The late Townes Van Zandt bagged a gong at this month's Americana Music Association 6th annual Honours and Awards event held at the historic Ryman Auditorium in, where else, Nashville, TN. Townes Van Zandt, who passed away on New Year's day 1997, was a country-folk legend and THE choice for those in the know. It's great to see a man often overlooked in music finally given his dues.

Another winner was legendary slide man Ry Cooder, who won a Lifetime Achievement Award. Most know Cooder from his work with the Buena Vista Social Club, but before that Cooder jammed with The Rolling Stones, Captain Beefheart and soundtracked the movie Paris, Texas. Read over for the full list of winners.

Album of the Year - Patty Griffin's Children Running Through

Artist of the Year - Patty Griffin

Duo Group of the Year - Avett Brothers

Instrumentalist of the Year - Buddy Miller

New/Emerging Artist of the Year - Avett Brothers

Song of the Year - Darrell Scott's Hank Williams' Ghost

Additional Awards went to:

Lyle Lovett - Trailblazer Award
Joe Ely - Lifetime Achievement for Performance
Mavis Staples - "Spirit of Americana" Free Speech Award
Ry Cooder - Lifetime Achievement for Instrumentalist
Willie Nelson - Lifetime Achievement for Songwriter
Mary Martin - Lifetime Achievement for an Executive
Jim Dickinson - Lifetime Achievement for a Producer Engineer
Townes Van Zandt - The Presidents Award

The ceremony was hosted by Jim Lauderdale and Buddy Miller returned as the band leader. Among the artists performing on the show were; Lyle Lovett, Patty Griffin, Amy LeVere, the evergreen Emmylou Harris, Ricky Skaggs with Bruce Hornsby, The Avett Brothers, Elizabeth Cook, Joe Ely, Guy Clark, The Hacienda Brothers, Uncle Earl, Sunny Sweeney and Todd Snider.

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