Big news from the Americana Music Association:

Krauss/Plant Raising Sand Win 5 Awards.

February 9, 2009, Nashville, TN: Raising Sand, the 2008 Americana Album of the Year, by Alison Krauss and Robert Plant, produced by T-Bone Burnett and released by Rounder
Records, swept the 51st Annual Grammy Awards last night winning the
coveted trophy in each of the categories in which they were nominated;
Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals, Best
Country Collaboration With Vocals, and Best Contemporary Folk/Americana
Album.

This album is a triumph for Alison, Robert and T-Bone and congratulations are in order to everyone involved with the project said Jed Hilly Executive Director of the
Americana Music Association. Hilly added, "its also a victory for Americana and all artists and fans who appreciate great music with integrity."

Raising Sand won its first award of the day during the pre telecast of
the Grammys with the win for Best Contemporary
Folk/Americana Album, the category in which the album was registered. That the project was also nominated for the overall Album of the Year marked the first time the

term Americana could be tagged to this prestigious award.

A win of this magnitude highlights the emergence of the Americana genre in the ever-changing music business landscape. Additionally, Rounder Records becomes only the second independent record label to have won both the Album of the Year and Record of the Year categories.

Now in its third year, the Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album winners also include (2007) Bob Dylan for Modern Times and (2008) Steve Earle for Washington Square Serenade.