Heroes Behind the Hits Spotlights Americana Music

Ricky Skaggs Photo Courtesy of Skaggs Family Records

Joe Ely, photo courtesy of the Americana Music Association.

August 27, 2007 — Jim Lauderdale, Buddy Miller and Sam Bush performed in-the-round at the Musician's Hall of Fame on Wednesday for a special taping of XM Radio's Heroes Behind the Hits.

Produced by the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau, the show will air on XM in October shortly before the annual Americana Music Association conference and awards show. AMA executive director Jed Hilly used the opportunity to announce that Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby will perform at the November 1 awards at the Ryman Auditorium, where Jim Lauderdale will host and Buddy Miller will lead the house band.

Hilly also announced the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award for Producer/Engineer is going to Memphis' Jim Dickinson. Joe Ely has already been named as the Lifetime Achievement Recipient for Performer. The association will 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 Honors and Awards Show.

The conference, in its eighth year, runs October 31 through November 3, kicking off with a night of music showcases at venues throughout Nashville. The conference will feature daytime seminars, panels and activities at the Nashville Convention Center. At night the music showcases and parties continue in area clubs.

For more information on becoming a member and attending the conference, go to americanamusic.org.