The annual Americana Honors and Awards takes place Sept. 14 in Nashville
Chris Isaak and Indigo Girls will soon have their work recognized with Lifetime Achievement honors from the Americana Music Association. The “Wicked Game” singer-songwriter and the folk duo will be honored along with Fairfield Four, Don Williams, and Al Bell at the 2022 Americana Honors and Awards ceremony in Nashville on Sept. 14.
Isaak will be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award for Performance, thanks to his radio hits, numerous film and TV appearances, and unflagging rockabilly cool. Indigo Girls Amy Ray and Emily Saliers will get the Spirit of Americana Award, which is presented in partnership with the First Amendment Center, for their outspoken advocacy on behalf of LGBTQ rights and the environment.
Americana’s President’s Award will be given posthumously to Don Williams, the easygoing country star with a long string of Seventies and Eighties hits like “Tulsa Time” and “Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good.” Record executive Al Bell, who led Stax Records and later Motown Records, will be presented with the Jack Emerson Lifetime Achievement Award for Executive. And Nashville’s gospel giants the Fairfield Four will be honored with the Legacy Award, which is presented in conjunction with the National Museum of African American Music.
In addition to these special honors, the event will include presentations of its member-voted awards. This year’s top nominees include Brandi Carlile, Allison Russell, and Yola, all of whom released strong new albums in the eligibility period.
The Americana Honors and Awards takes place amid AmericanaFest 2022, which features nightly showcases and performances by roots artists in and around Nashville. This year’s artists include Angel Olsen, the War & Treaty, Joshua Ray Walker, and the Black Opry Revue.