Jason Isbell leads winners at Americana Music Awards

If there were a triple crown in Americana music, Alabama singer and songwriter Jason Isbell took it Wednesday night in Nashville, collecting artist, album and song of the year honors at the 2014 Americana Music Awards.

Isbell’s album “Southeastern,” which also generated an award for producer Dave Cobb, spawned the song of the year winner with “Cover Me Up.”

Accepting that award, Isbell saluted the musician who is arguably the most revered songwriter in country music history. “Happy birthday to Hank Williams,” he said. “If it wasn’t for that guy, we’d be doing this in some burned-out Kmart in Murfreesboro.”

L.A.’s own rootsy twosome, the Milk Carton Kids, a.k.a. Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan, won for best duo or group, and rising Kentucky singer and songwriter Sturgill Simpson took home the emerging artist award.

Guitarist Buddy Miller, who also led the house band at the ceremony in Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium, was named instrumentalist of the year.

This year’s three lifetime achievement awards went to Loretta Lynn (songwriter), blues-folk musician Taj Mahal (performance) and accordionist Flaco Jimenez (instrumentalist).

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