died successful 2020 owed to COVID-19 complications. The opus besides won 2 Grammy Awards earlier this year.

“We are truthful grateful for this posthumous recognition, John's past recorded song,” said Fiona Prine, his widow, who noted however Prine was a champion of women successful the genre, often taking them retired connected circuit with him.

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After the win, Carlile, Amanda Shires and Margo Price performed Prine's heartfelt ballad during the awards amusement that honored the genre's origins, its contiguous and aboriginal stars.

Austin, Texas-duo Black Pumas won duo/group of the twelvemonth and Charley Crockett won emerging creator of the year.

Many performances during the amusement honored artists who person passed away, including a tribute by Steve Earle to his lad Justin Townes Earle, Buddy Miller singing 1 of Tom T. Hall’s songs and Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell singing an Everly Brothers’ classical “Let It Be Me.” Other performers included the Fisk Jubilee Singers, Jason Isbell and his woman Amanda Shires, Amythyst Kiah and Valerie June.

Several artists received beingness accomplishment awards, including blues vocalist Keb' Mo,' the Fisk Jubilee Singers, the pioneering rock-country set The Mavericks, psyche vocalist Carla Thomas and producer/engineer Trina Shoemaker.

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Singer Allison Russell introduced Thomas, present 78, arsenic “one of fiercest, astir indomitable voices successful recorded music" who was 1 of the archetypal artists connected the Memphis statement Stax Records. Often called the Queen of Memphis Soul, Thomas performed 1 of her popular hits, “B-A-B-Y," bringing the assemblage to their feet for a lasting ovation. “I americium truthful grateful,” she said. “Thank you, Americana.”

Vocalist Raul Malo joked that erstwhile Nashville shaper Tony Brown went to Miami to cheque retired the buzzed-about set that helium lied erstwhile helium told Brown that they played state music, but they got successful anyway. They performed “La Sitiera” from their Spanish connection medium backed by horns and a drawstring section.

“I privation to convey these guys for america committing to going connected this journey, this brainsick journey,” Malo said of the band.

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