Brandi Carlile, Sturgill Simpson win top Americana awards
NASHVILLE, TENN. » Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile added another trophy to her shelf as she won artist of the year at the 2021 Americana Honors and Awards show, while country singer Sturgill Simpson took home the album of the year award.
The annual awards show returned inperson on Wednesday at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn., after it was canceled last year because of the pandemic.
“To be artist of the year after a year like we have all had as a community, there’s a weight to it and I know it’s profound,” Carlile said. “Because it was hard to be an artist this year.”
Simpson won for “Cuttin’ Grass Vol. 1 — The Butcher Shoppe Sessions,” in which he recorded bluegrass versions of his songs. Simpson did not attend, so Shooter Jennings accepted the award on his behalf.
Carlile made the most of her pandemic year, releasing a memoir and working on a follow-up to her breakout 2018 record “By the Way, I Forgive You.” This is her second artist of the year trophy, after winning in 2019.
The Washington native and musical multi-hyphenate has worked as a producer and writer for Tanya Tucker’s Grammywinning comeback record and as a member of The Highwomen. Carlile sat at the piano to sing “Right on Time,” a song from her forthcoming album “In These Silent Days,” and also performed with the Highwomen’s Maren Morris, Amanda Shires and Natalie Hemby with special guest Yola.
The late folk singer John Prine, who Carlile called “the godfather of Americana,” won song of the year for “I Remember Everything.”