The Americana Music Association UK (AMA-UK) has chosen celebrated singer-songwriter and guitarist Richard Thompson to receive its UK Americana Lifetime Achievement Award.
Acknowledged as one of the world’s greatest guitarists and most prolific songwriters, Richard has been ‘a ground-breaking force both in terms of his own acclaimed albums and live shows and his influence on other musicians’.
Commenting on the award, he said: ‘I’m deeply honoured to receive this award. My heartfelt thanks to AMA-UK.’
Richard will receive the award as part of the second annual AMA-UK awards on Thursday 2 February 2017 at St John at Hackney. The show will be hosted by legendary broadcaster Bob Harris and will feature performances from nominees and award winners, including Richard Thompson.
The awards show also coincides with the first anniversary of the Official Americana Albums Chart, which was launched this year by the Official Charts Company in partnership with the AMA-UK and is published each week on OfficialCharts.com
The UK Americana Awards are part of AmericanaFest UK, a two-day event which will also include an evening of showcases on Wednesday 1 February featuring twenty bands playing in various venues around Hackney alongside daytime conferences on both days.
The full list of nominees is below:
UK album of the year
Ghost by Lewis & Leigh (produced by Matt Ingram)
Mockingbird Lane by Danni Nicholls (produced by Chris Donohue)
Nos Da Comrade by Peter Bruntnell (produced by Peter Bruntnell)
Palomino by Treetop Flyers (produced by Treetop Flyers)
International album of the year
A Sailor’s Guide To Earth by Sturgill Simpson (produced by Sturgill Simpson)
American Band by Drive-By Truckers (produced by David Barbe)
Angeleno by Sam Outlaw (produced by Joachim Cooder and Ry Cooder)
Midwest Farmer’s Daughter by Margo Price (produced by Alex Munoz and Matt Ross-Spang)
UK song of the year
Mr Sunshine by Peter Bruntnell (written by Peter Bruntnell and Bill Ritchie)
Silver Liner by Ethan Johns & the Black Eyed Dogs (written by Ethan Johns)
Tend To The Thorns by William the Conqueror (written by Ruarri Joseph)
The 4:19 by Lewis & Leigh (written by Al Lewis and Alva Leigh)
International song of the year
Dust by Lucinda Williams (written by Lucinda Williams)
Hands of Time by Margo Price (written by Margo Price)
Somebody Save Me by Cale Tyson (written by Cale Tyson)
Welcome To Earth (Pollywog) by Sturgill Simpson (written by Sturgill Simpson)
UK artist of the year
Bear’s Den
Billy Bragg
Lewis & Leigh
Yola Carter
International artist of the year
Margo Price
Mary Chapin Carpenter
Richmond Fontaine
Sturgill Simpson
UK instrumentalist of the year
CJ Hillman
Dave Little
Henry Senior
Kirk Bowman
Lifetime achievement award
Richard Thompson
Acknowledged as one of the world’s greatest guitarists and most prolific songwriters, Richard has been ‘a ground-breaking force both in terms of his own acclaimed albums and live shows and his influence on other musicians’.
Commenting on the award, he said: ‘I’m deeply honoured to receive this award. My heartfelt thanks to AMA-UK.’
Richard will receive the award as part of the second annual AMA-UK awards on Thursday 2 February 2017 at St John at Hackney. The show will be hosted by legendary broadcaster Bob Harris and will feature performances from nominees and award winners, including Richard Thompson.
The awards show also coincides with the first anniversary of the Official Americana Albums Chart, which was launched this year by the Official Charts Company in partnership with the AMA-UK and is published each week on OfficialCharts.com
The UK Americana Awards are part of AmericanaFest UK, a two-day event which will also include an evening of showcases on Wednesday 1 February featuring twenty bands playing in various venues around Hackney alongside daytime conferences on both days.
The full list of nominees is below:
UK album of the year
Ghost by Lewis & Leigh (produced by Matt Ingram)
Mockingbird Lane by Danni Nicholls (produced by Chris Donohue)
Nos Da Comrade by Peter Bruntnell (produced by Peter Bruntnell)
Palomino by Treetop Flyers (produced by Treetop Flyers)
International album of the year
A Sailor’s Guide To Earth by Sturgill Simpson (produced by Sturgill Simpson)
American Band by Drive-By Truckers (produced by David Barbe)
Angeleno by Sam Outlaw (produced by Joachim Cooder and Ry Cooder)
Midwest Farmer’s Daughter by Margo Price (produced by Alex Munoz and Matt Ross-Spang)
UK song of the year
Mr Sunshine by Peter Bruntnell (written by Peter Bruntnell and Bill Ritchie)
Silver Liner by Ethan Johns & the Black Eyed Dogs (written by Ethan Johns)
Tend To The Thorns by William the Conqueror (written by Ruarri Joseph)
The 4:19 by Lewis & Leigh (written by Al Lewis and Alva Leigh)
International song of the year
Dust by Lucinda Williams (written by Lucinda Williams)
Hands of Time by Margo Price (written by Margo Price)
Somebody Save Me by Cale Tyson (written by Cale Tyson)
Welcome To Earth (Pollywog) by Sturgill Simpson (written by Sturgill Simpson)
UK artist of the year
Bear’s Den
Billy Bragg
Lewis & Leigh
Yola Carter
International artist of the year
Margo Price
Mary Chapin Carpenter
Richmond Fontaine
Sturgill Simpson
UK instrumentalist of the year
CJ Hillman
Dave Little
Henry Senior
Kirk Bowman
Lifetime achievement award
Richard Thompson
