AMA Announces 2006 Nominations

June 16, 2006--James McMurtry leads a lineup of nominees for the 5th Annual Americana Honors & Awards. James earned three nominations for Album, Artist and Song Of The Year. Rosanne Cash, Rodney Crowell and Marty Stuart each picked up two nominations--Rosanne for Artist and Song Of The Year, Rodney for Album and Song Of The Year, and Marty for Artist Of The Year and, as leader of Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives, for Album Of The Year with Souls' Chapel, one of three albums he released over the past year.

Nominees were announced by recording artists Steve Earle and Allison Moorer at a special reception hosted by BMI in Nashville today. Inaugural nominees in the new category of Duo/Group Of The Year include Caitlin Cary & Thad Cockrell; the Drive-By Truckers; Kieran Kane, Kevin Welch & Fats Kaplin; and Chip Taylor & Carrie Rodriguez.

Others honored include Jerry Douglas, the Dixie Chicks along with Daniel Dodd Wilson, the Greencards, James Hunter, Delbert McClinton, Tim O'Brien, Robinella, Bryan Sutton, Uncle Earl, Kenny Vaughan and Neil Young.

It is the second time Rodney Crowell has received both a Song Of The Year and Album Of The Year nomination. He took home the Song Of The Year award in 2004 with "Fate's Right Hand," the title track to the album that also earned him an Album Of The Year nomination that year.

This year marks the fourth time Jerry Douglas has been nominated for Instrumentalist Of The Year. He received the award in 2002 and 2003, and was also nominated in 2004. Kenny Vaughan picked up his third Instrumentalist nomination, having previously been recognized in 2004 and 2002. It is the second time that the Greencards have received a New/Emerging Artist Of The Year nomination; they earned their first nod in 2004. All other artists are first-time nominees.

The 5th Annual Americana Honors & Awards take place on Friday, September 22, 2006 at The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville at 7 p.m. Hosted by perennial favorite, Jim Lauderdale, the Americana Honors & Awards will again feature an all-star "house band" led by Buddy Miller. The Americana Honors & Awards are co-produced by Doyle Davis and Tamara Saviano, and are directed by Paul Whitfield.