By Wil Comstock
MCAU Contributing Writer
Wednesday, Sept. 13
Compass Records Hillbillies and
Hot Dogs.
11:30 a.m.
I always enjoy
going to this event. Who doesn’t like a good hot dog and craft beer? This event
is held in the front yard and inside the Compass Record building on 19th
Avenue on Music Row. The best part is cramming into the small studio and
watching the artists on the Compass roster share their music. They are among the most intimate performances
at Americana Fest. This year the bluesy Shannon
McNally kicked off the show. I was really drawn in by the haunting “No
Man’s Land,” which she wrote for her mother. Bluegrass swing artist Mike Barnett and friends followed with Bob Wills and Buddy Spicher-influenced arrangements for double fiddles. I have
never heard such sweet and tender fiddle playing. I really enjoyed his
rendition of "Tennessee Waltz" featuring Molly Tuttle on vocals.
Molly remained onstage explaining that she just received her new Pre-War
guitar and was excited to be playing it. She featured it on a traditional song using
her amazing claw hammer skills. Tuttle was recently featured on the cover of Guitar Player magazine! AJ Croce took the stage before he was
announced, fingering the piano keys with blues riffs. I’m sure it’s not easy to
be the son of a deceased legend, but Croce is his own man. That being said, he
performed a song his dad had demoed but never got the chance to record, the
soulful “Name of the Game” (a song AJ steered away from earlier in his career).
He now delivers it with smoldering confidence. Unfortunately, I had to miss
Colin Hay and Laura Cortese & the Dance Cards. Had to get back to work!
Station Inn
10 p.m. Caitlyn Canty
Caitlyn Canty's stark, reedy voice
touched me as I was listening to videos trying to decide what show to see for
this evening. I’m glad I went with my hunch and showed up! This was a great
show. Canty was accompanied by Noam Pikelny, the producer on her newly
delivered album. Noam, an artist in his
own right, and a member of the Punch Brothers, played steel banjo throughout
the evening. He tastefully lent his
skills to Caitlyn’s beautifully penned songs.
Favorites were “Seven Lines” and “Get Up.” She received a huge round of applause on her
lazy rendition of “Tennessee Waltz.” It was the second time I heard that song
in one day! Noam got a laugh when he
commented that the stage usually had a full band when other acts played. He was afraid the exclusive real estate
around him (on stage) might run the risk of having a condo go up with huge
cranes! Such is the present state of
Nashville in 2017. If you ever get the chance to see Caitlyn Canty live, please
do. You won’t regret it!
Station Inn
11 p.m. Hayes Carll
Hayes Carll is a modern day troubadour,
his lyrics plainspoken with a touch of sarcasm. I could understand every word
he sang. This is a man with a message. Hayes accompanied himself on acoustic
guitar and was backed by Adam Landry
on electric guitar and Mike Meadows
on snare and percussion. I enjoyed
“Nobody Wants to Hear the Truth Anymore,” “The Magic Kid” (a tender song about
his son), and “My Wild Pointy Finger,” a number about the accuser in all of us.
I left feeling challenged to look at life a little differently. Hayes will do
that to you.
