The Americana Music Award Nominees were released today, and read by none other than Emmy Lou Harris and Todd Snider this morning at the W.O. Smith School of Music.

Leading the way in this talented group of nominees for 2010 are Dave Rawlings, who is nominated in 4 of the 6 named categories, along with Oscar winner Ryan Bingham in 3 categories. Hayes Carll and Ray Wylie Hubbard are also nominated in more than one category as well.

When I first studied this list, several questions came to mind. First of all, since when is Hayes Carll, Ryan Bingham, and Corb Lund considered “New & Emerging Artists?” While each is well deserving of any award nomination they may achieve, their presence on the Americana music scene is anything but new and emerging. They are the virtual cream of the crop!

Secondly, I find it interesting that the Hayes Carll/Ray Wylie Hubbard song “Drunken Poets Dream” is up for Song of the Year. After all, Hayes released this song on his own record, plus won Song of the Year in 2008 for “She Left Me For Jesus” from that same record. Guess that speaks volumes for Hayes and his “Trouble In Mind” record.

The omission of a few great artists irritates me as well. Scott Miller, Jason Eady, and Malcomb Holcomb each released material deserving award recognition. If the New & Emerging Artist category is any reflection on where the selection process is now, perhaps we will see these three in the category in a few years. It seems the selection committee is playing a bit of catch up.

The awards show takes place in the midst of the 11th annual Americana Festival and Conference, slated for Sept. 8–11 and based at the Sheraton Nashville Downtown hotel. The festival includes more than 100 music showcases at numerous Nashville venues.

Given the choices below…here are my own selections:

ALBUM OF THE YEAR – A. Enlightenment B. Endarkenment – Ray Wylie Hubbard

ARTIST OF THE YEAR – Ryan Bingham

DUO GROUP OF THE YEAR – Band of Heathens (this should be a definite IMO)

INSTRUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR – Dave Rawlings

NEW & EMERGING ARTIST – Hayes Carll

SONG OF THE YEAR – The Weary Kind – Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett

The 2010 Americana Music Association Honors and Awards nominees

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
The List, by Rosanne Cash
A Friend of a Friend, by Dave Rawlings Machine
Downtown Church, by Patty Griffin
A. Enlightenment B. Endarkenment (Hint: There is no C), by Ray Wylie Hubbard

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Ryan Bingham
Patty Griffin
Levon Helm — tie
Steve Earle — tie
Ray Wylie Hubbard

DUO GROUP OF THE YEAR
The Avett Brothers
Carolina Chocolate Drops
Band of Heathens
Dave Rawlings Machine

INSTRUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR
Buddy Miller
Dave Rawlings
Will Kimbrough
Sam Bush

NEW & EMERGING ARTIST
Sarah Jarosz
Ryan Bingham
Hayes Carll — tie
Corb Lund
Joe Pug

SONG OF THE YEAR
“The Weary Kind,” written by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett, performed by Ryan Bingham
“Drunken Poets Dream,” written by Hayes Carll and Ray Wylie Hubbard, performed by Ray Wylie Hubbard
“Ruby,” written by Dave Rawlings and Gillian Welch, performed by Dave Rawlings Machine
“I and Love and You,” written and performed by The Avett Brothers

A big congratulations to Ryan Bingham / T Bone Burnett for picking up the best original song for “The Weary Kind (Theme from “Crazy Heart”) from “Crazy Heart”! I guess now I can say I know an Oscar winner or at least talked to one   From all of us in Americana land, this is a pretty cool night.

Click here to view the embedded video.

If you don’t know, Bingham.. Make sure you pick up Mescalito and Roadhouse Sun from the little record store that helped start it all, LoneStarMusic.com.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Ryan Bingham burst onto the national scene with Mescalito, his first release with his new Lost Highway label. With appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Austin City Limits already in his pocket, it has come time to get the ball rolling once again. His sophomore release “Roadhouse Sun” is now out, and it is obvious Bingham is here to stay for quite sometime.

Following up such success can be a daunting task, but not for Bingham. The sophomore jinx has caught several artists in the past, but Bingham escaped successfully with a release somewhat different than the first, combining a mixture that best suits his unique abilities.

“I never really looked at it as added pressure,” Bingham said. “I just wanted to continue what I was doing, and put songs out there that reflect how I am feeling at this moment in my life. There are some poignant songs that have meaning to me, and others I felt just needed to be said. I did try to capture a live sound and appeal, since we get great responses from our live music. We went straight off the road and into the studio to record the new record, so we were able to maintain the drive and energy.”

Maintaining the same talented band members, plus coming back with one time Black Crowes guitarist Marc Ford producing, allowed this cohesive unit to keep right on rolling. The Dead Horses include Corby Schaub on guitar and mandolin, Matt Smith on drums, and Elijah Ford on bass.

“We have been very fortunate recently to continue touring, and have really had lots of fun with one another. Spending so much time together on the road can be hard, but it has worked for us. Everyone has stuck together, and I am quite proud of how we worked out the new record.”

Life on the road is nothing new for Bingham. Moving around a lot as a child, Bingham continued his travelling by hitting the rodeo circuit. These travels helped to form a writer well versed in life’s successes and failures, not to mention a desire to find a better way to make a living.

“I was exposed to so many different types of music everywhere. In all parts of Texas, there are so many different cultures and types of music, even within this one state. You have the Mexican appeal in the south and the Delta Blues in eastern Texas near Louisiana. Northern and western Texas has the swing music. I spent some time in California as well, so there was an introduction to rock music there. So, traveling around and hearing all of this definitely molded my music in several ways. It also provided some stories to write about as well for sure.”

While out on the road with the rodeo, Bingham played for some of the locals from time to time, gaining some valuable experience. He gradually taught himself how to play guitar too.

“The first thing I learned was mariachi songs, and progressed from there. I got sick of only playing that one song, so I began messing around with sounds on my own and writing songs. I picked up some chords just by watching others, but mostly on my own. It took a lot of observation for sure. As I played more for others, I began to gain more confidence and improve.”

Bingham has also had the good fortune to meet up with other musicians who have helped him considerably with his writing and playing. Among these were Terry Allen and Joe Ely.

“Joe definitely has been a mentor for me. He and Terry have introduced me to a lot of great people who have helped me get here today. Without a doubt Guy Clark is up there too. He is such a great writer, and has had a huge impact on me as well.”

Bingham went on to say the state of Texas is filled with talent, many who never become well known. Even without the public notoriety, these musicians still impacted him.

“Just here in Luckenbach alone there are a lot of great writers no one has ever heard of, just guys that came back from Vietnam, sit around camp fires, and write some amazing stuff. There is a guy named Greg Gorman that passed away a couple of years ago, who had a huge impact on me. Another guy named Danny Perry from here in Luckenbach has impacted me as well. There is just a lot of great stuff here that unfortunately never gets out, but it has certainly helped mold me a great deal.”

Many of these influences are evident on the new record. Bingham hits it hard right away with the initial cut “Day Is Done.” The subtle beginning, with the soft intro, builds into a pulse driving chorus that would fit comfortably in any Black Crowes set. The alternating tempo makes this song quite entertaining, and certainly sets up the remainder of the record very well.

“It is one of the older tunes that I have had for a few years,” Bingham said. “All of the songs I write tend to come from my own personal place, and what I feel at that time. I also like to leave my songs up to the listener, and let them relate to it in their own way, as opposed to my own. I felt this one would open the record well for sure.”

Throwing caution out the window, Bingham decided it was time to start writing songs which were not only about nights at the local bar. “Dylan’s Hard Rain” is a salute to Bob Dylan’s original song “Hard Rain.” Attempting a similar rhyme scheme by the master is dangerous if you are trying to avoid the comparisons, but the song is well done without doubt. Bingham’s own attitude clearly shows through. He also tips the hat to Dylan later with “Hey Hey Hurray.” You can almost picture him holding up the signs as he rattles off each phrase, just as Dylan did years ago.

“I thought it was ironic how much an old song like “Hard Rain “still fits in today’s world. The problems that were going on then are still going on now. I have had this one for a year or two, and thought it was appropriate for the record, given the problems today.”

Bingham also allows more personal feelings to show in his songs “Tell My Mother I Miss Her So” and “Country Roads.” That is not to say either of these songs are slow tempo tear jerkers by any means. Bingham handles this in his own unique style. His mother passed away just last year, leading him to write the song. The superb mandolin by Corby Schaub sets this one apart. “Country Roads” portrays a sense of desperation of being alone on the road.

“Country Roads” is one of the older songs on the record,” Bingham said. “I think I wrote that one about 5 or 6 years ago. It was one of the first songs I had written. I was more or less homeless and living in my truck. So, I was just driving around, camping everywhere, and decided to write my thoughts down.”

The mesmerizing song “Bluebird” certainly has an eerie quality to it, with Elijah Ford’s bass providing a great beat. While having a somewhat spiritual feel to it, Bingham did not intend this one to have any religious interpretations, although one could easily do so.

“It is a deeper song, perhaps spiritual in a way, but by no means religious. It is just something that came up from the depths of my own soul. None of my songs are religious in nature, but hopefully makes a person think somewhat so they can form their own opinions on how it touches them, religious or not. I will leave that up to the listener.”

If you enjoy the sound of a lone acoustic guitar, “Snake Eyes” is the song for you. The passion flows from Bingham in this one. “Writing songs for me has always been a way to vent, and allow my feelings to release,” Bingham said. “Snake Eyes” is another example of that. It reflects life experiences at that time for me.”

Of course there is only one way to come out of a mellow introspective song, and that explains “Endless Ways.” This one hits you hard right away, supported splendidly by Matt Smith on drums and some driving electric guitar. Bingham takes a stand here, in both a personal and political manner.

“I wrote “Endless Ways” during the past couple of years in dealing with the last Bush administration, and everything that was going on. Being me, I just felt compelled to get those feelings off my chest and put them out there. So at the time it was more political, but it has some personal appeal as well. Even though I am from a small town, or anyone else who is from a small town for that matter, it does not mean you can not have a big voice.”

The epic “Change Is” hits the seven minute mark before it begins winding down. This psychedelic, somewhat hypnotic tune, spins a tale of empowerment with a definite 1960’s appeal. Utilizing a mixture of sounds and instruments, this one is about as far from country as you can get, proving Bingham has come full circle.

Bingham has spread his wings successfully here. Preparing to go on tour with The Flatlanders soon, he continues writing for his next project. Yes, the horizon looks quite bright indeed.

Lost Highway records picked up Ryan Bingham, re-tooled some of his previously released songs (that almost no one has heard anyway), and added new works to come up with one hell of a good CD.
Following is an article I wrote on Ryan for Mavrik Magazine (now LoneStarMusic Magazine) last year. And here�s an interview by Michael Devers, from the Lonestarmusic store web-site.
Ryan really is that good.
Ryan Bingham
Since I began writing for Americanaroots.com, I get opportunities to write about lots of musicians. I pass on most of them. It�s not that the artists don�t deserve my time. But they are many and my schedule is full. The truth is, unless someone really moves me, I can�t do justice to them. Ryan Bingham�s music came along and speared me through the heart. I was left with no choice but to drop what I was doing and try to understand why.
Maybe it was the common ingredients Ryan and I share: we hail from the same geographical region and a similar background, but I think there�s more to it than that. I daresay others will also find a note of commonality with this man and his music. Ryan reminds me of another poet�the young Bob Dylan. Unlike Dylan, Ryan wears boots, a cowboy hat and jeans with traces of desert wind, dirt, sweat and maybe even a distant whiff of cow shit and spent oil. His roots go back to arid plains of Eastern New Mexico, dry desert mountains of far West Texas and the hardscrabble border region of Northern Mexico. But a gravely voice similar to young Dylan�s: similar depth, vision and feeling lives in Ryan�s songs. There�s something cool about the guy. Hard to put a finger on what it is, but it�s undeniable. For whatever reason, the good Lord chose this young man and blessed him with a spirit wiser than even he realizes. His words are not entirely his own.
In Ryan�s voice, I hear a spokesman for a generation. Such a gift is rarely bestowed on those from privileged background and carries with it a curse of equal weight. To see and understand the human condition to the degree he does comes with a price. Ryan, like my own children, suffered in the land of plenty. He had a front row seat to a world of hard drinking, drugs, sex, and wild and reckless lifestyles as a young man�some would say as a child. Remnants of those trials and experiences find their way into his music. But unlike others, Ryan was not consumed by this fire but instead distilled by it. What�s left is a concentrated spirit�hearing him sing is not unlike taking a shot of moonshine whisky�hard to ignore.

Nowadays most kids live pampered lives in a chrome and plastic world plugged into electronic gadgets. Many learn to play instruments, write songs and sing but few have lived a life worthy of writing or singing about. The lessons Ryan delivers aren�t taught in school; no college degree bestows the wisdom he has found; no amount of money creates the bearing with which he walks, nor does a big time recording contract provide the authority with which he sings. His gift can�t be bought. It has to be earned and the cost is more than most are willing or able to pay.
You scoff? How about this? Eat out of a tip jar and a bucket of change. Sleep without a roof to call your own. No steady girlfriend because most of them can�t accept the lifestyle. What do you mean no bathroom? Crawl on man-killing bulls in Mexican rodeos for enough Pesos to buy a bottle of booze. Then laugh as you spit out your own front teeth or drive from one hospital to another to get the shattered bones in your hand reassembled. Fix broke down vehicles on the side of the road without proper tools or parts, maybe in the rain or the cold. Strand yourself in a foreign country thousands of miles from home with no money. Play for tips so you can buy enough gas to get a few more miles down the road and hopefully another gig. In search of what? Who knows, but there�s something out there. Has to be. Maybe right over the next hill or across the next desert. Ryan is a nomad in search of answers. Instead he finds more questions. So the search continues. Then there�s the matter of hormones and youth. Most of the stuff on the wild side of town involves at least some fun. Otherwise, why would anyone go?
There are other integral ingredients in Ryan�s recipe for writing songs: Good vision: we all look, but few see with the clarity he does. Good hearing: we all listen, but we don�t all hear the same thing. And empathy for others: can you really feel what it�s like to be someone else in this world? Because if you can�t, you�re not going to connect with listeners. For whatever reason, only those that suffer develop empathy. It�s the victim of cancer than raises money to fight the disease, the mother that loses a child to a car wreck that fights drunk drivers to protect the child of another, the parents of a soldier lost in battle that stop a president cold in his tracks as he plans a war without regard for the soldiers that have to fight it. It�s he or she that has suffered heartbreak, been abused by the world, and battled insane thoughts that can connect to and help lead others out of those dark areas. Most great songs are written from a desperate place. Ryan has seen his share of desperate places. In the midst of hardship, sometimes self-imposed, Ryan manages to smile through the adversity.
Ryan�s latest CD, Dead Horses, consists of ten songs. There�s not a throwaway in the bunch. You�ll hear the calling of the highway and see the stops along the way. You�ll feel the pull of a good looking woman�s ass as she saunters by and then taste the sweetness of her lips underneath moonlight�truly one of God�s great gifts to mankind. A truck-stop waitress will offer kind words when no one else notices. Mexico will beckon. You�ll know the frustration of a laborer toiling in the sun just to make another rich and consider shortcuts like growing your own marijuana money tree. You�ll hear a higher calling and find hope and a longing for something better. All set to masterful licks on acoustic instruments with real roots sounds.
Ryan�s supporting cast call themselves the Dead Horses. These young men have to be made of stern stuff to hang with this traveling soul. If he�s eating out of a tip jar, then so are they. When he has a wreck, they will too, and Ryan will have his share of wrecks. I daresay if they aren�t forthcoming, he�ll go out and find a few. Mathew Smith plays drums, Corby Schaub the mandolin. Ryan plays an acoustic guitar and a harmonica. Between the three, they produce quite a variety of sounds. Doug Moreland, another West Texas native, added a nice touch on a fiddle for the Dead Horses album and also joined Ryan the night I caught his live show at Gruene Hall.
I am told there�s another CD in the works. I�ve heard a few tracks and it is good stuff.
Ryan is a diamond in the rough, not completely polished or refined, a trend setter. His style is uniquely his own. Some of the lyrics in his songs didn�t quite work for me at first pass. Next thing I knew, I�m talking and singing like he does, making the same �mistakes� until these mistakes become the new right way of saying things and I wouldn�t have it any other way. That�s how natural all of this comes to him. Dylan spoke of this, how at times it was though he heard things from another place, wrote them down, and then passed them along to the rest of us. No big deal. Except years later no big deal altered history and has become part of the fabric of our culture. Dylan was branded a visionary but couldn�t understand why. Woody Guthrie, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Steve Earle all shared this trait. They looked into the mirror and demanded sight. They did not flinch or turn away when things got ugly. And in each case, they did get ugly. Ryan also sees and understands his own flaws and shortcomings. Burdened with the knowledge of who and what he is, he�ll rebel against expectations society places upon him once lifted into an honored and revered place (I�d think less of him if he didn�t). With the raw talent he possesses, that is a place he�s almost sure to find.
I found Ryan to be a man comfortable in his own skin, without pretense, an easygoing type with a nice smile and a good manner. He�s a class act. But the man behind the song is what he is, and that�s not necessarily what you will want him to be. Billy Joe Shaver sings a song called "The Real Deal." In a business ripe with phonies and imitations, ready to sell their soul for a buck, Ryan is the real deal. He isn�t almost as good as the big name acts that preceded him. He�s better. He inherited what they had and is taking it to the next level. You�ll be doing yourself a favor by buying his CD�s and checking out his live show.
Note to Ryan: In Ray Wylie Hubbard�s words, what you�re searching for, you�re searching with.