Category: Americana Music Festival

Show 41 – The Genre-Defying Music of Robert Randolph

Robert Randolph

One of our favorite interviews this past year was a conversation with Robert Randolph, fresh off his “Brighter Days” album.

As you’ll hear, Robert is both confident and energetic -and a tremendous amount of fun. While we were doing the interview in the lobby of Nashville’s War Memorial Auditorium, the venue’s staffers asked to shoot streaming video for Facebook as we talked. Robert was game for anything.

How does anyone muster that much energy a little after noon?

Show 29 The Accidentals and Vanessa Peters

Today’s episode of the Americana Music News Podcast  features the Accidentals, a talented young trio that floored us with their dynamic performances at this year’s Americana Music Festival and WMOT showcase. And just in time for election day, we offer Vanessa Peters’ “Carnival Barker,’ a pointed and powerful song from her striking new album “Foxhole Prayers.”

Show 26: Tony Joe White’s “Bad Mouthin'”

Tony Joe White

Tony Joe White discusses his new album at BMI in Nashville.

We were a little puzzled when we heard some describe Tony Joe White’s new release as a “blues album.” What Tony Joe White record isn’t a blues album?

Since emerging in 1969 by recording “Polk Salad Annie” and writing the brilliant “Rainy Night in Georgia,” a hit in the hands of Brook Benton in 1970. White has turned out decades of soulful and bluesy recordings, all stamped with his signature sound.

Yet “Bad Mouthin'” is indeed a return to his roots. It’s stripped down and simple, distilling Tony Joe’s  music to its essence. The title cut is also vintage, a long lost song from the very beginning of his songwriting efforts.

Tony Joe White explains how it all came about in this edition of the Americana Music News podcast.

 

Americanafest 2018: A singular week of music in Nashville

John Prine

John Prine at Americanafest 2017

Americana Music News – We’re just 2 days away from the launch of the Americana Music Conference and Festival on Tuesday in Nashville, the number one musical event in a city devoted to them. Of course, we have a bias toward all things Americana, but you would be hard-pressed to name another festival anywhere with the same depth and  breadth of talent.

John Prine, Candi Staton, Buddy Miller, Brandy Clark, John Hiatt, Jerry Douglas, Jim Lauderdale, K.D. Lang, Kathy Mattea, Kim Richey, Lori McKenna, Old Crow Medicine Show, Richard Thompson, Lera Lynn, Rosanne Cash and Alejandro Escovedo are among the top artists at Americanafest 2018. The full list is here.

The $75 wristband  is a tremendous bargain, and some are still available at the Americana Music Association site.

New Americana Music Festival artists announced

John Hiatt

Americana Music News – The Americana Music Festival, set for Nashville Sept. 11-16, has just released a new roster of performers. Additions include John Prine and friends, John Hiatt, I’me With Her, the Milk Carton Kids and Niki Bluhm.
This is always one of the best events of the year, and in a town known as “Music City,” that’s saying something.
You can buy $75 wristbands here.

The new additions:

Aaron Lee Tasjan
AHI
Amy Helm
Amythyst Kiah
Andrew Combs
Ashley Monroe
Asleep at the Wheel
Austin Lucas
Ben Hunter & Joe Seamons
Blackfoot Gypsies
Bobby Long
Bones Owens
Bottle Rockets
Buffalo Gospel
Caleb Caudle
Candi Staton
Carson McHone
CORDOVAS
Courtney Marie Andrews
Daniel Donato
Darling West
Doug Seegers
Esther Rose
Fanny Lumsden
Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen
Great Peacock
Greyhounds
Guthrie Trapp
Guy Davis
Hayes Carll
HYWAYS
I’m With Her
Ian Noe
J2B2 (John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band)
Jackie Greene
Jason Boland & The Stragglers
Jedd Hughes
Jill Andrews
Jim Lauderdale
Jim White
John Hiatt
John Paul Keith
John Prine and Friends
John Smith
Johnny Irion
Kaia Kater
Kelsey Waldon
Kirby Brown
Kristin Andreassen
Kyle Daniel
Leah Blevins
Lera Lynn
Logan Ledger
Lucie Silvas
Mando Saenz
Mandy Barnett
Mike Farris
Mindy Smith
Mipso
Molly Tuttle
My Politic
Nicki Bluhm
Ordinary Elephant
Peter Case
Phil Cook
Pony Bradshaw
River Whyless
Robbie Fulks with Linda Gail Lewis
Robby Hecht & Caroline Spence
Romantica
Ross Cooper
Ruby Boots
Ruen Brothers
Sam Morrow
Sarah Borges
Sugaray Rayford Band
SZLACHETKA
The Americans
The Andy Golledge Band
The Band of Heathens
The Josephines
The Last Revel
The Milk Carton Kids
The Nude Party
The Reckless Electric
The Suffers
THE WANDERING HEARTS
The Watson Twins
The Way Down Wanderers
Tim Bluhm
Tommy Ash
Treetop Flyers
Tyler Ramsey
Tyrone Cotton
Van William
Whitehorse
Will Hoge
William the Conqueror

Buy Your Pass

Podcast 15: 2018 Americana Music Nominees Announced

Today the Americana Music Association released its list of nominees for honors at the Americana Music Festival and Conference set for Nashville in September.

The nominees included:

Album of the Year

Mary Gauthier

Mary Gauthier

 

“All American Made,” Margo Price, Produced by Jeremy Ivey, Alex Munoz, Margo Price and Matt Ross-Spang
“By The Way I Forgive You,” Brandi Carlile, Produced by Dave Cobb and Shooter Jennings
“The Nashville Sound,” Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit, Produced by Dave Cobb
“Rifles & Rosary Beads,” Mary Gauthier, Produced by Neilson Hubbard

 

 

John Prine

John Prine

 

Artist of the Year
Brandi Carlile
Jason Isbell
Margo Price
John Prine

 

 

Duo/Group of the Year
I’m With Her
Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit
Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real
Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats

Emerging Act of the Year
Courtney Marie Andrews
Tyler Childers
Anderson East
Lilly Hiatt

Song of the Year
“A Little Pain,” Margo Price, Written by Margo Price
“All The Trouble,” Lee Ann Womack, Written by Waylon Payne, Lee Ann Womack and Adam
Wright
“If We Were Vampires,” Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit, Written by Jason Isbell
“The Joke,” Brandi Carlile, Written by Brandi Carlile, Dave Cobb, Phil Hanseroth and Tim Hanseroth

Instrumentalist of the Year
Daniel Donato
Brittany Haas
Jerry Pentecost
Molly Tuttle

Here’s our podcast from this celebrative event, featuring the Milk Carton Kids and AMA Executive Director Jed Hilly.

WMOT Birthday Bash at Americana Festival

By Ken Paulson

It’s been a highlight-filled week at the 2017 Americana Music Festival, but we we’ll admit to a special fondness for a show produced by WMOT Roots Radio, where I also play a modest role.

The station celebrated its first birthday as an Americana station with performances by Paul Thorn, Reckless Kelly, Whitney Rose, the Secret Sisters,the Deep Dark Woods, the O’Connor Band, Lilly Hiatt, the Texas Gentlemen, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Katie Pruitt, the Vandoliers and Mike Farris.

Scenes from throughout the day: