The Americana Music Association announced on Tuesday its honorees for Lifetime Achievement Awards that will be presented on Wednesday, Sept. 14, during the Americana Honors & Awards show at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.

Indigo Girls — the harmonious guitar duo comprising Emily Saliers and Amy Ray — have been selected for the Spirit of Americana Award, which is presented in partnership with the First Amendment Center. In addition to their unmistakable brand of folk-rock, Indigo Girls became known for their social-justice advocacy; in particular, their support of LGBTQ rights and for protection of the environment, and their opposition to the death penalty.

Chris Isaak, given his success as an active touring musician as well as an actor, is set to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award for Performance. Beyond his hit songs like “Wicked Game” and “Somebody’s Crying,” Isaak has appeared in films directed by Jonathan Demme (The Silence of the Lambs), David Lynch (Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me), Bernardo Bertolucci (Little Buddha), Tom Hanks (That Thing You Do!) and John Waters (A Dirty Shame), and numerous television programs.

Receiving the Legacy of Americana Award, presented in partnership with the National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM), will be The Fairfield Four. A gospel group founded 101 years ago, the Fairfield Four have naturally seen numerous roster changes, but they continue touring to this day, maintaining a tradition of R&B-inspired a cappella gospel performances that inspire audiences and influence artists; iconic performers Elvis Presley and B.B. King cited the Fairfield Four as influences on their respective sounds.

Music executive Al Bell will receive the Jack Emerson Lifetime Achievement Award. Bell’s career began as a radio DJ before he joined the famed Memphis label Stax Records, where he advanced the careers of such artists as the Staple Singers and Isaac Hayes. Later in his career, he ran Motown Records. Bell is considered among the most impactful Black executives in the music industry.

The late Don Williams will receive the President’s Award as a posthumous acknowledgement of an accomplished career that culminated in his 2010 induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame. A Texas native, Williams enjoyed numerous hits, including “I Believe in You,” “Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good,” and the well-received duet cover (with Emmylou Harris) of Townes Van Zandt’s “If I Needed You.” 

“This year’s Lifetime Achievement honorees represent the diverse sounds that contribute to American roots music,” says Jed Hilly, Executive Director of the Americana Music Association. “Our honorees have inspired this community individually and have collectively changed the landscape of the music industry.”

In addition to the Lifetime Achievement Awards, the Americana Honors & Awards show will also see the presentation of six member-voted awards. Those nominees were announced in May of this year.

Americana Music Association members attending Americanafest, which runs September 13 to 17 in Nashville, can attend the ceremony; remaining tickets to the Americana Honors & Awards show go on sale to the general public on Wednesday. The program is often livestreamed on the Americana Music Association’s website and Facebook pages, and is recorded for later broadcast on the PBS music series Austin City Limits.

External Link

Americana Music Association - official site