2012 Americana Honors & Awards Winners

Lifetime Achievement honorees Bonnie Raitt and Richard Thompson. Photo: Stacie Huckeba

The best and brightest in roots music gathered at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium last night (9/13) for the Americana Music Association’s 11th annual Americana Honors & Awards, presented by Nissan. Gillian Welch and her musical partner Dave Rawlings, who were unable to attend, picked up two of the evening’s biggest honors. Relative newcomers The Civil Wars (who won New/Emerging Artist in 2011) and the Alabama Shakes each went home with new awards, and the Guy Clark tribute album This One’s For Him (produced by Tamara Saviano and Shawn Camp) took Album of the Year. A full list of winners and honorees appears below.

Performers included Lifetime Achievement honorees Richard Thompson, Bonnie Raitt, and Booker T. Jones, as well as Jason Isbell, Alabama Shakes, Deep Dark Woods, The Punch Brothers and more. Don’t forget to check out Bobby Karl’s coverage of the event on musicrow.com.

The Americana Honors & Awards also aired live on AXS TV, NPR.org, Sirius XM and WSM. On November 10, Austin City Limits on PBS will broadcast an edited version of the program.

Americana Music Awards and Honors 2012 Award Winners:
Instrumentalist of the Year: Dave Rawlings

Album of the Year: This One’s For Him: A Tribute to Guy Clark; produced by Tamara Saviano and Shawn Camp

Song Of The Year: “Alabama Pines;” Written by Jason Isbell and performed by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

Emerging Artist of the Year: Alabama Shakes

Artist of the Year: Gillian Welch

Duo/group of the Year: The Civil Wars

Lifetime Achievement for Performance: Bonnie Raitt

Lifetime Achievement Award for Instrumentalist: Booker T. Jones

Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting: Richard Thompson

Lifetime Achievement Award for Executive: Dennis Lord