When the nominations for the 15th annual Americana Honors & Awards were announced in Washington, DC, it reinforced Jason Isbell’s position as the face of the Americana genre. The singer-songwriter, who released his album Something More Than Free last July, scored three nominations, for Album, Artist and Son
Lucinda Williams, whose release Down Where the Spirit Meets the Bone took home the album trophy at last year’s ceremony, seeks to repeat in that category, as her latest LP The Ghosts of Highway 20 is nominated for best album. She’s also up for Artist of the Year.
Chris Stapleton scored two nominations as well: Artist of the Year and Album of the Year for Traveller. The CMA and ACM Award-winning vocalist is one of two more mainstream-country nominees being recognized by the Americana Music Association — Kacey Musgraves is up for Song of the Year for “Dime Store Cowgirl.” And Margo Price, who has yet to break through on country radio, also represents traditional country. She’s up for New/Emerging Artist of the Year and for Song of the Year for “Hands of Time,” off her debut album Midwest Farmer’s Daughter.
The Americana Honors & Awards, the centerpiece of the Americana Music Festival and Conference, will be held September 21st at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.
Here’s the complete list of nominees:
Album of the Year
Something More Than Free, Jason Isbell (produced by Dave Cobb)
The Ghosts of Highway 20, Lucinda Williams (produced by Greg Leisz, Tom Overby and Lucinda
Williams)
The Very Last Day, Parker Millsap (produced by Parker Millsap and Gary Paczosa)
Traveller, Chris Stapleton (produced by Dave Cobb and Chris Stapleton)
Artist of the Year
Bonnie Raitt
Chris Stapleton
Jason Isbell
Lucinda Williams
Group Duo of the Year
Alabama Shakes
Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell
Lake Street Dive
Milk Carton Kids
Tedeschi Trucks Band
New/Emerging Artist of the Year
John Moreland
Leon Bridges
Margo Price
Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats
Song of the Year
“24 Frames,” Jason Isbell
“Dime Store Cowgirl,” Kacey Musgraves
“Hands of Time,” Margo Price”
“SOB”, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Nightsweats
Instrumentalist of the Year
Cindy Cashdollar
Stuart Duncan
Jedd Hughes
Sara Watkins
– Rolling Stone
