Plant, Cook top AMA nominations

Both were nominated for album and artist of the year.

Playing at the announcement were The Civil Wars, Levon Helm and His Dirt Farmer Quartet featuring Jim Lauderdale and then Rosanne Cash, with Benmont Tench on keys. Nashville Mayor Karl Dean also joined the New York celebration, offering praise of the AMA. T Bone Burnett, also on hand, gave a poignant statement saluting the artists for "telling the truth" through their music.

Two recent New/Emerging Artist of the Year honorees are fulfilling that award's prophecy: 2009 recipient Justin Townes Earle garnered 2 nods, including Album of the Year, while last year's winner Hayes Carll received taps for Artist of the Year and Song of the Year. The Civil Wars and Mumford and Sons each earned nominations in both the New/Emerging Artist and Duo/Group of the Year categories, while Buddy Miller also secured two nods: Artist and Instrumentalist of the Year.

Nominees were:

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Band of Joy, Robert Plant
Welder, Elizabeth Cook
Harlem River Blues, Justin Townes Earle
Blessed, Lucinda Williams

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Buddy Miller
Elizabeth Cook
Hayes Carll
Robert Plant

NEW/EMERGING ARTIST OF THE YEAR
The Civil Wars
Mumford And Sons
The Secret Sisters
Jessica Lea Mayfield

DUO/GROUP OF THE YEAR
The Avett Brothers
The Civil Wars
Mumford And Sons
Robert Plant and the Band Of Joy

SONG OF THE YEAR
Decemberists with Gillian Welch- "Down By The Water"
Elizabeth Cook - "El Camino"
Hayes Carll - "Kmag Yoyo"
Justin Townes Earle - "Harlem River Blues"

INSTRUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR
Buddy Miller
Gurf Morlix
Kenny Vaughan
Sarah Jarosz
Will Kimbrough The festival will be Oct. 12-15 in Nashville.