The start of some announcements about honors and awards at the AMA show in Nashville in September that some of "us" will be going to!!!!!

NOMINEES ANNOUNCED FOR THE 9th ANNUAL AMERICANA HONORS & AWARDS SHOW


NASHVILLE, May 12, 2010 – The Americana Music Association announced the nominees for the organization’s 2010 Honors and Awards ceremony today during a reception hosted by BMI at the W.O. Smith School of Music. The show, in its 9th year, will be held September 9th at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee.

Longstanding Americana supporters Emmylou Harris and Todd Snider read the list of award candidates to a crowd of industry executives, artists and tastemakers, while Duo/Group nominee Carolina Chocolate Drops performed. Dave Rawlings received four nominations, Texas songwriters Ray Wylie Hubbard and Ryan Bingham received three and Patty Griffin, The Avett Brothers and Hayes Carll garnered two nominations.

Selected by members of the Americana Music Association, the 2010 nominees reflect the genre’s affection for innovative and inspiring artistry. The nominees’ eligibility is based on work released between May 1, 2009 and March 31, 2010.



The 2010 Americana Music Association Honors and Awards nominees are:

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
The List, by Rosanne Cash
A Friend of a Friend, by Dave Rawlings Machine
Downtown Church, by Patty Griffin
A. Enlightenment B. Endarkenment (Hint: There is no c), by Ray Wylie Hubbard

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Ryan Bingham
Patty Griffin
Levon Helm
Steve Earle
Ray Wylie Hubbard


DUO GROUP OF THE YEAR

The Avett Brothers
Carolina Chocolate Drops
Band of Heathens
Dave Rawlings Machine

INSTRUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR
Buddy Miller
Dave Rawlings
Will Kimbrough
Sam Bush

NEW & EMERGING ARTIST
Sarah Jarosz
Ryan Bingham
Hayes Carll
Corb Lund
Joe Pug

SONG OF THE YEAR
“The Weary Kind (Theme From Crazy Heart)"
Written by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett-performed by Ryan Bingham
"Drunken Poets Dream"
Written by Hayes Carll and Ray Wylie Hubbard performed by Ray Wylie Hubbard

"Ruby"
Written by Dave Rawlings and Gillian Welch-performed by Dave Rawlings Machine
"I and Love and You"
Written and performed The Avett Brothers


The winners will be announced September 9 at the historic Ryman Auditorium during the 9th Annual Americana Music Association’s Honors and Awards Show. Hosted by Jim Lauderdale and featuring a band led by Buddy Miller, the Honors & Awards ceremony will also recognize Lifetime Achievements and bestow awards in Performance, Songwriting and Instrumentalist and other important categories. Additional honorees and performers will be announced in the coming months.

“Very quietly, Americana has become the fastest rising music community today," said AMA executive director Jed Hilly. “The nominees represent the elite of the elite, and we could not be more proud to work with and for such provocative creators.”

Slated for Wednesday, September 8 through Saturday, September 11, the 11th Annual Americana Festival and Conference will offer daily seminars, panels and networking opportunities at the Sheraton Nashville Downtown Hotel. The event brings more than 100 stacked musical showcases to key venues throughout Nashville. Approximately 1,000 industry professionals attended the 2009 conference and more than 12,000 fans experienced the Festival's musical events.

Full Festival & Conference registrations include access to all panels and presentations, the revamped exhibit hall, invitations to all sanctioned parties, a ticket to the Honors & Awards ceremony and priority admission to the evening performances. Registration is currently $300 for AMA members and $400 for non-members, a savings of $150 off the walk up price. For more information call (615) 386-6936 or visit www.americanamusic.org


Media Contacts:
Jayne Rogovin / The Jayne Gang; jrogovin@mac.com
Amanda Ornelas / New West Records / amanda@newwestrecords.com
Kay Clary / BMI / kclary@bmi.com

About the Americana Music Association
The Americana Music Association is a professional trade organization whose mission is to provide a forum for the advocacy of Americana music and to promote public awareness of the genre to support the creative and economic viability of professionals in this field. Dedicated to building and promoting the Americana genre and the individuals who participate in that industry, the Americana Music Association works closely with artists, labels, radio stations, retailers, print media, festivals, agents, publishers and more to help organize and build the infrastructure necessary for the Americana genre to achieve success both creatively and financially.

www.americanamusic.org