2020 Ameripolitan Music Awards: Charley Crockett + More Earn Nods

The nominations list is in for the 2020 Ameripolitan Music Awards. For the seventh year running, the award show will honor those artists whose music "does not readily conform to the tastes of today's 'country' or other music genres associations," according to its website. In 2020, the artists nominated include Linda Gail Lewis, Jaime Wyatt, Charley Crockett and many more.

Founded by Dale Watson in 2014, the Ameripolitan Music Awards took place in Watson's hometown of Austin, Texas until 2018. At that point, Watson explained to The Boot in early 2019, he decided to move the show to Memphis, Tenn., where he was beginning to spend more of his time. He'd always envisioned different cities hosting the Ameripolitan Music Awards, and given Memphis' history with roots music and the blues, he thought it was a natural fit for the show's mission.

Memphis welcomed the Ameripolitan Music Awards with open arms, Watson added, with an enthusiasm that he attributed to the city's ingrained reverence for live music and musical heritage.

"It's about the music. That's what it's solely about," he says. "They really want live music. And it's the whole weekend, you know? It starts on Friday and ends up on the awards show on Monday -- where it goes into the after-party! But it's nothing but a whole weekend of live music, original music, all over town."

In 2020, that emphasis on live music will once again return to Memphis during the awards show, including performances from Mike and the Moonpies, Summer Dean, Tammi Savoy, Big Ceder Fever, Jimmy Dale Richardson, Grace Adele, Justin Trevino, Jesse Daniel, Whitney Rose and Two Tons of Steel, per an Instagram post. Big Sandy and Doris Mayday will host the evening's festivities.

Also revealed on Instagram are the nominees in each category, as well as two special award recipients. Guitarist Duane Eddy will receive the 2020 Master Award, while drummer J.M Van Eaton will be honored with the 2020 Founder of the Sound Award.

Prior to announcing the official nominees list, the awards show announced their decision to omit their Outlaw category for 2020, instead consolidating that group into their Honky Tonk category. "These two categories are so intertwined that it has become difficult for nominators to determine which category best suits an artist. There will now only be Honky Tonk, Rockabilly and Western Swing categories," an Instagram post explains.

The 2020 Ameripolitan Music Awards will take place on Feb. 24, 2020 at the Guesthouse at Graceland in Memphis at 8PM. In addition to the show itself, a number of performances and festivities will take place over the course of the surrounding weekend. For tickets, click here.

2020 Ameripolitan Music Awards Nominees List

Honky Tonk Group

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

Honky Tonk Male

Zephaniah OHora
Charley Crockett
Pat Reedy
Johnny Falstaff

Honky Tonk Female

Jaime Wyatt
Sarah Gayle Meech
Kathryn Legendre
Sarah Vista

Western Swing Group

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

Western Swing Male

Ranger Doug
Kyle Eldridge
Keenan Wade (of The Farmer and Adele)
Dave Stuckey

Western Swing Female

Georgia Parker
Cheryl Deserée
Wendy Newcomer
Katie Shore

Rockabilly Group

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

Rockabilly Male

Bloodshot Bill
Eddie Clendening
Jittery Jack
Shaun Young

Rockabilly Female

Laura Palmer
Amber Foxx
Ruby Ann
Linda Gail Lewis

Musician of the Year

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

Venue of the Year

American Legion Post 82 -- Nashville, Tenn.
Southgate House Revival -- Newport, Ky.
Luckenbach Texas -- Fredericksburg, Texas
Skinny Dennis – Brooklyn, N.Y.
Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge – Nashville, Tenn.
Duke’s Indy – Indianapolis, Ind.

Festival of the Year

Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion -- Bristol, Tenn.
High Rockabilly -- Calafell, Spain
Western Swingout Weekender -- Tehachapi, Calif.
SYMCO Weekender -- Symco, Wisconsin