Wanda Jackson, John Mellencamp To Receive Lifetime Achievement Awards From Americana Music Association
NASHVILLE, August 5, 2010 – The Americana Music Association is pleased to announce the recipients of the organization’s Lifetime Achievement Awards, to be presented at the AMA’s 2010 Honors and Awards show at the Ryman Auditorium on Thursday, September 9, during the 11th annual Americana Music Festival and Conference September 8-11 in Nashville, Tennessee.
The 2010 Americana Lifetime Achievement Award honorees are Wanda Jackson, the undisputed Queen of Rockabilly and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer member, whose growling glamour reshaped the role of women in both rock and roll and country; John Mellencamp, whose songs have influentially combined the blue collar sweat of rock and roll and the humble grit of honky tonk; Luke Lewis, Chairman of Universal Music Group Nashville, whose visionary commitment to the label’s Lost Highway imprint has created a home for numerous Americana greats; Greg Leisz, the go-to lap and pedal steel, guitar, mandolin and bass virtuoso who has enriched recordings by Lucinda Williams, Smashing Pumpkins, Whiskeytown, Wilco, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Beck and more; and Brian Ahern, whose work as a producer includes seminal albums by Emmylou Harris, as well as output from Marty Robbins, George Jones, Anne Murray, Billy Joe Shaver, Rodney Crowell, Jesse Winchester and Ricky Skaggs.
Jackson, Mellencamp, Lewis, Leisz, and Ahern will be honored in the Performance, Songwriting, Executive, Instrumentalist, and Producer/Engineer Lifetime Achievement categories, respectively.
All honorees will be present to receive their awards at the 9th Annual AMA Honors and Awards Show September 9 at the historic Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville. The ceremony will also feature appearances by Rodney Crowell, Rosanne Cash, Patty Griffin, Sam Bush, The Avett Brothers, Corb Lund, Will Kimbrough, Sarah Jarosz, and more. Jim Lauderdale will again serve as master of ceremonies, while Buddy Miller will lead an all-star house band.
The awards show is the capstone of the 11th annual Americana Music Festival & Conference. It is open to the general public and tickets are available through the Ryman Box Office, Ticketmaster and via americanamusic.org, or by calling the AMA office (615.386.6936).
Slated for Wednesday, September 8 through Saturday, September 11, the 9th Annual Americana Festival and Conference will offer daily seminars, panels and networking opportunities at the Sheraton Nashville Downtown Hotel. The event brings more than 100 stacked musical showcases to key venues throughout Nashville. Approximately 1,000 industry professionals attended the 2009 conference, while more than 12,000 fans experienced the Festival’s musical events.
Full Festival & Conference registrations include access to all panels and presentations, the revamped exhibit hall, invitations to all sanctioned parties, a ticket to the Honors and Awards Show and priority admission to the evening performances. Registration is currently $350 for AMA members and $450 for non-members. Tickets for the Honors and Awards Show are also available separately for $55. For more information call (615) 386-6936 or visit
www.americanamusic.org.
About the Americana Music Association
The Americana Music Association is a professional trade organization whose mission is to provide a forum for the advocacy of Americana music and to promote public awareness of the genre to support the creative and economic viability of professionals in this field. Dedicated to building and promoting the Americana genre and the individuals who participate in that industry, the Americana Music Association works closely with artists, labels, radio stations, retailers, print media, festivals, agents, publishers and more to help organize and build the infrastructure necessary for the Americana genre to achieve success both creatively and financially.
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