UK Americana Awards 2022

Thursday 27th January 2022 (via Youtube)

Barry Gibb receives Best-Selling Americana Album Award

Allison Russell and Yola lead the way in an all-female field with two wins each in the member-voted Awards

 

During the UK Americana Awards 2022, broadcast via Youtube this evening, The Americana Music Association UK, in conjunction with The Official Charts Company, was delighted to announce that Barry Gibb has won this year’s Award for the best-selling Americana Album by a UK Artist, for his magnificent album Greenfields: The Gibb Brothers’ Songbook Vol.1.

 

On news of his award, Barry Gibb said: “This is a wonderful thing! I would really like to thank the UK Americana Awards for recognising this album. It’s amazing that this can happen to me at this point in my life. I really am grateful to a lot of people. Firstly, my son Stephen who brought this wonderful idea to my attention. He played me a Chris Stapleton record which blew my socks off and inspired this album. I would also like to thank Dave Cobb for his passion, his patience, and his wonderful team. I’d like to give a heartfelt thank you to all of the legendary artists that took part. Making an album like this is a labour of love. Once again, thank you very much!”

 

Allison Russell and Yola were both double-winners in the seven member-voted Awards. Allison scooped International Artist of the Year and International Album of the Year for ‘Outside Child’, whilst Yola won in the UK equivalent categories, UK Artist of the Year and UK Album of the Year for ‘Stand For Myself’. Other winners were Lady Nade for UK Song of the Year with “Willing”, Brandi Carlile for International Song of the Year with “Right On Time”, and Michele Stodart for UK Instrumentalist of the Year. The all-female winners’ line-up, including three women of colour, is especially gratifying for The Americana Music Association UK, reflecting its commitment to diversity since signing up to the Keychange pledge in 2018 and its focus on inclusion since the Black Lives Matter Movement re-ignited the need to prioritise these goals. The AMA-UK is proud its members’ engagement with these initiatives, illustrated by the voting for this year’s Awards.

 

As previously announced, recipients of the Special Awards conferred by the AMA-UK Board are: Lucinda Williams for the International Lifetime Achievement Award, Beth Orton for the Trailblazer Award, The Long Ryders for the International Trailblazer Award, Lauren Housley for the Bob Harris Emerging Artist Award and Tom Bridgewater of Loose Music for the Grass Roots Award.

 

The UK Americana Awards Show 2022 was hosted by broadcasters Baylen Leonard and Bob Harris and featured a glittering array of performances from: Kiefer Sutherland, Allison Russell, Lauren Housley, Lady Nade, Elles Bailey, Sierra Ferrell, Amythyst Kiah, Memorial, The Wandering Hearts, Aaron Lee Tasjan and Sid Griffin of The Long Ryders with the house band led by Michele Stodart (The Magic Numbers).

 

The evening also saw acceptance speeches from Barry Gibb, Lucinda Williams (featuring Bob Harris), The Long Ryders’ Sid Griffin, Yola, Allison Russell, Brandi Carlile, Lady Nade, Lauren Housley, Tom Bridgewater and Michele Stodart.

 

AMA-UK Member Voted Award Winners

 

UK Album of the Year

• Click Click Domino by Ida Mae (produced by Christopher Turpin)
• Good Woman by The Staves (produced by John Congleton)
• The Wandering Hearts by TheWandering Hearts (produced by Simone Felice, David Baron, Mike Mogis and The Wandering Hearts)
• Stand For Myself by Yola (produced by Dan Auerbach) WINNER

 

International Album of the Year

• Wary + Strange by Amythyst Kiah (produced by Tony Berg and Amythyst Kiah)
• Outside Child by Allison Russell (produced by Dan Knobler) WINNER
• Arrivals by Declan O’Rourke (produced by Paul Weller)
• Tasjan! Tasjan! Tasjan! by Aaron Lee Tasjan (produced by Aaron Lee Tasjan and Gregory Lattimer)

 

UK Song of the Year

• This Ain’t The Life by Lauren Housley (written by Lauren Housley)
• Eye to Eye by John Smith feat. Sarah Jarosz (written by John Smith and Sarah Siskind)
• Latchkey by Memorial (written by Jack Watts and Oliver Spalding)
• Willing by Lady Nade (written by Lady Nade) WINNER

 

International Song of the Year

• Never Said A Word by Judy Blank &Dylan Earl (written by Judy Blank & Dylan Earl)
• Sweet Misery by Tré Burt (written by Tré Burt)
• Right on Time by Brandi Carlile (written by Brandi Carlile, Dave Cobb, Phil Hanseroth and Tim Hanseroth) WINNER
• Jeremiah by Sierra Ferrell(written by Sierra Ferrell)

 

UK Artist of the Year

• Elles Bailey
• The Staves
• John Smith
• Yola  WINNER

 

International Artist of the Year

• Rhiannon Giddens
• Amythyst Kiah
• Allison Russell  WINNER
• Taylor Swift

 

UK Instrumentalist of the Year

• Thomas Dibb
• Joe Harvey-Whyte
• Mark Lewis
• Michele Stodart  WINNER

 

Special Awards

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 2022 recipient is Lucinda Williams.

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 2022 recipient is Beth Orton.

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 2022 recipient is The Long Ryders.

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 2022 recipient is Lauren Housley.

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 2022 recipient is Barry Gibb.

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 2022 recipient is Tom Bridgewater from Loose Music, Independent Record Label.

About the AMA-UK

The Americana Music Association UK (AMA-UK) is a professional trade association representing and advocating for the voice of Americana music in the UK. Our membership comprises musicians, both from the UK and overseas, plus individuals and organisations from all sectors of the music industry, including; agents, promoters, venues, festivals, labels, distributors, retailers, management, touring crew, journalists, broadcasters and publicists.

 

We are committed to treating all artists and associated parties equally regardless of their gender status, sexual orientation, race, ethnic origin, age or disability.  We are always listening and learning from our membership and strive to ensure we provide a safe environment that allows all to feel welcome, safe and able to contribute.

 

Previous recipients of our Special Awards have included Robert Plant, Mumford & Sons, Billy Bragg, Van Morrison, Richard Thompson and Albert Lee, Graham Nash, Joan Armatrading and many more. The show is hosted by Bob Harris OBE and awards have been presented by Sir Patrick Stewart, Jools Holland, Bonnie Raitt, Chris Difford, Ricky Ross, Harry Shearer, Timothy B. Schmidt, Jim Lauderdale and Kiki Dee, amongst many others.