Anne McCue was named Folk Artist of the Year, while Carrie Rodriguez took Folk Songwriter of the Year honors in the inaugural Roots Music Association Awards.  Others recognized during an awards ceremony that took place on the closing day of the World United Music Festival and Radio Conference in San Marcos, Texas, Nov. 14-16, included Emmylou Harris (Roots/Americana Artist of the Year), Chris Knight (Roots/Americana Country Songwriter of the Year), The Dixie Bee-Liners (Bluegrass Artist of the Year), Pinetop Perkins (Blues Artist of the Year), Tom Gray (Blues Songwriter of the Year),  Asleep at the Wheel (Cowboy/Western Swing Artist of the Year), and Jo-el Sonnier (Zydeco Artist of the Year). 

Label of the Year awards were presented to Sugar Hill (Folk), Universal South (Roots/Americana Country), Alligator Records (Blues), Pinecastle Records (Bluegrass), and Oh Boy Records (Cowboy/Western Swing).  Named as Radio Stations of the Year were KCLC 89.1 “The Wood,” the student-run station at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri (Folk), Sirius Bluegrass (Bluegrass), Blues Deluxe (Blues), and Sirius Outlaw Country (Roots/Americana Country). 

The Roots Music Association was created to promote, foster and cultivate the preservation, enjoyment, support and performance of “roots” music worldwide.  The association describes itself as a grassroots membership organization committed to providing a voice and forum for all roots-based music formats in an alliance that will strive for the advancement of independent artists and encourage radio stations to play music outside of mainstream Top 40 charts. 

More information on the Roots Music Association and a complete list of award-winners are available at www.rootsmusicassociation.org.