Brandi Carlile, Allison Russell and Billy Strings Win Big at Americana Honors & Awards

Brandi Carlile, Allison Russell, and Billy Strings won big at the recent Americana Honors & Awards on Wednesday night (September 14) in Nashville.

Sierra Ferrell, Larissa Maestro, and the War and Treaty also notably won.

Carlile, Russell, and Yola each had three nominations. The three have also been vocal supporters of one another in recent years. Carlile was particularly helpful in helping to get Russell her record deal for her album, Outside Child, with Fantasy Records.

Russell and Carlile split two of the award categories they were up for. Russell won Album of the Year for her 2021 debut (Outside Child), as a solo artist.

Carlile, who has already won five Americana Awards, picked up her sixth trophy for Song of the Year for her track, “Right on Time.” She shared the victory with co-writers Dave Cobb and her bandmates Phil and Tim Hanseroth.

Billy Strings beat out Carlile and Russell for Artist of the Year. The bluegrass sensation earned his first Americana Award trophy. He lost to Carlile last year, who’d won in the category two of the previous three years.

The War and Treaty for their second award, winning for duo/group of the year after earning emerging artist three years ago.

The award for lifetime achievement honors went to the Fairfield Four, the Indigo Girls, Chris Isaak, the late Don Williams, and Stax exec. Al Bell. A surprise lifetime award went to Buddy Miller, who was leading the house band for the show.

Robert Plant, who had Miller as his and Alison Krauss’ band leader, presented Miller with the award.

There was also a tribute to Luke Bell, a country music favorite who died by suicide in August.

“Luke never got a chance to sing this song himself from this stage like he should’ve, so I’m going to do my damnedest in your stead, little brother.,” said JP Harris, who came in from the road to perform the song “The Bullfighter.”

Many of the winners also performed, including a joint performance of “You’re Not Alone” by Russell and Carlile. Carlile also sang, “You and Me on the Rock,” with her friend Lucius.

Other nominees who performed were Adia Victoria, James McMurtry, Neal Francis, and Morgan Wade, along with winners Ferrell and the War and Treaty and honorees the Indigo Girls, Fairfield Five and Isaak. Lyle Lovett also performed.

(Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images for Americana Music Association )