Sierra Ferrell Wins Big at 2024 Americana Music Awards
See all winners and photos at bottom.
The world is waking up to just what a wonder it has in its midst with songwriter and performer Sierra Ferrell. From busking on street corners for ragged dollars, to now being recognized with some of the top awards in the industry, Sierra is being showered with deserved recognition for her efforts, and in a way that is fortifying her rapid ascent.
On Wednesday evening, September 18th, the Americana Music Association held their annual awards show at the Mother Church of Country Music, the Ryman Auditorium. Many amazing performances transpired and deserving artists were recognized during the evening.
But it was the reigning Saving Country Music Artist of the Year Sierra Ferrell who would walk away with the Americana Music Association’s Artist of the Year accolade as well, along with Album of the Year for her latest release Trail of Flowers.
As Kenneth Pattengale of the Milk Carton Kids said as he introduced Sierra to perform, when someone asked him on the red carpet who the most underrated artist of the night was, he mentioned Sierra Ferrell. It’s not because Sierra isn’t well-known by Americana standards. But compared to where she’s going, that’s nothing. Pattengale said Dolly Parton is who we should look to for where Sierra Ferrell is headed.
Sierra Ferrell wasn’t the only surging artist to receive recognition. Alabama’s Red Clay Strays won the 2024 Americana Music Award for Emerging Artist of the Year—a distinction Sierra Ferrell won in 2022. 18-year-old blues guitar phenom Grace Bowers also walked away with Instrumentalist of the Year. Neither the Red Clay Strays nor Grace Bowers were in attendance to accept their awards personally.
Song of the Year went to Brandy Clark’s “Dear Insecurity” performed with Americana mainstay Brandi Carlile, while Duo or Group of the Year went to sister pairing Larkin Poe. You can see all nominees and winners below.
Sierra Ferrell started as a busking musician before making a name for herself in Nashville playing Honky Tonk Tuesday Nights, and eventually signing with Rounder Records. Sierra then made a big impression at the 2019 AmericanaFest, and has since become one of the hottest names in roots music.
The flowers for Sierra Ferrell capped off an evening of excellent performances and honors. 2024 was especially heavy with appearances by surging country performers amid a broad appeal for independent country voices. This included Kaitlin Butts, the Turnpike Troubadours, and Charles Wesley Godwin. They were joined by red hot songwriters like Wyatt Flores and Noah Kahan, along with indie rockers with roots leanings like Waxahatchee.
The Turnpike Troubadours performed on the show, and when Shane Smith and Bennett Brown of Shane Smith and the Saints introduced them as “country legends” it felt apropos, and perhaps for the first time. They’re no longer the boys from Oklahoma. They’re the men who took Red Dirt to the next level.
As always, The Americana Music Awards were also heavy on honoring the legends of American roots music. Most notable for country fans, Dwight Yoakam received a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Dwight told Jimmie Dale Gilmore backstage that Dave Alvin being honored at the same awards was the reason he decided to come to the awards. Then when he came out to accept his award, Dwight doubled down on that sentiment. He also thanked guitarist and producer Pete Anderson, and said he was an important part of his career.
Near the end of his speech, Yoakam teared up, saying that the Americana Music Association was the only organization that ever named him an Artist of the Year. Yoakam then thanked his wife Emily and his 4-year-old son Dalton before taking the stage to play “Fast As You.” The whole time, Dwight never raised his chin to eye level, keeping his hat below his eyes.
Along with country rock legend Dave Alvin, mainstream country turned iconic songwriter Shelby Lynne, the legendary Blind Boys of Alabama, producer and bass player extraordinaire Don Was, and the Rev. Gary Davis all received Lifetime Achievement Awards.
Elizabeth Cook also came out to honor Jeremy Tepper, who was the head of Sirius XM’s Outlaw Channel.
The Americana Music Awards are part of the greater AmericanaFest gathering in Nashville this week. Stay tuned to Saving Country Music for more coverage from AmericanaFest in the coming days. The Americana Music Awards were taped for future broadcast on the next season of Austin City Limits.
ALBUM OF THE YEAR:
Rustin’ In The Rain – Tyler Childers; Produced by Tyler Childers and The Food Stamps
Brandy Clark – Brandy Clark; Produced by Brandi Carlile
Trail of Flowers – Sierra Ferrell; Produced by Eddie Spear and Gary Paczosa – WINNER
The Past Is Still Alive – Hurray for the Riff Raff; Produced by Brad Cook
Weathervanes – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit; Produced by Jason Isbell
ARTIST OF THE YEAR:
Tyler Childers
Charley Crockett
Sierra Ferrell -WINNER
Noah Kahan
Allison Russell
DUO/GROUP OF THE YEAR:
Black Pumas
Larkin Poe – WINNER
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 – WINNER
Jobi Riccio
INSTRUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR:
Grace Bowers – WINNER
Maddie Denton
Jamie Dick
Megan McCormick
Joshua Rilko
SONG OF THE YEAR:
“In Your Love,” Tyler Childers; Written by Geno Seale and Tyler Childers
“Dear Insecurity,” Brandy Clark (feat. Brandi Carlile); Written by Brandy Clark and Michael Pollack – WINNER
“American Dreaming,” Sierra Ferrell; Written by Melody Walker and Sierra Ferrell
“Jealous Moon,” Sarah Jarosz; Written by Daniel Tashian and Sarah Jarosz
“Right Back To It” – Waxahatchee (feat. MJ Lenderman); Written by Katie Crutchfield
September 18, 2024 @ 8:40 pm
Looks like Rodney Crowell with Emmylou in the bottom photo.
Wish I had been there to see and hear all of this live.
September 19, 2024 @ 12:06 am
You’re correct Indianola, it was Rodney Crowell playing with Emmylou Harris.
September 19, 2024 @ 12:30 am
Yea, I got removed by security (yet again) before being able to edit this article properly. The corrections involving Dwight Yoakam have been made. Apologies.
September 19, 2024 @ 4:24 am
Big fan here, but the saying goes: “you run into an asshole in the morning? you ran into an asshole. You run into assholes all day? you are the asshole”
If we switch “into an asshole” for “afoul of security” does this apply to you?
September 19, 2024 @ 7:03 am
I mentioned this SAME EXACT THING to multiple people last night. And you know what, that very well might be the right conclusion.
I’ve been covering the Americana Music Awards for going on a decade now. At the conclusion of every show, there is a gaggle of media sitting at the press tables a good half hour after the conclusion of the awards finishing up their stories to post. This year, I was the only one, and it was no more than 15 minutes after the conclusion of the show when I was accosted by security.
If conducting actual, real-world journalism is to put one’s self at moral hazard, and the best way to avoid that is to just stay at home a regurgitate the press release, then I don’t want to be in this fucking business anymore.
September 19, 2024 @ 7:36 am
I have not met you personally, but I strongly doubt you are an asshole after reading this site for 10+ years. I just saw a chance to make a great joke here and took it. Such is the burden of an at-home comedian.
September 19, 2024 @ 3:18 am
Big congrats to Sierra Ferrell! Just saw her about a week ago and she and her band surpassed expectations. Trail of Flowers is my AOTY so far.
September 19, 2024 @ 8:09 am
It’s a damn shame that the Americana awards have been the one that has gave Dwight his flowers as an artist of the year over the years. I think Dwight is one of the most underrated artists to contribute to country
September 19, 2024 @ 10:08 am
This was a great show to watch (it was broadcast on NPRmusic). My 6yo daughter was mesmerized by Sierra Ferrell.
I do think its time for the Americana Awards organizers to consider categories for albums (while dropping the unnecesary group/solo category distinction), and reduce the number of lifetime awards, it feels like the programming is aimed to much towards an NPR crowd while the genre is bustling with youthful energy.
I know there has been history of tension between what is Americana and Country (See Tyler Childers), and there need not be. I think Album of the year in these categories would be great, and would create oppportunities to spread a greater spotlight on these artists.
– Country (Tyler Childers, Sturgill Simpson, Sierra Ferrell, Charley Crockett)
– Roots Rock (Zach Bryan, Waxahatchee, Larkin Poe)
– Folk (Noah Kahan, Brandy Clark, Alison Russell)
– Blues (Tedeschi Trucks Band, Christone Ingram)
– Bluegrass (Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle)
– Traditional R&B (Leon Bridges, Gary Clark Jr.)
September 19, 2024 @ 10:12 am
They should livestream this next year. I’d watch, for sure.
September 19, 2024 @ 10:42 am
It is livestreamed in numerous places. I believe Americana streamed it on their Facebook page. It’s also audio broadcast through WMOT, SiriusXM Outlaw, and a bunch of other places.
September 19, 2024 @ 10:43 am
Oh dang. I’ll have to set a reminder for next year, then. Thanks!
September 19, 2024 @ 11:18 am
Charles Wesley Godwin as an emerging artist?
September 19, 2024 @ 6:00 pm
Love Sierra, but super happy for Dwight. Dwight is how I came to love country music. I wore out Guitars and Cadillacs in my late teens. Going to listen to it in my road trip tomorrow.
September 19, 2024 @ 8:49 pm
Good for Grace! At only 18 years old – one of the best guitar players out there right now.
September 20, 2024 @ 9:40 am
After all these years I still don’t truly understand “Americana”. Most of what was here fits easily on your Dewey Decimal system. This is what the other country awards should look like.
I really like Larkin Poe and I’ve been following then since they played bluegrass/old time with their other sister as The Lovell Sisters, but I’m not sure where they fit in. They’re certainly roots oriented, but then again you could make a case that jazz music is rootsy–It’s certainly American.
None of this is to knock what happened here–anything that gets Dwight, Emmylou, Rodney, Dave Alvin, Jimmie Dale etc at the same show as Turnpike, Sierra, Kaitlin Butts and the rest of this crew is OK by me whatever you call it.
September 20, 2024 @ 2:09 pm
Yea i dont get crockett as americana. Crockett is as country as you can get far as his music anyway, dont know him personally. Sure its an older type of country but still country. Sierra ferrell i can see as americana so im fine with her winning though personally i was a little let down by her album. If it was a blank slate, i would easily vote crockett over her but thats just me.