Duos Win at 12th Annual Americana Music Honors & Awards

Americana Music Awards. Photo: Erika Goldring/Getty Images

Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell, along with Shovels & Rope, were among the evening’s biggest winners at Wednesday evening’s (Sept. 18) 12th Annual Americana Music Honors & Awards, held at the Ryman Auditorium. Harris and Crowell took home Duo of the Year as well as Album of the Year for Old Yellow Moon, and anchored an all-star finale performance of the hit “Leaving Louisiana in Broad Daylight” (co-written by Crowell). Crowell and Harris also performed “Chase the Feeling” during the awards show. South Carolina band Shovels & Rope received the Emerging Artist of the Year honor, along with the Song of the Year trophy for “Birmingham,” from the group’s O’ Be Joyful project.

“We might very well not be here, as a genre and as an association, were it not for Emmy and Rodney,” said Jed Hilly, Executive Director of the Americana Music Association. “That we are celebrating them tonight not for the work they did 35 years ago, but for the work they did this year, on the same show that we’re awarding another duo that is only on its first album, speaks volumes about where we’re headed. What an amazing night.”

Lifetime achievement honors were handed out to Duane Eddy, Dr. John, Robert Hunter and American roots music label executive Chris Strachwitz, all in attendance. Dwight Yoakam was honored with the Artist of the Year trophy (he was not in attendance), presented by Langhorne Slim and The Civil Wars’ Joy Williams.

The Americana Honors & Awards house band led by Buddy Miller, included Don Was, Larry Campbell, Marco Giovino, John Deaderick, Jim Hoke and the McCrary Sisters.

The Americana Honors & Awards, presented by Nissan, aired live on AXS TV, NPR.org, Sirius/XM’s “Outlaw Country” and WSM. Austin City Limits will broadcast an edited special Nov. 23. Voice of America and Bob Harris of BBC2 will broadcast overseas in the following weeks.

The awards show is the capstone event of the Americana Festival and Conference, presented by Nissan, which runs through Sunday, Sept. 22, with daily seminars, panels and networking opportunities at the Sheraton Nashville Downtown Hotel and nighttime performances with more than 130 stacked musical showcases at key venues throughout Nashville.

Read MusicRow’s full review of the program here.

Americana Music Honors & Awards 2013 Winners:

Album of the Year: Old Yellow Moon, Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell

Artist of the Year: Dwight Yoakam
Duo Group of the Year: Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell
Song of the Year: “Birmingham,” Shovels & Rope
Emerging Artist of the Year: Shovels & Rope
Instrumentalist of the year: Larry Campbell
Trailblazer Award: Old Crow Medicine Show
Spirit of Americana / Free Speech in Music Award co-presented by the Americana Music Association and the First Amendment Center: Stephen Stills
Lifetime Achievement for Instrumentalist: Duane Eddy
Lifetime Achievement Award for Executive: Chris Strachwitz
Lifetime Achievement for Performance: Dr. John
Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriter: Robert Hunter
President’s Award: Hank Williams