Nathaniel Rateliff, Sierra Ferrell Triumph at 2025 Americana Honors

The roots music world celebrated its notable artists, albums, and songs of the year when the 24th annual Americana Honors & Awards were held Wednesday night at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.

Sierra Ferrell, the Grammy-winning West Virginia songwriter, repeated as Artist of the Year, while Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats took home Album of the Year for their LP South of Here, produced by Brad Cook.

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Other winners included Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, for Duo/Group of the Year, and MJ Lenderman, who was named Emerging Act of the Year.

The 2025 Americana Honors are the centerpiece of the Americana Music Association’s annual AmericanaFest, held every September at a venue around Nashville. Actor-singer John C. Reilly hosted this year’s ceremonies, which included performances by Rawlings and Welch, Rateliff, Noeline Hoffman, Old 97’s, Emmylou Harris, Dawes, and the winners for Song of the Year, I’m With Her, who won for their composition “Ancient Light.”

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Lonesome Drifter, Charley Crockett; Produced by Charley Crockett & Shooter Jennings
Foxes in the Snow, Jason Isbell; Produced by Jason Isbell & Gena Johnson
Manning Fireworks, MJ Lenderman; Produced by Alex Farrar & MJ Lenderman
South of Here, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats; Produced by Brad Cook
Woodland, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings; Produced by David Rawlings

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Charley Crockett
Sierra Ferrell
Joy Oladokun
Billy Strings
Waxahatchee

DUO/GROUP OF THE YEAR
Julien Baker & TORRES
Dawes
Larkin Poe
The Mavericks
Gillian Welch & David Rawlings

EMERGING ACT OF THE YEAR
Noeline Hofmann
MJ Lenderman
Medium Build
Maggie Rose
Jesse Welles

INSTRUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR
Fred Eltringham
Alex Hargreaves
Megan Jane
Kaitlyn Raitz
Seth Taylor

SONG OF THE YEAR
“Johnny Moonshine,” Maggie Antone (Written by Maggie Antone, Natalie Hemby & Aaron Raitiere)
“Ancient Light,” I’m With Her (Written by Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’Donovan & Sara Watkins)
“Wristwatch,” MJ Lenderman (Written by MJ Lenderman)
“Sunshine Getaway,” JD McPherson (Written by Page Burkum, JD McPherson & Jack Torrey)
“Heartless,” Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats (Written by Nathaniel Rateliff)

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