On September 18th, Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium hosted the 23rd annual Americana Honors and Awards. The event featured performances from a variety of Americana rock stars as well as presentations from other artists and icons. “Lifetime Achievement” award recipients secured their honors. Those who shined brightly this past year received their well deserved recognition and awards. Lightning 100 was honored to be present at the red carpet prior to the ceremony. We got to interview some of the evening’s exciting attendees.
Our interviewers Amelia and Jamie posed a few consistent questions to folks on the carpet. The most popular question of the night was “What is your desert island Americana album?”. In other words, if you could only listen to one Americana album for the rest of your life, which would you pick?
Kaitlin Butts, nominated for emerging act of the year, answered Highway Queen by Nikki Lane. Other nominees in the category such as Wyatt Flores answered Sailors Guide To Earth by Sturgill Simpson. Jobi Riccio chose John Prine by John Prine. For Charles Wesley Godwin, Southeastern by Jason Isbell. Nominees for Duo/Group Act of the Year were posed the same question. The sisters of Larkin Poe picked Wrecking Ball by Emmy Lou Harris with an honorable mention to Slide Rule by Jerry Douglas. Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan of The Milk Carton Kids chose August and Everything After by Counting Crows.
Up for the most exciting award of the night Song of The Year, Sarah Jarosz answered Too Long in the Wasteland by James McMurtry. Brandi Clark chose By The Way, I Forgive You by Brandi Carlile. Waxahatchee said Car Wheels on a Gravel Road by Lucinda Williams and for co-nominee MJ Lenderman Music From Big Pink by The Band.
Lightning had the opportunity to ask a few more personal questions with some of the attendees. The brightly dressed sisters with even brighter personalities Chauntee and Monique Ross of Sistastrings shared their dream collaboration would be with Noah Kahan. When asked how it felt to be receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award, Eric McKinnie from The Blind Boys of Alabama felt honored “To be able to know that people can appreciate your music, people love you enough, people in the industry as well as your fans, they make you feel good”.
Watch the video below to see just a couple interviews from the night!
