Austin Music Awards Honor Bill Carter & Ruth Ellsworth Carter, and Tamara Saviano

Today, the Austin Music Awards revealed the recipients of two legacy honors.

The Townes Van Zandt Award for songwriting, a distinction previously bestowed upon Terry Allen, Joe Ely, and Alejandro Escovedo, will honor Bill Carter and his wife and co-writer Ruth Ellsworth Carter.

The Carters on the occasion of their induction to the AMAs HOF in 2013 (Photo by Todd V. Wolfson)

The couple penned Stevie Ray Vaughan hits “Crossfire” and “Willie the Wimp,” plus the Fabulous Thunderbirds’ “Why Get Up?” Carter, who’s reportedly kin to country music paterfamilias A.P. Carter, occupies a notable spot in AMAs history for being inducted into its Hall of Fame in 2012 and aiding and abetting the only documented performance of P, which also featured Butthole Surfers frontman Gibby Haynes and megastar Johnny Depp at the AMAs in 1993.

Animator and filmmaker Mike Judge, Austin icon behind Beavis & Butthead, Office Space, and the terrifyingly prophetic Idiocracy, presents the Carters’ award. Charlie Sexton co-leads the related musical set.

Tamara Saviano and the late, great Guy Clark in 2012 (Courtesy of Tamara Saviano)

Meanwhile, the Margaret Moser Award – recognizing women with impactful roles on Austin Music – goes to Tamara Saviano, who embedded with songwriting legend Guy Clark for years and wrote his definitive history, Without Getting Killed or Caught. Saviano remains a lynchpin of the Americana genre, having produced multiple award-winning tribute LPs as well as co-producing Kris Kristofferson’s Grammy-nominated Cedar Creek Sessions album. She also now serves as director for the All ATX Leadership program, aimed at connecting and cultivating Austin’s music industry.

Previously, the Moser Award – named for the late Chronicle journalist – recognized Rose Reyes, Dianne Scott, Liz Lambert.

Country star Jack Ingram, a protege of Clark’s, performs in honor of Saviano.

The new AMA poster, seen in today’s issue of the Chronicle courtesy of AMA organizers the Society for the Preservation of Texas Music, also trumpets performances by Big Wy’s Horns, Blackillac, DJ Chorizo Funk, Grupo Fantasma, Hard Proof, Harry & Emmy, J.J. Johnson, Jon Dee Graham, Kathy McCarty, Lolita Lynn, Rich Brotherton, Sir Woman, Tameca Jones, Walker Lukens, and the Well. Veteran local authority Michael Ramos handles musical director duties.

The AMAs, hosted by singer/guitarist Jackie Venson and comedian Chris Cubas, again occupies ACL Live at the Moody Theater. Tickets for the March 11 annual are on-sale now. Winners of the publicly-voted Austin Music Poll will be revealed and presented at the ceremony.