UK Americana Awards 2016 announce nominees, Official Americana Chart launched

The awards ceremony, presented by Bob Harris, will take place on 3 February at St. John at Hackney, London. Tickets are on sale now.

Billy Bragg is set to receive the Trailblazer Award, and will also play at the ceremony. "I feel honoured to be a part of the first ever Americana Music Association UK Awards night," Bragg said in a statement. "[I feel] privileged to be recognised by them with the Trailblazer Award - It’s great to be acknowledged by the AMA-UK community in this way."

Danny & The Champions Of The World, Bear's Den, The Dreaming Spires, Lewis & Leigh, Emily Barker, Gretchen Peters, and Cale Tyson are also performing at the show. Presenters include Elizabeth McGovern, Ricky Ross, Chris Difford, and the Executive Director of the AMA in Nashville, Jed Hilly.

Robert Vincent to receive The Bob Harris Emerging Artist Award - speaking about his choice, Harris says: “I am so impressed with Robert’s music. Strong songs laced with blues and country. He is the real deal"

The awards are part of a "trio of events", with a two-day conference (featuring an interview with Billy Bragg) on 2/3 February, and an evening of showcases at Hackney's Moth Club on 2 February.

As well as the UK Americana Awards, the genre gets an added boost thanks to the Official Charts Company, who are launching the UK's first-ever dedicated chart. The details were revealed last week on Bob Harris’s BBC Radio 2 Country show, and will be published weekly each Friday.

Find all the UK-AMA nominees below.

UK Album Of The Year

What Kind Of Love - Danny & The Champions Of The World (produced by Chris Clarke and Danny George Wilson)
Searching For The Supertruth -The Dreaming Spires (produced by The Dreaming Spires)
The Toerag Sessions - Emily Barker (produced by Liam Watson)
If I Was - The Staves (produced by Justin Vernon)

International Album Of The Year

Something More Than Free - Jason Isbell (produced by Dave Cobb)
Pageant Material - Kacey Musgraves (produced by Luke Laird, Shane McAnally and Kacey Musgraves)
Blackbirds - Gretchen Peters (produced by Doug Lancio, Gretchen Peters & Barry Walsh)
Introducing Cale Tyson - Cale Tyson (produced by Cale Tyson)

UK Artist Of The Year

Bear’s Den
Danny & The Champions of The World
The Dreaming Spires
Lewis & Leigh

International Artist Of The Year

The Bros. Landreth
Jason Isbell
Gretchen Peters
Sturgill Simpson

UK Song Of The Year

"Agape" – Bear’s Den (written by Andrew Davie, Kevin Jones and Johannes Refsdal)
"Clear Water" - Danny & The Champions of the World (written by Danny George Wilson and Paul Lush)
"Rubble" - Lewis & Leigh (written by Al Lewis and Alva Leigh)
"Black & White" - The Staves (written by The Staves)

International Song Of The Year

"24 Frames" - Jason Isbell (written by Jason Isbell)
"All These Dreams" - Andrew Combs (written by Andrew Combs and Jabe Beyer)
"American Middle Class" - Angeleena Presley (written by Angeleena Presley)
"Blackbirds" - Gretchen Peters (written by Gretchen Peters and Ben Glover)

UK Instrumentalist Of The Year

Joseph Bennett
BJ Cole
Spencer Cullum Jr
Paul Lush