The UK Americana Awards, slated to be an annual event, closed out two days of festivities at this year’s Americana Music Association UK conference. In a night celebrating the vibrant Americana scene, an audience of guests, AMA-UK delegates, members of the music industry, and the public were treated to performances from Billy Bragg, Danny & The Champions of The World, Bear’s Den, The Dreaming Spires, Lewis & Leigh, Emily Barker, Robert Vincent, Gretchen Peters, and Cale Tyson.

Danny & The Champions of the World and Gretchen Peters were the evening’s big winners at London’s St. John at Hackney on February 2, 2016. Danny & The Champions of the World won UK Artist, UK Album, and UK Song of the Year while Ms. Peters took home International Album and International Song of the Year.

Bonnie Raitt, Elizabeth McGovern, Ricky Ross, Americana Music Association Executive Director Jed Hilly, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Kimmie Rhodes, Ralph McLean, and Mark Hagen joined host Bob Harris and musical director Ethan Johns as special guest presenters.

• The Front Porch - Bonnie Raitt interview by Baylen Leonard

• The Front Porch - Bonnie Raitt interview by Baylen Leonard

Billy Bragg was presented the Trailblazer Award by Chris Difford for his contribution to the genre and receiving the prestigious Bob Harris Emerging Artist Award was Robert Vincent. Swedish duo First Aid Kit were recognized with an award for the official highest selling Americana album of 2015 in the UK (OfficialCharts.com) for their album Stay Gold.

UK Album of the Year – Presented by Mark Hagen
What Kind of Love – Danny & The Champions of the World / Produced by Chris Clarke and Danny George Wilson
Searching for the Supertruth – The Dreaming Spires / Produced by The Dreaming Spires
The Toerag Sessions – Emily Barker / Produced by Liam Watson
If I Was – The Staves / Produced by Justin Vernon

International Album of the Year – Presented by Bonnie Raitt
Blackbirds – Gretchen Peters / Produced by Doug Lancio, Gretchen Peters, and Barry Walsh
Something More Than Free – Jason Isbell / Produced by Dave Cobb
Pageant Material – Kacey Musgraves / Produced by Luke Laird, Shane McAnally, and Kacey Musgraves
Introducing Cale Tyson – Cale Tyson / Produced by Cale Tyson

UK Artist of the Year – Presented by Ricky Ross
Danny & The Champions of the World
Bear’s Den
The Dreaming Spires
Lewis & Leigh

International Artist of the Year – Presented by Jed Hilly
Jason Isbell
The Bros. Landreth
Gretchen Peters
Sturgill Simpson

UK Song of the Year – Presented by Beth Nielsen Chapman
“Clear Water” – Danny & The Champions of the World / Written by Danny George Wilson and Paul Lush
“Agape” – Bear’s Den / Written by Andrew Davie, Kevin Jones, and Johannes Refsdal
“Rubble” – Lewis & Leigh / Written by Al Lewis and Alva Leigh
“Black & White” – The Staves / Written by The Staves

International Song of the Year – Presented by Elizabeth McGovern
“Blackbirds” – Gretchen Peters / Written by Gretchen Peters and Ben Glover
“24 Frames” – Jason Isbell / Written by Jason Isbell
“All These Dreams” – Andrew Combs / Written by Andrew Combs and Jabe Beyer
“American Middle Class” – Angaleena Presley / Written by Angaleena Presley

UK Instrumentalist of the Year – Presented by Kimmie Rhodes and Ralph MacLean
BJ Cole
Joseph Bennett
Spencer Cullum Jr
Paul Lush

About the AMA-UK The Americana Music Association-UK is a professional trade association representing and advocating for the voice of American Roots music in the UK. Its membership comprises musicians, both from the UK and overseas, plus professionals from all sectors of the music industry, including agents, promoters, venues, festivals, labels, distributors, retailers, management, touring, journalists, broadcasters and publicists. Follow them on Twitter and like them on Facebook. For more information on the UK Americana Awards, please contact Claire Horton at claire@rwpublicity.com or (020 8545 9299).

About the Americana Music Association The Americana Music Association is a professional not-for-profit trade organization whose mission is to advocate for the authentic voice of American roots music around the world. The Association produces events throughout the year; including the Americana Music Festival & Conference, and the critically acclaimed Americana Honors & Awards program, presented by Nissan, with enormous support from the Tennessee Department of Tourism, Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, Lagunitas Brewing Company, Music City Networks, Pandora, ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, ASCAP, SoundExchange, AT&T, Yazoo Brewing Company. Registrations for AmericanaFest 2016, September 20-25, are available now at early-bird rates and may be purchased HERE.

Source: © Copyright The Americana Music Association / The Americana Music Association UK / Bob Harris