Chuck Whiting's Daily Diary:
Why I love the Americana Music Fest
Sept. 22, 2021
“There are always generic terms like 'Americana', but there are no boundaries as to where it can go.” — Robert Plant (Americana music — American roots music — comes from all kinds of people… Black, White, Latin, country, urban, Southern, Western, farmer, teacher, student, truck driver, Uber driver, preacher, choir leader, mechanic, waitress, artist, gay, straight, male, female, mother, father, low income, middle class, eccentric, eclectic, you name it … That’s what makes it authentic. Americana music and accompanied down-to-earth stories creep into your bones and rev up your soul. You might hear rhythm and blues, country, jazz and/or a combination of all three… or perhaps something else. Whatever it is, you’ll yearn to groove. Of all the events in Nashville, the Americana Music Fest is my favorite. It kicked off Wednesday night with a number of touching moments at the annual Americana Awards Show at the historic Ryman Auditorium. Highlights included a humble acceptance speech by the legendary blues artist Keb Mo (Lifetime Achievement Award), a performance of “Highwomen” by the trio the Highwomen, a performance by the Fisk Jubilee Singers (Legacy Americana Award), and a hilarious homage to The Mavericks by producer Tony Brown (Trailblazer Award). Brandi Carlile, who won Artist of the Year, awed the crowd with several breathtaking performances. The show reserved special moments to remember some of the artists we lost during the past year, including Nancy Griffith, Tom T. Hall, and John Prine. Special guests included Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell, who closed the show with a duet. It was an outstanding kickoff for what looks to be another unforgettable festival. The pandemic be damned (although all safety measures taken.) I plan to share a few highlights with photos each day.) #ChuckWhiting #RobertPlant #AmericanaMusicFestival #AmericanaMusic #Americana #Music #RootsMusic #Country #Blues #Jazz #RandB #Soul #Latin #Nashville #MusicCityArts #BrandiCarlile #Highwomen #FiskJubileeSingers #KebMo #EmmylouHarris #RodneyCrowell #AmericanaFest
Writing and original photos (montage) by Chuck Whiting (Copyright 2021)
Chuck Whiting is a writer, songwriter, photographer and educator.
You can follow Chuck on Instagram @Chuck.Whiting or @MusicCityArts
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