Ray Benson is set to host the third annual Ameripolitan Music Awards on Tues., February 16.

The event, which takes place at the Paramount Theatre in Austin, Texas, seeks to honor country artists who aren't following the path of most popular country artists today. Benson took home a 2014 award for Western Swing Male.

“As a former winner and presenter, I’m honored to host the 2016 Ameripolitan Music Awards," he says. "I invite everyone to come on out – it will be a star-studded evening of great music and awards, honoring the outstanding American Roots performers of today!”

Dale Watson coined the term Ameripolitan in reference to his own music and he's started his own label, Ameripolitan Records, as well as the awards show. The singer has released 29 albums since his 1995 debut, including his most recent release, Call Me Insane.

“Everything I’ve been doing has been to perpetuate the music scene and to get this Ameripolitan music out there,” Watson tells The Boot. “It’s opened up a lot of opportunities in that regard, and it keeps going and surprising me, especially with the ever-changing industry of formats … There’s lots of ways to get music out there that didn’t exist a few years ago."

2016 nominees are soon to be announced. Tickets are currently on sale starting at $35 at AustinTheatre.org. More information about the show can be found at Ameripolitan.com.

“The 2016 awards show will be the coming of age for the genre," Watson says. "The performance line-up will be a 'who's who' in the industry, not to mention having a music giant like Ray Benson hosting. We also have several big surprises in store that will electrify fans. This year we are taking the Ameripolitan Music Awards to a new level.”

 

More From TheBoot