Female Artists Win Big at the 2021 UK Americana Music Awards
Both emerging and established female artists in the Americana realm featured prominently in the 2021 Americana Music Association Awards, an online Americanafest replacing the usual London show. Compered as ever by Bob Harris, awards to UK artists went to Laura Marling’s ‘Song for Our Daughter’ for Biggest Selling Americana album, and to Yola for ‘I Don’t Wanna Lie’ for UK Song of the Year. Demi Marriner won Emerging Artist of the Year, also awarded to her musical partner Robbie Kavanagh, and Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac won the Trailblazer Award.
Each year a special award is made to the unsung heroes of the Americana world, and this year the Grassroots Award went to Beverley Whitrick and Mark Davyd of the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of their hugely important work supporting music venues in the toughest of times for the sector in the current crisis.
Finally, the UK Instrumentalist of the Year went to keyboard player Anna Corcoran, coming to prominence for her work with Laura Marling and Robert Vincent, Vincent winning both the UK Artist of the Year and UK Album of the Year, for ‘In This Town You’re Owned’.
On the international stage Courtney Marie Andrews was the big winner, taking both the International Artist of the Year and International Album of the Year for ‘No Flowers’. International Song of the Year went to The Secret Sisters for ‘Hand Over My Heart’, and there was a much deserved International Lifetime Achievement Award for Mavis Staples, presented by Brandi Carlile.
A big year for female artists in Americana, who took almost two thirds of the awards presented in 2021.
