# Molly Tuttle, Brandi Carlile Win Big at 2026 Americana Awards

> The Americana Honors & Awards celebrated roots music's brightest stars with standout performances and meaningful wins.
- Title: Molly Tuttle, Brandi Carlile Win Big at 2026 Americana Awards
- Summary: The Americana Honors & Awards celebrated roots music's brightest stars with standout performances and meaningful wins. Molly Tuttle earned Artist of the Year…
- Keywords: molly tuttle, brandi carlile, 2026 americana honors and awards, americana music, artist of the year, song of the year, nashville, tyler childers, gillian welch, david rawlings, dolly parton, robert plant
- Source: Rolling Stone — https://rollingstone.com/music/music-country/2026-americana-honors-awards-winners-list-molly-tuttle-1235628341
- Author: Marissa R. Moss
- Published: 2026-09-17T15:30:55+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: molly tuttle, brandi carlile, 2026 americana honors and awards, americana music, artist of the year, song of the year, nashville, tyler childers, gillian welch, david rawlings, dolly parton, robert plant
## Molly Tuttle takes Artist of the Year
Molly Tuttle earned the top prize at the 2026 Americana Honors & Awards, held September 16 in Nashville. The ceremony celebrated the year's best in roots music.
## Brandi Carlile wins Song of the Year
Brandi Carlile took Song of the Year for "Returning to Myself," one of several major wins for established artists at the ceremony.
## Tyler Childers' album wins top spot
Tyler Childers' Snipe Hunter was named Album of the Year, though Childers was not present to accept the award.
## Mandy Fer inspires on stage
Mandy Fer won Instrumentalist of the Year and delivered a powerful speech about the lack of female lead guitarists she saw growing up. She said filling that void became her life's work.

> When I was a 16 year old girl, first picking up the electric guitar, I noticed a huge void of women being highlighted on stage as lead guitarists.
## Welch and Rawlings win for touring
Gillian Welch and David Rawlings won Duo/Group of the Year despite releasing no new music, earning recognition for their relentless touring schedule including Grateful Dead Acoustic Reckoning shows.

> I'm standing here and I'm quite overwhelmed about what it feels like to be recognized just for playing a lot of music.
## Lifetime honors for music legends
Dolly Parton, Robert Plant, and Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers received Lifetime Achievement awards. Ken Pomeroy won Emerging Act of the Year for his breakthrough album Cruel Joke.
## Key takeaway

Molly Tuttle earned Artist of the Year while Brandi Carlile won Song of the Year, with the night highlighting both established and emerging talent in Americana music.