Winners and Recap of the 2020 Ameripolitan Awards

Charley Crockett accepting the 2020 Ameripolitan Award for Honky Tonk Male

The 2020 Ameripolitan Awards were celebrated this weekend in Memphis, TN, with numerous showcases and performances happening all across the city, from the famous clubs on Beale Street, to Dale Watson’s newly-opened historic music venue, Hernando’s Hideaway, to the stately Guesthouse at Graceland where the awards show proper was help Monday night, February 24th. See all the winners below.

Meant to recognize American music with a strong roots influence that often gets lost in the realm of popular music, as Nick 13 of Tiger Army said when presenting an award during the show, “The music that the mainstream has forgotten, that’s the music we remember.”

Earlier in the week, Tanya Tucker helped provide one of the coolest moments of the event as she showed up to Hernando’s unexpectedly Thursday night to sing a couple of songs at the pre-party. Other events helped lead up to the awards, including Junior Brown performing Friday night, a fashion show and musical showcase at the Circuit Playhouse in midtown Memphis Saturday night with Farmer & Adele, Johnny Falstaff, and Charley Crockett all performing, the “Godfathers” of Ameripolitan—The Reverend Horton Heat, Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys, and Wayne “The Train” Hancock—all performing Sunday night at Hernando’s, and a tribute to the Bakersfield Sound during the day on Monday.

It all led to Monday night when the respective artists in the Rockabilly, Western Swing, and Honky Tonk categories showed up dressed to the 9’s, and an awards show broke out. Announced by Dallas Wayne and hosted by Big Sandy and Doris Mayday, it saw performances by Big Cedar Fever, Whitney Rose, Two Tons of Steel, Tami Savoy, Summer Dean, James “Slim” Hand opened the show (like he’s done all 7 years) performing “Baby, Baby Don’t Tell Me That,” along with other performances.

As Western Swing Male winner Dave Stuckey said, the Ameripolitan Awards are like artists that are from an island of misfit toys that don’t fit in Americana. Honky Tonk Male winner Charley Crockett told the storywhile accepting his award about hearing a street performer in New Orleans, Louisiana playing “My Bucket’s Got a Hole In It” by Hank Williams, and knowing that’s what he wanted to do with the rest of his life.

This was the first year there was not an “Outlaw” category. Instead, those acts were considered in the Honky Tonk category. Special awards included drummer J.M. Van Eaton who was one of the original Sun Studios players who performed on tracks from Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and others. He was awarded the Founder of the Sound award, while Duane Eddy was honored with The Master Award.

Thanks to Kevin Smith for select photos. For more photos and coverage of the 2020 Ameripolitan Awards, check out Saving Country Music On Instagram.

WINNERS:

Honky Tonk Male

Zephaniah OHora
Charley Crockett – WINNER
Pat Reedy
Johnny Falstaff

Honky Tonk Female

Jaime Wyatt
Sarah Gayle Meech
Kathryn Legendre
Sarah Vista – WINNER

Honky Tonk Group

The Country Side of Harmonica Sam – WINNER
Western Centuries
The Shootouts
Casey James Prestwood Band

Rockabilly Male

Bloodshot Bill – WINNER
Eddie Clendening
Jittery Jack
Shaun Young

Rockabilly Female

Laura Palmer – WINNER
Amber Foxx
Ruby Ann
Linda Gail Lewis

Rockabilly Group

Modern Don Juans
Bebo & The Good Time Boys
Mark Gamsjager and the The Lustre Kings – WINNER
Trix O Treat Band

Western Swing Male

Ranger Doug
Kyle Eldridge
Keenan Wade (Farmer & Adele)
Dave Stuckey – WINNER

Western Swing Female 

Georgia Parker – WINNER
Cheryl Deserée
Wendy Newcomer
Katie Shore

Western Swing Group

The Farmer and Adele – WINNER
The Urban Pioneers
Bill and the Belles
50 Shades of Hay

Venue

American Legion Post 82 – Nashville
Southgate House Revival – Newport, KY
Luckenbach, TX – WINNER
Skinny Dennis – Brooklyn, NY
Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge – Nashville
Duke’s Indy – Indianapolis, IN

Musician

Joel Patterson
Rose Sinclair
Sean Mencher – WINNER
Amy Griffin
Bobby Trimble
Becky Hinson
Mike Bernal

Festival

Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion – WINNER
High Rockabilly- Spain
Western Swingout Weekender -Tehachapi, California
SYMCO Weekender – Symco, Wisconsin

DJ

Kevin Martinez
Celia Villagran
Don Sticksel
Marivi Yubero García
Jimi Palacios
Eddie White – WINNER

James Hand opening the show
Honky Tonk Female winner Sarah Vista from England came up wearing a holster and holding a beer.
Rockabilly winner Laura Palmer
Former Ameripolitan winner Whitney Rose performing
Western Swing Winners The Farmer & Adele
Western Swing Female Georgia Parker
Western Swing Male winner Dave Stuckey
Founder of the Sound Honoree, drummer J.M. Van Eaton, who played at Sun Studios with the likes of Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis.
The incredible Tammi Savoy
Summer Dean
Ameripolitan Musician of the Year Sean Mencher
Bristol Rhythm & Roots won for Best Festival
Daughter of Hondo Crouch was on hand to accept the Ameripolitan Award for Best Venue
Katie Shore and Chris Scruggs presenting
DJ of the Year winner Eddie White from Australia (note the Koala)
Rockabilly Male winner Bloodshot Bill
Mark of the Lustre Kings
Jim Heath and Nick 13
Everyone on stage for the grand finale.

From Early in the Week:

Tanya Tucker stopped by Hernando’s Hideaway Thursday night unexpectedly to sing a few songs.
Junior Brown
Johnny Falstaff – one of the biggest takeaways from the 2020 Ameripolitans
The Farmer and Adele
Charley Crockett
Pat Reedy
Kathryn Legendre

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