New music: Blake Jones & the Trike Shop, Ruthie Purves Smith, JD Souther

In this column I review new titles featuring Black Jones & the Trike Shop, Ruthie Purves Smith and JD Souther.

Artist: Blake Jones & the Trike Shop

Title: and still... (Big Stir Records)

You might like if you enjoy: Badfinger, XTC, They Might Be Giants, The Zombies

Tell me more: Blake Jones & the Trike Shop's and still... is a melodic delight, a set of dozen alluring tracks that recall the groundbreaking sounds and song-rooted strengths of enduring favorites including XTC, Badfinger, They Might Be Giants, The Beach Boys and Frank Zappa. The Fresno, California-based outfit (singer-guitarist Blake Jones, bassist Mike Snowden, drummer John Shafer, guitarist-singer Mike Scott, keyboardist-vocalist Scott Hatfield) fuses melodic rock with more progressive rock elements to carve out their own signature sonic approach. Standouts abound on the 12-track LP including the opulent opener "Record Cover Girl," jubilant "Used Record Stores," galloping instrumental sortie "You Put Theremin On My Hype Sticker," Baroque pop gem "String Lights and Hold On," soulful "We Love the Tower," harmonies-fueled "What's Enough?" and Rolling Stones-flavored "Shake Your Dress." Released by Big Stir Records on Aug. 16, and still... is available on audio CD, vinyl and via streaming services. Information: bigstirrecords.com and blakejonesmusic.com. 

Artist: Ruthie Purves Smith

Title: Piano in the Field (Ruthie Purves Smith)

You might like if you enjoy: Lucinda Williams, Rosanne Cash

Tell me more: Released on Aug. 16, Ruthie Purves Smith's Piano in the Field is a striking album that took the the artist years to complete and is fully worthy of discovery. The power of the songs here is evident with a single listen; my early favorites on the disc include the sweeping opener "Call An Angel," poignant country nugget "Chelsea," touching tribute to the artist's late father "Cross Over To You," and the title track — the latter which "tells the story of a homeless woman living on a "skiff of land at the edge of the road near Purves Smith's rural Alberta, [Canada] hamlet." The magic of the album continues with wonderful originals including the bittersweet murder ballad "Own True Love," the ambitious "Leonard Cohen Cover," playful "Captain Kirk," and poetic blues track "Water Up The Creek." Piano in the Field features Smith on lead vocals, Jonathan Lagore on electric and acoustic guitars and banjo, Mitch Jay on steel guitar and Dobro, Corbett Frasz on drums, Lisa Jacobs on bass, and Steve Fletcher on keyboards and piano; Esther Purves-Smith, Sydney Zadravec, and Lana and Keith Floen provided background vocals on the disc. Information: ruthpurvessmith.com. 

Lost Classic

Artist: JD Souther

Title: You're Only Lonely (Omnivore Recordings)

You might like if you enjoy: The Eagles, Jackson Browne, the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band

Tell me more: Originally released in 1979, JD Souther's You're Only Lonely was a nine-track album that featured a number of great original songs, including the bewitching title track which spent five weeks at #1 on the Adult Contemporary charts and was a #7 Pop hit. Now the masterwork has been reissued and is available for the first time in 35 years; the audio CD and digital versions add two previously unissued bonus tracks from the album's original recording sessions. Those not familiar with Souther's stunning talents as a singer, guitarist and songwriter should note that by the time he recorded his Columbia Records debut 45 years ago he had already penned hits for the Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt and James Taylor. That level of excellence is heard across You're Only Lonely, including the gorgeous ballad "The Last In Love," lovely "White Rhythm and Blues," rollicking "'Til The Bars Burn Down," wistful countrified "The Moon Just Turned Blue," and rocking "Trouble In Paradise." The previously-unheard bonus tracks are treasures; the smoldering "Ever Faithful Woman" (enhanced by Daniel Kortchmar's stellar guitar work) and an early recording of "Bad News Travels Fast" (the latter would later be recorded for his 1984 Warner Bros. album Home by Dawn) complete the marvelous reissue. Among the notable guests who appear on the album are Eagles lead guitarist Don Felder, Phil Everly, Frey, Henley, Browne and sax great David Sanborn. A wonderful 16-page booklet includes archival photos and new liner notes from Joe Marchese (The Second Disc) as well as an interview with Souther outlining the recording of the album. Information: OmnivoreRecordings.com.

Robert Kinsler

Old 97's set to release new album 'American Primitive' on April 5

Check out the wonderful music video for the new Old 97's track "Where The Road Goes" and get details on the beloved band's forthcoming new album "American Primitive" set for release on April 5...Robert Kinsler 

Old 97’s Celebrate 30th Anniversary with 

New Album American Primitive 

Out April 5 via ATO Records

 

Official Video for New Single

 “Where The Road Goes” Out Now

 

West Coast Tour Kicks Off April 3

February 20, 2024: Thirty years after the release of their powerhouse debut Hitchhike to Rhome, alt-country pioneers Old 97’s are celebrating with the announcement of their lucky 13th studio album American Primitive that will be released on April 5 via ATO Records. Opening with the lyric “You’ve got to dance like the world is falling down around you, because it is,” American Primitive radiates with rambunctious joy even as Miller’s lyrics contend with complex questions of love and mental illness and the routinely daunting state of the world. Today, the three-decade-long lineup of singer and guitarist Rhett Miller, bassist Murry Hammond, guitarist Ken Bethea, and drummer Philip Peeples released the official video for first single “Where The Road Goes” which features Peter Buck on guitar.

 

Watch the official video for “Where The Road Goes.”

Pre-Order American Primitive.

 

“I was in Montana and found myself on the banks of the Blackfoot River, watching the water pounding with a ferocious power, and I started building this song as a statement of gratitude for having survived this long,” explains Miller. “It revisits some of the darkest moments of my life, including a suicide attempt at age 14 that by all rights I shouldn’t have lived through and yet somehow did. In a way it’s like a spiritual travelogue that rolls back through all the places that shaped me for better or worse, and ends up in this beautiful place that I felt so thankful to experience.”

 

Produced by Tucker Martine (My Morning Jacket, The Decemberists, Neko Case) and featuring iconic guest musicians like Peter Buck of R.E.M. and Scott McCaughey of The Young Fresh Fellows and The Minus 5, the album took shape in a series of deliberately whirlwind sessions at Flora Studio in Portland, Oregon. “This was the first record we’ve ever done with zero pre-production,” Miller points out. “It’s us working completely on instinct, leaning on 30 years of playing together to come up with something on the fly rather than overthinking any of our choices.”

 

The album’s title was lifted from a bit of fictional art criticism in Stephen King’s psych-horror novel Duma Key and experienced a full-circle moment when King himself tweeted the news about the album early. In choosing the cover art for American Primitive, Old 97’s selected a painting created by Hammond’s 17-year-old son Tex Hammond — a prodigious talent who, at age 14, became the youngest artist ever to exhibit at the prestigious LA Art Show. It’s a fitting choice for a band who’ve maintained a certain youthful exuberance more than three decades into their career, and for an album in which a palpable sense of wonder prevails despite its world-weary undercurrent. 

 

“Over the last year of touring in celebration of our 30th anniversary, it’s been impossible not to feel some emotion welling up at the idea that my bandmates and I have been in this close brotherhood for so long,” says Miller. “I think a lot of that longevity has to do with the fact that we’re really the same band we were back then. We’ve experimented with pushing in different directions, and we’ve had experiences outside the band where we’ve learned new things, but the way we approach this music has fundamentally remained the same. Our heart is still in the exact same place.”

 

Old 97’s will kick off a spring west coast tour in Santa Fe, NM on April 3 and make stops in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle and more. Find a full list of tour dates below or visit their website.

 

Early Acclaim for Old 97’s American Primitive:

 

“If it’s the end of the world as we know it, this is the record we want to hear to push us on through to the next level.” - Rosanne Cash

 

“Little did you know, Jerry Lee Lewis and Leonard Cohen had a bunch of bastard children that were raised in a dumpster behind a bar in Amarillo and their names are the Old 97’s.” 

- Rainn Wilson

 

“This is all I'll be listening to until the next Old 97’s album.”

- Tig Notaro

 

American Primitive tracklist:

1) Falling Down

2) Somebody

3) American Primitive

4) Where The Road Goes

5) Honeypie

6) By The End Of The Night

7) Masterpiece

8) Incantation

9) Magic

10) Western Stars

11) Chased The Setting Sun

12) This World

13) Estuviera Cayendo

 

Tour Dates:

4/3 – Santa Fe, NM – Tumbleroot Brewery

4/4 – Tucson, AZ – Hotel Congress

4/5 – Pioneertown, CA – Pappy and Harriet's Pioneertown Palace

4/6 – Los Angeles, CA – The Fonda Theatre

4/7 – Solana Beach, CA – Belly Up

4/8 – Morro Bay, CA – The Siren

4/9 – Roseville, CA – Goldfield Trading Post

4/11 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore

4/12 – Bend, OR – Domino Room

4/13 – Portland, OR – Aladdin Theater

4/14 –Seattle, WA – The Showbox

4/16 – Missoula, MT – The Wilma

4/17 – Bozeman, MT – The ELM

4/18 – Billings, MT – Pub Station - Ballroom 

4/19 – Laramie, WY – Gryphon Theatre

4/20 – Englewood, CO – Gothic Theatre

4/21 – Jackson, WY – Jackson Hole Center for the Arts – Center Theater

 

Website – Instagram – Facebook – Twitter

 

Photo credit: Jason Quigley

'The Good Lyre: The Songs of John Wesley Harding' Bandcamp album is benefit for Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, out April 2

The Bandcamp album release 'The Good Lyre: The Songs of John Wesley Harding' collects covers representing acclaimed singer-songwriter's vast catalog. A pretty impressive lineup of artists are contributing to the release including Rosanne Cash, Josh Ritter, Graham Parker, Gary Louris, The Minus 5 and many more! Robert Kinsler

100% of the proceeds will benefit Sweet Relief Musicians Fund; the collection will be released on Friday, April 2, 2021

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — What started one year ago as an innocent social media game, when Facebook friends and fans suggested artists they would like to cover Wesley Stace a.k.a.John Wesley Harding’s songs, became a reality with the Community Coronation Covers Project, a community-curated playlist featuring myriad well-respected artists. The tracks have now been gathered on Bandcamp as The Good Lyre: Songs of John Wesley Harding, available Fri., April 2. All proceeds from sales and downloads will benefit Sweet Relief Musicians Fund.

 

From the hundreds of suggested artist/song pairings, Stace compiled a list: “Realizing that some of these wild ideas were tantalizingly within my grasp, I wondered whether the musicians in question might be willing to help out, to make someone’s day.”

 

These are “bespoke covers: requested by a single person, and hand delivered, as it were, to that person,” says Stace. “The object was first to blow the mind of whoever made the suggestion ‘You said you wanted to hear Graham Parker sing ‘Devil in Me’? Here you go!!’ and then to blow the minds of any fans of the performing artists whom they never thought they would hear sing this song or perhaps any other of my songs: handmade custom-built quarantainment.”

 

“The project started purely as a way to lift spirits at the beginning of the lockdown; a way for musicians to cheer people up. Now we’re bringing it full circle: all the proceeds from this album will benefit Sweet Relief, and specifically musicians affected by the COVID pandemic. It’s a beautiful way to mark the end of the project’s journey. I immediately think of John Prine, Adam Schlesinger, Dave Greenfield, Matthew Seligman, Hal Willner and other friends and/or musical influences lost to complications from the virus.

 

“These performances were acts of great generosity and kindness by these artists — it’s not necessarily an easy thing to work up a new song by request — and I’d like to thank everyone who contributed. Now, in a further act of generosity, all musicians gave an enthusiastic YES to all proceeds being donated to Sweet Relief. There but for fortune go all of us.”

 

Says Aric Steinberg, EVP Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, “We’re so grateful to Wes and all of the amazing artists that donated their time and talent to this project. The proceeds will be used to help musicians who have been financially devastated by the pandemic; artists helping artists, so cool!”

 

Track List:

1. Ryan Miller (Guster) - Your Ghost (Don’t Scare Me No More)
2. Eric Bazilian (The Hooters) - The Person You Are
3. Tanya Donelly (Belly) - The World (and All its Problems)
4. Josh Ritter - Sussex Ghost Story
5. Rosanne Cash - I’m Wrong about Everything
6. Gary Louris (The Jayhawks) - Kiss Me, Miss Liberty
7. Britta Phillips (Dean and Britta) - Sleepy People 8. Steven Page - Why Must the Show Go On?
9. Chris von Sneidern - Negative Love
10. Graham Parker - The Devil in Me
11. Wreckless Eric - Sick Organism
12. Bad Scene - You in Spite of Yourself
13. Casey Neill - Darwin
14. The Minus Five - Making Love to Bob Dylan
15. Marti Jones and Don Dixon - Dreamfader
16. David Lewis - Infinite Combinations
17. Bob Pernice - To Whom It May Concern
18. Marshall Crenshaw - I Just Woke Up
19. Dean Friedman - Top of the Bottom
20. Dag Juhlin (The Sunshine Boys) - People Love to Watch You Die

 

About John Wesley Harding

Wesley Stace was born in Hastings in 1965. Since 1988, he has released many albums under the name John Wesley Harding — his most recent, 2018’s Wesley Stace’s John Wesley Harding, with the Jayhawks as his backing band — and recorded duets with, among others, Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed and Rosanne Cash. Stace has published four novels, including the international bestseller Misfortune, and recently co-wrote Mark Morris’ memoir Out Loud. He also created Cabinet of Wonders, a monthly show that plays at New York City’s City Winery, and which The New Yorker called “one of the finest nights of entertainment this city has to offer.” He has taught at Princeton, Swarthmore and Fairleigh-Dickinson, and writes regularly for the Times Literary Supplement and The Wall Street Journal. He lives in Philadelphia. Learn more at www.wesleystace.com

John Wesley Harding Bandcamp page: https://found.ee/AECF 

 

About Sweet Relief’s COVID-19 Fund

Founded in 1994 by singer-songwriter Victoria Williams, Sweet Relief Musicians Fund provides financial assistance to all types of music industry professionals who are struggling to make ends meet while facing illness, disability, or age-related problems. In March of 2020, Sweet Relief launched a COVID-19 Fund, with a limited amount of funds available to be used specifically for musicians and music industry workers affected by Coronavirus. Funds raised will go towards medical expenses, lodging, clothing, food, and other vital living expenses to those impacted due to sickness or loss of work. For those wishing to apply or donate, please visit www.sweetrelief.org/covid-19-fund

New Music: Kathleen Edwards, John Fusco and the X-Road Riders, Mary Chapin Carpenter

The challenges of 2020 have created a perfect climate for talented singer-songwriters to create great music. Look no further than a trio of superlative summertime releases available now...

Artist: Kathleen Edwards
Title: Total Freedom (Dualtone)
You might like if you enjoy: Jenny Lewis, Aimee Mann, Suzanne Vega
Tell me more: A masterwork of palpable power and artful perfection, Kathleen Edwards' eagerly-awaited return Total Freedom is the Canadian songstress' first new album since 2012's Voyageur. Back from her much-publicized six-year hiatus from the music industry (she opened and has been running a successful coffee shop and cafe called Quitters in her hometown of Stittsville, Ottawa), Edwards reflects on the people, places, dreams and challenges of a life renewed in a way that evokes the emotional might of fellow Canadian greats Neil Young and Bruce Cockburn but with a woman's voice. Like those artists' best work, Edwards' songs provide a potent and electrifying experience for discerning listeners. Emotional hurt is at the core of the weighty "Hard On Everyone," the track bolstered by layers of distant backing vocals, a driving rhythm and otherworldly guitar textures. Her renewed approach to creating music and charting her own path is displayed on the tender "Birds on a Feeder," an absorbing acoustic gem where amidst the arrival of spring she mines the album's title during the choruses when she proclaims "I've got total freedom" in recognition of her self-won independence. "Options Open" also tackles her newfound strength and sense of purpose, but from the perspective of turning 39 and knowing 40 looms. The aching "Feelings Fade," sparse "Ashes to Ashes," and swirling "Fools Ride" are emotional master strokes, her beautiful soprano working its magic amidst wondrous arrangements and Grammy Award-winning producer Ian Fitchuk's knockout touch in the studio. The touching "Who Rescued Who" and heart-rending ballad "Take It With You When You Go" close out the outstanding disc. Edwards' sound is a blend of Americana, pop and folk blended into a signature style that is displayed majestically across Total Freedom. Information: KathleenEdwards.com.

Artist: John Fusco and the X-Road Riders
Title: John the Revelator (Checkerboard Lounge Recordings)
You might like if you enjoy: Cody Dickinson, Ben Harper, Otis Taylor
Tell me more: The two-disc album John the Revelator is a wonderful immersion into the authentic blues-draped universe crafted by Vermont artist John Fusco and his terrific band the X-Road Riders. Lovers of traditional blues will want get a listen to the 20 tracks on the Cody Dickinson-produced collection which thrives on great songs and outstanding musicianship along with a heavy dose of mystery that adds to the magic of the set (just listen to the potent title track). A celebration of the enduring genre explodes via the glorious Chicago blues-styled "Bone Deep," a track bolstered by Magic Mark Lavoie's blues harp playing. While blues is definitely the defining impression across the album, there are plenty of rich shades explored across John the Revelator. Indeed, the funky horns-rich "It Takes a Man," the New Orleans R&B offering "Ophelia (Oh, I Feel Ya)" and tender ballad "Applejack Brandy" are welcome inclusions on disc one; the wistful "Song for Peter," dramatic "Language of Angels," lovely "Moonstone Lady," alt country rocker "Motel Laws of Arizona" and rousing "The Sun Also Rises" are among the nuggets that grace disc two. Among the illustrious artists who contribute to the power of the ambitious John the Revelator are the aforementioned Dickinson (the North Mississippi Allstars great plays drums, bass, guitars, electric washboard and more on the album), guitar master Samantha Fish, vocalist Risse Norman, Sarah Morrow (former trombonist for the late Ray Charles and a bandleader for Dr. John), along with many other notables. Information: www.facebook.com/XRoadRiders/.

Artist: Mary Chapin Carpenter
Title: The Dirt And The Stars (Lambent Light Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Mary Chapin Carpenter, Rosanne Cash
Tell me more: There is a warmth and reassurance about listening to acclaimed singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter's rewarding return The Dirt And The Stars. The 11-song disc is the five-time Grammy winner's 16th studio album and another crucial addition to her celebrated discography. Written before the pandemic gripped the U.S earlier this year, the album's songs resonate as the New Jersey native brings listeners into the intimacies of her life with some songs, and a greater understanding of the world and our place in it elsewhere. "Farther Along and Further In" is the sumptuous opener, her superb soprano voice delivering revealing literate insights about her heart and spirit as the musical soundscape slowly arcs from a single acoustic guitar to an exquisite mix of piano, and full Americana band dynamics. The title of "It's Okay To Be Sad" says plenty, but the song's melancholy is offset by a joyful drive and bright melodic chorus. The nuanced and sparse "Where The Beauty Is" and "Asking for a Friend," wry rocker "American Stooge," buoyant "Secret Keepers" and sweeping title track are among the standouts on the disc. Every song on the album rings true and Carpenter's powerful delivery adds additional eloquence with each note. Information: MaryChapinCarpenter.com.


Robert Kinsler

Sights and Sounds: Michael Ubaldini strikes with new videos, Americana Virtual Conference Lineup

Plenty of important news and music to share for a Wednesday...Robert Kinsler



Watch Michael Ubaldini's timely hard-hitting videos

Michael Ubaldini / Photo credit: Jesse Navarro

Singer-songwriter great Michael Ubaldini has released two new videos that seem to tap into the turmoil of the times more strongly than any other music videos I've seen this year, in large part, because of the power of the songs and his straightforward performance of those songs. The videos for Ubaldini's "Badge of Freedom" and "Peace Sign" are embedded below.

Elvin Bishop, Rosanne Cash, Ry Cooder, Angela Davis, Alice Randall, Bonnie Raitt, Paul Thorn, RIAA’s Mitch Glazier and Michele Ballantyne Plus More First-Rate Speakers Added to Programming Lineup at Thriving Roots: A Virtual Community Music Conference

Three-day virtual music industry conference on Sept. 16-18, 2020, brings together Cash to speak with Davis, Cooder, Raitt and Randall on the history of protest music; Bishop and Thorn to talk about how artists can get creative off the road; Glazier and Ballantyne to lead a discussion on the state of the recording industry
Passes On Sale Now

Top Row (L-R): Elvin Bishop, Rosanne Cash, Ry Cooder
Middle Row: Bonnie Raitt, Paul Thorn, Angela Davis
Bottom Row: Mitch Glazier, Michele Ballantyne, Alice Randall

Just one week after announcing its first programming lineup, the Americana Music Association Foundation (AMAF) has revealed a second wave of programming for Thriving Roots: A Virtual Community Music Conference. The three-day online gathering will host an important discussion led by Rosanne Cash on the history of protest music featuring Ry Cooder, revered political activist Angela Davis, Bonnie Raitt and award-winning author Alice Randall. RIAA Chairman/CEO Mitch Glazier and COO Michele Ballantyne will be leading a conversation on the current state of the recording industry. More programming info can be found below. Passes are on sale here.

In just a little over a month, Thriving Roots will invite attendees online for inspiring panel sessions with first-rate speakers as they navigate talks on music, culture and everything in between. For the panel “Love and Vigilance,” Cash herself shares the idea behind it best, saying, “I invited some old friends — Bonnie Raitt and Ry Cooder — and some new friends — Alice Randall and Angela Davis — to play songs and talk with me about the history of protest music, the long, hard journey of Black musicians to achieve justice, and the anger and longing of the present moment.”

Rosanne Cash performing at the
Grammy Museum in Los Angeles
on Oct. 5, 2010.

Given the ever-evolving nature of the music industry, hearing rare and up-to-date insight from its leading professionals is paramount. During “Record Setting,” join the Recording Industry Association of America's Glazier and Ballantyne for a conversation on the state of the recording industry, current trends and their outlook. Elsewhere, “The Future of Americana” links up Foo Fighters’ Chris Shiflett with industry veterans Leslie Fram (CMT), David Macias (Thirty Tigers), Linda Ryan (Gimme Radio) and Bruce Warren (WXPN / NPR Music’s World Café) for a forecast into the genre’s future over a decade after The Recording Academy established its “Best Americana Album” category.

Additional new programming includes “Striking a Chord,” which finds GRAMMY® Museum Executive Director Scott Goldman sitting down with this year’s Americana Instrumentalist of the Year Nominees Ellen Angelico, Annie Clements, Brittany Haas, Zachariah Hickman and Rich Hinman as they share stories about their respective career journeys. Attending artists will want to check out “How to Stay Creative When You’re Off the Road,” an inside look at how musicians can maximize their productivity while being grounded in one place, led by Bill Bowker (KRSH) in conversation with roots artists Elvin Bishop and Paul Thorn.

In between panels and after business hours, attendees will also be treated to re-energizing music break segments and immersive special events, rounding out the variety of content found at Thriving Roots. Attendees should tune into Dualtone Music Group’s virtual music break highlighting the breadth of their artist roster and Radio Woodstock's Empire State of Americana, which spotlights five rising stars.

Previously announced Thriving Roots programming includes intimate conversations between Brandi Carlile and Yola; Emmylou Harris and Ken Burns; and Jackson Browne and Mavis Staples. There will also be artist-friendly songwriting workshops and case studies like Mary Gauthier’s "Accessing the Universal in Your Songs: Mercy Now,” Taj Mahal’s “Music Is the Healing Voice” and an artist development breakdown with Black Pumas. Moreover, the Woody Guthrie Center will examine the use of music in political campaigns during “Music as a Rallying Cry,” while “The Anatomy of a Publicity Campaign” groups top PR pros to dissect artist campaigns.

With over 50 panel discussions and more than 40 special events filled with music, Thriving Roots will bring the Americana music community together from across the world for three full days of engaging insight from its top industry professionals and leading artists. Previously announced speakers include Rhiannon Giddens and John Leventhal.

The Thriving Roots platform will launch ahead of the three-day virtual conference at a later date to be announced so attendees can personalize their online presence, customize their own daily schedule and begin networking with other attendees.
The virtual conference agenda will be announced in late August. For the latest updates, please visit americanamusic.org.

About Thriving Roots:
Thriving Roots: A Virtual Community Music Conference is a three-day music industry conference slated to take place Sept. 16, 17 and 18, 2020. Presented by the recently announced Americana Music Association Foundation (AMAF), the educational initiative brings the Americana music community together from across the world for three full days of engaging insight from its leading artists and industry professionals. With a wide variety of online programming including stimulating panels and immersive special events, attendees are in store for a unique experience that will go beyond today’s webinar-style conferences. Passes are on sale here.

About the Americana Music Association Foundation (AMAF):
The Americana Music Association Foundation (AMAF), a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational and charitable organization, was founded to preserve Americana music through education. Its endeavors strengthen understanding, awareness and appreciation of cultural heritage, shine a light on inspiration, and promote the capacity and engagement of future creators. The foundation accomplishes this mission through educational programs, musical performances and public events. Throughout the year, its partnership with The Americana Music Association focuses on the preservation of past legacies and traditions that spotlight Americana music’s heritage, while also looking ahead to ensure the future of the community’s generations to come.