2013 Americana Music Awards Nominees Announced
The Americana Music Awards just announced their 2013 nominees, and the dirty duo from South Carolina Shovels & Rope leads the way with a whopping four nominations, while Buddy Miller and Emmylou Harris both clock in with three. On September 18th, the awards will once again be held at the prestigious Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, and once again the nominations show a very narrow focus on the dramatically broadening world of Americana music.
One could make the case that Americana is two, maybe even three times larger of a genre than what it was only a few years ago. The Americana Music Association itself has said that it is the the “fastest growing music community today.” But again the awards read like a list of usual suspects from the founding members of the movement and their close friends getting together each year to pat each other on the back instead of paying attention to and benefiting from the dramatic growth gripping the “Americana” term as the most nationally-recognized and broad alternative to mainstream country.
In April, the Americana Music Association announced the new “Cross Country Lines Music Festival,” aimed at “breaking borders, breaking boundaries and coming together as a larger community.” Yet aside from the Instrumentalists, only 11 names of artists or groups compile the entire field of 2013 Americana Awards nominees, with most of the names being perennial nominees and winners from years past. It all begs the question, why the awards can’t grow with the genre?
Album of the Year
Buddy & Jim, Buddy Miller & Jim Lauderdale
Cheaters Game, Kelly Willis & Bruce Robison
From The Ground Up, John Fullbright
O Be Joyful, Shovels and Rope
Old Yellow Moon, Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell
There are no two bigger names in the close-knit Americana community than Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale, and when they together to cut an album, it’s no surprise the Americana world would go ga-ga over it. Same could be said about Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell, making them a close second. Small chance O Be Joyful could pull off the upset with such attention and so many nominations. John Fullbright is still riding on the momentum he received when From The Ground Up was nominated for a Grammy.
Artist of the Year
Buddy Miller
Dwight Yoakam
Emmylou Harris
Richard Thompson
Wow, what an anemic list. Love all of these artists, but on a year when there were so many breakout Americana bands, to go back to these usual suspects seems a little bit lazy an unimaginative. If you’re going to nominate The Lumineers for Song of the Year, then why not for Artist? Did they not have a huge impact? If we’re only nominating oldtimers, why not Ray Wylie Hubbard with the success he’s had with Grifter’s Hynmal?
Duo/Group of the Year
Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis
Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale
Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell
Shovels & Rope
Notice that we are only three nominations in, and every name that appears in this category has appeared in a previous category. Now notice that these are the exact same nominees for Album of the Year, just without John Fullbright, and with no other name added to take his place.
Emerging Artist of the Year
JD McPherson
John Fullbright
The Milk Carton Kids
Shovels & Rope
Shovels & Rope has to be the shoe in here with so many other nominations. Is JD McPherson really “emerging”? Or is he just emerging in the mindset to the cloistered Americana decision makers? Lindi Ortega? First Aid Kit? If you’re going to include the former Turnpike Troubadour John Fullbright, why not include the Turnpike Troubadours?
Song of the Year
“Birmingham” – Shovels & Rope
“Good Things Happen to Bad People” – Richard Thompson
“Ho Hey” – The Lumineers
“North Side Gal” – JD McPherson
“Birmingham” should win this. Richard Thompson would be the other strong contender. So we’re going to nominate “Ho Hey,” bolstered by its appearance in numerous commercials, but we won’t consider bands like The Lumineers, The Avett Brothers, Mumford & Sons, and many others for awards when they have been expanding the boundaries of Americana music more than any other bands or artists in its history?
Instrumentalist of the Year
Doug Lancio
Greg Leisz
Jay Bellerose
Larry Campbell
Mike Bub
May 14, 2013 @ 2:42 pm
I’ve said it once, and i’ll say it one again- don’t confuse the Americana Music Association with the americana world at large. I do vote for the awards and this year i feel my votes are better represented then in the past, but it’s by no means exhaustive. Again, The AMA, like the Grammys , National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences is a trade group whose soul purpose is to sell music and galvanizes a brand of which they are angling to be a gatekeeper.
May 14, 2013 @ 3:02 pm
And how are they supposed to galvanize the brand and be the “gatekeeper” when they refuse to grow with said brand, and ignore so many of the great names emerging in the genre in lieu the same tired names that win all of the awards every year? So Buddy Miller, Dwight Yoakam, Emmylou Harris, and Richard Thompson were the biggest names in Americana this last year? A year that arguably saw the biggest roots revival in the history of popular music?
I am all about growing sustainably, but I am also about growing. I am a huge supporter of the Americana Music Association and I want them to grow to meet the swelling demands created by the disenfranchised American roots consumer forgotten by mainstream country. Right here, right now is a huge opportunity to grab hold of the huge groundswell of popular support and make Americana a strong counterbalance to Music Row’s influence. That support, that popular interest may not be around next year. Now is the time to build the infrastructure to make Americana a legitimate force in the music world because in a year or two, the masses will be on to the next craze.
May 14, 2013 @ 3:11 pm
Swelling demands aside the organization, liek all trade organizations look for the safest representation of the brand. The ones with an established brand (Buddy Miller, Dwight Yoakam, Emmylou Harris) or one quickly creating one (Lumineers, Shovels and Rope) I agree that this list is not the best of the last 12 mos (where’s Chris Knight?) but I don’t expect the AMA to venture too far off left field in a televised package for AXS TV. They leave the risk to the conferences showcases.
The captcha is a pain by the way.
May 14, 2013 @ 3:40 pm
But a nomination for an award is a way to codify a name as one existing within the confines of the Americana genre. Not nominating one in lieu of the same names that have been up for the same awards every single year since 2002 could mean the loss of that talent to other organizations. What better way to control the scope of the genre than by defining it with names through your awards apparatus. In 2002, Americana started with Jim Lauderdale and ended with Buddy Miller. In 2013, Americana starts with Jim Lauderdale and ends with Buddy Miller. Two great guys, but how about a broadening of perspective to match a swelling demand?
I understand that the AMA is a trade organization, and New West, Thirty Tigers, Rounder, Ramesur, Bloodshot, etc. or whoever use it as a not-for-profit entity to grow their music brands, and I understand that by that nature, the scope of such an endeavor is always going to be more limited than the music itself. But how about some growth, any growth in a 12 year span for your awards? I’m not talking about who is best, because that is subjective, I’m just talking about showcasing a more broad cross-section. You’re Americana! You’re the hottest brand in music right now. So seize the day! Grow and organize so that the genre can offer a healthy alternative to artistically-minded artists who would otherwise get sucked up and spit out by Music Row. Engage and codify your fan base by offering them a vibrant range of exciting names. Give people something to celebrate and discover.
May 14, 2013 @ 4:05 pm
Have you gone to the conference? If not, do. The showcases at the event are really extraordinary. The awards program is a trade show that relays on the tried-and-true (Emmylou, Buddy) with a few news models thrown in to the mix (Shovels and Rope, Alabama Shakes.) When it comes to moving your brand into the mainstream you’d be surprised how little vibrancy matters relative to bringing in greying legends – like Bonnie Raiit. I’m concerned with Americana turning into a final resting place for classic rockers.
May 14, 2013 @ 2:58 pm
No RWH in a year that gave us Grifters Hymnal no Troubadors no Ortega, really ? I love all these nominees but with the exception of Bruce and Kelly I agree with Trig same old group just like every year. I just would hope at some point we can expand the horizons a little come Americana awards time. Disapointing. Not suprising.
May 14, 2013 @ 3:09 pm
Some suggestions for fixing the awards so that they would be more effective at promoting the genre, help to keep the purity of the term under control, and help promote it would be:
1) Make it mandatory that each category must have five nominees.
2) Add “Male Artist” and “Female Artist” categories.
AND/OR
Split the “Duo/Group of the Year” into two separate “Duo” AND “Group” categories.
What really stifled the awards this year is that you had so many artists that are traditionally solo artists teaming up in duos (Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis, Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale, Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell) and this deposed the true, long-term groups and duos from consideration. Then you add on top that Shovels & Rope is already a duo, and Buddy Miller and Emmylou are nominated for “Artist of the Year” and the quantity of names you can include for the various awards is downright anemic.
May 14, 2013 @ 3:11 pm
I know it’s hard to really classify him as Americana, but I would love to see Austin Lucas’s name on the nominee list one year. He writes incredible songs, and I would put him against any singer on this list. I don’t know if there’s anyone out there with a voice like Austin’s.
May 14, 2013 @ 3:18 pm
Austin Lucas is an excellent emerging Americana name that could benefit from a broadening of these awards, and a name that the awards could benefit from as well.
Something tells me that next year, there’s a chance we may see his name here, even if they don’t change the awards….
May 14, 2013 @ 4:32 pm
I’ve been ignoring awards shows in general since the time in the seventies Johnny “Guitar” Watson won a best new artist grammy, after twenty plus years in the business. They exist largely to inform the uninformed about genres of music and artists and dish out “pub” as the great Maurice Lucas wisely called it. From a critical perspective, I suggest you ignore them as well. They’re merely advertising. And as much as I like Richard Thompson (and I like him a lot) I’m somewhat bewildered that he is considered “Americana”.
Seriously, when was the last time you found out about an interesting new artist via an awards show? I’ve found more good new music in the last year from this site alone than I have during my entire life via awards shows (and thanks again, Mr. Trig). And this site is just the tip of the iceberg.
Awards shows are about as useless as radio for finding good new artists or even the best albums of the last year. This one looks to be no exception. They have no purpose for almost every music listener I know.
May 15, 2013 @ 8:27 pm
We’re not talking about the CMA’s here. The Americana Music Awards, or the Lone Star Music awards that I attended a couple of weeks ago down here in Texas I believe can be huge opportunities to learn about new artists, and I specifically was turned on to some new music through that Lone Star event.
I hate to admit it, but that Eric Church duet with Valerie June on the ACM Awards turned a ton of people on to an unknown star. Those moments can happen, but the people organizing the awards have to let them. How ironic is it that Valerie June got more recognition from the ACM Awards than the Americana Awards?
May 14, 2013 @ 4:37 pm
I agree with you 100% about it being odd that it’s the same people, despite how big it is growing. It seems as if they’re trying to separate themselves from Texas Country. Like I said in the Texas Country/Red Dirt article, almost all Texas Country could be considered Americana, but not all Americana could be considered Texas Country. It seems like those ones that aren’t also considered Texas Country are the main ones getting nominated now..
This is just an observation really; I have no clue what the hell is actually going on. I guess we’ll see what happens when Hayes or Robert Earl Keen puts out a new album.
May 14, 2013 @ 7:29 pm
A pretty predictable mix for sure — I’ve been enjoying the Emmylou & Rodney album a lot, sort of like the aural equivalent of comfort food, but I don’t know if it was that outstanding…
Nice to see Kelly & Bruce in there! 🙂 ‘Cheater’s Game’ is one of my very favorite albums of the year so far (in my Top 2 or 3, anyway).
I think Richard Thompson also had a pretty strong album (‘Electric’) this year, though I, too, am puzzled by his being lumped in with the Americana crowd — to me, he’s always just been good ol’ folk-rock. (If Brits can be counted, I would argue that Nick Lowe is more of an Americana artist, in how he incorporates classic country and soul into his stripped-down rock ‘n’ roll sound. I wonder if he’s ever been up for one of these things…)
I think Kim Richey could have fit in with this bunch — her musical style tends to blur the lines between country, folk, rock and pop — but her new album (‘Thorn in My Heart,’ on Yep Roc) only just came out in April.
May 15, 2013 @ 6:29 am
On the positive side John Fulbright is getting some notice.
On the negative side what is North Side Gal doing in the song of the year category? Really? Song of the year? I don’t dislike J D McPherson but…
On the suggestion side maybe add a “legends” (open to suggestions on the category name) kinda thing so they can pay some past due “forget me not” notice to the likes of Doug Sahm or Red Rhodes.
May 15, 2013 @ 6:48 am
Agreed, there are some “misses” here. But on the flip side of the coin, at least everyone nominated has “true talent”. Unlike most other shitbag award events that are out there!
May 15, 2013 @ 2:03 pm
That is a pretty uninspiring list. Not to say people like Buddy Miller, Rodney Crowell, Emmyloy, Bruce & Kelly, etc. are undeserving, but there is very little new or exciting on that list.
I will say that I got to see Shovels & Rope at the Saxon Pub in Austin last year in what I knew was going to be their last small show like that for a long time. It was packed. Good for them.
May 15, 2013 @ 7:44 pm
Maybe I’m being a little “get off my lawn”-ish or an Americana Old Fart/Jackass, but I’d rather the Lumineers did not get nominated for Ho Hey. They grate on me. I was hoping Jimmy Fallon forced that song to jump the shark with his and Ol’ Blake’s chicken version of the song.
I would agree that the AMA is being a bit clique-ish again with its nominees, but I would say that all of the nominated albums are very good. But I agree that you just knew that Buddy/Jim and Emmylou/Rodney would get nominated by default. Less obvious was the Kelly Willis/Bruce Robison albums, and that might be my favorite of the three duet albums. I fully support the Shovels and Rope and John Fullbright album nominations. Also, I don’t know if nominating Richard Thompson for song and artist of the year and NOT for album of the year makes a lot of sense, as his Electric is a great one and I’d say his best in quite a while. But, I guess they’re already stretching the definition of Americana (whatever that is) by nominating him at all.
Surprised that they didn’t nominate Iris Dement’s Sing the Delta.
A few other ones that could have fit the bill and were released within the 4/1/12 – 3/31/13 time period:
Caitlin Rose – The Stand-In
Holly Williams – The Highway
Turnpike Troubadours – Goodbye Normal Street
Lindi Ortega – Cigarettes and Truckstops
Corb Lund – Cabin Fever
May 15, 2013 @ 8:32 pm
I’m thinking maybe Caitlin Rose and Holly Williams were not included because it is too early in their album cycle. We may seen them included next year. At least I hope we do, because those are two standout albums.
One thing about the Turnpike Troubadours and Corb Lund is they may be considered too country. Turnpike cleaned up at the Lone Star Music Awards, and I believe Corb won some big Canadian country awards, so at least those two are getting recognition.
Lindi, First Aid Kit, and a few others I think are the real losers here. There were some superb Americana albums this last year, and it feels a little unfair to not even give them a mention.
I don’t like The Lumineers really either, I was more making a point about consistency. In my opinion, it almost makes more sense to nominate them for Group of the Year instead of giving their big commercial song the nod. Is “Ho Hey” going to benefit at all from receiving an AMA nom? My guess is no.
Americana Music Awards Oversights - Twang Nation - The Best In Americana Music
May 16, 2013 @ 10:20 pm
[…] tallied up and the 5 nominees for each category have just been announced last Tuesday. Though some have stated that the Americana music Association is playing it safe and should do more to grow the […]
May 19, 2013 @ 10:24 am
Strictly from a radio perspective…
Tha Avett Bros and Mumford & Sons did not work their records to strictly Americana stations. Same for a few other of the “big name” artists this year and last.
They have chart success due to AAA stations that play them relentlessly in their normal programming and report those spins to the Americana chart. Meanwhile, I’ve played the Avetts since A Carolina Jubilee and could not get a copy of the record. Believe me, I tried. I don’t report AAA, so I was left in the cold.
My point is that maybe chart success for some of these crossover (for lack of a better term) is that some Americana lifers see these artists as trying to outgrow the genre or simply using the Americana brand to garner some cred that they may not otherwise have.
I couldn’t vote for Avetts or Mumfords because I did not hear them. I did not hear them because their people would not get them to me.
The Lumineers are (to my ears) just a pop band.
May 31, 2013 @ 6:10 am
It is hard for me to read that the Avetts, Justin Townes Earle, Hayes Carll, or Ray Wylie Hubarb didnt get nominated for anything. Hayes Should always be up for Artist of the year.