Nickel Creek Receive Trailblazer Award From Kacey Musgraves at 2023 Americana Honors & Awards
By Maxim Mower
Link copied
![[object Object]](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/o6uq28nb/production/a251dbc81b981d596463f9ef01d9664de101c55e-2900x1933.jpg?rect=97,0,2706,1933&w=1400&h=1000&auto=format)
Getty Images for Americana Music Association
![[object Object]](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/o6uq28nb/production/38a930b72459f11018bbd296c75ebbbb40a1e5b5-2900x1933.jpg?rect=97,0,2706,1933&w=1400&h=1000&auto=format)
Getty Images for the Americana Music Association
![[object Object]](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/o6uq28nb/production/de183c1339f6a1a1c054dae3f18d69d9843913bb-2900x1934.jpg?rect=96,0,2708,1934&w=1400&h=1000&auto=format)
Getty Images for the Americana Music Association
![[object Object]](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/o6uq28nb/production/f06ac02235300b85d8ee27b56de73aa381e0ea9b-1933x2900.jpg?rect=0,760,1933,1381&w=1400&h=1000&auto=format)
Getty Images for the Americana Music Association
Nickel Creek were presented with a Trailblazer Award by Grammy-winning country trailblazer, Kacey Musgraves, during the 2023 Americana Honors and Awards ceremony.
Taking the stage, Musgraves shared how she has been an admirer of the bluegrass three-piece for most of her life, dating all the way back to her middle school days. She also mentioned the many career milestones the band has achieved in their over four-decade-long career.
"I'm lucky to have grown into a musician who's able to stand today on a stage with Nickel Creek, and I admire their courageous choices they've made, taking their music wherever it organically needed to go," she noted.
The bluegrass innovators were visibly moved at having been selected for the momentous accolade. The award was given in recognition of the fact that Nickel Creek have played a crucial role in broadening the horizons of the genre over the past couple of decades, by infusing folk-inspired textures and jazz-leaning riffs into their sound.
Accepting the honor, the trio offered a slew of thanks to their team, families and longtime supporters.
"[Americana] is a community that has the widest open arms I've ever experienced in music," the band said. "There's all this stuff happening in this little community all the time and that's why the music keeps developing. We're so grateful to be a part of it."
Nickel Creek were joined by The Avett Brothers in receiving a Trailblazer Award at the 2023 Americana Honors & Awards, with the latter being given their gong by fellow sonic pioneer, Brandi Carlile.
Nickel Creek impressed audiences across The Pond earlier in the year with an enchanting set at The Long Road Festival in the UK, during which the group treated attendees to a selection of tracks from their acclaimed 2023 album, Celebrants.
As well as celebrating and championing the finest talent across the genre, the 2023 Americana Honors & Awards offered attendees the chance to witness electrifying performances from the likes of Noah Kahan, 49 Winchester, The War and Treaty, Margo Price and more.
The prestigious event took place at Nashville's iconic Ryman Auditorium, with the likes of Zach Bryan, Tyler Childers, The War and Treaty, Margo Price, Charley Crockett and Allison Russell all picking up nominations heading into the star-studded ceremony.
For more on the 2023 Americana Honors & Awards, see below:
Featured photo by Laura Ord
