Nashville, Tenn.: Canadian singer-songwriter Allison Russell won album of the year for her debut solo record “Outside Child,” while bluegrass guitarist Billy Strings won artist of the year at the Americana Honors and Awards.
Russell, whose starkly beautiful album touches on the abuse she suffered as a child and her survival, said she heard common themes of community, family, unity, and belonging in many of the speeches on Wednesday night during the award show in Nashville, Tennessee.
“I feel so honored to be part of this community, to be in a creative communion with my producer Dan Knobler,” she said.
Hosted by the duo The Milk Carton Kids, the annual awards show held at the Ryman Auditorium celebrated the oft-misunderstood genre that mixes country, gospel, rock, folk, roots, and blues. In addition to the winners, this year’s show gave out lifetime achievement awards to Don Williams, the gentle giant of country music, singer-actor Chris Isaak and pioneering duo the Indigo Girls.
