Americanafest 2019: A Roots Music Fantasy
With over 500 individual performances taking place at over 50 different Nashville venues over six days, it’s a challenge to even begin to provide an overview of Americanafest. This was the 20th year for the sprawling festival, sponsored by the Americana Music Association with the mission of “advocating for the authentic voice of American Roots Music around the world.” Wikipedia describes Americana as “an amalgam of American music… of shared traditions, merged from folk, country, blues, rhythm and blues, rock and roll, gospel, and other external influences.” Every one of these categories was on display in spades during this week, making decision-making a task. In general, the showcases began at 7 each night, lasting until after midnight in many locations, and some of the venues are 15 miles apart across the city. Luckily, daytime events don’t usually start until 11 a.m. Transportation and parking figure heavily on your choices. It’s a free-swinging fantasy of almost non-stop music for fans, and with such a variety to choose from, unless you’re a classical music fan, you will certainly find what you’re looking for.
Honors and Awards Ceremony
On Wednesday night the annual Honors and Awards ceremony took place at the Ryman Auditorium. You can read about the show HERE and you can watch for the broadcast sometime later this year on PBS.
I wanted to cover newcomers and the well-known, small venues and large, and a broad spectrum of music. Here’s what I saw.
Yola
Seeing Yola without having heard her before is a striking experience. I had missed her appearance on CBS This Morning in March, so I was unprepared for this black woman from Bristol, England. She is a vocalist who can go from sweet dulcet lower tones to full-on Aretha in the same song. The Black Keys guitarist and vocalist Dan Auerbach produced her album Walk Through Fire, which features guests including Vince Gill and Molly Tuttle. Her set at the Little Harpeth Brewery was attended by Auerbach and T-Bone Burnett and a large group of wide-eyed fans.
J.S. Ondara
J.S. Ondara‘s story is song worthy by itself. He was born in Nairobi, Kenya, and loved American music, but his family had no money for musical instruments. In 2013 at the age of 20, he won a Green Card lottery; he chose to move to Minnesota in February of that year, in part because Bob Dylan was born in Minnesota. He taught himself to play guitar and played at open mic nights in small clubs. Uploading some songs to YouTube resulted in some local attention, and he was discovered when one of his songs was played on a local radio station. His first album, Tales of America, was released in February 2019, and he appeared on CBS This Morning earlier this month, performing the instant classic “American Dream.” His original songs are presented quietly with beautiful vocals and solemnity, and even in a normally rowdy venue like the Station Inn the audience hung on every word.
Billy Strings
One of the hottest names on bluegrass/crossover festival lists, Billy made a number of appearances during the week. Fighting a poorly managed soundboard and feedback, he and his band presented their driving arrangements of original and traditional songs on the roof of the BMI building. Their level of expertise is already legendary. Banjo player Billy Failing and mandolin player Jarrod Walker are at the top of their game, and bassist Royal Masat keeps things solid.
The next morning Billy appeared at the Ainsworth for a masterful set with the virtuoso of the banjo, Bela Fleck. John Strohm, the head of Rounder Records, had the idea to combine acts that he thought would resonate for fans, and this did. The relaxed atmosphere was one of two friends sitting around admiring each other’s work; at one point Fleck asked the crowd what time it was, saying he was having so much fun he lost track. Most of the songs were instrumental, but a highlight was their version of Norman Blake’s “Church Street Blues,” with Fleck’s chromatic runs resulting in the shaking of many heads. It was clear this was something special for those who attended.
Della Mae and The War and Treaty
Another entertaining Rounder combination: the high-energy bluegrass group Della Mae and their genre-bending vocalist Celia Woodsmith with the R&B and gospel stylings of The War and Treaty. Michael Trotter and Tanya Blount, who were awarded the Emerging Artist of the Year award, roared through a four-song set with Della Mae, taking no prisoners. Two chestnuts, “16 Tons” and “Will the Circle Be Unbroken,” were highlights.
Marcus King Band
Although they have a rabid following, I had never heard the Marcus King Band. The 23-year-old from Greenville SC has been playing hard-core Southern rock for years. Although he rejects the comparison, his gruff vocals and blazing guitar leads automatically recall the Allman Brothers Band; the very thought of him and Derek Trucks playing together is a guitar player’s fantasy. He’s added a great horn section and loves to collaborate with other artists at jams. His cover of Willie Dixon’s “I Just Want to Make Love to You” was a show-stopper. He is not to be missed.
The Mavericks
A late-night surprise occurred at the Station Inn, where many had gathered to catch Nathaniel Rateliff and Friends. The soul-oriented singer/songwriter draws large crowds, and there was a groan when it was announced that because of a hand injury, Nathaniel was unable to perform. Jed Hilly, the executive director of the Americana Music Association, took the stage and announced that he had been able to convince another act to fill in. The Mavericks would play an acoustic set, and the crowd was not disappointed. Crowding nine people and their instruments onto the small stage took a while, but nobody went home. Raul Malo then led the band through a wonderful set of some well-known songs, kicking things off with “Swinging” and the uptempo “You Don’t Love Me (But I’ll Always Care).” A wonderful relaxed set from consummate professionals.
Molly Tuttle
Molly Tuttle was all over town, playing in five venues and sitting in with others. Her set at Compass Records included several songs from her recent album When You’re Ready, including “Million Miles” and the title song. It’s clear that the bluegrass flat-picking prodigy, the first woman to be named Best Guitar Player by the IBMA, is changing direction. Playing professionally since she was a child, the 26-year-old phenomenon is exploring rock influences, adding a drum set and an electric guitar to her mix. As a youngster she loved a number of rock bands and has been a big fan of the Avett Brothers and their rock stylings with acoustic instruments. Her voice holds up well in the mix, and her unfortunately rare guitar breaks were still jaw-dropping. It will be interesting to see where this album and band lead her.
Sierra Hull
A fellow bluegrasser who is also going in a different direction is mandolin prodigy Sierra Hull. With bassist Missy Raines, banjo player and record company executive Alison Brown, fiddle player Becky Buller, and Tuttle, they made up the “First Ladies of Bluegrass,” the first women in each instrumental category to be honored by the International Bluegrass Music Association as best in their category. Hull was signed to Rounder Records at the age of 13. Her band, which includes her husband Justin Moses on electric and acoustic instruments, and Eddie Barbash on the saxophone, provided some expertly done David Grisman-styled instrumentals. Nice original songs and vocal harmonies rounded out her set at the YeeHaw Brewery.
Che Apalache
One of the most extraordinary acts I saw was Che Apalache, a bluegrass band composed of Joe Troop, a native North Carolinian who moved to Buenos Aires and found three fellow string band members from Mexico and Argentina. Their Latin-infused bluegrass (the first three songs during their War Memorial Auditorium set were in Spanish) and politically-themed songs have caused a buzz on the festival circuit this year. One song, “The Wall,” includes the line “…we’ll have to knock it down,” which usually results in a loud audience reaction of support. They will not blow people away with instrumental brilliance, but their energy and fine harmonies are entertaining and worth seeing.
David Ball
It was a trip to the past watching David Ball. The only surviving member of the legendary Uncle Walt’s Band, he began his set at the Station Inn with his daughter Audrey joining him for several UWB songs, including “Deeper Than Love”. If you’ve never heard of UWB, they were a regionally popular trio in the south in the early to mid-70s who moved to Austin, played as Lyle Lovett‘s back up band, and recorded some miraculous albums. Many years later, there is a resurgence of interest in their music, which was acoustic and would have been known as Americana if the term had existed. Their records have been remastered and released again on vinyl and CD by Omnivore Records. They were a special band and far ahead of their time. After being joined by his full band, with the notable addition of the fiddle player Eamon McLaughlin, he ran through some of his classically inspired country hits. Songs from his recent album, Come See Me, were mixed with songs from his other six albums, including his platinum debut Thinking Problem.
Brent Cobb
Brent Cobb is a well-known songwriter and performer, cousin of already-legendary record producer Dave Cobb. His songs have been recorded by a host of Nashville folks, from Luke Bryan and Kenny Chesney to Miranda Lambert. In spite of that, his songs lean toward Americana sensitivities more than contemporary country music. His set on the BMI rooftop ranged from the bluesy “Black Crow,” the rocker “Ain’t a Road Too Long,” and the folk-ish “Traveling Poor Boy.”
Shawn Colvin
Yes, she won a Grammy in 1997 for the pop-oriented “Sunny Came Home,” but for her fan base, Shawn Colvin is a folk icon. For thirty years she’s provided a backdrop for the changes taking place in the country. Her album “Cover Girl” is seen as one of the best albums of covers ever recorded, encompassing Tom Waits, Dylan, Jimmy Webb, Sting and Steve Earle among others. On the thirtieth anniversary of her first album, Steady On, she decided to re-record the album acoustically, with only her guitar. For her set at the City Winery, she performed the album in its entirety. For me, it was a journey back to a quieter time; it was one of my favorite albums. While she noted the album was “jam-packed” with break-up songs, the imagery and wisdom in her songs shone through. Her first major hit, “Diamond in the Rough,” has always been about her mesmerizing guitar rhythms. “Cry Like an Angel” moved one of the performers sitting with me to tears. After she completed the album she was joined by Nashville legend Buddy Miller, who helped her career get started. They performed a few songs, putting the perfect ending on an inspiring set.
Shawn Colvin. Photo credit- Rick Davidson
Sean McConnell
I was going to leave to go to another venue, but some artists I was sitting with suggested I stay and see the next set by one of their friends, Sean McConnell, a name I was not familiar with. It was an excellent suggestion. He released his first album at age 15 almost 20 years ago and has written songs for Brad Paisley, Tim McGraw, Martina McBride and Rascal Flatts. With no backup band, his strong vocals and thoughtful songs made for a fine experience. At one point he moved to the front of the stage, unplugged his guitar and sang without a microphone because he thought it was appropriate for the song. He then invited two friends to come up on stage and perform a song they had just written, a beautifully crafted song about asking for help (my guess at the title: “I Have Nothing Without You”). The two-part harmony was spectacular. It was a very impressive set.
Dee White
Dee White played a set at the Little Harpeth Brewery. He’s a protégé of Black Keys member Dan Auerbach, who produced his recent album Southern Gentleman with the assistance of Dave Ferguson. He has toured with Alison Krauss, who sings on four of the songs on his album. Even though he is only in his early 20s, his set showed a mature artist, very much at ease with the rowdy surroundings. A tasteful pedal steel player and another guitarist and bass player provided great support for his soft folk-tinged country sound. He brought Molly Tuttle onstage for a duet on “That’s the Way Love Goes.” He’s a talent to watch.
Ordinary Elephant
Pete and Crystal Damore, the couple known as Ordinary Elephant, were the recipients of the International Folk Music Awards Artist of the year in 2017. Their latest album Honest has been at or near the top of the folk charts for much of this year. Their set at a songwriter’s event demonstrated their gift for reflective observation and haunting lyrics. “The War,” a quiet song written about the post-Vietnam war impact on a veteran, was powerful. The interplay of their instruments and vocals is much more intricate than they appear. They are already a mainstay of the American folk scene, and it was great to see them at Americanafest.
Other acts I enjoyed were the no-holds barred lovable humor of Steve Poltz; the remarkable variety of music presented by the Smith sisters in Rising Appalachia; the hard-core blues presented by the North Mississippi Allstars; and the picking virtuosity provided by the duo of Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley.
During Shawn Colvin’s set, I was sitting with a couple who were Americana artists, Jordie Lane and Clare Reynolds. They had moved from Australia, spent some time in L.A., and moved to Nashville. I spoke with them about why so many people from Australia have become involved in the Nashville music scene… there were in fact two events featuring only Australian artists at Americanafest. They felt that the folk/country artists in Australia shared similar tastes and that the many Americana artists that tour Australia have attracted many followers. But the most interesting thing we discussed had nothing to do with where they came from, it was the sense of community among all these young singer/songwriters. They have a large group of collaborators, almost like a family, that they can work, play and write with. I lived in Nashville many years ago, and in the early ‘70s the scene was much different. Everyone was out for themselves because of the limited opportunities available. The music coming from new artists now is so much more mature and accomplished; I suspect it will get even better in the future. Americanafest is a wonderful way of getting exposed to these new artists, and it provided an exciting week of discovery.
