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Gillian Welch & David Rawlings and Hannah White Lead the Way at the UK Americana Awards 2025 as Lyle Lovett, CMAT and Candi Staton are Recognised with Special Awards

January 24, 2025 11:00 pm GMT

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The winners of the UK Americana Awards 2025, powered by Sweet Home Alabama, were revealed on the evening of Thursday 23 January in a glittering ceremony at Hackney Church on an otherwise rainy night London.

During a remarkable evening, which celebrated the best in UK and International Americana and Roots music, highly acclaimed US singer-songwriters Gillian Welch & David Rawlings picked up the award for Best International Album and an award for Best International Single for 'Empty Trainload of Sky.' The duo’s current album Woodland was released to widespread praise in 2024 and marked their first LP of new, original music since 2017.

London-based singer-songwriter Hannah White won the coveted UK Artist of the Year Award plus UK Album of the Year for Sweet Revolution. Released in November, the album came at the end of an unforgettable year for Hannah White, who began 2023 by winning Best UK Song for 'Car Crash' at the Americana Music Association UK Awards.

The album was produced by Michele Stodart of the Magic Numbers, who won UK Album of the Year at the awards last year, as well as the award for UK Artist of the Year.

“This is a collection of songs about going from growing up on a council estate, and all of the hopelessness, the sadness and the loneliness, to homelessness and then finding a sense of power through words and music, and becoming an artist,” Hannah White said about the album. “This is the sweet revolution in my life.”

Robert Vincent was awarded UK Song of the Year for his stand-out track 'Follow What You Love and Love Will Follow' from his critically acclaimed Barriers album, while Keiron Marshall picked up the award for UK Instrumentalist of the Year.

Alabama’s Jason Isbell, one of the most respected and celebrated songwriters of his generation, won the prestigious International Artist of the Year Award ahead of his own trip to the UK next month for a series of solo shows in support of his forthcoming Foxes in the Snow album.

Kezia Gill, who has toured extensively, playing to packed houses throughout the UK, took home the Live Act of the Year Award and the Grassroots Award, presented to individuals working in the industry (in a capacity other than as artists) who have made outstanding efforts to support Americana music from the grass roots up, was given to independent music promoter David Messer.

Bob Harris chose sensational young English guitarist Toby Lee for his 2025 Emerging Artist Award.

Of the evening’s Special Awards, legendary soul icon Candi Staton collected the AMA-UK Board’s highest accolade, an International Lifetime Achievement Award. Four times Grammy-winning singer, composer and actor Lyle Lovett received the International Trailblazer Award and groundbreaking Irish singer, songwriter and musician CMAT was presented with the UK/Ireland Trailblazer Award.

The Awards show boasted an eclectic mix of stunning live performances, illustrating the breadth of talent within the genre, including Lyle Lovett, CMAT, Hannah White, Robert Vincent, Kezia Gill, The Heavy Heavy, Willie Watson and Kyshona. The evening was brought to a close with an outstanding group rendition of Candi Staton’s worldwide hit 'You Got The Love,' featuring Staton herself.

The show was hosted by Holler's very own Baylen Leonard, who was joined by Award presenters Bob Harris OBE, BBC Radio Ulster’s Ralph McLean, journalist and broadcaster Paul Sexton, and Immy Doman of famed London venue The Green Note.

The UK Americana Awards concluded in style a full week of activities during UK Americana Music Week 2025, powered by Sweet Home Alabama.

Award Winners in full:

UK ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Elles Bailey
Ferris & Sylvester

Hannah White - WINNER

Katherine Priddy

Robert Vincent

The Heavy Heavy

UK ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Elles Bailey - Beneath The Neon Glow
Hannah White - Sweet Revolution - WINNER
Kathryn Williams & Withered Hand - Willson Williams Nina Nesbitt - Mountain Music
The Hanging Stars - On A Golden Shore
The Heavy Heavy - One of a Kind

UK SONG OF THE YEAR

Blue Rose Code – 'Sadie'
Brown Horse – 'Stealing Horses'
Jack Francis – 'Failure'
Nina Nesbitt – 'Pages'
Our Man In The Field – 'L'Etranger'
Robert Vincent – 'Follow What You Love and Love Will Follow' - WINNER

UK INSTRUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR

Ashley Campbell
Henry Senior Jr
Joe Coombs
Joe Harvey White
Joe Wilkins
Keiron Marshall - WINNER

INTERNATIONAL ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Bonny Light Horseman Charley Crockett

Jason Isbell - WINNER

Larkin Poe

Sierra Ferrell

Waxahatchee

INTERNATIONAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR

American Aquarium - The Fear Of Standing Still
Bonny Light Horseman - Keep Me On Your Mind/See You Free

Gillian Welch & David Rawlings – Woodland - WINNER

Kacey Musgraves - Deeper Well
Kyshona - Legacy
Willie Watson - Willie Watson

INTERNATIONAL SONG OF THE YEAR

Gillian Welch & David Rawlings – 'Empty Trainload of Sky' - WINNER

Hurray For The Riff Raff – 'Buffalo'
Julian Taylor & Allison Russell – 'Pathways'

Kyshona – 'The Echo'
Lizzie No – 'The Heartbreak Store'
Sierra Ferrell – 'American Dreaming'

LIVE ACT OF THE YEAR

Ben Ottewell & Ian Ball (of Gomez)

Campbell Jensen
Danny & The Champions of the World

Kezia Gill - WINNER

Lola Kirke

Morganway

Savannah Gardner

Skinny Lister

The Heavy Heavy

Wunderhorse

AMA-UK Special Awards

International Lifetime Achievement Award

Selected by the board members, their highest honour is awarded to an international artist, duo or group in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the Americana genre over the span of their career and life in music. The 2025 recipient is Candi Staton

International Trailblazer Award

Selected by the board members, this special award celebrates an international artist, duo or group that has taken an exceptional path, inspiring others to follow in their footsteps in developing the Americana genre. The 2025 recipient is Lyle Lovett

UK/Ireland Trailblazer Award

Selected by the board members, this special award celebrates an artist, duo or group from the UK or Ireland that has taken an exceptional path, inspiring others to follow in their footsteps in developing the Americana genre. The 2025 recipient is CMAT

Grass Roots Award

Selected by the board members, this special award celebrates the sometimes-unsung heroes of the UK Americana scene. It is presented to individuals working in the industry (in a capacity other than as artists) who have made outstanding efforts to support Americana music from the grass roots up. The 2025 recipient is David Messer

Bob Harris Emerging Artist Award

Selected by Bob Harris OBE, this special award celebrates the breakthrough artist, duo or group that has particularly impressed the legendary music broadcaster throughout the year. The 2025 recipient is Toby Lee.

Written by Jof Owen
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