A few weeks back, the word came about the initial round of performers who will roll into Music City Sept. 17 through 21 for dozens of shows during AmericanaFest 2024. At an event held at the National Museum of African American Music and streamed live on Facebook, the Americana Music Association announced the slate of nominees for this year’s Honors and Awards.
Nashville’s own Allison Russell and Sierra Ferrell are among the Artist of the Year nominees, thought they face stiff competition from Tyler Childers, Charley Crockett and Noah Kahan. Ferrell’s Trail of Flowers is among the Album of the Year nominees (alongside Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit’s Weathervanes and Brandy Clark’s self-titled LP), and its opening song “American Dreaming” is on the slate for Song of the Year (as are Clark’s “Dear Insecurity” and recently arrived Nashvillian Sarah Jarosz’s “Jealous Moon”).
Previous Americana award-winners The War and Treaty stand tall in a powerful field of Duo/Group of the Year nominees. Meanwhile, Emerging Act of the Year nominees include two Oklahoma-born, Nashville-residing songsmiths whose stars are rising rapidly, namely Wyatt Flores and Kaitlin Butts, as well as Nashvillian Jobi Riccio. Meanwhile, local talent covers the entire Instrumentalist of the Year category: multi-instrumentalists Maddie Denton, Megan McCormick and Joshua Rilko, guitar phenom Grace Bowers and percussionist Jamie Dick.
The winners will be revealed at the festival’s keystone ceremony-slash-show at the Ryman on Wednesday, Sept. 18. Check out the full list of nominees below and keep an eye on the Americana Music Association website for updates and ticketing information.
Americana Honors and Awards 2024 Nominees
Album of the Year
- Brandy Clark, Brandy Clark, produced by Brandi Carlile
- Hurray for the Riff Raff, The Past Is Still Alive, produced by Brad Cook
- Tyler Childers, Rustin’ In the Rain, produced by Tyler Childers and The Food Stamps
- Sierra Ferrell, Trail of Flowers, produced by Eddie Spear and Gary Paczosa
- Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Weathervanes, produced by Jason Isbell
Artist of the Year
- Tyler Childers
- Charley Crockett
- Sierra Ferrell
- Noah Kahan
- Allison Russell
Duo/Group of the Year
- Black Pumas
- Larkin Poe
- The Milk Carton Kids
- Turnpike Troubadours
- The War and Treaty
Emerging Act of the Year
- Kaitlin Butts
- Wyatt Flores
- Charles Wesley Godwin
- The Red Clay Strays
- Jobi Riccio
Instrumentalist of the Year
- Grace Bowers
- Maddie Denton
- Jamie Dick
- Megan McCormick
- Joshua Rilko
Song of the Year
- Sierra Ferrell, "American Dreaming," written by Melody Walker and Sierra Ferrell
- Brandy Clark, "Dear Insecurity," written by Brandy Clark and Michael Pollack
- Tyler Childers, "In Your Love," written by Geno Seale and Tyler Childers
- Sarah Jarosz, "Jealous Moon," written by Daniel Tashian and Sarah Jarosz
- Waxahatchee, "Right Back to It," written by Katie Crutchfield
