Townes Van Zandt photo courtesy of Compadre Records
September 14, 2007 — The Americana Music Association will honor songwriter Townes Van Zandt with the President's Award during their annual awards show on Nov. 1 at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium.
September 14, 2007 — The Americana Music Association will honor songwriter Townes Van Zandt with the President's Award during their annual awards show on Nov. 1 at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium.
Songwriter Guy Clark, Townes' longtime friend, will accept the award and will also perform one of Townes' songs during the awards show. Townes died of a heart attack on Jan. 1, 1997, at the age of 52.
Emmylou Harris, who recorded Townes' "If I Needed You" (as a duet with Don Williams) and "Pancho and Lefty," has also been added to the list of performers for the awards show. The Hacienda Brothers, Elizabeth Cook, the Avett Brothers, Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby are also scheduled to appear.
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.