Brandi Carlile, Lucinda Williams, Allison Russell Among Lineup of Performers for Americana Awards

Antonio Ferme editor There was a lingering feeling of ambiguity and anticipation on Sunday night at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, the site of 20th Century Studios’ worldwide premiere of David O. Russell’s “Amsterdam.”  Russell has not released a new film in nearly seven years — his last feature was 2015’s “Joy” with Jennifer Lawrence. Given his various controversies and 2011 sexual assault allegation, it was unclear whether Hollywood would re-embrace the director with open arms. And then Drake walked out on stage. “This is just a real moment,” Drake said. “So I am here to introduce the extremely talented, very legendary, one of the most handsome men in Hollywood. He goes by the name of David O. Russell.”

David O. Russell is a filmmaker with an amazing track record of award-winning films.

Marcus Mumford released “Cannibal,” the lead-off song for his first solo album, he was very much declaring a different set of lyrical as well as musical intentions. But for most of the press and public, the focus immediately got put on peripheral matters. Like: Did the existence of a solo project mean Mumford and Sons were breaking up? Had tension over one of the band members leaving last year amid controversy forced a fissure in the group? And then, on the lighter side, hey, how about that Steven Spielberg clip for “Cannibal,” the first music video the filmmaker had ever done? All good, reasonable questions… and all of them burying the lead, as it were. But when Brandi Carlile, who co-wrote and sings on the new album’s final track, “How,” publicly praised him for his bravery and described the album — “Self-Titled” — as “a trust fall,” something more seemed to be afoot than the very modest amount of courage it might take for a star frontman to go solo. And then Mumford went public in confirming what fans who’d listened carefully to “Cannibal” had already figured out: that it was a song addressing someone who sexually abused him in his childhood. The rest of “Self-Titled,” which arrives this weekend, is not so strictly focused on that particular trauma as “Cannibal” and “How” are, but they all touch on points in a lifelong series of reconciliations that will strike deep chords in any listeners who may be on the same journey from horror to healing.

How do you inspire a legend? Country music star Tanya Tucker finds motivation to try again in “The Return of Tanya Tucker-Featuring Brandi Carlile.” The film chronicles a surprising chapter in Tucker’s career, charting an unexpected comeback album. Singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile is invaluable to the project.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic The Americana Honors & Awards have always, perhaps more than any other music awards show, rewarded work that is fairly unassailable … which doesn’t always mean that the ceremony has always seized the moment. In 2018, Brandi Carlile’s breakout album and song, “By the Way, I Forgive You” and “The Joke,” both lost in their respective categories to Jason Isbell. Although he was being rewarded for top-flight work and there was nothing remotely shameful about this wins, it had the feeling of an opportunity lost, rubber-stamping the time-tested when a rising star who offered a chance for increased representation was right there in the nominees’ midst. So this year, if the award had gone to Carlile’s excellent “In These Silent Days,” it would have been a perfectly reasonable case of playing catch-up.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic Allison Russell, Brandi Carlile and Billy Strings were among the winners Wednesday night at the Americana Honors & Awards ceremony in Nashville, where the love was spread around among the genre’s current leading lights. Six different performers prevailed in the six voted categories, with newcomer Sierra Ferrell, instrumentalist Larissa Maestro and the husband-wife duo the War and Treaty also coming up winners. The competition can be more inter-familial at the Americana Awards than at other shows, and the three leading nominees — Carlile, Russell and Yola, who had three nominations each — have been particularly tight-knit in supporting and guesting with one another. Carlile was even instrumental in helping get Russell her record deal with Fantasy Records.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic On the eve of AmericanaFest in Nashville, Lucinda Williams was celebrated at BMI’s headquarters as the recipient of the performing rights organization’s annual Troubadour Award, where an invitation-only crowd heard Williams’ songs covered by Jason Isbell, Angel Olsen, ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, Amos Lee and Madeline Edwards. Other artists saluted Williams via taped congratulations, like Robert Plant and Dwight Yoakam, who called giving Williams the lifetime achievement award “long overdue.” Maybe it wasn’t that long overdue: Williams is only the fourth artist to get the Troubadour honor since it was instituted in 2017, following in the footsteps of John Prine, John Hiatt and Robert Earl Keen.

Now all the trophies have been put on their respective shelves, it’s no slight to say the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards last night ended up being a tricky mix of the arcane, retro and optimistic, among other things. Off-screen, NBC’s Kenan Thompson hosted broadcast of television’s big night had to contend with the awkward reality of a match-up with Monday Night Football’s season debut on ABC and ESPN.

Prepared for anything. Saturday Night Live star Bowen Yang took the stage at the Emmys to help host Kenan Thompson — and made a controversial joke about the infamous 2022 Oscars in the process.

Henry Winkler is giving the flowers to the next generation of stars! On Monday, the star had high praise for Tyler James Williams and his work on  on the red carpet of the 74th Prime Time Emmys. “What a great teacher. Let me just say, what a wonderful, soothing teacher he plays. I wish I had a teacher like that in my life,” the 76-year-old tells Williams in the moment captured by ET’s cameras on the red carpet.

William Earl Jennifer Lawrence brought serious starpower to the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday, appearing at the world premiere of her new film “Causeway.” But despite the big, Hollywood name “Causeway” was a quieter character study. Lawrence stars in and produces the film, in which she plays a soldier returning to civilian life in New Orleans. The film also stars Brian Tyree Henry, Linda Emond, Stephen McKinley Henderson and Russell Harvard. “Causeway” is the feature directorial debut of theater veteran Lila Neugebauer, with a script written by Elizabeth Sanders, Luke Goebel and Ottessa Moshfegh.

EXCLUSIVE: For the first time since launching eventual Best Picture Oscar winner Green Book five years ago, writer/director Peter Farrelly returns to the Toronto Film Festival with another drama built around an obscure and difficult to be believed but fact-based road trip set in the turbulent ‘60s.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic Brandi Carlile livestreamed some intimate performances to fans’ computer screens during the heart of the pandemic, but now that everyone is out and about again, she’s taking the livestream experience very big, with plans to simulcast a live concert, “Brandi Carlile: In the Canyon Haze — Live from Laurel Canyon,” to more than 100 IMAX screens on Sept. 28. The IMAX presentation will include a full performance of her “In the Canyon Daze” album, set to come out that same day. The forthcoming release is a full-on remake of her “In These Silent Days” album, which came out last October, this time arranged with more of an acoustic bent and the vintage Laurel Canyon sound in mind.

Peacock.“Saturday Night Live” icon Kenan Thompson will be emceeing the night’s festivities.“Being a part of this incredible evening where we honor the best of the television community is ridiculously exciting, and to do it on NBC — my longtime network family — makes it even more special,” Thompson, 44, said in a statement last month. “Like all TV fans, I can’t wait to see the stars from my favorite shows.”The Nickelodeon alum recently revealed how his “SNL” characters could possibly pop up during the awards next week.“I love doing a character,” he told Entertainment Weekly on Aug.

Carrie Underwood and her family are no doubt celebrating after the nominations for the 56th annual CMA Awards were announced on Wednesday.SEE: Carrie Underwood shares incredible view of endless garden on 400-acre family farmThe Ghost Story singer was among some of the top country music stars who picked up nominations, with Carrie receiving three nods for Entertainer of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, and Musical Event of the Year for her duet with Jason Aldean, If I Didn't Love You. WATCH: Carrie Underwood discusses CMAsCarrie has garnered 40 career nods since 2006.

Some people adore his films, others detest his films and the man himself. (Likely for good reason.) Wherever someone may fall with their opinions on him, one thing is certain about David O.

Goldie Hawn loves spending time with her family above all else, and her fans just adore seeing it every time she shares one of their moments together with them.MORE: Goldie Hawn spends time at home away from home before waving grandson off to collegeThe actress delighted her fans with another of those highlights with a video she posted on her Instagram - which fans are still talking about.WATCH: Goldie Hawn dances on the streets with her sonIn the clip shot in Aspen last year, Goldie and her son from her partner Kurt Russell's first marriage, Boston Russell, came upon a street string quartet and started to dance to the music.The two happily twirled through the routine, with Kurt's hearty laugh occasionally puncturing through the dancing. Eventually, the two broke off and started gleefully laughing as well.MORE: Oliver Hudson emotionally opens up about father Bill HudsonMORE: Goldie Hawn reacts as son 'breaks down crying' during family vacation"Nothing like spontaneously dancing with your children!! #happymaking," she captioned the adorable video.

Serena Williams' loss in the third round of the U.S. Open on Friday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium likely marked the end of her tennis career.The 40-year-old superstar announced back in August her intention to retire from the sport, and while she didn't officially use that word, she did share that she is «evolving away from tennis.»«I’m here to tell you that I’m evolving away from tennis, toward other things that are important to me,» Williams shared in a first-person account published in 's September 2022 issue. «A few years ago, I quietly started Serena Ventures, a venture capital firm.