During the UK Americana Awards 2022, broadcast via Youtube this evening, The Americana Music Association UK, in conjunction with The Official Charts Company, was delighted to announce that Barry Gibb has won this year’s Award for the best-selling Americana Album by a UK Artist, for his magnificent album Greenfields: The Gibb Brothers’ Songbook Vol.1.
On news of his award, Barry Gibb said: “This is a wonderful thing! I would really like to thank the UK Americana Awards for recognising this album. It’s amazing that this can happen to me at this point in my life. I really am grateful to a lot of people. Firstly, my son Stephen who brought this wonderful idea to my attention. He played me a Chris Stapleton record which blew my socks off and inspired this album. I would also like to thank Dave Cobb for his passion, his patience, and his wonderful team. I’d like to give a heartfelt thank you to all of the legendary artists that took part. Making an album like this is a labour of love. Once again, thank you very much!”
Allison Russell and Yola were both double-winners in the seven member-voted Awards. Allison scooped International Artist of the Year and International Album of the Year for ‘Outside Child’, whilst Yola won in the UK equivalent categories, UK Artist of the Year and UK Album of the Year for ‘Stand For Myself’. Other winners were Lady Nade for UK Song of the Year with “Willing”, Brandi Carlile for International Song of the Year with “Right On Time”, and Michele Stodart for UK Instrumentalist of the Year. The all-female winners’ line-up, including three women of colour, is especially gratifying for The Americana Music Association UK, reflecting its commitment to diversity since signing up to the Keychange pledge in 2018 and its focus on inclusion since the Black Lives Matter Movement re-ignited the need to prioritise these goals. The AMA-UK is proud its members’ engagement with these initiatives, illustrated by the voting for this year’s Awards.
As previously announced, recipients of the Special Awards conferred by the AMA-UK Board are: Lucinda Williams for the International Lifetime Achievement Award, Beth Orton for the Trailblazer Award, The Long Ryders for the International Trailblazer Award, Lauren Housley for the Bob Harris Emerging Artist Award and Tom Bridgewater of Loose Music for the Grass Roots Award.
The UK Americana Awards Show 2022 was hosted by broadcasters Baylen Leonard and Bob Harris and featured a glittering array of performances from: Kiefer Sutherland, Allison Russell, Lauren Housley, Lady Nade, Elles Bailey, Sierra Ferrell, Amythyst Kiah, Memorial, The Wandering Hearts, Aaron Lee Tasjan and Sid Griffin of The Long Ryders with the house band led by Michele Stodart (The Magic Numbers).
The evening also saw acceptance speeches from Barry Gibb, Lucinda Williams (featuring Bob Harris), The Long Ryders’ Sid Griffin, Yola, Allison Russell, Brandi Carlile, Lady Nade, Lauren Housley, Tom Bridgewater and Michele Stodart.
Full details on Award winners and Special Award recipients follow below.
AMA-UK Member Voted Award Winners
UK Album of the Year
• Click Click Domino by Ida Mae (produced by Christopher Turpin)
• Good Woman by The Staves (produced by John Congleton)
• The Wandering Hearts by The Wandering Hearts (produced by Simone Felice, David Baron, Mike Mogis and The Wandering Hearts)
• Stand For Myself by Yola (produced by Dan Auerbach) WINNER
International Album of the Year
• Wary + Strange by Amythyst Kiah (produced by Tony Berg and Amythyst Kiah)
• Outside Child by Allison Russell (produced by Dan Knobler) WINNER
• Arrivals by Declan O'Rourke (produced by Paul Weller)
• Tasjan! Tasjan! Tasjan! by Aaron Lee Tasjan (produced by Aaron Lee Tasjan and Gregory Lattimer)
UK Song of the Year
• This Ain't The Life by Lauren Housley (written by Lauren Housley)
• Eye to Eye by John Smith feat. Sarah Jarosz (written by John Smith and Sarah Siskind)
• Latchkey by Memorial (written by Jack Watts and Oliver Spalding)
• Willing by Lady Nade (written by Lady Nade) WINNER
International Song of the Year
• Never Said A Word by Judy Blank & Dylan Earl (written by Judy Blank & Dylan Earl)
• Sweet Misery by Tré Burt (written by Tré Burt)
• Right on Time by Brandi Carlile (written by Brandi Carlile, Dave Cobb, Phil Hanseroth and Tim Hanseroth) WINNER
• Jeremiah by Sierra Ferrell (written by Sierra Ferrell)
UK Artist of the Year
• Elles Bailey
• The Staves
• John Smith
• Yola WINNER
International Artist of the Year
• Rhiannon Giddens
• Amythyst Kiah
• Allison Russell WINNER
• Taylor Swift
UK Instrumentalist of the Year
• Thomas Dibb
• Joe Harvey-Whyte
• Mark Lewis
• Michele Stodart WINNER
Special Awards
International Lifetime Achievement Award
Selected by the board members, our highest honour is awarded to an international artist, duo or group in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the Americana genre over the span of their career and life in music. The 2022 recipient is Lucinda Williams.
Trailblazer Award
Selected by the board members, this special award celebrates a UK artist, duo or group that has taken an exceptional path, inspiring others to follow in their footsteps in developing the Americana genre. The 2022 recipient is Beth Orton.
International Trailblazer Award
Selected by the board members, this special award celebrates a UK artist, duo or group that has taken an exceptional path, inspiring others to follow in their footsteps in developing the Americana genre. The 2022 recipient is The Long Ryders.
Bob Harris Emerging Artist Award
Selected by Bob Harris OBE, this special award celebrates the breakthrough artist, duo or group that has particularly impressed the legendary music broadcaster throughout the year. The 2022 recipient is Lauren Housley.
Best Selling Americana Album
AMA-UK works with The Official Charts Company to create the UK Americana Album Chart. This Award is given to the best-selling Americana Album by a UK Artist. The 2022 recipient is Barry Gibb.
Grass Roots Award
Selected by the board members, this special award celebrates the sometimes un-sung heroes of the UK Americana scene. It is presented to individuals working in the industry (in a capacity other than as artists) who have made outstanding efforts to support Americana music from the grass roots up. The 2022 recipient is Tom Bridgewater from Loose Music, Independent Record Label.
