Loretta Lynn – Queen of Americana

Loretta Lynn was the big winner at the 3rd Annual Americana Honors & Awards last night for her album Van Lear Rose, produced by Jack White of the White Stripes. Lynn’s awards for Album of the Year and Artist of the Year were presented during the 5th annual Americana Music Association conference in Nashville, TN. The honky-tonk inspired Van Lear Rose has stayed on the Americana AirPlay chart since its release in April (with many weeks at number 1, it’s now at number 30) and has registered over 12,000 radio station “spins.” Other Americana Awards went to Rodney Crowell for Song of the Year, Mindy Smith for Emerging Artist of the Year, Chris Hillman for Lifetime Achievement Award-Performer, President’s Award to the Carter Family, and Spirit of Americana Free Speech Award to Steve Earle.