Americana Music Awards and Honors 2012 Award Winners

[Tig]

Americana Music Awards and Honors 2012 Award Winners:

Instrumentalist of the Year: Dave Rawlings

Album of the Year: This One’s For Him: A Tribute to Guy Clark; produced by Tamara Saviano and Shawn Camp

Song Of The Year Award : “Alabama Pines;” Written by Jason Isbell and performed by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

Emerging Artist of the Year: Alabama Shakes

Artist of the Year: Gillian Welch

Duo/group of the Year: The Civil Wars

Lifetime Achievement for Performance: Bonnie Raitt

Lifetime Achievement Award for Instrumentalist: Booker T. Jones

Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting: Richard Thompson

Lifetime Achievement Award for Executive: Dennis Lord

[R_of_G]

Read about a billion tweets last night about these awards.

Was very glad to see Isbell get the recognition he deserves. I've said it before about the song "Alabama Pines" but it bears repeating, that song manages to paint such a vivid picture that it makes me nostalgically long for a place that I've never been in my life. If that's not the mark of a great songwriter, I'm not sure what is.

Anyone who knows me knows my Stax obsession, so obviously I was extremely pleased to see Booker T. Jones honored in such a way. His contribution to music is impossible to overstate.

I'm a bit put off by a tribute album winning in the album category. Granted, it was a good one and Guy Clark deserves tribute, but it seems a bit of a cop-out to give album of the year honors to a compilation album, particularly with Isbell and JT Earle in the same category. Nonetheless, it's good to see a music awards ceremony that celebrates people that actually play music.

[Tig]

Behind the Lyric
Jason Isbell, "Alabama Pines"

http://www.americansongwriter.com/2012/10/jason-isbell-alabama-pines/
(http://www.americansongwriter.com/2012/10/jason-isbell-alabama-pines/)

[R_of_G]

Pretty nice analysis, though I have to admit, when I clicked the link, I was hoping the story would be Isbell breaking down the lyrics. Still, I feel the same way about the song as the guy who wrote that piece, so I enjoyed it. Good find Tig!

[R_of_G]

Speaking of Mr. Isbell, he just tweeted the link below...

LIVE JASON ISBELL & THE 400 UNIT ALBUM DUE IN NOVEMBER (http://alleyesmedia.com/blog/jason-isbell-the-400-unit-live-from-alabama-to-be-released-november-20-on-lightning-rod-records/)

[Tig]

I'm on their email list, so this kind of article comes about every 2 weeks.

Just reading the lyrics alone gives plenty of insight.

[R_of_G]

I'm on their email list, so this kind of article comes about every 2 weeks.

Just reading the lyrics alone gives plenty of insight.

No doubt. And I've read a few interviews where they touch on that song as well. I'm really looking forward to the live album. He was supposed to play a festival in Orlando last year but had to cancel so I've yet to see/hear him live other than whatever is on YouTube.