Black Pumas, Brandi Carlile, Jason Isbell, The Highwomen, Valerie June, Amythyst Kiah, Our Native Daughters, Margo Price and More Announced as the Americana Music Association’s 2021 Americana Honors & Awards Nominees

The Americana Music Association announced the nominees for its 20th annual Americana Honors & Awards during a socially-distanced ceremony at Nashville’s National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM). This year’s nominations were revealed by GRAMMY® Award-winner Keb’ Mo’ and Ketch Secor, frontman and fiddler of the Americana Award and GRAMMY®-winning band, Old Crow Medicine Show. The intimate event was streamed live to the Americana Music Association’s Facebook page and also featured acoustic performances from Keb’ Mo’, Ketch Secor with Old Crow Medicine Show, Valerie June and Allison Russell.

A full list of categories and nominees for the Americana Music Association’s 20th annual Americana Honors & Awards is below:

ALBUM OF THE YEAR:
Cuttin’ Grass – Vol. 1 (Butcher Shoppe Sessions), Sturgill Simpson, Produced by David Ferguson & Sturgill Simpson
J.T., Steve Earle & The Dukes, Produced by Steve Earle
The Moon And Stars: Prescriptions For Dreamers, Valerie June, Produced by Valerie June, Ben Rice & Jack Splash
Reunions, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Produced by Dave Cobb
World On The Ground, Sarah Jarosz, Produced by John Leventhal

ARTIST OF THE YEAR:
Brandi Carlile
Kathleen Edwards
Jason Isbell
Margo Price
Billy Strings

DUO/GROUP OF THE YEAR:
Black Pumas
The Highwomen
Our Native Daughters
The War and Treaty
Gillian Welch and David Rawlings

EMERGING ACT OF THE YEAR:
Charley Crockett
Amythyst Kiah
Joy Oladokun
Allison Russell
Waxahatchee

INSTRUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR:
Megan Coleman
Robbie Crowell
Ray Jacildo
Philip Towns
Kristin Weber

SONG OF THE YEAR:
“Black Myself,” Amythyst Kiah, Written by Amythyst Kiah
“Call Me A Fool,” Valerie June ft. Carla Thomas, Written by Valerie June
“Dreamsicle,” Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Written by Jason Isbell
“I Remember Everything,” John Prine, Written by Pat McLaughlin & John Prine
“Long Violent History,” Tyler Childers, Written by Tyler Childers

The winners of each category will be announced during the Americana Honors & Awards on Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021 at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn. The celebrated program is the hallmark event of AMERICANAFEST, which returns for its 21st year on Sept. 22-25, 2021.

Every year, the Americana Music Association honors distinguished members of the music community with six member-voted annual awards and Lifetime Achievement Awards including the NMAAM co-presented Legacy of Americana Award, which will all be announced leading up to Americana music’s biggest night.

“We’re delighted to see our incredible membership recognize such an array of talent,” said Jed Hilly, Executive Director of the Americana Music Association. “Every one of these musicians is a trailblazer in their own right, and I’m thrilled to see that these nominees and their works have resonated so deeply within our community.”