-dave roots artists won big at the Americana Awards, including [lastfm]John Mellencamp[/lastfm], [lastfm]Ryan Bingham[/lastfm] and a band that will play a show in Atlanta tonight.

The 2010 Americana Awards were held at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium last night.

Grace Potter, along with [lastfm]The Avett Brothers[/lastfm]—who play tonight at Chastain Park Amphitheatre—were among the presenters.

The Avett Brothers

Potter deftly pulled the nominee envelope out from beneath her skirt, prompting a whoop from the crowd.  She helped present the New/Emerging Artist Award to Texas troubadour[lastfm]Hayes Carll[/lastfm].

Rosanne Cash, who picked up Album of the Year for her Johnny Cash-inspired album The List, bestowed the Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriter to John Mellencamp, whose latest studio album, No Better Than This, is his 21st.

Cash won the Album of the Year award for The List, and thanked her famous father.  “Most of all I want to thank my Dad for allowing me to be a songwriter,” she said, “and then I made a record that represented being a songwriter by being all covers.”

Earlier this month, Renee interviewed Rosanne Cash who talked about a special night onstage with her father, Johnny:

Here’s a list of the 2010 Americana winners:

* Album of the Year: The List, [lastfm]Rosanne Cash[/lastfm]

* Artist of the Year: [lastfm]Ryan Bingham[/lastfm]

* Instrumentalist of the Year: [lastfm]Buddy Miller[/lastfm]

* New / Emerging Artist: [lastfm]Hayes Carll[/lastfm]

* Song of the Year: “The Weary Kind” by Ryan Bingham (Written by Ryan Bingham & [lastfm]T Bone Burnett[/lastfm])

* Duo / Group of the Year: The Avett Brothers

* Jack Emerson Lifetime Achievement Award for Executive: Luke Lewis

* Lifetime Achievement Award for Instrumentalist: [lastfm]Greg Leisz[/lastfm]

* Lifetime Achievement Award for Performance: [lastfm]Wanda Jackson[/lastfm]

* Lifetime Achievement Award for Producer/Engineer: Brian Ahern

* Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriter: John Mellencamp