Townes Van Zandt named for Americana honor; Emmylou Harris, Hacienda Brothers, Cook play AMA show
Monday, September 10, 2007 – Emmylou Harris, The Hacienda Brothers and Elizabeth Cook are the latest artists to confirm their performance at the 2007 Americana Honors and Awards Show Nov. 1 in Nashville.
Townes Van Zandt will be posthumously awarded the President's Award that night, the Americana Music Association announced Friday.
Americana Music Association Executive Director Jed Hilly said, "This is shaping up to be an amazing festival and conference. Americana Music is everyone's music and not limited by geographical or musical boundaries."
Harris, The Hacienda Brothers and Cook join Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby, Joe Ely, Amy LaVerre and the Avett Brothers who have already confirmed their performances. More artists will continue to be announced throughout the weeks leading up to the event.
Hilly also revealed the recipient of the President's Award. "I am honored to announce it will be given posthumously to Townes Van Zandt. Americana Board President Tamara Saviano will present the award to Guy Clark, a longtime friend of Townes." Clark is also slated to perform a Van Zandt song in tribute.
Joe Ely has already been named as the Lifetime Achievement Recipient for Performer, and Jim Dickinson for Producer/Engineer. The AMA will present those awards and announce the winners in six member voted categories including; Album of the Year, Artist of the Year, Instrumentalist, New and Emerging Artist, Song of the Year and Duo Group of the Year at the November show.
The conference, in its eighth year, runs Wednesday Oct. 31-Nov. 3.
More news for Townes Van Zandt
CD reviews for Townes Van Zandt
In The Beginning
Recorded two years prior to his official debut album, these recently discovered demo tracks reveal a younger Townes Van Zandt already in prime form. These 1966 recordings, produced by the legendary Jack Clement, sound more like finished works than demos.
Though mostly acoustic, several tracks ("Black Widow Blues" and "Hungry Child Blues") feature a full band and recall Dylan's "Bringing It All Back Home" era work. The influence of Hank Williams is also strong, particularly in the tortured love »»» |
A Far Cry From Dead
Fans of hardcore troubadour Townes Van Zandt will be relieved that there's still some music left from this enigmatic artist. Executive produced by his widow, Jeanene, and former Willie Nelson cohort Eric Paul, this breathes new life into the Van Zandt legend.
The author of such timeless entries as "Pancho and Lefty" and "Rex's Blues" resuscitates these old chestnuts and others, like "To Live's To Fly" and "Greensboro Woman." Why buy an album of songs any die-hard will have heard before? Van Zandt »»» |
Rear View Mirror, The Highway Kind
No greater songwriter ever drew a breath than the late Townes Van Zandt. He wrote few hit songs, but he offered the best documents of the soul we'll ever have. They stand sturdily beside the finest art of any form or time. "Rear View Mirror" catches the troubadour live, his true element, and at a vocal and instrumental peak.
Made in 1979 at the Blue Onion in Norman, Okla. (the liner notes neglect these details), Van Zandt is joined by Danny Rowland on guitar and Owen Cody on fiddle; they draw out »»» |
Editorial: American Idol's Carrie Underwood can sing –
If anyone saw the Super Bowl – what a great great game that was – they would have heard American Idol winner and country superstar Carrie Underwood sing the National Anthem. Underwood did with her voice what Kelly Clarkson did last week with her written words – give it to Scott Borchetta, the head of Big Machine Records,, who tried defending Taylor Swift by knocking American Idol performers. »»»
Concert Review: McBride, Adkins shine sometimes –
As Martina McBride pointed out, the pairing of the country singer with Trace Adkins on their current jaunt was surprising. After all, she's of diva-quality voice, petite, non-controversial unless you call singing songs that empower women controversial. Adkins, on the other hand, has not been afraid to speak his mind with a kick butt attitude.... »»»
Concert Review: Eilen Jewell wears her musical hats well –
Eilen Jewell wears a lot of musical hats. The Idaho native, who now lives in Boston, fronts the Eilen (ee-lin) Jewell Band, a pretty much traditional country band. She's a member the Sacred Shakers, an octet doing gospel country with a country beat. And she has yet another project, Butcher Holler, covering Loretta Lynn songs.... »»»
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