Carlile wins big Americana honor; Prine takes two awards

Wednesday, September 11, 2019 – Brandi Carlile won the biggest honor - Artist of the Year - at the 18th annual Americana Honors & Awards at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on Wednsday..

John Prine won two awards(Album of the Year and Song of the Year). I'm With Her won Duo/Group of the Year. The War and Treaty took home Emerging Act of the Year), and Chris Eldridge of Punch Brothers was named Instrumentalist of the Year.

Carlile has enjoyed a big year, marked by the release of "By the Way, I Forgive You." She also is one fourth of the country super group The Highwomen.

Artist of the Year. 2003 Americana Lifetime Achievement (Songwriting) honoree Prine secured two of the evening's top honors with Album of the Year for "The Tree of Forgiveness," produced by Dave Cobb; and Song of the Year for "Summer's End," written by Pat McLaughlin and Prine.

I'm With Her (Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O'Donovan and Sara Watkins) won Duo/Group of the Year after an extensive touring year anchored by their album, "See You Around."

Husband-and-wife duo The War and Treaty earned praised for their debut "Healing Tide."

After an opener by Our Native Daughters, the evening featured a rendition of "Angel From Montgomery" by Prine and Bonnie Raitt as well as an homage to Bob Dylan's duet with Johnny Cash from "Nashville Skyline" by Rodney Crowell and Joe Henry. Paying tribute to the songwriting duo Felice and Boudleaux Bryant, The Milk Carton Kids delivered their take on The Everly Brothers classic "Sleepless Nights."

Carlile, Elvis Costello, I'm With Her, Rhiannon Giddens, Lori McKenna, Delbert McClinton, Buddy and Julie Miller, Maria Muldaur, Mumford & Sons and Amanda Shires and Mark Erelli with Shawn Colvin, Josh Ritter and McKenna all performed.

Jade Bird, Ruston Kelly, J.S. Ondara, Erin Rae, The War and Treaty and Yola also hit the stage.

In recognition of her nearly seven-decade career as an enduring pillar of hope and justice, Mavis Staples accepted the inaugural Inspiration Award from John Seigenthaler and Civil Rights activist and Freedom Rider Ernest "Rip" Patton. Previously announced Lifetime Achievement honors were accepted by Costello (Songwriting); Giddens and posthumously Frank Johnson (the inaugural Legacy of Americana Award; Delbert McClinton (Performance) and Maria Muldaur (Trailblazer).

The show came to a memorable close with a rendition of "I'll Fly Away" led by Staples in the iconic style of The Staple Singers.

The Milk Carton Kids hosted the festivities. Buddy Miller returned as reigning musical director with an Americana All-Star Band featuring Brady Blade, Ian Fitchuk, Jim Hoke, Shannon McNally, Dirk Powell, Don Was and the McCrary Sisters backing many of the night's performers.