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The list of 2023 UK Americana Awards winners was unveiled on Thursday night during a prestigious ceremony at London's Hackney Empire.
The event was hosted by two of the most prominent country and Americana broadcasters in the UK, Baylen Leonard and Bob Harris.
Allison Russell and Elles Bailey both took home two awards, while Hannah White, Frank Turner, Ferris and Sylvester, Alison Krauss and Robert Plant, Holly Carter and more also enjoyed a successful evening.
Canada's Allison Russell won the coveted award for International Artist of the Year and International Song of the Year, while UK songsmith Elles Bailey was crowned UK Artist of the Year.
Bailey also triumphed in a brand new category for 2023, UK Live Act of the Year, in recognition of her much-loved live shows.
The UK Song of the Year award went to Hannah White's heart-rending ‘Car Crash’.
The introspective song was given an accompanying music video in early 2022, which only intensified its emotional impact.
Leading British pedal steel player, Holly Carter, got the nod for UK instrumentalist of the Year.
The Best-Selling Americana Album of the Year was judged to be Frank Turner's 2022 project, FTHC, which remains in the Top 40 of The Official UK Americana Albums Chart.
Alongside the illustrious awards, attendees at the 2023 UK Americana Awards ceremony were able to witness memorable performances from Judy Collins, Simeon Hammond Dallas, Ferris and Sylvester, Nickel Creek, Lady Nade, Frank Turner and more.
In addition to this, The Hanging Stars took to the stage for an eye-catching set, with the self-described ‘Cosmic Americana’ band also being called up to receive the Bob Harris Emerging Artist Award.
One of the highlights of the evening was Allison Russell, Elles Bailey and Miko Marks’ moving cover of the late great Loretta Lynn's iconic song, ‘Coal Miner's Daughter’.
Loretta was posthumously awarded the Songwriter Legacy Award during the ceremony.
Some of the most eclectic and enjoyable Americana albums of the past year were celebrated at the awards show, including Ferris and Sylvester’ Superhuman, for UK Album of the Year, as well as the acclaimed US project, Alison Krauss and Robert Plant's Raise The Roof, for International Album of the Year.
Other winners at the 2023 UK Americana Awards included Judy Collins with the International Lifetime Achievement Award; Mike Scott of The Waterboys with the UK Lifetime Achievement Award; Nickel Creek with the International Trailblazer Award; and BBC Radio Ulster's Ralph McLean with the Grassroots Award.
This special, 10th anniversary instalment of the UK Americana Awards concluded with a rousing rendition of ‘Amazing Grace’, led by Judy Collins, for which all the evening's performers returned to the stage.
The finale was backed by Michele Stodart's all-women house band, The Magic Numbers, along with the Hackney Empire Community Choir.
The awards show capped off an outstanding week of Americana artist showcases and industry conferences as part of AmericanaFest UK 2023.
Over the course of the past two days, eighty artists performed across six venues in Hackney.
AmericanaFest UK 2023 featured eye-catching performances from the likes of Stephen Wilson Jr., Legends of Country, Simeon Hammond Dallas, Native Harrow and more.
For more on the UK Americana Awards 2023, see below:
