• The Americana Music Association has released an initial list of arists that will be playing around Nashville during their music festival and conferencethis September 17-20 2008. Some of the performers will be: Jim Lauderdale, Mike Farris, Kane Welch Kaplin, The everybodyfields, The SteelDrivers, Tift Merritt, Jason & the Scorchers, Joe Ely, Malcolm Holcombe, Rosie Flores, Band of Heathens, Laura Cantrell, Cross Canadian Ragweed, James McMurtry, Jason Isbell and much much more.

• The drop date for Chris knight’s new album, Heart of Stone, has been pushed back to September 2nd due to “production issues.” Guest musicians on Heart of Stone include Mike McAdam (Steve Earle, Radney Foster) on various guitars, Keith Christopher (Georgia Satellites, The Yayhoos) on bass, Tammy Rodgers (The SteelDrivers) fiddle and vocals, mandolin and banjo, and Michael Webb (The Wreckers, Allison Moorer) on B-3 organ, piano and accordion. Producer Dan Baird also contributes on guitar and vocals. Knight says of Heart of Stone “It might just be my best. For some reason, there’s a cohesiveness here that’s not like anything I’ve done before. But at the same time, it’s not real predictable. There’s a lot of texture to it as well, but it’s a simple record. I don’t know how that happened. But I know it when I hear it.”
• The documentary “Johnny Cash: The Man, His World, His Music” will air on PBS stations tomorrow night. The film is directed by Robert Elfstrom and is a “cinema vérité look at Cash.”  PBS produced the documentary almost 40 years ago (!) Robert Elfstrom also takes some time to answer some questions for the the Tennessean (via the 9513)

This is just brief rundown on events here in Nashville at the Americana Music Association conference. I will add more detail next week.

Meeting Barbara Lamb, Sunny Sweeney, Chip Taylor, Kendal Carson, Gurf Morlix , Stacy Earle and Janet Reno!

The Halloween tribute to the memory of Porter Wagoner with Mark Ferris, Rodney Crowell, Jim Lauderdale and Emmylou Harris.

Seeing Darrell Scott at the Station Inn.

The AMA Awards at the Ryman Auditorium (the Mother Church of Country Music) featuring Joe Ely, Guy Clark (in a tribute to Townes Van Zandt) , Lyle Lovett, The Avett Brothers, Patty Griffin, Old Crow Medicine Show, Darrell Scott, Buddy Miller, Jim Lauderdale and Emmylou Harris.

Eating Jacks BBQ and drinking Big River Brewery beer.

Visiting the Hatch Show Print studio.

I’ll be posting sporadically over the next few days as I attend the Americana music Conference in Nashville. I’m looking forward to seeing old friends, meeting new ones, catching some great music spending time with my uncle and his family.

Bloodshot Records artists Ha Ha Tonka, The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir and The Silos are gearing up for the annual CMJ Conference here  in New York. Ha Ha Tonka and The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir play their official CMJ showcase on October 19^th at the Cake Shop before joining the Silos and select friends of the label at the annual Bloodshot Records Party, taking place at Union Pool in Brooklyn on Saturday, October 20^th.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19TH
Cakeshop - 152 Ludlow, 212/253-0036
8pm   Ha Ha Tonka
9pm   Scotland Yard Gospel Choir

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20TH
Union Pool – 484 Union Avenue at Skillman Avenue, Brooklyn, 718/609-0484
12:30               Doors Open
1:00 - 1:30       Carolyn Mark*   (Vancouver BC)
1:45 - 2:15       The Panderers*  (LA CA)
2:30 - 3:00       Bone-Box*        (Manchester UK)
3:15 - 3:50       The Silos       (NY NY)
4:05 - 4:45       The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir  (Chicago IL)
5:00 - 5:40       Ha Ha Tonka     (Springfield MO)
5:55 - 6:40       Centro-Matic*   (Denton TX)

$10 admission / Free with CMJ badge
Beer from Oskar Blues Beer – Grilled treats for everyone!

This years Americana Music Association Festival and Conference, which runs from Halloween, Wednesday October 31st to November 4th, is shaping up to be finer than last year’s.

On top of the excellent daytime panels hosted at the Nashville Convention Center featuring seminars for artists, industry
members and those with a passion for music there is the excellent nightly showcases at local clubs.

And the whole enchilada wraps up with the Americana Honors & Awards presented at the Historic Ryman Auditorium, hosted by Jim Lauderdale and backed with a house band led by Buddy Miller. The line-up so far includes Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby, Old Crow Medicine Show, Emmylou Harris, Todd Snider, Joe Ely, Sunny Sweeney, The Avett Brothers, Gurf Morlix, Amy LaVere and Guy Clark with an after party hosted by Lost Highway Records, Proper Records, Six Shooter and Starfish Entertainment, New Frontier Touring / Ramseur Records / Full Light Records and Yep Roc Records. The party will feature Blue Rodeo, the Hacienda Brothers, John Doe, the Avett Brothers and Hayes Carll and other. See you there!

NASHVILLE, October 1, 2007 - Artist Lyle Lovett will receive the Americana Music Association’s inaugural Trailblazer Award and perform at the organization’s 2007 Honors and Awards show, slated for November 1 at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN. To further delve into all things Lyle, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum will also sponsor a keynote interview with Lovett the following day, Friday, November 2, during the Americana Music Association’s annual conference.

Dr. Warren Zanes, Education Advisor to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, will moderate the in-depth discussion with Lovett. Scheduled for 11am at the Nashville Convention center, this rare glimpse into the creative process of one of contemporary music’s most fructuous minds is open to conference registrants only.

Established to recognize true musical pioneers, the Americana Trailblazer Award seeks to honor those emboldened artists who create timeless musical capsules of individualistic style and purpose. A connoisseur and catalyst of fine music, Lyle Lovett embodies the term genre-bending. Three decades of the Texas native’s sui generis gospel-roots-jazz-swing concoction have been well-documented by eleven albums, four Grammy’s and a distinct voice both as a songwriter and vocal stylist. Lovett’s newest offering, It’s Not Big It’s Large, offers more literary song gumbo.

“It’s an honor to be part of the Americana Honors & Awards tribute to Lyle Lovett,” said Terry Stewart, president and CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. “The social soundtrack that Lyle continues to create makes us proud to be working with the Americana Music Association in our shared mission of celebrating modern music and the great artists who create it.”

“Lyle Lovett’s designation as the first recipient of the Trailblazer Award really sets the tone for the honor itself,” said Americana Music Association Executive Director Jed Hilly. “We at the AMA are consistently thrilled by the caliber of artist we represent and applaud. Lyle Lovett naturally falls into that elite fold.”

Lovett rounds out the nonpareil lineup of artists scheduled to perform during the 8th annual Americana Awards and Honors ceremony. Emmylou Harris, Guy Clark, Darrell Scott, Joe Ely, Ricky Skaggs, Bruce Hornsby, Todd Snider, Gurf Morlix, The Avett Brothers, Sunny Sweeney, Old Crow Medicine Show, Hacienda Brothers and Elizabeth Cook will all take the stage. Hosted by Jim Lauderdale and featuring a band led by Buddy Miller, the event will also toast winners in six member-voted categories: Album, Artist, Instrumentalist, New and Emerging Artist, Song and Duo/Group of the Year. The AMA will also recognize beloved beatnik Joe Ely with the Lifetime Achievement Award in the Performance category. Venerable scribe Guy Clark will accept the AMA President’s award on behalf of his friend, Townes Van Zandt. Clark’s performance will pay tribute to the late Van Zandt, whose unparalleled influence touches the upper echelon of song.

Slated for Wednesday, October 31 through Saturday, November 3, the 8th Annual Americana Festival and Conference will offer daily seminars, panels and networking opportunities at the Nashville Convention Center. Each evening brings stacked Americana showcases to key venues throughout Nashville.

Lyle Lovett - That’s Right You’re Not From Texas

Texas singer/songwriter Townes Van Zandt will be remembered with the President’s Award by the Americana Music Association during their annual awards show on Nov. 1 at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. The award will be accepted by Van Zandt’s friend, songwriter Guy Clark, who will perform one of Van Zandt’s songs in tribute. Emmylou Harris, who recorded Van Zandt’s “If I Needed You” and “Pancho and Lefty,” has also been added to the list of performers for the awards show. The Hacienda Brothers, Elizabeth Cook, the Avett Brothers and Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby will also perform.

An update in fun doings in Austin.

What: Guitartown/conqueroo SXSW week kickoff party & showcase
When: Wednesday, March 14, 12 noon until 9 p.m.
Where: Mother Egan’s Irish Pub, 715 W. 6th St.

11:45-12:10   Randy Weeks
12:25-12:50   Ed Pettersen
1:05-1:30   Michelle Shocked
1:45-2:10   Scrappy Jud Newcomb
2:25-2:50   Walter Tragert
3:05-3:30   Tom Freund
3:45-4:10   Jon Dee Graham
4:25-4:50   Pam Tillis
5:05-5:30   James McMurtry
5:45-6:10   Uncle Monk featuring Tommy Ramone
6:25-6:50   The Silos
7:05-7:30   The Summer Wardrobe
7:45-8:15   Patty Hurst Shifter
8:30-9:15   TBA

What:  Whatever That Is Party (sponsored by Split Rock Records)
When:  Friday, March 16th, 2:30 - 6:30pm
Where:  The Ginger Man Pub, Austin TX

2:30pm  Michelle Shocked
3:30pm  Freedy Johnston
4:30pm  Ed Pettersen
5:30pm  Uncle Monk (Tommy Ramone)
6:30pm  TBA

Yeah those weasels at the CMJ denied yours truly a press pass to attend their precious conference (don’t they know that tens of people worldwide read this blog?!) but who cares there’s only one show I want to  go to anyway and it’s open to the public and CHEAP! from the label:

BLOODSHOT 11th annual CMJ BBQ
Saturday, November 4th @ Union Pool in Brooklyn (Williamsburg)
Sponsored by KDHX, eMusic, and Oskar Blues Brewery.

Tickets $10 or $7 with a CMJ badge.
Public welcomed and encouraged.  No invite needed!!!
Beer, BBQ and goodies provided
Doors at noon, music PROMPTLY AT NOON!!

Scotland Yard Gospel Choir (Chicago IL) (chamber folk punk)
Mark Pickerel (Seattle WA)
The Silos (NYC)  New CD in Feb 2007
Deadstring Brothers   (Detroit MI)
Scott H Biram   (Austin TX) (That dirty ‘ol one-man band-Twang)
Bobby Bare Jr  (Nashville TN) 
THE MEAT PURVEYORS  (Austin TX)   LAST SHOW EVER!!!!!(RIP dammit-Twang)

Alright. Enough dillying and dallying. It’s time to wrap up my Nashville visit double time.
The panels, well the ones I went to concerning mostly marketing, copyright/digital rights and online distribution – where excellent. There was a moment in one of the Friday panels, “Music Business Crash Course: Online Retail” where I dared to mention to A Nashville executive (David Ross, Publisher, Music Row Publications) that maybe part of the dwindling music sales might not be placed solely on nefarious online pirates and might partially be placed on the market finally realizing that the formulaic audio manure being shoveled onto them is, well, shit. As my example I mentioned “Like…Big & Rich.” “I LIKE Big & Rich” Mr. Ross stated matter of factly, though he seemed to me the kind of guy that would only have a country music CD in his BMW ‘s changer only if he was conducting business.

And the music…well, how do you put THAT into words, but I’ll try. There was the Friday Americana Listening Lounge (sort of an unplugged showcase where the complimentary coffee and cookies were set out) I had to squeeze into the capacity crowd to witness newcomer Hayes Carll, Dana Cooper, Jim Lauderdale, Kevin Welch and Texas outlaw legend Ray Wylie Hubbard entertained the crowd with an old style round-robin with Hubbard using Carlll’s guitar on his turn ‘cause he “Left his at home.”
This display was one-upped only by the legendary Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives at the Mercy Lounge where Marty’s lighting fast licks were matched by the man that that would win the AMA award for Best Instrumentalist the next night, Kenny Vaughn.
And that leads me to the AMA Award ceremony at the legendary church of Country Music, the Ryman Auditorium. Legends abound and each either presented with hysterical yarns. Vince Gill presenting Rodney Crowell with the lifetime achievement award reminisced about a time he was puking drunkenly in front of his kids sitting in the back of his truck said Crowell stuck his finger down his throat to make it appear normal. Gill remembers Crowell telling his kids “Daddy’s just tired.” Now THAT’S a buddy to count on!

The real surprise of the eve was Charlie Daniels getting the First Amendment Center/ from the typically left-of-center Americana Music Association Spirit Of Americana” Free Speech Award. (past winner of the award were Steve Earle and Kris Kristofferson.) I’m all for differing points of view/the big tent etc. etc. some deserving twangified-Righties might be Kix Brooks (from the country Hall and Oates act - Brooks and Dunn) or Merle Haggard. But giving it to Daniels? This is a bit like giving a Edward R. Murrow Award to Rush Limbaugh.

Redemption was eventually achieved when the Austin-based singer/songwriter, James McMurtry (son of “Lonesome Dove” author Larry McMurtry) received of Album of the Year for his release “Childish Things” and the Song of the Year for “We Can’t Make it Here;” McMurtry was late to pick up the second award and he confessed being tardy due to having a cocktail across the alley at Tootsies Orchid Lounge.
There was more Leftie vibes at the end of the night when most of the night’s entertainers filled the stage at the end for a rousing version of “Blowing in the Wind.” It was a great ending as the sound filled that air and that compulsively genre interloper Elvis Costello looking for an open mic somewhere….anywhere.