Jason Isbell, Rosanne Cash Lead Americana Nominations
When the Americana Music Association announced the nominees for its Americana Honors & Awards, it was a sure bet that Jason Isbell and his critically adored album Southeastern would be well-represented. The former Drive-By Truckers guitarist received three nominations, tying with country royalty Rosanne Cash to lead all nominees at the annual salute to American roots music, slated for September 17th at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. The ceremony is the kickoff to the Americana Music Festival, which runs through September 21st.
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Both Isbell and Cash are up for Artist of the Year, competing with Cash’s former husband, Rodney Crowell, and Paul Simon acolyte Robert Ellis. Isbell’s vulnerable Southeastern and Cash’s Southern travelogue The River and the Thread join Ellis’s The Lights From the Chemical Plant and the bluegrass-leaning Sarah Jarosz’s Build Me Up From Bones in the Album of the Year race. Isbell, Cash and Ellis are also up for Song of the Year, alongside a composition from Patty Griffin’s American Kid album.
Buzzed-about trad-country artist Sturgill Simpson, who has drawn comparisons to Waylon Jennings, is among those nominated for Emerging Act of the Year.
Here is the full list of nominees:
Album of the Year
Build Me Up From Bones – Sarah Jarosz
The Lights From the Chemical Plant – Robert Ellis
The River and the Thread – Rosanne Cash
Southeastern – Jason Isbell
Artist of the Year
Rosanne Cash
Rodney Crowell
Robert Ellis
Jason Isbell
Duo/Group of the Year
The Avett Brothers
The Devil Makes Three
Hard Working Americans
Lake Street Drive
The Milk Carton Kids
Song of the Year
“Cover Me Up” – Jason Isbell
“A Feather’s Not a Bird” – Rosanne Cash
“Ohio” – Patty Griffin
“Only Lies” – Robert Ellis
Emerging Act of the Year
Hurray for the Riff Raff
Parker Millsap
St. Paul & the Broken Bones
Sturgill Simpson
Valerie June
Instrumentalist of the Year
Larry Campbell
Fats Kaplin
Buddy Miller
Bryan Sutton