John Hiatt To Receive Americana Music Association

Nashville, TN (Top40 Charts/ Americana Music Association) - Jed Hilly, Executive Director of The Americana Music Association announced one of America's most respected and influential singer songwriters John Hiatt will be the recipient of the 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting. The award will be presented during the 7th Annual Americana Music Association Honors & Awards at 7pm CT on Thurs., September 18 at the Ryman Auditorium, Nashville.

"It's a privilege to honor John Hiatt", says Hilly. "He is the essence of what the Americana Songwriter award is all about; a true artist, a performer and songwriter whose work is steeped with integrity"

Past recipients include Americana icons Willie Nelson, Rodney Crowell, Guy Clark, Cowboy Jack Clement, John Prine and Billy Joe Shaver.

Hiatt's 30 year career includes a string of critically acclaimed albums, including the upcoming release Same Old Man. His songs have been covered by a diverse range of artists including Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton and B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, Buddy Guy, Emmylou Harris, Iggy Pop, The Neville Brothers, Roseanne Cash, Steve Earle, Willie Nelson and The Jeff Healey Band. His songs have garnered Grammy nominations, reached number one and he's even gained a youthful new audience with his part in the cartoon band of Disney's 2002 film The Country Bears.

The upcoming Americana Honors & Awards show will be hosted again by two-time Americana Honors & Awards recipient and Grammy Winner Jim Lauderdale and the all-star house band will once again by led by last year's Award winner for Instrumentalist of the Year Buddy Miller. Other participants and honorees will be announced in the future.

The two-hour event will be broadcast live on XM Satellite Radio, as well as future broadcasts on Sirius Satellite Radio and on BBC Radio 2.