This coverage provided by the Americana Music Association:
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Thursday, September 17, 2026
Americana Music Association Announces Award Winners with Dolly Parton Tribute
Brandi Carlile Takes the Americana Stage for John Prine’s 80th Birthday Celebration
By Wil Comstock
MCAU Contributing Writer
Northern Lights and Oh Boy Records celebrate John Prine’s 80th!
Hosted by Brandi Carlile, 9/16/2026
Miraculously, once again, I was able to grab a front row seat to this glorious event. This year each artist performed a John Prine song. Some even had personal stories to tell.
Several years ago, Brandi Carlile, was one of the guest artists on a cruise ship with Prine. In her cabin, Brandi’s wife, Catherine, was beside herself trying to quiet their first-born child. She handed the baby to Brandi. Remembering what her mother once told her about quieting babies, Brandi made an enclosure, circling the baby with towels to make her feel secure. She then reached for her curling iron and began doing her hair for John Prine’s encore, a duet about to take place in a few minutes. Hearing a crash, Brandi turned around to see the baby on the floor, now screaming, with blood all over. With tears in her eyes, she handed the baby to her wife, saying she had to get downstairs to the show. When John came backstage, Carlile was waiting with a trembling upper lip and a few tears running down her face. When John asked if she was okay, she explained what happened. He replied, “This won’t be the last time you make your wife cry, or the last time you drop the baby.” Making Brandi smile. They went on stage and sang the tune, “Angel of Montgomery.” That was the song Carlile chose to sing today.
With Chauntee on cello and Monique on violin, the supremely talented Sister Strings delighted us with Prine’s “Caravan of Fools,” for which they received a standing ovation. Girls! When is your album coming out?
Emily Scott Robinson did a warm and lively performance on “Spanish Pipeline,” a favorite of mine. While Olivia Wolf did a little tongue in cheek on “Long Monday.” Sean McConnell had many in tears on his rendition of “Hello in There.”
Brandi’s cousins The Carlile Family Band (teenagers Caroline and J Jay) contributed “Summer’s End.” Caroline told us that when she was a little girl, her parents told her to hold one of their hands when getting off an elevator. When on an elevator at a folk event, Caroline reached up and grabbed a hand. It was John Prine’s! Her mother snaped a photo!
Riley Downing did a heartfelt rendition of “The Other Side of Town” with his Missouri working class vocals. And who could forget Tré Burt’s delivery of “The Late John Garfild’s
Surprise guest Tommy Prine, John Prine’s son, sang his father’s first breakup song (written when he was just 19), the heartbreaking “Far From Me.” It’s great to see him walking in his father’s footsteps while at the same time carving his own way as a singer-songwriter.
Thanks to Northern Lights for another great show!
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Wednesday, September 16, 2026
Amy Grant and Melissa Etheridge Rock the House During AmericanaFest
By Wil Comstock
MCAU Contributing Writer
Americanafest Tuesday Evening at the Station Inn, 9/15/26
Leaving behind the sweat and heat of the hopping BMI Rooftop Party, Chuck and I headed over to 3rd and Lindsley. I prayed for a free parking space on the way over. We grabbed the last one on the side of the building! Then, we were offered the last two seats in the venue!
After introducing ourselves to the nice people at our table, Aubrie Sellers took the stage. The woman next to me showed me her phone. I read “Daughter of Lee Ann Womack and Jason Sellers.” Well, what do you know about that! Sellers is part of the new wave of Country artists. Her edgy songs mixed with traditional country vocals set her apart from the pack. My favorites were “Far from Home” and “My Love Will Not Change.”
Next up, Amy Grant. Although I’ve seen her in the round in the last 20 years, this was the first time I saw a full set of Amy’s during that time period. I joined the crowd at the foot of the stage. Yes, I’ve been a fan since Grant’s first album. She reached back into her catalog, opening with “Nobody Home” and “Walk on Water.” Up front, the sound wasn’t too good, more than a little disappointing. At 65, and after open heart surgery and a serious bike accident, Amy seemed contemplative and reflective. A quieter woman than the one I saw on arena stages so long ago. Except for her number one hit “Baby Baby,” most of her set came from her new album “The Me that Remains.” I loved the ethereal “Beautiful Lone Companion” and the song she wrote with husband Vince Gill, “Until We Get It Right.” If I headed for home at this point, I would have been filled to the brim.
Reaching for my phone and opening the AmericanaFest app, I found that Maggie Rose would be next. I was not familiar with her, but let me tell you, I will not forget her! She commanded the stage. What presence, what vocals, what a dress! Her mix of classic rock and blues reached back to the sixties but was every bit in the present. It’s hard to pick a favorite, but I sure liked “I Could Get Used to It” and “In This Life.” The house was on its feet when Melissa Etheridge walked out during “Poison in My Well.” Their voices blended well and lifted the song to a new level. I’ve got to pick up one of Maggie’s albums. You should too!
What can I say about Melissa Etheridge that you don’t already know? Powerful, sassy vocals; a gunslinger on guitar; and a Kansas native living in sunny California. She set the mood for the evening opening with “Don’t You Want a Woman.” Lawd girl! All of the numbers were from her new album “Rise,” except for the last song. I could hear every lyric and every word she spoke. That doesn’t happen much for me anymore. Although I have several of her albums, I gained a lot of respect for her as a lyricist tonight. She used direct, open and honest words to convey her thoughts. She was funny and in a surprising way, quite endearing. Highlights for me were “Matches” with Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” sandwiched in the middle. And the closing number, “Come to My Window.” What a night!
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AmericanaFest Kicks Off with BMI Rooftop Party
“Americana Music is about all sorts of different music. It is very free and open: a world where people just like authentic music.” — John Oates (AmericanaFest has kicked off in Nashville, and I couldn’t be happier and more excited. This is the music event of the year that draws musicians and music lovers from around the world. The BMI Rooftop kickoff was a prime example, with food, drinks and live music overlooking downtown Nashville. There were no strangers there. Visitors were friendly and eager to introduce themselves while eating BBQ and sipping on their favorite mixed drinks. I met a lady with purple hair from Iowa and a couple from Florida, who decided to stop off in Nashville before heading to Montana on vacation. The music was outstanding with performances by Meels, Flying Mojito Bros, and Hayes Carll. Each year, my friend and staff writer Wil Comstock and I hit the town to cover the festival for my online blog, Music City Arts Update. If you haven’t been to the festival, I would strongly encourage you to take in a show or two this week. Once you do, expect to be hooked. I am attending while juggling my busy teaching at a local college. The music performed by singers, songwriters and musicians has deep roots in genres ranging from blues and jazz to folk, country and rock. You always hear a refreshing mix of the unexpected. Here are a few photos from the BMI event. More coverage to come!) #ChuckWhiting #ChucksDiary #AmericanaFest #RooftopOnTheRow #MusicCityArts 9-16-26
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