Levon Helm was named Artist of the Year, while Alison Krauss & Robert Plant were named Duo/Group of the Year and their critically-acclaimed Raising Sand was tapped as Album of the Year, during the Americana Music Association’s 7th Annual Honors & Awards Show at Nashville’s Historic Ryman Auditorium last night. 

Helm, who last year released the Grammy Award-winning Dirt Farmer, his first album in 25 years, also opened the Americana Music Festival and Conference with a live performance on Sept. 17.

Americana Music Association members also voted Buddy Miller (who led the band for the three-hour program) as Instrumentalist of the Year, Mike Farris as New Emerging Artist of the Year, and “She Left Me for Jesus” by Hayes Carll and Brian Keane as Song of the Year.

As previously reported on AcousticMusicScene.com (Aug. 19), the “Spirit of Americana” Free Speech in Music Award was bestowed on Joan Baez, a longtime committed social activist, as well a seminal recording artist, who has released more than 30 albums and inspired a generation of female singer-songwriters during a career spanning nearly 50 years. Additional Lifetime Achievement Honors were presented to John Hiatt (Songwriting), Jason & The Scorchers (Performance), Larry Campbell (Instrumentalist), Jerry Garcia (President’s Award) and Nancy Griffith (Trailblazer).  Receiving Lifetime Achievement Honors for their behind-the-scenes efforts were Terry Lickona (Executive) and Tony Brown (Producer/Engineer).

 Jim Lauderdale, a two-time Americana Honors & Awards and Grammy Award recipient, hosted the program, which took place during the annual Americana Festival and Conference, a four-day and night event featuring lots of learning, networking and entertainment.

Established in 1999, the Americana Music Association is a professional trade association dedicated to building and promoting the Americana genre and the individuals who participate in the industry. More information about the organization, as well as a complete list of the nominees for this year’s honors and awards, appears at www.americanamusic.org .