The Americana Music Association has announced its nominations for the 2015 Americana Honours & Awards, during a press conference held at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Ford Theater and streamed live via Music City Roots. 2014 Americana Music Award for Duo/Group of the Year winners the Milk Carton Kids hosted the event and revealed the nominees of the six categories – Album, Artist, Duo/Group, Emerging Artist, Instrumentalist and Song. The celebration also featured stripped down, acoustic performances from the Milk Carton Kids, Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn, and John Hiatt preceding the nominees reveal. Nikki Lane closed out the one-hour program with a high energy, full band performance of Right Time. 2015 Americana Honours & Awards Nominees: Album of the Year (Award goes to Artist and Producer) And The War Came – Shakey Graves; Produced by Alejandro Rose-Garcia and Chris Boosahda Down Where The Spirit Meets The Bone – Lucinda Williams; Produced by Lucinda Williams, Tom Overby and Greg Leisz Metamodern Sounds In Country Music – Sturgill Simpson; Produced by Dave Cobb The Way I’m Livin’ – Lee Ann Womack; Produced by Frank Liddell Tomorrow Is My Turn – Rhiannon Giddens; Produced by T-Bone Burnett Artist of the Year Rhiannon Giddens Jason Isbell Sturgill Simpson Lucinda Williams Lee Ann Womack Duo/Group of the Year Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn The Lone Bellow The Mavericks Punch Brothers Shovels & Rope Emerging Artist of the Year First Aid Kit Houndmouth Nikki Lane Doug Seegers Shakey Graves Instrumentalist of the Year Hubby Jenkins Laur Joamets Greg Leisz John Leventhal Stuart Mathis Song of the Year (Award goes to Artist and Songwriter) Dearly Departed – Shakey Graves; Written by Alejandro Rose-Garcia and Esme’ Patterson East Side Of Town – Lucinda Williams; Written by Lucinda Williams Terms Of My Surrender – John Hiatt; Written by John Hiatt Turtles All The Way Down – Sturgill Simpson; Written by Sturgill Simpson You’re The Best Lover That I Ever Had – Steve Earle & the Dukes; Written by Steve Earle The Americana Honours & Awards, presented by Nissan, will return to the historically cool Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, on September 16, 2015 (during AmericanaFest – September 15-20, 2015). The iconic Jim Lauderdale will once again host the Honours & Awards, while the incomparable Buddy Miller will lead the All-Star House Band. Tickets to the Honours & Awards show are only available with the purchase of an Americana Music Festival & Conference registration.