Additional Lineup to Include: Lori McKenna, Lillie Mae, Peter More, Lizzie No, Penny & Sparrow, John Paul White and more
More Than 250 Artists Slated to Play Destination Music Event
Festival Wristbands On Sale Now
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Americana Music Association® announced today an additional 46 showcasing artists and several special musical events, including a Paul Cauthen-curated showcase, a tribute to the music of 1968, an interactive singing experience featuring Choir! Choir! Choir! with audience members and more. It’s all slated to take place at AMERICANAFEST®: The Americana Music Festival & Conference, which is less than two weeks away on September 11-16 in Nashville, TN.
On Tuesday afternoon, September 11, attendees and the general public will gather in the lobby of the Union Station Hotel Nashville to become a part of this year’s festival entertainment. Choir! Choir! Choir!, a Toronto-based singing group, will lead a special group performance with a secret special guest. The group, led by creative directors Nobu Adilman and Daveed Goldman, will teach the audience an original arrangement to one of the special guest’s songs before he or she makes an appearance to sing with the newly formed choir – the audience – in a one-of-a-kind immersive musical experience.
Attendees can wind down with a free outdoor showcase on Thursday evening, presented as part of Musicians Corner’s September Sundown series at Centennial Park. Penny & Sparrow and Freddy & Francine will be joining Great Peacock, Scott Mulvahill and Sarah Siskind, rounding out the ideal summer night’s lineup.
Americana musicians from the community will be saluting the music of 1968 with a unique showcase on Friday night at The Basement East. The year of ’68 served as a pivotal political and cultural turning point in America, and artists emblematic of this time like Joan Baez and The Byrds had a lot to say as they created the soundtrack for this period of change. This crucial year’s shift in the musical paradigm will be honored by artists such as The Band of Heathens, Jay Buchanan (Rival Sons), Yola Carter, Cordovas, Guy Davis, Erin Rae and more. The charismatic Whiskey Wolves of the West will host while a stellar house band led by group member Chase McGillis will include Daniel Creamer (The Texas Gentlemen), Josh Hunt(Alison Krauss and Union Station, Jerry Douglas Band) and more.
A list of the additional surprise round of performers, as well as exact date and time listings for the special showcase events, can be found below. Click here to view a complete list of more than 250 showcasing performers.
2018 Festival Wristbands are currently on sale to the public at the wallet-friendly price of $75. Available on their website and in Nashville at Grimey’s New & Preloved Music and The Groove, Festival Wristbands allow admission into all evening showcase venues and select sanctioned parties and events.
Conference Registrations (currently on-sale at the standard rate of $449/$349 for Americana Music Association® members) can be purchased here and offer priority admission into all showcase venues, sanctioned parties, events and daytime educational panels. These passes also provide the opportunity for attendees to purchase up to two tickets per registration for the 17th annual Americana Honors & Awards on Wednesday, Sept. 12 at the historic Ryman Auditorium. At this time, only Conference Registrants may purchase Honors & Awards show tickets. For more details on tickets to the Americana Honors & Awards, click here.
Additional Round of Artists Confirmed to Play AMERICANAFEST® 2018:
Adam Wright
Andrew Leahey & the Homestead
Angela Perley & The Howlin’ Moons
Becky Warren
Beth Nielsen Chapman
Bill and the Belles
Bill Lloyd
Blank Range
Braison Cyrus
Carl Anderson
Cicada Rhythm
Drumming Bird
Eliot Bronson
Eliza Gilkyson
Freddy & Francine
Jacob Thomas Jr.
Jaimee Harris
John Paul White
Johnson Crook
Kevin Gordon
Korby Lenker
Kristina Murray
Ladies Gun Club
Lauren Morrow
Lillie Mae
Lizzie No
Lori McKenna
Lynn Langham
Mopac
Paul Burch
Penny & Sparrow
Pert Near Sandstone
Peter More
Rachel Baiman
Ryan Culwell
Sarah Peacock
Steve Poltz
The Barefoot Movement
The Brother Brothers
The Kernal
The Underhill Family Orchestra
Tyler Boone
Violet Bell
Waker
Webb Wilder
Will Kimbrough
Special Showcase Events at AMERICANAFEST® 2018:
Tuesday, Sept. 11
Choir! Choir! Choir! Epic! EPIC! NIGHTS with Secret Special Guest
5pm – 6:30pm | Union Station Hotel Nashville | 1001 Broadway
Become a part of this year’s entertainment at AMERICANAFEST® by joining Choir! Choir! Choir! in a group performance featuring a secret special guest. Just show up, and, Choir! Choir! Choir!, led by creative directors Nobu Adilman and Daveed Goldman, will teach the audience an original arrangement to one of the special guest’s songs before he or she makes an appearance to sing with the newly formed choir – that’s you – in a one-of-a-kind immersive musical experience. Choir! Choir! Choir! is a Toronto-based singing group, that has amassed a dedicated and passionate community of singers and a thriving international fan base on YouTube. The group exists to celebrate music and push the boundaries between practice and performance, artist and audience, offering therapeutic benefits with the ultimate side effect: a powerful community. Past Choir! Choir! Choir! special guests include David Byrne, Rufus Wainwright, Rick Astley, Patti Smith, and more. The EPIC NIGHTS series takes the format of the traditional CCC nights where the audience (YOU) learns the unique arrangement to the song, but climaxes with the lead being sung by a popular artist.
Free public entry.
Big Velvet Revue, Hosted by Paul Cauthen
10pm – 2am | The Basement East | 917 Woodland St.Paul Cauthen will be bringing his Big Velvet Revue to The Basement East at AMERICANAFEST®. In case you missed it at SXSW this past March, the Big Velvet Revue showcased some incredible talent from Shakey Graves, Rayland Baxter, Colter Wall, Aaron Lee Tasjan and more! The Big Velvet Revue at AMERICANAFEST® will bring the same style of curation and excitement, featuring a variety of performances from across the country with Cauthen as the Master of Ceremonies. Featuring Paul Cauthen, Jade Jackson, TN Jet, Aaron Lee Tasjan, BJ Barham, Sam Morrow, Whiskey Wolves of The West, Brandy Zdan, Carl Anderson, Creamer, Kirby Brown, Daniel Donato, Kashena Sampson, Wade Sap and Carson McHone.
Open to AMERICANAFEST® Conference Registrants and Festival Wristband holders or $15 at the door.
Thursday, Sept. 13
Musicians Corner
5pm – 9pm | Centennial Park | 2500 West End Ave.
Musicians Corner continues its ninth year of presenting free music events in Centennial Park this fall with September Sundown, a new Thursday night series. Join us on Thursday, September 13th as AMERICANAFEST® presents free music, food trucks, the MC Pub, local artisans and Kidsville activities. Featuring Great Peacock, Freddy & Francine, Scott Mulvahill, Sarah Siskind and Penny & Sparrow.
Free public entry.
Friday, Sept. 14
A Tribute to 1968
8pm – Midnight | The Basement East | 917 Woodland St.
The year 1968 forever altered America politically, culturally, and musically. From the Vietnam War and the Cold War to pivotal moments in civil rights and youth culture, artists during this time had a lot to say as they created the soundtrack for this period of change. Americana musicians from the community will be saluting the year when Johnny Cash played his famous Folsom Prison concert and iconic groups like Crosby, Stills & Nash came together, while bands like Cream and Buffalo Springfield went their separate ways. You’ll experience re-imagined classics by emblematic artists of this time, who might even include Joan Baez, The Byrds, Dr. John, Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, The Velvet Underground, and more. Featuring Adam Wakefield, Carson McHone, Sugaray Rayford, The Band of Heathens, Yola Carter, Luke Winslow-King, Ron Pope, Creamer, Emily West, Jon Latham, JP Harris, Mike Farris, Ruby Boots, Jay Buchanan (Rival Sons), Whitehorse, Cordovas, Guy Davis, Erin Rae, Jason Eskridge and more. The charismatic Whiskey Wolves of the West will host while a stellar house band led by group member Chase McGillis will include Daniel Creamer (The Texas Gentlemen) Josh Hunt (Alison Krauss and Union Station, Jerry Douglas Band), Liz Foster McGillis (The Trishas) and more.
Open to AMERICANAFEST® Conference Registrants and Festival Wristband holders or $15 at the door.
For more information and to purchase an AMERICANAFEST® pass, visit www.americanamusic.org.