AmericanaFest: Awards Show Honors Legends and Newcomers at Ryman Auditorium

This story provided by the Americana Music Association

Photos from City Winery’s Viewing Party by Chuck Whiting 

    NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Sept. 10, 2025) — The Americana Music Association celebrated distinguished members of its community on Wednesday night, revealing the winners of the 24th Annual Americana Honors & Awards at the historic Ryman Auditorium. 

     A world-class group of musical innovators garnered coveted awards, including Sierra Ferrell (Artist of the Year), Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats (Album of the Year), I’m With Her (Song of the Year), Gillian Welch & David Rawlings (Duo/Group of the Year), MJ Lenderman (Emerging Act of the Year) and Alex Hargreaves (Instrumentalist of the Year).

    Sierra Ferrell continued her reign as the Americana Artist of the Year with her second consecutive win with the ceremony’s biggest award of the evening. Brandi Carlile presented Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats with the Album of the Year honor for their LP South of Here.

    The triumphant trio of Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O'Donovan & Sara Watkins comprising I’m With Her was awarded with Song of the Year for “Ancient Light,” written by the three songwriters themselves. Lifelong musical partners Gillian Welch & David Rawlings were crowned as Duo/Group of the Year award.

    After performing at the 2024 ceremony, and his breakout Manning Fireworks album, MJ Lenderman earned the nod for Emerging Act of the Year. Violinist virtuoso and current full-time touring member with Billy Strings, Alex Hargreaves, took home this year’s Instrumentalist of the Year honors.

    Highlights from the evening include John C. Reilly hosting the momentous evening; John Fogerty presenting the Spirit of Americana Free Speech in Music award to Jesse Welles, and closing the show with three Creedence Clearwater Revival classics, “Up Around The Bend,” “Lookin’ Out My Back Door,” and “Proud Mary.”; and Emmylou Harris and Daniel Lanois reprising Harris’ landmark Wrecking Ball album with “May This Be Love.”

    Buddy Miller — Americana stalwart, songwriter, musician, producer and Americana “MVP” recipient — returned as musical director for the Americana All-Star Band, featuring Don Was, The McCrary Sisters, Fred Eltringham, Jen Gunderman, Jim Hoke, and Larry Campbell.

    Old 97’s, Joe Henry, and Darrell Scott all received Americana Lifetime Achievement honors, with each providing stirring performances and moving presentations by Rosanne Cash, Rodney Crowell and Hayes Carll, respectively. The McCrary Sisters were recognized with the Legacy of Americana award (in partnership with the National Museum of African American Music [NMAAM]), presented by NMAAM Board member and Producer Shannon Sanders.

    Throughout the night, attendees were treated to performances by Dawes, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Emmylou Harris, I’m With Her, JD McPherson, John C. Reilly, Joy Oladokun, Maggie Antone, Maggie Rose, Margo Price, Medium Build, Nathaniel Rateliff, Noeline Hofmann and
Old 97's.

    “What a great night!” said Jed Hilly, Executive Director of the Americana Music Association and Foundation. "We saw the breadth of the Americana community and spirit. This legacy has stood strong for over two decades and will continue for many more to come.”

2025 Honors & Awards Winners:

Album of the Year: South of Here; Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats; Produced by Brad Cook

Artist of the Year: Sierra Ferrell

Duo/Group of the Year: Gillian Welch & David Rawlings

Emerging Act of the Year: MJ Lenderman

Song of the Year: "Ancient Light," I’m With Her; Written by Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O'Donovan

& Sara Watkins

Instrumentalist of the Year: Alex Hargreaves

The 24th Annual Americana Honors & Awards is the hallmark event of AMERICANAFEST week, which continues through this Saturday, September 13.

For more information on the Honors & Awards and AMERICANAFEST, please visit www.americanamusic.org.

(Follow Music City Arts Update on Instagram, Facebook and X @MusicCityArts.) 

AmericanaFest: Tuesday Night at 3rd and Lindsley Brings Standing Ovation for the Isaacs

By Wil Comstock, MCAU Contributing Writer

Sept. 9 (Tuesday), 3rd & Lindsley

The Isaacs:

Rushing over to 3rd and Lindsley from the BMI Rooftop Party, we surprisingly grabbed a decent seat. Not that I stayed in my seat for long. Once the Isaacs hit the stage, I was on my feet up front near the stage. This group is comprised of matriarch Lily and her three children: Ben on upright bass, Sonya on mandolin, and Becky on guitar. The band is rounded out by the addition of Sonya’s son, Ben Bowan, on guitar. Lily’s parents, who were Polish Jewish Holocaust survivors, moved Lily to New York when she was 2 years old.    

Their tight bluegrass gospel harmonies brought a smile to everyone’s face. They shone on numbers like “Rocks,” Accentuate the Positive,” and Lauren Daigle’s “I Believe.” Ben was featured on a song he penned about the Bible that laid in the back of the drawer, always there when you need it. He’s a great writer. I hope to hear more from him. 

This family closed with an A cappella version of Chicago’s “You’re the Inspiration.” Just heavenly, and something you would expect from a family that has been harmonizing together all their lives.

(The Isaacs perform at 3rd and Lindsley)

 

Darrell Scott:

 

This guy has written songs for Sara Evans, Kathy Mattea, Brad Paisley, and Garth Brooks to name a few. This Kentucky-born, California-raised musician opened with “The Ballad of Martha White.” He is one heck of a blues guitarist. I’ve heard some of his folk ballads but was not aware of his virtuosity playing the blues. Damn! He even did a blues cover of “Folsom Prison Blues!”  

Picking up the acoustic, he asked us to sing along on the beautiful “Hallelujah.” This is the side of Darrell which I especially love. Singing “It’s the Whisky that Eases the Pain” and “Out in the Parking Lot” drew recognition and admiration from the packed house.  

He called his brother Don up to the stage to sing a ballad he wrote about one of the men who used to work for their father, “Uncle Lloyd.” A man who lost his family and treated the Scott boys like his own. Before his closing number, he called two more of his brothers on the stage, Dale and David Scott. The three of them harmonized on “You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive,” my personal favorite.

(Darrell Scott performs at 3rd and Lindsley)

 

Charles Wesley Godwin:

 

This West Virginia native had us in the palm of his hand with his first song, “Minor Imperfections.” His comforting straight-forward voice is convincing. This is someone you can trust, someone you’d like to have as a friend. He mentioned he first came to Nashville in 2013, catching a show at 3rd and Lindsley. The first time he played here was in 2021 when 129 people showed up. But when he played at this venue in 2022, it was sold out!  

He treated us to a new song he recorded the day before, the hymn-like “Hallelujah High.” I think he has another hit! Crowd favorites included “Hardwood Floors” and “Family Ties.”  Charles Wesley Godwin has arrived. If you haven’t heard him already, check him out.

(A great start to the festival! Check out our stories, posts and photos on Instagram and Facebook @MusicCityArts, as well as our blog at www.MusicCityArts.net or www.MusicCityArtsUpdate.com.)

(Charles Wesley Godwin performs at 3rd and Lindsley)

 

Award-Winning Documentary on Nashville Black Baseball History Selected for 20th Annual International Black Film Festival

NASHVILLE — An award-winning documentary that tells the story of Nashville Black baseball history has been selected for screening at the International Black Film Festival on Oct. 5, 2025.

Author/Director/former TSU Professor Harriet Himbro-Hamilton’s film, “A Tour of One City: The History of the Negro Leagues in Nashville (Tennessee) and Beyond,” recently won the Grand Prize Documentary-Television at the Marina del Rey (California) Film Festival. It also received exposure in June at the Charlotte (North Carolina) Black Film Festival.

“We are honored and thrilled with the positive response to the documentary so far,” said Hamilton, who shares top creative billing with videographer Quinton Cox. “The Negro Leagues represent a critical yet often underrepresented chapter in both baseball and Civil Rights history.”

Author/Filmmaker Dr. Harriet Kimbro-Hamilton received the 
Grand Prize Documentary-Television Award at the Marina del Rey (California) Film Festival.

Hamilton developed her vision for making the film several years ago while writing books about her father, Nashville Black baseball legend Henry Kimbro, and other famous Negro Leaguers. “Daddy’s Scrapbook” and “”Home Plate” were warmly received by surviving athletes and their families, leading to Major League Baseball recognizing NBL players as professionals. 

“I had accumulated a lot of video footage of several players while conducting research for my two books,” the author added. “The question I asked myself was what I was going to do with all of that footage.”

Her documentary weaves rich archival materials and personal testimonies into an educational and emotionally resonant narrative. It brings to life the cultural and historical significance of the local players who participated in the Negro Leagues, which filled baseball stands from the Civil War to the 1960s.

The Nashville Sounds has embraced the project, even screening a segment of the documentary during a game in 2024. 

“Dr. Kimbro-Hamilton’s documentary on Negro League Baseball is not only a compelling piece of storytelling but an essential contribution to the broader understanding of history, race and sports in Nashville and beyond,” noted Doug Scopel, vice-president of operations for the Sounds Baseball organization.

Screening at the International Black Film Festival will occur from 2-3:15 p.m. Oct. 5 (Sunday) at the Hutton Hotel in Music City. Filmmakers and movie lovers can attend the showing for $13.17, plus a transaction fee of $1.80. To learn more or buy tickets, visit www.ibffevents.com.

“This documentary honors many local Nashvillians whose impact on the game transcended the field,” Kimbro-Hamilton said.

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AmericanaFest Kicks Off with the Memorable BMI Rooftop Party

 “There are always generic terms like ‘Americana’, but there are no boundaries as to where it can go.” — Robert Plant (AmericanaFest has started! The Tuesday kick-off party at BMI (an annual tradition) was a blast. The performing rights organization, a festival sponsor, pulled out all the stops to make its celebration memorable… a rooftop setting overlooking downtown, complimentary BBQ and drinks, and stellar live entertainment. Taking the stage were Briscoe, Ken Pomeroy, and The Droptines. The weather was ideal with sunshine and moderate temperatures. Per usual, my Music City Arts Update staffer and I met some very friendly people in the Nashville music industry, including a group of very nice BMI employees. The AmericanaFest draws performing artists and fans to Music City from around the world for an educational conference and live performances at numerous venues. The Americana genre breaks musical boundaries… an authentic voice of American roots. Performers, songwriters and musicians blend elements of folk, country, blues, rock, R&B, and gospel. No act sounds the same. There is a freshness and deeply soulful expression of life and yearning through music and storytelling. You will rarely hear “canned” or “homogenized” melodies or lyrics. It’s real-life authenticity for the everyday man... an alternative to the predictable. You have to attend the festival to understand this fully, or listen to radio station WMOT-FM. It’s easy to see why this is my favorite event of the year.) #ChuckWhiting #ChucksDiary #Americana #AmericanaFest #Music #Nashville #MusicCity #AmericanaMusic #Art #Arts #MusicCityArts 9-10-25 @AmericanaFest 

(Check out photos, text and music on our Instagram and Facebook pages: @MusicCityArts 

AmericanaFest: Gospel Brunch Raises the Roof at City Winery

 Saturday Gospel Brunch presented by Thirty Tigers

By MCAU Correspondent Wil Comstock

It was refreshing to have Kimberly Kelly take over hosting responsibilities for this year’s Gospel Brunch.  She was prepared, entertaining and informative in her introductions.

The show opened with a sweet rendition of “Amazing Grace” by Clover County, followed by a stripped-down version of Lauren Hill’s “Tell Him” by Blessing.

Road warrior Melissa Carper of Wonderwoman of Country did a reworking of her “Christian Sister” song, presenting it as “Christian Brother.” I like her honesty and humor.

Legend Swamp Dog, who is a young 82, had everyone clapping on his “She’s All I Got.” He has some colorful players in his band that added to the excitement of his performance. 

I was taken to another place by the earthy bluegrass of Britt Taylor on “Unclouded Day.” Her husband, Adam Chaffins, accompanied her on guitar and harmony vocals on the beautiful “The Best You Can Do Is Love.”

Texan Country Pop artist Tyler Bryant is sure to lasso a couple of hits with his “Thinking Outside The Box of Wine” and “Stay Wild.”

Liverpudlian Robert Vincent was backed by Lauren Housley and The Northern Cowboys.  His melodic songs slowly grab you and take you to the harmonic stratosphere.  At least he did this for me on “Burden” and “Demons.”

Lauren Housley and The Northern Cowboys, hailing from Yorkshire, UK, treated us to the bluesy “High Time.”  What an intense storyteller.

Who can keep still when The McCrary Sisters take the stage? Their performance of “Run On” with their brother Allen had me dancing.  I was raising my hands with them on the soulful “Help Me.”

Gospel and Americana legends, The Oak Ridge Boys, took the stage singing “Just a Little Talk with Jesus” to a thunderous crowd.  Lead singer and spokesman Duane Allen said, “Up until Joe (Bosnal) died, the four of us (Duane, Joe, Richard, and William Lee) had been together for 50 years. We’ve experienced a lot of grief in the last year. I lost my wife, William Lee lost a son, and Richard lost a father in law.” 

He said their producer, Dave Cobb, suggested they do an album of songs inspired by things their mother taught them.  The result is the upcoming “Mama’s Boys” to be released next month. From the new album, the Oaks sang the Dottie Rambo-penned “Mama Teaching Angels How to Sing” and Willie Nelson’s “I Thought About You Lord.”  Newcomer Ben James more than proved himself on tenor vocals. He was always reverential, taking a step back when Duane was talking. He had big shoes to fill. Introducing the last song, 

Duane said, “A lot of people thought this wasn’t a gospel song, but tell it to our families who were able to pay the bills that year.” They closed with “Elvira.”  No wonder it was a huge hit. I was singing “Elvira” to myself all afternoon!