Americana Music Association to Announce 2014 Award Nominees Monday May 12, 2014

americana music association

It’s that time of the years kids. This Monday, May 12th at 2PM ET/11AM PT, the Franklin, TN-based trade and advocacy organization The Americana Music Association will announce the nominees for the 2014 Americana Honors & Awards ceremony.

The hour-long program will be hosted by singer/songwriter and SiriusXM “Apron Strings” host Elizabeth Cook. The event wo;; feature performances from legends and long-time AMA boosters Jim Lauderdale and Buddy Miller. Also performing are some of the exciting new bloods, Hurray For The Riff Raff and Parker Millsap.

The event will be broadcast live from the SiriusXM Music City Theatre in downtown Nashville and broadcast live on SiriusXM Outlaw Country and streamed by Music City Roots.

Americana Music Association honors distinguished members of the music community with six member voted annual awards Album of the Year, Artist of the Year, Emerging Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Duo/Group of the Year and Instrumentalist of the Year, as well as Lifetime Achievement Awards, which will be announced leading up to the event.

The nominees will be announced for Album of the Year, Artist of the Year, Emerging Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Duo/Group of the Year and Instrumentalist of the Year.

The winners of each category will be announced during the Americana Honors and Awards show on September 17, 2014 at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN. as part of the Americana Music Festival and Conference.

Record Store Day 2014 – Americana and Roots Music Picks

Gram Parsons - Alternate Takes from GP and Grievous Angel

It’s that time again twangers. Yes, Record Store Day 2014 is upon us. The annual celebration of local record stores that leaves behind clowns and balloons and replaced them with long lines and limited edition slabs of vinyl.

This year’s RSD2013 releases offer some great selections from the roots and Americana side of the fence. Steve Earle townes album stripped back to it’s solo guitar base? Yes! Alternate Takes from Gram Parsons’ pivotal GP and Grievous Angel albums? Oh yes! Unreleased Hank Williams from the 1950 The Garden radio spot programs? Hells yes!

Head to your local indy record store on April 19th early and scoop up some of these limited edition goodies below.

Check the RSD14 full list and remember to tweet a pic of your bounty to my twitter account and I’ll share it with those that dared to stay home.

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Big Mama Thornton – Sassy Mama
Format: 12″ Vinyl
Label: Vanguard
– A scorching 1975 live set from Big Mama including “Rolling Stone,” “Lost City,” and “Mr. Cool.”

Joan Baez – “Blessed Are”
Format: 12″ Vinyl
Label: Vanguard
Baez’s seminal 1971 double album is presented here in an ‘exact replica’ gatefold package. Included are “Blessed Are,” “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” “Salt of the Earth,” and many more.

The Allman Brothers – “Selections from: Play All Night: Live at the Beacon Theatre 1992”
Format: 12″ Vinyl
Label: Legacy
Double vinyl release of live songs previously only available on DVD.

Dave Alvin & Phil Alvin – Songs from Common Ground
Format: 12″ Vinyl
Label: Yep Roc
Four song 12″ featuring the Alvin Brothers playing the songs of Bill Broonzy

Blue Rodeo – “Diamond Mine”
Label: Rhino
Release type: RSD Limited Run / Regional Focus Release
25th anniversary reissue, first time on blue and green colored vinyl

Neko Case & Jason Lytle – “Satellite of Love”
Format: 7″ Vinyl
Label: Brink
Take a trip into space with musicians Howe Gelb, Neko Case, Victoria Williams, John Covertino (Calexico), and many more in this limited edition 7 inch vinyl. Includes songs Satellite of Love, Mars Cassette Waltz, and Untethered Space Walk from the award winning animation comedy film Mars (Starring Mark Duplass of The League and Safety Not Guaranteed).

Johnny Cash – With His Hot and Blue Guitar
Format: 12″ Blue Vinyl
Label: ORG Music
Release type: ‘RSD First’ Release
More Info:
Johnny Cash with His Hot and Blue Guitar is the debut album of country singer Johnny Cash. Released in 1957, it was the first LP ever issued on Sam Phillips’ Sun Records label. Currently out of print, the album is being remastered and reissued on an exclusive blue color vinyl for Record Store Day. This limited edition pressing of 3,000 units will be numbered with a foil stamp on each jacket.

CENTRO-MATIC – Redo The Stacks
Format: 12″ Vinyl
Label: Navigational Transmissions
Reissue of the band’s first album, originally released in 1996. This version is remastered and artwork has been redone and hand painted to match the original version.

The Civil Wars – Live at Eddie’s Attic
Format: 12″ Vinyl
Label: Columbia
Nine songs recorded live in Decatur, Georgia in April 2009.

Court Yard Hounds – Amelita
Format: 12″ Vinyl
Label: New West Records
12″ vinyl of the new record with bonus 7″

Drive-By Truckers – Dragon Pants EP
Format: 10″ Vinyl
Label: ATO
B-Sides and outtakes from the new album English Oceans

Steve Earle – Townes: The Basics
Format: 12″ Vinyl
Label: New West Records
Release type: RSD Exclusive Release
In 2009 Steve Earle released an album of Townes Van Zandt songs. It began as solo guitar and vocal tracks recorded in October 2008 in New York City. Other instruments were added later in subsequent sessions for the album in New York, Nashville and Los Angeles. Those original recordings – The Basics – were released on a limited edition bonus CD with the Townes album and are available here for the first time on vinyl.; HAND NUMBERED

The Everly Brothers – Roots
Format: 12″ Vinyl
Label: Rhino
Release type: RSD Exclusive Release
“Roots” showcases the harmonies of the Everlys with covers of songs by performers who had been influential on the duo’s career. Songs by Jimmie Rodgers, George Jones, Randy Newman and Merle Haggard plus traditional standards offer laid-back, tasteful, acoustic-oriented arrangements with superb vocals that convey qualities of innocence tempered by experience. Originally released in 1968, “Roots” is one of the finest early country-rock albums.

Mary Gauthier/Sam Baker – When A Woman Goes Cold/Ditch
Format: 7″ Vinyl
Release type: RSD Limited Run / Regional Focus Release

Gram Parsons – 180 Gram: Alternate Takes from GP and Grievous Angel
Label: Rhino
2LP vinyl release of audio sourced from “The Complete Reprise Sessions” released in 2005. Contains a postcard insert at the request of Gram’s daughter, Polly Parsons, for the Hickory Wind Ranch Recovery Community. Foil numbering.

TRACK LISTING: SIDE ONE: “She (Alternative Version)”, “That’s All It Took (Alternative Version)”, “Still Feeling Blue (Alternative Version)”, “Kiss The Children (Alternative Version)”, “Streets of Baltimore (Alternative Version)” SIDE TWO: We’ll Sweep Out The Ashes In The Morning (Alternative Version)”, “The New Soft Shoe (Alternative Version)”, “Return of the Grievous Angel #1 (Alternative Version)”, “In My Hour of Darkness (Alternative Version)”, “In My Hour of Darkness (Alternative Version)”, “Ooh Las Vegas (Alternative Version) SIDE THREE: “I Can’t Dance (Alternative Version)”, “Sleepless Nights (Alternative Version)”, “Love Hurts (Alternative Version)”, “Brass Buttons (Alternative Version)”, “Hickory Wind (Alternative Version)” SIDE FOUR: “Brand New Heartache”, “Sleepless Nights”, “The Angels Rejoiced Last Night”

Waylon Jennings/Sanford Clark – Zia Records Presents: Audio Recorders Archive Vol. 1
Format: 7″ 45 – Limited to 500 copies on “GOLD” wax for Record Store Day
Label: Zia Records
Release type: RSD Limited Run / Regional Focus Release

Lake Street Dive – What I’m Doing Here/Wedding Band
Format: 7″ Vinyl
Label: Signature Sounds
Single 45 in a picutre sleeve, unreleased tracks

Ray Lamontagne – “Supernova”/”Pick Up A Gun”
Format: 7″ Vinyl
Label: RCA
First single from the album Supernova coming May 6th. Produced by Dan Auerbach.

Jon Langford & Skull Orchard – “Days & Nights”/”Here’s What We Have”
Format: 7″ Vinyl
Label: In De Goot Records
Release type: RSD Limited Run / Regional Focus Release

Langhorne Slim & The Law – “Animal”/”Space Girl”
Format: 7″ Vinyl
Label: Ramseur Records
Release type: RSD Exclusive Release

Lydia Loveless – “Mile High”/”Blind”
Format: 7″ Limited edition on colored vinyl. B-side is exclusive Ke$ha cover.
Label: Bloodshot
Release type: RSD Limited Run / Regional Focus Release

Jessica Lea Mayfield – “Make My Head Sing”
Format: Pink Cassette of the full album
Label: ATO Records
Release type: RSD Limited Run / Regional Focus Release

Doug Paisley – “Growin Souls/”Lies Lead To Lies”
Format: 7″ Vinyl
Label: No Quarter
Release type: RSD Limited Run / Regional Focus Release

Dolly Parton – “Blue Smoke”/”Home”
Format: Blue 7″ Vinyl
Label: Masterworks
Tracks from the forthcoming Dolly Parton record

Ramblin’ Jack Elliott – “Jack Elliott”
Format: 12″ Vinyl
Label: Vanguard
Ramblin’ Jack’s Vanguard debut, notable also for the appearance of Bob Dylan (credited as Tedham Porterhouse) on harmonica. It includes such staples as “Roving Gambler,” “Diamond Joe,” and “Black Snake Moan.”

Songs: Ohia – Journey On: Collected Singles
Format: 12″ Vinyl
Label: Secretly Canadian
Release type: ‘RSD First’ Release
More Info:
Almost 20 years after Jason Molina’s voice first rang out from Ohio, in this brave new world of streaming, the discussion surrounding the resurgence of vinyl rarely includes the 7”.

Southern Culture On The Skids – Party at my Trouse
Format: 7″ Vinyl – SCOTS collaboration with B-52s frontman Fred Schnieder
Label: Yep Roc
Release type: RSD Limited Run / Regional Focus Release

Various Artists – The Folk Box 50th Anniversary
Label: Rhino
Release type: RSD Exclusive Release
50th Anniversary Edition of the Elektra Records (in cooperation with Folkway Records) Vinyl Box Set 4-LP set containing 83 tracks featuring artists such as Pete Seeger, Dave Van Ronk, Phil Ochs, Tom Paxton and Judy Collins and many more. Vinyl cut from the original 1964 master tapes. Limited edition with foil stamp numbering. Bonus exclusive 7″ Vinyl included featuring Judy Collins’ rare version of Bob Dylan’s “I’ll Keep It with Mine” backed with Tom Paxton’s recording of “The Last Thing on My Mind” for Record Store Day only. Includes a 48 Page booklet including Forewords from legendary Producer Jac Holzman and Co-Producer Ted Olson. Out of print for over 40 years.

Various Artists – The Newport Folk Festival 1963–The Evening Concerts, Vol. 1
Format: 12″ Vinyl
Label: Vanguard
Fans at RecordStoreDay.com and VanguardRecords.com voted for this re-issue of Newport’s 1963 installment, remastered from the original tapes by David Glasser at Airshow Mastering and features performances from Mississppi John Hurt, Joan Baez, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott and, yes, Bob Dylan. Presented in ‘exact replica’ package.

“The Barnyard Song” (Sam Hinton), “Must I Go Bound” (Sam Hinton), “The Arkansas Traveller (Sam Hinton), “C.C.Rider” (Mississippi John Hurt/Pete Seeger), “Stagolee” (Mississippi John Hurt), “Spike Driver Blues (Mississippi John Hurt), “Coffee Blues (Mississippi John Hurt), “Diamond Joe” (Ramblin’ Jack Elliott), “Walk Right In” (Rooftop Singers), “Un Canadian Errant” (Ian and Sylvia), “Woke Up This Morning” (The Freedom Singers), “Oh, Freedom” (Joan Baez/Theodore Bikel), “Te Adore, Ate Amanha” (Joan Baez), “Wagoner’s Lad” (Joan Baez), “Blowin’ In The Wind” (Bob Dylan), “We Shall Overcome” (The Freedom Singers)

“Doc Watson – Southbound”
Format: 12″ Vinyl
Label: Vanguard
Release type: RSD Exclusive Release
Fans at RecordStoreDay.com and VanguardRecords.com voted for this re-issue of Doc’s classic 1966 album, remastered from the original tapes by David Glasser at Airshow Mastering. Presented in ‘exact replica’ package.

“Walk On Boy”, “Blue Railroad Train”, “Sweet Georgia Brown”, “Alberta”, “Southbound”, “Windy and Warm”, “Call of the Road”, “Tennessee Stud”, “That Was The Last Thing On My Mind”, “Little Darling Pal of Mine”, “Nothing To It”, “Riddle Song”, “Never No More Blues”, “Nashville Picking”

The Wild Feathers – “Got It Wrong/Marie”
Format: 7″ Vinyl
Label: Warner Bros.

Hank Williams – The Garden Spot Programs, 1950–Extended Play
Format: 10″ Vinyl
Label: Omnivore Recordings
Release type: RSD Exclusive Release
All recordings previously unreleased! From a 1950 radio show sponsored by Texas’ Naughton Farms Nursery, and brought to brown 10″ vinyl with the help of Williams’ daughter Jett.

SIDE ONE: “The Garden Spot Jingle” (Show 4), “I Don’t Care (If Tomorrow Never Comes) (Show 10), “Lovesick Blues” (Show 4), “Closing/Oh Susanna” (Show 10) SIDE TWO: “Farther Along” (Show 10), “Mind Your Own Business” (Show 9), “Fiddle Tune” (Show 4), “Closing/Oh Susanna” (Show 11)

Bob Wills And His Texas Playboys – Transcriptions
Format: 12″ Vinyl
Label: Real Gone Music
Release type: RSD Limited Run / Regional Focus Release
More Info:

Ten sides from Bob Wills’ legendary Tiffany Transcriptions, which were recordings made available only to radio stations in the late ’40s. The Tiffany Transcriptions are generally considered to be the best recordings that the King of Western Swing ever made, as the lack of commercial restrictions allowed his incredible band–and vocalist Tommy Duncan–to stretch out. Wills made over 300 transcription sides for Tiffany; only about half of them have been reissued on vinyl or compact disc. This 10-track album not only includes ten songs that have never been heard or seen anywhere since they appeared on the transcription discs some 65 years ago, but also features packaging designed to mimic the look of the original transcriptions, with a cutaway hole in front to show the vintage Tiffany logo on the vinyl, which is pressed in red as some Tiffany transcriptions did come in red vinyl. The back cover also includes vintage graphics from the period.

“I’m an Old Cowhand”, “Long Eared Mule”, “Put Another Chair at the Table”, “I’m Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes”, “Don’t Fence Me In”, “Don’t Be Ashamed of Your Age”, “Black and Blue Rag”, “Have I Stayed Away Too Long”, “Moonlight on the Ganges”, “What Is Life Without Love”

Watch Out! Hurricane Roses – “Home To Haunt You” [VIDEO PREMIER]

Hurricane Roses

Hurricane Roses is a six-piece female roots band from the San Francisco Bay Area. In their 5 years together the band has honed a loosely-taut sensibility that results in a deceptively effortless sound.

They count as influences Fleetwood Mac, Neko Case, Brandi Carlile, and Ryan Adams, and those sources are in there. But not aped slavishly but worked as nuanced influences that resulted in their own craft.

The band’s new video features the title cut from their upcoming second album (release May 6th) A superficial listening brings to mind a jaunty ditty made for a top down summer drive. The lovely video makes plain the darker thread contained within.

The video was directed by The Sundays and filmed by Jeremy Castillo. It was filmed in the foothills of San Jose, CA.

Our album release show will be on May 16th at Club Rodeo in San Jose, CA.

Official site

Listen Up! Jane Ellen Bryant – “Here We Are” [Song Premier]

Jane Ellen Bryant - Here We Are

Texas-born and Nashville-based singer, songwriter and classically trained musician, Jane Ellen Bryant’s new cut, “Here We Are,” is a beautiful work inspired by a natural tragedy.

“I was inspired to write this song after the Haiti earthquake a few years back. Horrible natural disasters like that remind us of how little control we have over our lives. We can never understand why bad things happen to good people, but we can make the most of the here and now and remember what’s most important in life.” Jane Ellen Bryant says of the single

Drums shuffle like an open road. A dobro stretches and bends around Bryant’s soulful, expressive voice as she contemplates mortality within her poetry.

“Here we are
Loving like it’s one of our chores
Here we are
Closing every open door”

“Here We Are” is a follow up track to her sophomore album Hourglass.

Official site

Watch Out! The Dust Engineers – “Lead [Pb]” [Premier Video]

Dust Enginers

Twang nation is proud to feature the new video by Brooklyn/Queens-based band The Dust Engineers. The stylized, noir-inspired video for their song “Lead [Pb]” captures adeptly the song’s lush atmosphere leading toward either a double cross or sweet comeuppance.

The band’s sound is reminiscent of The Red House Painters, Tarnation or Trinity Session-era Cowboy Junkies. Shimmery strummed and yearning slide electric guitars swirl around lead vocalist Sara M’s soft, siren phrasing. It’s is like a high-noon summer sun dappling through a glass of good bourbon,

When asked about the song’s title principle songwriter Erik Rosenberg replies:
“The atomic symbol “Pb” is included in the song title to clarify that “Lead” describes the heavy metal, especially its weight, its toxicity, and its color. These qualities reflect the main concept of the song: losing your sense of self to to the depths of an unhealthy relationship, a relationship that plagues you but simultaneously defines you.”You can hear that the first lyric is “Lead. Lead on my back I’m sated. Go on go on.”

The song sounds lighter than air, “He” than “Pb,” though when connected to the video it does get pretty heavy.

Buy Lead [Pb]

https://vimeo.com/77362117

Winners at the 56th Grammy Awards

grammy-56-li

In he four years that I’ve participated in the GRAMMYs (yes, that a brand thing) community of bloggers program I always have someone ask me. “Why do it?”

I have a simple answer, exposure. Not just for me. – even if, as T Bone might suggest, I eschewed the spotlight, the blogger community program shines a brighter light on me and I in turn point that light toward great music and evets that most people aren’t aware of outside of the televised GRAMMY awards program showed for several hours in late Fall every year.

Events like the the Grammy Foundation’s “A Song is Born” program that took place at the classically elagant Wilshire Ebell Theater celebrating the alchemy of sound, emotion and words that is songwriting. Seventeen artists, most of them writers rather than the original interpreters, provided the audience with a live glimpse behind the creative curtain.

Singer/songwriter and actor and country-rock pioneer JD Souther, brought Dan Wilson (Grammy winner for his songs for Dixie Chicks and Adele), Joy Williams (Grammy winner for Civil Wars) for a wonderfully sweet rendition of his co-written hit with the Eagles, “New Kid in Town.”

Kris Kristofferson, who alluded to his recent disclosure of memory loss when he mentioned that “77 is a tough age.” He the enraptured the crowd with a rousing version of “Me and Bobby McGee” and a gut-wrenching rendition of “For the Good Times.”

Legendary songwriter Jimmy Webb took to piano to tell stories of his career. Like when the record company shows wariness of his song by the Fifth Dimension “Up, Up, and Away,” partly because they “they thought it was about drugs. It was just an ironic moment because of all the songs that year , 1967, were on radio that week, “Up Up and Away” was the only song that was not about drugs.”

perform a passionate “Wichita Lineman” in honor of “my friend” Glenn Campbell.

The GRAMMY pre-telecast is where the majority of the awards are given. The MC for the event was 80’s singing star, and current Broadway composer, Cyndi Lauper was charmingly bumbling iin her Queens kind of way.

Winners for the night (and if you followed my Twitter account you already know this) were:
Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell for “Old Yellow Moon,” Crowell accepted the award as he mentioned that Harris was “being a good sister” and tending to her ill brother.

Edie Brickell & Steve Martin were awards the GRAMMY for Best American Roots Song for their collaboration “Love Has Come For You.” “ Edie if the finest lyricist I’ve ever worked with.” Martin quipped.

Guy Clark was awarded a long overdue first GRAMMY for “My Favorite Picture Of You,” which took home Best Folk Album. Best Bluegrass Album went to that genre’s stalwart Del McCoury and his band.

The two biggest Americana and roots surprises came in the mainstream country categories.

The 25-year-old pop-folk upstart Kacey Musgraves took the gold, along with co-writers Shane McNally And Josh Osborne, for Country Song of the Year for “Merry Go ‘Round.” The surprise came when Musgraves won the big prize, Country Album of the Year for “Same Trailer Different Park.” against the old guard of Taylor Swift, Lee Brice, Miranda Lambert, and Blake Shelton.

When The Civil Wars were announced for their fourth Grammy for best country duo/group performance for “From This Valley” all eyes were searching to see if they currently at odds duo would appear. John Paul White ambled to the stage in typical formal attire alone and proceeded to jokingly apologize to fellow nominee Dolly Parton. “I’d like to apologize to Dolly Parton for depriving her of anything at all,” White joked. “She’s one of my biggest heroes.
He then went on to thank his wife, his four children and plumber who was currently fixing the water system.

There was no mention of producer Charlie Peacock or band’s other half, Joy Williams, who had been in attendance during of other events during Grammy Week.

The Civil Wars Facebook page was flooded with long-suffering fan’s outrage and disappointment and White later broke his more than year-long Twitter silence to apologize and thank Peacock and Williams.

On the main telecast I was delighted to see original Highwaymen, Willie Nelson and recipient of the 2014 Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award Kris Kristofferson shared the stage with Bakersfield legend Merle Haggard and newcomer (and contrite trad-country basher) Blake Shelton do a medley of classic country hits like “The Highwayman,” “Mammas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys” and “Okie From Muskogee.”

A great year of surprises, long-deserved recognition and lifted boats.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UEq-xJeRiI

Watch Out! Melody Williamson – “No Country Here” [VIDEO]

Melody Williamson There's No Country Here

The Music Row protest song is nothing new. Working a narrative within a form that shows reverence for legacy while tweaking the nose of current business practices is tricky. Doing it well without seeming petty is even trickier.

Waylon Jennings’ #1 single “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way” and George Strait’s “Murder on Music Row” as well as newcomer’s Jason Eady’s “AM Country Heaven” and Sturgill Simpson’s “You Can Have The Crown” are all sterling examples.

15-year-old songwriter and performer Melody Williamson, from the Nashville based string band Williamson Branch, has penned an original composition that I believe fits right in with the above. “There’s No Country Here” paves the way fro her to join the ranks of the current female cadre of Outlaws, Musgraves, Monroe, Clark and Lambert.

Music Row would be wide to give a listen,

hat tip to Saving Country Music and Country Music Nation for the tip.

Listen Up! Ladies Gun Club – “Big Bass Drum”

Ladies Gun Club

Embodying the Southern sass of Lorett spiked with a little of the garage grit of the White Stripes, Sally Jaye and Sarah Roberts make up the North Carolina duo Ladies Gun Club’s new single,Big Bass Drum,is a great mix of southern slide and foot stomping.

The cut is produced by Josh Day, written and performed by LGC with musicians, Brian Wright, Dylan Cooper, Philip Krohnengold, and Josh Day.


Regarding the name, soon after meeting, the pair borrowed the name from an actual ladies’ gun club in North Carolina.

I say they have taken deadly aim and hit the mark here.

Buy Big Bass Drum on iTunes.

Watch Out! – Brandy Clark – “Stripes” – David Letterman 1-6-14

Brandy Clark – “Stripes” Letterman

David Letterman, and his music booker at the Late Show Sheryl Zilikson, continued their ongoing support of Americana and roots music by featuring the creator of my #1 pick of last year, Brandy Clark

Clark performed the song “Stripes” from that latest debut “12 Stories.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgQ7Y1U2M2A

ON EDIT: Want more Brandy? Here’s ‘Hold My Hand’ from ‘Hold My Hand’ in the Morning

2013 The Year in Americana and Roots Music

Jason Isbell

2013 will go in the books as the year that Americana and roots settled comfortably into the mainstream. Kids are wearing dust-bowl duds and there is a brisk trade in acoustic guitars and banjos. Bands are taking a page from the Mumford, Avetts and Lumineers book of hand-crafted songs with rousing melodies just begging to be sung at live shows. It’s no longer a rustic throwback fad.

The genre grows more diverse, from folk-pop, Laurel Canyon rock, psych folk, hard-sore honky-tonk and everything that doesn’t neatly fit in other buckets. As genre defying as the music can be it all comes down to the only tis that matters, Great songwriting, evocative, absorbing narratives and memorable melodies that endures the ages.

But first you must find an audience.

ABC music row drama Nashville has done a fine job in highlighting great roots music, under the guidance T Bone Burnett , and now Buddy Miller, as well as classic country references and Americana and roots performer cameos. The show’s cutest stars (and real-life sisters,) Lennon and Maisy Stella, performed the Lumineers omnipresent top-40 hit hit “Hey Ho.” This gave the song an already bigger audience then it originally had. Is that possible?

This July Americana stalwarts Old Crow Medicine Show backed ex-Hootie & the Blowfish front man, and current country music star, Darius Rucker on Old Crow’s version of Bob Dylan’s “Wagon Wheel” at the Grand Ole Opry. The song was recorded with the band and included on his latest album resulting in one of his most popular singles as a solo artist and reaching number one on Billboard Hot Country Songs in its 12th week.

Old Crow Medicine Show then had the honor to be inducted into the Grand Ole Opry this fall by Opry members Dierks Bentley and Marty Stuart.

That’s not the only example of music row looking to Americana for material and a shot of inspiration. GRAMMY-winning singer Leann Rimes reached into the Americana well, and beyond her music row comfort zone, on her latest “ Spitfire.” She lends her extraordinary pipes to a searing version of Buddy Miler’s “Gasoline and Matches” in a duet with Rob Thomas. Country music chanteuse and Pistol Annie Ashley Monroe tapped legendary Texas singer-songwriter Guy Clark to collaborate on the title song on her latest “Like a Rose.”

If your looking for evidence of Americana’s mainstream presence you need go no further than SPIN’s list of 20 Best Country Albums of 2013 had Blake Shelton and Brad Paisley mixed with The Civil Wars (12), Jason Isbell (11) and Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell (9) Holly Williams (8) Sturgill Simpson (6) Cailtlin Rose (2).

Entertainment Weekly, the beacon of popular taste, counted a majority of Americana artists on their list of top country releases of 2013 with Jason Isbell and Lindi Ortega taking the number 1 and 2 spot respectively.

As in recent years I even had a hard time limiting myself to a top 10,15, 20+ on my Cream of the Crop – Twang Nation Top Americana and Roots Music Picks of 2013.

T Bone Burnett again joins forces with the Coen Brothers to contribute soundtrack stewardship to thier new 60’s neo-folk focused film. The soundtrack features old folk songs performed by Marcus Mumford , The Punch Brothers along with the film’s actors Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan , Adam Driver and Justin Timberlake, who might use his his work here to jump dart his desired foray into country music.

As the music advances it’s important that a music that celebrate the past honors those that came before. George Jones, the greatest voice in country music and the innovator, Ray Price were both lost to use this year.

We also lost “Cowboy” Jack Clement, As a record and movie producer, songwriter, performing and recording performer and studio engineer, Clement was responsible for for shaping American music in the 20th century.

Premier rock and country journalist Flippo, who documented much of the major changes in country music including the Outlaw movement and one of the original Outlaws Tompall Glaser, both left us in 2013.

Though gone they will boot be forgotten for their contribution to the rich and progressive music we love.

Here’s to the music we love and the performers that endure much to offer their craft to make this world just a little bit better, kinder and more interesting. Here’s to a community that still buys albums, t-shirts and packs local shows and helps these talented folks make music a career.

Here’s to the New Year.