The Americana Music Honors & Awards handed out its top competitive trophies to Sierra Ferrell , Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, I’m With Her, MJ Lenderman and Gillian Welch & David Rawlings in a ceremony Wednesday night at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.

Ferrell won the artist of the year prize from the Americana Music Association’s voters for the second consecutive year, designated for solo acts, while Welch and Rawlings were awarded the duo/group of the year award. MJ Lenderman, the guitarist for the group Wednesday, who broke out as a solo artist last year with his album “Manning Fireworks,” prevailed in the race for emerging artist of the year.

Album of the year went to Rateliff and his band for “South of Here.” The song of the year winner was “Ancient Light,” written

See Full Page