Co Antrim music legend Van Morrison picked up a Lifetime Achievement Award on at the prestigious American Music Honours and Awards recently.
The ceremony at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee – best known as the home of the Grand Ol Opry – saw the East Belfast superstar receive the award for songwriting from Emmylou Harris.
Van Morrison simply said: “Thank you” when presented with the award before playing Transformation from his new album Roll With The Punches, which was released on September 22.
Also joining Van the Man to receive an award from the Americana Music Association was Englishman Graham Nash, who won the Spirit of America/Free Speech Award, only the second non-American to collect the award.
Nash paid tribute to the impact of American Roots music across the world.
Legendary bluesman Robert Cray was among the star-studded line-up, which also featured the Drive-By Truckers, Lori McKenna, The Lumineers, Hurray for the Riff Raff and Rhiannon Giddens.
Among the awards’ recipients was John Prine, who received Artist of the Year. Sturgil Simpson won Album of the Year for the impressive A Sailor’s Guide to Earth.