The 2020 Americana Music Awards Postponed
The 2020 Americana Music Awards will not be happening on Wednesday, September 16th at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville as initially planned. Though the American Music Association had already cancelled their annual AmericanaFest for September months ago, the organization was hoping to move forward with the awards at the Ryman in some capacity, and announced nominees for the awards in June. However citing COVID-19 concerns they have decided to postpone the awards for now.
Saving Country Music has also learned that the AMA was hoping to tape the awards without an audience at The Ryman to air at a future date. But funding fell through to be able to put a proper production together.
“Despite all our hope, logistical wrangling and passion, we have concluded that it would not be safe to conduct the Americana Honors & Awards at the wonderful and historic Ryman Auditorium next Wednesday, September 16, 2020,” says Americana Executive Director Jed Hilly. “We’ve carefully evaluated safety measures both with an audience and without. It is our conclusion that if just one person walked out of the Ryman with COVID-19, we would not be able to forgive ourselves. We are making new plans to celebrate the nominees and to proclaim the winners later this fall, and we hope to have details on that shortly with an official announcement date soon.”
The postponement comes after a bottleneck was created in Nashville-based awards shows after the ACMs announced their rescheduled show originally planned for April would move from Las Vegas to Nashville, would occur on September 16th as well, and also announced the Ryman Auditorium as one of the venues that would be utilized for the presentation. The ACMs later clarified the performances at the Ryman would be taped before broadcast and would not interfere with the Americana event, but the two events on the same night only blocks away had some locals concerned about logistical nightmares.
Though Nashville is still under restrictions on live events, the Ryman Auditorium just announced this week they will be doubling their in-person capacity to 250 socially distanced audience members as part of the venue’s online streaming concert series. The Ryman reopened their doors on August 14th for regular Friday night performances.
Though AmericanFest and now The Americana Music Awards have been postponed, the organization is moving forward next week with their “Thriving Roots” conference, which will include dozens of panels and online performances. For more information on Thriving Roots, CLICK HERE.
September 11, 2020 @ 9:17 am
Seems a little late notice. But then again, it’s not like people had many other real plans they would have sacrificed.
September 11, 2020 @ 9:18 am
Any word on the Saving Country Music Commenters Awards and if they’ll be postponed?
September 11, 2020 @ 10:23 am
We know who the vulnerable are, so protect them. Otherwise, open everything.
September 11, 2020 @ 10:33 am
If everyone watched (and understood) what you posted earlier, we would be open yesterday.
September 11, 2020 @ 10:51 am
ahem,
since March 11th …
: D
September 11, 2020 @ 12:07 pm
“Yesterday” was used loosely.
September 11, 2020 @ 12:43 pm
: D
just messin’ with you guys, having fun.
I know when to lay back, let a man’s voice take over
September 11, 2020 @ 12:29 pm
Aren’t award shows outdated??
September 11, 2020 @ 7:21 pm
Dear Jason Isbell, there is the left wing, and there is the right wing. In the middle is the BIRD. That’s where I stand and that’s what I give you and all those who pick sides.
September 12, 2020 @ 6:51 am
Someone had to unnecessarily politicize this. It is SCM after all
September 12, 2020 @ 4:20 pm
Actually I think what I did was unnecessarily point out that sir Isbell should stop unnecessarily pointing out that his politicalization is superior to most, and that unpoliticalization is necessary .
😉
September 23, 2020 @ 9:07 am
If you don’t like it, move along.
September 12, 2020 @ 4:48 pm
I’m happy that Linda Ronstadt will make an appearance (perhaps “virtual”) at the Thriving Roots Conference for the documentary film LINDA AND THE MOCKINGBIRDS, which is about her involvement with the Bay Area-based Mexican-American/indigenous music organization Los Cenzontles. They were the group that journeyed with her down to her family’s ancestral home of Banamichi, in the state of Sonora in northern Mexico, in 2019 (part of which showed up at the beginning of last year’s documentary on Linda, THE SOUND OF MY VOICE).
And even though accolades and awards are only secondary to her, I do hope that the country music industry, or at least the Americana genre, recognizes Linda for her achievements in those fields, which are quite considerable.