Sierra Ferrell, The Red Clay Strays & More Win at Americana Honors & Awards

As the Americana Music Association celebrates 25 years as a trade organization committed to honoring, supporting and supporting a myriad of roots-oriented music, the organization held its 23^rd annual Americana Honors & Awards at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on Wednesday evening (September 18).

The historic building, which has housed generations of artists, was fitting for the ceremony as the evening was a celebration of the roots and branches of Americana music, blending and blending rock n' roll, Gospel, folk, country, blues, R&B and more.

Sierra Ferrell was the night's biggest winner, taking home the coveted Artist of the Year honor as well as album of the Year (for Path of Flowers). 'Wondering Why' artists The Red Clay Strays were named up and coming artist of the year.

Duane Betts opened the show with a tribute to his late father Dickey Betts performing a relaxed, fun rendition of The Allman Brothers Band's “Blue Sky” (from The Allman Brothers Band's 1972 album Eat a peach), punctuated by Betts' perfect guitar notes and laid-back, yet commanding guitar acumen.

“This is for you, Dad. We love you,” Betts said, honoring his father, who died in April.

The Milk Carton Kids welcomed audiences both in person at the Ryman and those watching at home. Buddy Miller continued his reign as bandleader, leading the 2024 lineup with Don Was, The McCrary Sisters, Bryan Owings, Jerry Pentecost, Jen Gunderman, Jim Hoke and Larry Campbell.

From there, Oklahoma native and Artist of the Year nominee Kaitlin Butts delivered a roaring rendition of the soulful, fiddle-heavy “You Ain't Gotta Die (to Be Dead to Me).” The first award of the night, Organist of the Year, went to 18-year-old guitarist/singer phenomenon Grace Bowers, who in August released her debut album, Wine on Venus. Bowers was on the road and could not be present.

Waxahatchee performed her song of the year nominee 'Right Back To It', from her album Tigers Blood. Charles Wesley Godwin, his voice golden and bright, performed the love song “All Again” on banjo.

The evening featured performances from the versatile Jobi Riccio, as well as Wyatt Flores, who previewed the title track from his upcoming project Welcome to the Plains. The Milk Carton Kids dedicated their performance of “When You're Gone” to sound engineer Mark Richards. The audience was also wowed by performances from brother duo Larkin Poe, Red Dirt country-rockers Turnpike Troubadours and peerless vocal dynamo The War and Treaty (which drew instant, raucous cheers). Also on the bill were soulful performances from Sarah Jarosz, Brandy Clark accompanied by SistaStrings and a masterful rendition of “American Dreaming” by Ferrell. Noah Kahan also performed his smash hit “Dial Drunk.”

Throughout the night, strong performances were scored by more winners, including Larkin Poe (Duo/Group of the Year), Grace Bowers (Arganist of the Year) and Brandy Clark (Song of the Year, for “Dear Insecurity “, featuring Brandi Carlyle).

“I've struggled most of my career with where my music fits, and you made me feel right at home,” Clark said in accepting song of the year. “I remember being at a low point where I didn't fit in and [Americana Music Association executive director] Jed Healy invited me to play AmericanaFest.” Clark also thanked some of her music industry champions, including Gail Gellman, Tracy Gershon, CMT's Leslie Fram, as well as the musicians on Clark's self-titled album and Carlile, who not only sang on the song, but the production of the album.

The Americana Music Association also honored several artists and musicians with a lifetime achievement award, including gospel group The Blind Boys of Alabama, who performed a cover of “Work Until My Days are Done” to praise plans. Among the lifetime achievement honorees were Dave Alvin (known for his work as an artist, writer and member of The Blasters, X and The Knitters), Rev. Gary Davis, Shelby Lynne, Dwight Yoakam and musician/producer Don Was (known for working with a range of artists including Bonnie Raitt, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Elton John, John Mayer, Ziggy Marley, Lucinda Williams, Ringo Starr, Delbert McClinton, Hootie & the Blowfish, The Black Crowes and Martina McBride (who performed Was during the evening's celebration).

“Go where the love is,” Alvin advised those listening. “Surround yourself with people who love music the same way you do, regardless of passing tastes or fads, and always surround yourself with musicians who are better than you.”

The Americana Music Association has partnered for the past five years with the National Museum of African American Music and was instrumental Wednesday night in honoring Davis with the Americana Heritage Award, with Fantastic Negrito performing “Samson and Delilah.”

Singer-songwriter Allison Moorer celebrated her big sister and lifetime achievement honoree Shelby Lynne on Wednesday afternoon, calling Lynne “my personal trailblazer.”

“I'm proud to be a part of Americana. If I had to fit in anywhere, it was with the misfits, the storytellers, the outlaws and the truthers, the heartbreakers, the hippies,” Lynne said, before Moorer joined her in singing “Gotta Get Back,” from Lynne's landmark. album I'm Shelby Lynne.

Multi-talented musician, author and actor Yoakam was also honored by Clark with a lifetime achievement award. He received a standing ovation as he took the stage, first paying tribute to Alvin, saying: “Without Dave Alvin coming into my life, I don't know where my journey would have taken me. The twists and turns that lay ahead at that point would not have turned the corners into bright sunlight without Dave supporting me… I owe him a debt of gratitude along with [guitarist/producer] Pete Anderson.”

“It was really an independent record,” Yoakam said Guitars, Cadillacs, etc., etc.which Yoakam originally released as a six-song independent record in 1984, before being picked up by Warner's Reprise Records and reissued with additional songs in 1986. The project would become the first of three consecutive Yoakam albums to hit No. 1 on top Billboard country album chart. On Wednesday afternoon, Yoakam also said that the original indie project was a part of him, “…because the spirit of the Americana Music Association felt like home… Thanks for the reminder every year when the AMAs let me be a part of whatever they do. They always make room for us to come down… Every decade or so there's another generation that rediscovers the enormous impact early country music, blues, rock 'n' roll, soul, everything can have on their peers and a whole new audience . The only place I've ever won artist of the year was at the Americana awards [in 2013]”, he noted. From there, strapping on his guitar, Yoakam plunged the audience into the Bakersfield-meets-rockabilly groove of his 1993 hit “Fast as You.”

During the evening, Elizabeth Cook also took a moment to honor Jeremy Tepper, executive and program director of SiriusXM's Outlaw Country station, who passed away in June.

“Jeremy was a key part of this community,” Cook said. “He was originally a musician and a label owner, a very smart guy who recognized that truck stops still had jukeboxes … and that's how Diesel Only Records was born … he was an early and staunch supporter of the Americana Music Association.”

The star-studded evening closed with Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell offering a cover of Gram Parsons' 'Return of the Grievous Angel'.

See the full list of this year's Americana Music Honors & Awards honorees below:

Organist of the Year: Grace Bowers

album of the Year: Path of FlowersSierra Ferrell (produced by Eddie Spear and Gary Paczosa)

Duo/Group of the Year: Larkin Poe

Emerging Act of the Year: The Red Clay Strays

Song of the Year: “Dear Insecurity,” by Brandy Clark (feat. Brandi Carlile) (written by Clark and Michael Pollack)

Artist of the Year: Sierra Ferrell