Guitarist Robert Cray, late folksinger Iris DeMent, Graham Nash, the studio musicians of Hi Records and the founders of HighTone Records will be honored at the Americana Music Association's 16th Annual Honors & Awards ceremony on 9/13 at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.

Cray will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award for Performance. The Hi Rhythm section—guitarist Mabon "Teenie" Hodges, keyboardists Rev. Charles Hodges and Archie "Hubbie" Turner, bassist LeRoy "Flick" Hodges and drummers Howard Grimes and Al Jackson Jr.—are this year's recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award for Instrumentalists.

DeMent will be honored with the Americana Trailblazer Award; Nash will receive the Spirit of Americana Free Speech in Music Award; and HighTone founders Larry Sloven and Bruce Bromberg are the recipients of the Jack Emerson Lifetime Achievement Award for Executive.

As previously announced, Van Morrison will receive Lifetime Achievement Award for songwriting.

“We are proud and humbled to honor these artists whose work has shaped what we not only call Americana today, but the musical landscape on the whole,” said Jed Hilly, Executive Director of the Americana Music Association. “We are inspired by their work and excited to see them all as they will honor us in song at the Ryman this fall.”

The ceremony serves as the official kick-off for the 18th annual Americana Music Festival & Conference that runs 9/12-17.