The Americana Music Association will honor lesbian music pioneers Judy Dlugacz and Cris Williamson, two of the Olivia Records founders, as recipients of the 2018 Jack Emerson Lifetime Achievement Award for Executive.
They will receive the honor at the 17th annual Americana Honors & Awards Wed., Sept. 12, at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.
Olivia Records, paving the way for female and LGBT artists, quickly skyrocketed as one of the industry’s leading independent labels during the 1970s, releasing and distributing more than 40 albums and selling approximately 1 million records from artists such as Williamson, Meg Christian and June Millington.
This announcement follows the recent unveiling of 2018 Americana Lifetime Achievement Award for Performance recipient Irma Thomas, Americana Trailblazer k.d.lang and Lifetime Achievement Award for Instrumentalist honoree Buddy Guy. There are also competitive categories, such as Artist of the Year, with nominees Brandi Carlile, Jason Isbell, Margo Price and John Prine.