Nathaniel Rateliff, Sierra Ferrell, MJ Lenderman Win Americana Awards

The Americana Music Honors & Awards handed out its top competitive trophies to Sierra Ferrell, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, I’m With Her, MJ Lenderman and Gillian Welch & David Rawlings in a ceremony Wednesday night at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.

Ferrell won the artist of the year prize from the Americana Music Association’s voters for the second consecutive year, designated for solo acts, while Welch and Rawlings were awarded the duo/group of the year award. MJ Lenderman, the guitarist for the group Wednesday, who broke out as a solo artist last year with his album “Manning Fireworks,” prevailed in the race for emerging artist of the year.

Album of the year went to Rateliff and his band for “South of Here.” The song of the year winner was “Ancient Light,” written collectively by the members of the recently reunited roots supergroup I’m With Her: Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’Donovan and Sara Watkins.

The remaining competitive award, instrumentalist of the year, went to Alex Hargreaves, the touring violinist for Billy Strings’ band.

At the Americanas, at least as much weight is given to lifetime achievement awards and other specialized honors. The Old 97’s, Joe Henry and Darrell Scott were the recipients of the official lifetime honors. The McCrary Sisters were given the Legacy of Americana Award (in partnership with the National Museum of African American Music).

Jesse Welles lost in the competitive category for emerging artist of the year, but got an arguably bigger honor that is more traditionally thought of as unofficially one of the program’s lifetime awards, the Spirit of Americana Free Speech in Music. John Fogerty presented Welles the trophy, the night after jumping on stage at the Exit/In with Welles to sing the Creedence classic “Who’ll Stop the Rain” together.

The 24th annual Americana Honors & Awards took place partway through the AmericanaFest conference, which continues in Nashville through Saturday. The three-and-a-half-hour show was broadcast live on NPR’s YouTube channel and SiriusXM; a condensed and edited version will air later as part of PBS’ “Austin City Limits” series.

John C. Reilly, a longtime champion of Americana music, hosted the show for the first time, and performed a duet of “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” with Margo Price.

Most of the nominated artists performed during the show. But it began and ended with historically minded performances: S.G. Goodman opened with a number from Neil Young’s “Zuma,” currently being celebrated for its 50th anniversary. And at the climax, Emmylou Harris and Daniel Lanois reunited to do a song from the 30-year-old “Wrecking Ball,” followed by Fogerty doing a rousing three-song set.

Standing ovations went to performances by Darrell Scott, the McCrary Sisters, Maggie Rose, Joe Henry and the surprise teaming of two of the night’s competitive winners, Nateliff and the duo of Welch and Rawlings.

More to come…