The Americana Music Honors & Awards took place Wednesday night at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, where Billy Strings‘ fiddler Alex Hargreaves took home Instrumentalist Of The Year. Hargreaves joined Strings’ outfit in 2022 after the guitarist “proposed” onstage in Baltimore, sliding in alongside longtime band members Billy Failing (banjo), Royal Masat (bass), and Jarrod Walker (mandolinist).

Actor/musician John C. Reilly hosted the Americana Music Association‘s annual awards show, where Hargreaves was up against stiff competition for Instrumentalist Of The Year. Also nominated were seasoned Sheryl Crow drummer Fred Eltringham, newly appointed Molly Tuttle drummer Megan Jane, Eric Church cellist Kaitlyn Raitz, and Mountain Heart guitarist Seth Taylor. This marked Hargreaves’ first win for Instrumentalist Of The Year, placing him in the ranks of Molly Tuttle, Larry Campbell, Jerry Douglas, Dave Rawlings, Chris Eldridge (Punch Brothers), and many more.

“Well this is quite an honor,” Hargreaves said upon accepting the award. “Far too many people to thank, but I want to give a special shoutout to Billy Strings, Billy Failing, Royal Masat, Jarrod Walker for being my brothers out there on the road. … And a special shoutout to my amazing fellow nominees, as well as all of the other instrumentalists and side musicians out there. Often under the radar, but doing their thing and making it all happen. I see this as a celebration of all of you.”

Congratulations for Hargreaves came from around the internet, including from his boss, Billy Strings, whose official social media channel took on a decidedly more personal tone.

“ALEX MOTHA FUCKIN HARGREAVES!!!!!!!!” Read a post on Billy’s official accounts. “Americana Music Association instrumentalist of the year and soo well deserved congratulations to my boy!!!!!!!!”

Hargreaves was among illustrious company in the winner’s circle at the 24th annual Americana Honors, which coincides with AmericanaFest throughout Nashville. Sierra Ferrell took home her second consecutive win for Artist Of The Year and Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats won Album Of The Year for South of Here, a long-awaited win for Rateliff who was nominated for Song Of The Year in 2016 and 2020.

Gillian Welch and David Rawlings nabbed their first Duo/Group Of The Year award, ten years after receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award For Songwriting. On Wednesday, the Association handed Lifetime Achievement Awards to Joe Henry, Darrell Scott, and Old 97’s. Other winners included singer-songwriter MJ Lenderman for Emerging Act Of The Year and supergroup I’m With Her‘s “Ancient Light” for Song Of The Year.

Hargreaves officially joined Strings’ eponymous touring outfit in July 2022 following intermittent sit-ins. Prior to Hargreaves’ addition, Strings recorded and occasionally performed with fiddler John Mailander, a full-time member of Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers since 2018. Mailander appeared on Strings’ first three full-length studio albums—Turmoil & Tinfoil (2017), Home (2019), and Renewal (2021)—while Hargreaves provided fiddle on Strings’ historic, chart-topping fourth album, Highway Prayers (2024).

As a member of the live band, Hargreaves has continued to push the sonic boundaries of Strings’ already-adventurous psychedelic take on bluegrass. Whether it’s a concise run through a traditional Doc Watson tune or one of Strings’ open-ended jam vehicles like “Meet Me At the Creek”, Hargreaves’ fiddle often acts as a catalyst to group improvisation, sometimes locking into instrumental back-and-forths with Strings.

The only thing I love more than Billy Strings and Alex Hargreaves is how much Billy Strings loves Alex Hargreaves
byu/rbececa inBillyStrings

Watch Alex Hargreaves accept his award for Instrumentalist Of The Year in this full broadcast of the Americana Music Honors & Awards, with his speech beginning at 22:50. Hargreaves will link back up with Strings on September 17th in Chattanooga, TN, following Billy’s ongoing trio tour with Bryan Sutton and Royal Masat. Find Billy Strings tickets and tour dates here.

Fans can celebrate Hargreaves’ work with Strings via the guitarist’s full live archive on nugs. Sign up for a nugs.net All Access subscription here. [Editor’s note: Live For Live Music is a nugs affiliate. Ordering your subscription via the links on this page helps to support our work covering the world of live music. Thank you for reading!]