Jason Isbell leads all artists with three nominations for the 2021 Americana Honors & Awards. He is a finalist for song of the year, album of the year and artist of the year. Isbell has won song of the year a record four times, album of the year three times (which puts him in a tie for the most wins in that category with Buddy Miller) and artist of the year once.
Brandi Carlile and Valerie June each have two nominations. Carlile is nominated for artist of the year, an award she won two years ago, and as a member of The Highwomen for duo/group of the year, an award they won last year. June is nominated for album of the year and song of the year.
If Carlile wins artist of the year, she’ll become the first woman to win twice in that top category. She is currently tied with Loretta Lynn, Patty Griffin and Gillian Welch with one win each in the category.
Three of the five nominees for artist of the year – Carlile, Kathleen Edwards and Margo Price – are women. Two of the five nominees for instrumentalist of the year – Megan Coleman and Kristin Weber – are women. The winner in the instrumentalist category has been a woman in three of the least five years, with Sara Watkins, Molly Tuttle and Brittany Haas each taking the honor.
Pat McLaughlin and the late John Prine, who won song of the year two years ago for “Summer’s End,” are nominated again in that category for “I Remember Everything.”
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 on Wednesday (May 26). The nominations were announced by Keb’ Mo’ and Ketch Secor, front-man and fiddler for Old Crow Medicine Show. The event was live-streamed on the Americana Music Association’s Facebook page. It featured acoustic performances from Keb’ Mo’, Old Crow Medicine Show, June and Allison Russell.
“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.”
The winners in these six member-voted categories will be announced during the Americana Honors & Awards on Wednesday, Sept. 22 at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. The program is the hallmark event of Americanafest, which returns for its 21st year on Sept. 22-25. For more information,visit www.americanamusic.org.
Here’s the full list of nominees for the 2021 Americana Honors & Awards.
Artist of the year:
Brandi Carlile
Kathleen Edwards
Jason Isbell
Margo Price
Billy Strings
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
Song of the year:
“Black Myself,” Amythyst Kiah, written by Amythyst Kiah
“Call Me a Fool,” Valerie June featuring 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
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
