After two years of COVID cancellations, the UK Americana Week will return to Hackney in London in January 2023. The nominations shortlist is announced below – get tickets to the awards here.
After two years’ of COVID cancellations, the UK Americana Music Weekreturns to Hackney in London from January 23rd to 26th 2023. It’s the UK’s biggest celebration of American roots music – from blues to bluegrass; gospel to folk; alt. country to Southern rock – and features an impressive array of showcases, industry panels and special events, all rounded off by the prestigious UK Americana Awards Show at Hackney Empire on January 26th. The Alabama Tourism Department ‘Sweet Home Alabama’, who also sponsor the UK’s Official Americana Chart, are the headline partners for the week’s events, coming on the back of a year which saw the opening of the Orion Amphitheatre in Huntsville, the state’s major new 8000 capacity venue.
This evening, the Americana Music Association UK (AMA-UK) revealed the nominations for the eight panel and member-voted categories of the UK Americana Awards 2023, and also the winners of the coveted special awards presented by the AMA-UK board.
The Americana Music Association UK is delighted that both Lifetime Achievement Award winners will perform live at the Awards ceremony. Mike Scott, creator and front man of folk-rock group The Waterboys receives the UK Lifetime Achievement Award for a career which has seen him defy categorisation, with musical explorations into Celtic roots, traditional folk and sonic rock, and several seminal album releases including 1985’s “This Is The Sea” which included the original version of the band’s top 5 hit “The Whole of the Moon” and 1988’s folk and country infused “Fisherman’s Blues”.
Special Awards:
Lifetime Achievement Award
Selected by the board members, our highest honour is awarded to a UK 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 2023 recipient will be Mike Scott of The Waterboys
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 2023 recipient will be Judy Collins.
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 2023 recipient is TBA
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 2023 recipient will be Nickel Creek
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 2023 recipient will be The Hanging Stars
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 2023 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 2023 recipient isRalph McLean, BBC Radio Ulster
Songwriter Legacy Award
This award celebrates the life and work of legendary songwriters who the board want to recognise for their writing and important contribution in shaping this genre to what it is today. The 2023 recipient is: Loretta Lynn
Nominations
UK Album of the Year
Birds That Flew and Ships That Sailed by Passenger (Produced by Mike Rosenberg and Chris Vallejo)
Blue Hours by Bear’s Den (Produced by Ian Grimble)
Shining In The Half Light by Elles Bailey (Produced by Dan Weller)
Superhuman by Ferris and Sylvester (Produced by Ryan Hadlock and Michael Rendall)
International Album of the Year
In These Silent Days by Brandi Carlile (produced by Dave Cobb and Shooter Jennings)
Pohorylle by Margo Cilker (produced by Sera Cahoone)
Raise The Roof by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss (produced by T Bone Burnett)
The Man From Waco by Charley Crockett (produced by Bruce Robison)
UK Song of the Year
Car Crash by Hannah White (Written by Hannah White)
Grace by Marcus Mumford (Written by Blake Mills and Marcus Mumford)
Make It Romantic by Simeon Hammond Dallas (Written by Simeon Hammond Dallas)
The Right Place by Danny George Wilson (written by Danny Wilson)
International Song of the Year
I Don’t Really Care for You by CMAT (Written by Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson)
Something in the Orange by Zach Bryan (Written by Zachary Lane Bryan)
Take It Like A Man by Amanda Shires (Written by Amanda Shires and Lawrence Rothman)
You’re Not Alone by Allison Russell feat. Brandi Carlile(Written by Allison Russell)
UK Artist of the Year
Bear’s Den
Elles Bailey
Ferris and Sylvester
Lady Nade
International Artist of the Year
Allison Russell
Brandi Carlile
Margo Cilker
The Dead South
UK Instrumentalist of the Year
Holly Carter
Joe Coombs
Joe Wilkins
Mark Lewis
UK Live Act of the Year
Beans On Toast
Elles Bailey
Ferris & Sylvester
Holy Moly & The Crackers
Noble Jacks
The Heavy Heavy
