UK Americana Awards 2022
Thursday 27th January – On Youtube 7pm

Lucinda Williams to receive the International Lifetime Achievement Award, Beth Orton is this year’s Trailblazer recipient

Nominations Shortlist Announced (see below) 

with extreme sadness the UK Americana Music Week in Hackney in London, January 24th to 27th 2022 had to be cancelled due to Omicron Covid variant.   However the AMA-UK team have managed to organise an ONLINE  UK Americana Awards Show FREE to all to view on YOUTUBE January 27th. at 7pm  - we have an incredible show for you which will combine live performances from UK nominees and international nominees and lots of very special guests - co hosted by Bob Harris and Baylen Leonard

Speaking of her award, Lucinda Williams said: "I am so honored to be the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Americana Music Association UK. Coming now, at the end of a rollercoaster year and a half of both the professional challenges that we’ve all faced as well as a serious personal health issue.  Let me just say that it feels especially rewarding.     This past year and a half has definitely not been all bad as with any rollercoaster ride,  there are peaks.   I had so much fun working on my Jukebox series and the fact that it has been so well embraced in the UK is very special.   One of the most disappointing things on the other hand was that we lost multiple planned trips  to the UK,  so I can’t wait to get back whenever we get back to some sense of normalcy. Thank you so much for this Award!  You have no idea how much this means to me right now."

Beth Orton said “I am thrilled be recognised as a trailblazer by the board of the Americana Music Association. Classic Americana songwriters from Glen Campbell and Emmylou Harris to Lucinda Williams and John Prine have always been songwriters I hold in the highest esteem. I have drawn inspiration from the wellspring of that timeless music and to have that acknowledged means a great deal to me.”

The Long Ryders commented: “The Long Ryders are thrilled to the gills at receiving the International Trailblazer Award from our friends at Americana Music Association UK. We truly are honoured at being noticed by such a distinguished crowd and cannot wait for the big night in January. This is complete proof of the old saying, "you stick around long enough you become respectable and admired!”.

In addition, the Bob Harris Emerging Artist Award goes to Lauren Housley and the Grassroots Award goes to Loose Music’s Tom Bridgewater. The award for the Best-Selling Americana Album by a UK artist, presented in conjunction with The Official Charts Company (OCC), will be announced in January.

The nominations for UK and International Songs of the Year, Albums of the Year and Artists of the Year and UK Instrumentalist of the Year, voted upon by the AMA-UK membership, follow below, alongside further details of the AMA-UK board special awards.

Stevie Smith, CEO AMA-UK, remarked “It’s hard to express how exciting it is to be launching the 2022 event after such tumultuous years in the music business.  After a successful campaign to ensure gender balance across the event our focus has rightly moved to diversity, ensuring we create opportunities for all - we are so happy to be presenting some really wonderful new artists to you this year from our UK’s own Simeon Hammond Dallas and Lady Nade to Miko Marks and Trè Burt from USA, we have some really innovative artists coming who are pushing the boundaries of the genre like James Riley and Mom & The Rebels. - and this is exactly why we LOVE Americana so much, because it’s always evolving and reinventing itself.”

About the AMA-UK 

The Americana Music Association UK (AMA-UK) is a professional trade association representing and advocating for the voice of Americana music in the UK. Our membership comprises musicians, both from the UK and overseas, plus individuals and organisations from all sectors of the music industry, including; agents, promoters, venues, festivals, labels, distributors, retailers, management, touring crew, journalists, broadcasters and publicists.   

We are committed to treating all artists and associated parties equally regardless of their gender status, sexual orientation, race, ethnic origin, age or disability.  We are always listening and learning from our membership and strive to ensure we provide a safe environment that allows all to feel welcome, safe and able to contribute.  

Previous recipients of our Special Awards have included Robert Plant, Mumford & Sons, Billy Bragg, Van Morrison, Richard Thompson and Albert Lee, Graham Nash, Joan Armatrading and many more. The show is hosted by Bob Harris OBE and awards have been presented by Sir Patrick Stewart, Jools Holland, Bonnie Raitt, Chris Difford, Ricky Ross, Harry Shearer, Timothy B. Schmidt, Jim Lauderdale and Kiki Dee, amongst many others. 

Special Awards:

International Lifetime Achievement Award 

Selected by the board members, our highest honour is awarded to an international artist, duo or group in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the Americana genre over the span of their career and life in music. The 2022 recipient will be Lucinda Williams.

Trailblazer Award 

Selected by the board members, this special award celebrates a UK artist, duo or group that has taken an exceptional path, inspiring others to follow in their footsteps in developing the Americana genre. The 2022 recipient will be Beth Orton.

International Trailblazer Award 

Selected by the board members, this special award celebrates a UK artist, duo or group that has taken an exceptional path, inspiring others to follow in their footsteps in developing the Americana genre. The 2022 recipient will be The Long Ryders.

Bob Harris Emerging Artist Award 

Selected by Bob Harris OBE, this special award celebrates the breakthrough artist, duo or group that has particularly impressed the legendary music broadcaster throughout the year. The 2022 recipient will be Lauren Housley. 

Best Selling Americana Album 

AMA-UK works with The Official Charts Company to create the UK Americana Album Chart. This Award is given to the best selling Americana Album by a UK Artist. The 2022 recipient will be announced in January. 

Grass Roots Award 

Selected by the board members, this special award celebrates the sometimes un-sung heroes of the UK Americana scene. It is presented to individuals working in the industry (in a capacity other than as artists) who have made outstanding efforts to support Americana music from the grass roots up. The 2022 recipient is Tom Bridgewater from Loose Music, Independent Record Label.

Nominations

UK Album of the Year

• Click Click Domino by Ida Mae (produced by Christopher Turpin)
• Good Woman by The Staves (produced by John Congleton)
• The Wandering Hearts by The Wandering Hearts (produced by Simone Felice, David Baron, Mike Mogis and The Wandering Hearts)
• Stand For Myself by Yola (produced by Dan Auerbach)

International Album of the Year

• Wary + Strange by Amythyst Kiah (produced by Tony Berg and Amythyst Kiah) 
• Outside Child by Allison Russell (produced by Dan Knobler)
• Arrivals by Declan O'Rourke (produced by Paul Weller)
• Tasjan! Tasjan! Tasjan! by Aaron Lee Tasjan (produced by Aaron Lee Tasjan and Gregory Lattimer)

UK Song of the Year

• This Ain't The Life by Lauren Housley (written by Lauren Housley) 
• Eye to Eye by John Smith feat. Sarah Jarosz (written by John Smith and Sarah Siskind)
• Latchkey by Memorial (written by Jack Watts and Oliver Spalding) 
• Willing by Lady Nade (written by Lady Nade)

International Song of the Year

• Never Said A Word by Judy Blank & Dylan Earl (written by Judy Blank & Dylan Earl) 
• Sweet Misery by Tré Burt (written by Tré Burt)
• Right on Time by Brandi Carlile (written by Brandi Carlile, Dave Cobb, Phil Hanseroth and Tim Hanseroth)
• Jeremiah by Sierra Ferrell (written by Sierra Ferrell)

UK Artist of the Year

• Elles Bailey 
• The Staves
• John Smith
• Yola

International Artist of the Year

• Rhiannon Giddens 
• Amythyst Kiah 
• Allison Russell
• Taylor Swift 

UK Instrumentalist of the Year

• Thomas Dibb 
• Joe Harvey-Whyte
• Mark Lewis
• Michele Stodart

Footnote 2:

UK Americana Music Week is a combined conference, awards show and showcasing music festival held in multiple venues around Hackney Central, London. Tickets are available to the public: a combined conference, awards and showcasing ticket, awards show only ticket, or a showcasing wristband with admission to 70 shows in six venues. For more info visit theamauk.org/event

Showcase line-up:

Amy Yon
Awkward Family Portraits
Dan Bettridge
Dani Larkin
Danny Addison
Del Barber
Demi Marriner
Eddy Smith & The 507
Elles Bailey
Emma Swift
Ferris & Sylvester
Georgia Van Etten
Hello June
Hollie Rogers
Izzie Walsh
Jack & Tim
James Riley
Jarrod Dickenson
Jesper Lindell
Jill Jackson
Katherine Priddy
Lady Nade
Lauren Housley
Liam Jordan
Memorial
Michele Stodart
Miko Marks
Misty River
Mom + The Rebels
Mo Kenney
Noble Jacks
Police Dog Hogan
Robbie Cavanagh
Roswell
Sarah Potenza
Simeon Hammond Dallas
Steady Habits
Steve Dawson
Susto
The Artisinals
The Jellyman's Daughter
The People Versus
Them Dirty Dimes
Tre Burt
Warren Wentworth

+ more to come

Canada House Showcase:
Amy Nelson
Andrew Waite
Dave Sampson
Kaia Kater
Lawrence Maxwell
Megan Nash & the Best of Intentions
Mikhail Laxton
Shane Pendergast
Tara MacLean
Terra Spencer
The Hello Darlins
Whitehorse

Jansen & Die With Your Boots On Records (Norway) presents:
Darling West
Louien
Malin Pettersen
The Northern Belle
Signe Marie Rustad

Loose Music presents:
Danny George Wilson
Native Harrow
The Hanging Stars
Treetop Flyers
+ more to come