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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Award-Winning Documentary on Nashville Black Baseball History Selected for 20th Annual International Black Film Festival

NASHVILLE — An award-winning documentary that tells the story of Nashville Black baseball history has been selected for screening at the International Black Film Festival on Oct. 5, 2025.

Author/Director/former TSU Professor Harriet Himbro-Hamilton’s film, “A Tour of One City: The History of the Negro Leagues in Nashville (Tennessee) and Beyond,” recently won the Grand Prize Documentary-Television at the Marina del Rey (California) Film Festival. It also received exposure in June at the Charlotte (North Carolina) Black Film Festival.

“We are honored and thrilled with the positive response to the documentary so far,” said Hamilton, who shares top creative billing with videographer Quinton Cox. “The Negro Leagues represent a critical yet often underrepresented chapter in both baseball and Civil Rights history.”

Author/Filmmaker Dr. Harriet Kimbro-Hamilton received the 
Grand Prize Documentary-Television Award at the Marina del Rey (California) Film Festival.

Hamilton developed her vision for making the film several years ago while writing books about her father, Nashville Black baseball legend Henry Kimbro, and other famous Negro Leaguers. “Daddy’s Scrapbook” and “”Home Plate” were warmly received by surviving athletes and their families, leading to Major League Baseball recognizing NBL players as professionals. 

“I had accumulated a lot of video footage of several players while conducting research for my two books,” the author added. “The question I asked myself was what I was going to do with all of that footage.”

Her documentary weaves rich archival materials and personal testimonies into an educational and emotionally resonant narrative. It brings to life the cultural and historical significance of the local players who participated in the Negro Leagues, which filled baseball stands from the Civil War to the 1960s.

The Nashville Sounds has embraced the project, even screening a segment of the documentary during a game in 2024. 

“Dr. Kimbro-Hamilton’s documentary on Negro League Baseball is not only a compelling piece of storytelling but an essential contribution to the broader understanding of history, race and sports in Nashville and beyond,” noted Doug Scopel, vice-president of operations for the Sounds Baseball organization.

Screening at the International Black Film Festival will occur from 2-3:15 p.m. Oct. 5 (Sunday) at the Hutton Hotel in Music City. Filmmakers and movie lovers can attend the showing for $13.17, plus a transaction fee of $1.80. To learn more or buy tickets, visit www.ibffevents.com.

“This documentary honors many local Nashvillians whose impact on the game transcended the field,” Kimbro-Hamilton said.

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AmericanaFest Kicks Off with the Memorable BMI Rooftop Party

 “There are always generic terms like ‘Americana’, but there are no boundaries as to where it can go.” — Robert Plant (AmericanaFest has started! The Tuesday kick-off party at BMI (an annual tradition) was a blast. The performing rights organization, a festival sponsor, pulled out all the stops to make its celebration memorable… a rooftop setting overlooking downtown, complimentary BBQ and drinks, and stellar live entertainment. Taking the stage were Briscoe, Ken Pomeroy, and The Droptines. The weather was ideal with sunshine and moderate temperatures. Per usual, my Music City Arts Update staffer and I met some very friendly people in the Nashville music industry, including a group of very nice BMI employees. The AmericanaFest draws performing artists and fans to Music City from around the world for an educational conference and live performances at numerous venues. The Americana genre breaks musical boundaries… an authentic voice of American roots. Performers, songwriters and musicians blend elements of folk, country, blues, rock, R&B, and gospel. No act sounds the same. There is a freshness and deeply soulful expression of life and yearning through music and storytelling. You will rarely hear “canned” or “homogenized” melodies or lyrics. It’s real-life authenticity for the everyday man... an alternative to the predictable. You have to attend the festival to understand this fully, or listen to radio station WMOT-FM. It’s easy to see why this is my favorite event of the year.) #ChuckWhiting #ChucksDiary #Americana #AmericanaFest #Music #Nashville #MusicCity #AmericanaMusic #Art #Arts #MusicCityArts 9-10-25 @AmericanaFest 

(Check out photos, text and music on our Instagram and Facebook pages: @MusicCityArts 

Chuck’s Diary: A Hidden-Away Treasure of Nature on the Gulf Coast

 

“If it weren’t for the rocks in its bed, the stream would have no song.” — Carl Perkins, musician (I visited a lot of places during the summer months. One of my favorite stops was the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve on the Gulf Coast of Florida. This beautiful, hidden-away escape features trails and boardwalks that lead through a forest and savannah in the Apalachicola-Chattahooche-Flint watershed. There are several wandering paths with one leading to a pier on the bay (offering a view of the Saint George Island Bridge to the south). A 5,400-square-foot nature center includes aquariums with fish and reptiles; a discovery room with skeletons, fossils and preserved marine life; and historic artifacts from the fishing industry. The Watershed Walk features a 270-foot boardwalk scaled to match the 530 river miles (with markers denoting landmarks) from the headwaters of the watershed to Apalachicola Bay. Small signs provide plant information and quotes from famous people… a nice touch. A shop owner in Carrabelle suggested we stop on our way to Saint George Island. For more information, visit www dot Apalachicola Reserve dot com.) #ChuckWhiting #ChucksDiary #CarlPerkins #ApalachicolaReserve #NatureCenter #Eastpoint #Florida #ApalachicolaBay #Savannah #Forest #Boardwalks #Watershed #Nature #Outdoors #GulfCoast #SaintGeorgeIsland #Apalachicola #Fish #Reptiles #Aquariums #Plants #Fossils #Travel #Hiking #Outdoors #Art #Arts #MusicCityArts 9-27-23

A Heavenly Close to the Americana Fest in Nashville

 By Wil Comstock

MCAU Contributing Writing

Saturday, 9/17

Thirty Tigers Gospel Brunch

 

     There were several options for late Saturday morning. Usually the Gospel Brunch is packed out. This year there was a little elbow room. There were generous portions of chicken and waffles, and DJ Tim Hibbs provided classic gospel sounds as we dove into our meals.  

 

     Host Henry Wagons warmed up the crowd before introducing Stephany Lambring. Her vocals and guitar work were perfect on the haunting Gillian Welch song, “By the Mark.” Bostonian, Alisa Amador, captured our attention with the beautiful “Milonga Accidental.” She weaves many styles of music to come up with her own unique voice, as she demonstrated on “Together.” We were treated to songs from the upcoming album “Built on Bones” by Emily Scott Ross. Emily was joined by friends Lizzy Ross and Alisa Amador. Their voices blended superbly as they smiled and swayed through “Hearing My Prayer” and “Men and Moons.” The album is a modern adaption of Shakespeare’s “Macbeth.”

The Shindellas stood out in their matching pink lamé outfits and orchestrated moves. But what really floored me was their intricate harmony and sense of melody on songs like “Fear Has No Place” and “I Will Be Myself Today.” Their website says “The Shindellas are a band formed under the belief that when women come together, powerful change can happen”. Amen!  

     Georgia singer songwriter Brent Cobb took the stage sat down and sang “Just a Closer Walk with Thee.” Along with “Closer Walk,” he performed the stirring “We Shall Rise” and the self-penned “When It’s My Time” from his new gospel album “And Now, Let’s Turn to Page.”  Cobb said he had always wanted to make an album like this and after a near death auto accident, he figured it was time! 

     Last up was the McCrary Sisters minus Deborah who passed in early June from her third stroke. Everyone was clapping hands and singing as the sisters tore into Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground.” Between strokes, Deborah wrote the uplifting “Let it Go.” It took on new meaning as the McCrarys invited us to join them on this rousing number.  Alfreda McCrary asked all of the performers to come back to the stage as the sisters led the way on “I’ll Fly Away.” The audience was on their feet singing praises and lifting their hands. Praising Jesus for the fortification of the chicken and waffles!

 

 

Riverside Revival:

 

     I got excited when I first noticed Watkins Family Hour was going to be at Americana Fest. They were first slotted for the Thirty Tigers Gospel Brunch. But I had confidence that the powers that be would find a place for them to give a full show. Siblings Sara and Sean Watkins of Nickel Creek fame, have hosted a monthly show at LA’s Largo for the last 20 years.  They have invited Willie Watson, Fiona Apple, Lucius, Jackson Browne, Madison Cunnigham, and others to join them onstage. Out of these musical relationships came Watson Family Hour and three recordings. Their opening song of the evening, “The Way I Feel Inside,” is a reworking of the old Zombies song. Pete Harper is part of the Family on this tour providing keys, bass, guitar, backing vocals and lead vocals on “Take Me Down Easy.” One of the lighter moments was the fun reworking of Ernest Tubb’s “Thanks a Lot.”  Thank you Riverside Revival for providing the space for this concert! 

 

     Canadian, Amanda Rheaume, really impressed me. This heartland rocker had some great songs both musically and lyrically. She brought along an ace band with the guitarist and fiddle player supporting her on back ground vocals. She started with “100 Years,” inspired by words attributed to Métis tribal leader Louis Riel, who led the North-West Resistance in 1885: “My people will sleep for a hundred years but when they awake, it will be the artists that give them back their spirit.” Rheaume is a citizen of the Métis Nation and a First Nation activist. 

     Recently, Amanda traveled five hours above Thunder Bay, where she is from, to Lac Seul, Ontario, where her Métisancestors lived. Standing by the lake for the first time, she felt like she had returned home. This is the inspiration for her powerful song “Return to the Water. Introducing her closing song, “The Skin I’m In,” she said, “As humans, we don't have to look, sound, act or be like anyone but our unique and beautiful selves.” Amanda found a new fan in me. What an inspiring show!

Americana Music Comes Alive at the Hutton

By Wil Comstock

MCAU Contributing Writer

 

Thursday Evening, Analog at the Hutton:

 

     About three weeks before Americana Fest, I pull up the lineup and enter the artists I am not familiar with into YouTube. This year I discovered a new favorite, Australian Mark Wilkinson.  

     I was looking forward to his set. Mark came to the stage with just his guitar, and when he began to play “Love High” the small audience listened. Using alternate tunings and intricate fingerpicking, he takes a gentle command of the instrument. His vocals are soothing and draw you in. He has the ability to communicate to your heart like James Taylor or Mary Chapin Carpenter. He wrote “Days on the Rooftop” about a mate he went to high school with that got made fun of a lot. One day the classmate climbed on a roof top and was about to jump…  I love the ballard “Belong,” a song written during the pandemic. It’s about holding on to what you love, in Wilkinson’s case, music. 

     How do you sustain your life with all the venues closed and no money coming in?  The lyrics seem to cry out “what is going on, I know I’m doing what I should be doing, but this isn’t working out for me.”   

     Mark closed his set with the soul-searching “All I Ever Wanted.” I’ll leave you with the chorus: “All I ever wanted was to be someone, More than just a shadow from a fading sun, And you tell me I’m here, And you say I’ll survive, But I’m searching for more, To know that I’m alive.”

     Tim Baker put on a solid set with his strong vocals and thoughtful lyrics as he alternated between guitar and keys. He got my attention when he said he was from St. Johns, Newfoundland. I’m a big fan of Alan Doyle who hails from that town. Baker said he felt a little naked on stage without his band who were not able to make it. But he did just fine on his own in this intimate setting. I especially enjoyed “All Hands” and “Songbird,” which he san at the investiture of Mary Simon as Governor General of Canada.

     It's been a while since I’ve seen Mindy Smith. I had forgotten how down to earth she is. I also enjoy her wry sense of humor. Smith first came on the scene with a cover of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” in 2003. She has five albums out, the latest titled simply “Mindy Smith.” She had the audience’s full attention as she performed “One Moment More,” a song about her mom who passed when Mindy was 19. “Quiet Town” is a personal favorite, a composition about Nashville before the skyscrapers came. This girl from Long Island, New York, has a pure blue grass voice that melts your heart. This is brought to the forefront on “Come to Jesus,” a song of comfort for the weary.

     Pete Mueller and the Kindred Souls are a great bar band. They are upbeat, fun, entertaining, and great musicians.  Besides Pete’s original numbers, they excel on covers. “Won’t Back Down” (Tom Petty) and “Working My Way Back to You Babe” (The Four Seasons) brought a smile to many faces. The highpoint for me was when the band left the stage and Pete soloed on a new song, “I Haven’t Learned How to Turn Away.”

     The venue began to fill up when Lilli Lewis took the stage with her bass player and drummer. Her style is part jazz, gospel and soul. I love it!  Lilli taught us a riff and invited us to sing with her on “When the Rain Comes In.” What an encouraging song! Her rendition of Joni Mitchell’s “Woodstock” must be heard! Lewis’s mission is to bring people together and spread some love. She surely accomplished this tonight!

Americana Fest Opens at Optimist with Music and all the Trimmings

The Optimist, Concord Records 9/13/22

Report from MCAU Staff Writer Wil Comstock

 

     After finding a place to park by the petroleum plant (who knew we had one of these in Nashville), we made our way to The Optimist on Adams Street in Germantown.  The place was packed as we registered to get in.  My eyes were fixed on the seafood spread against the wall. Could this be for us?  The answer was yes!  Huge shrimp on ice, several kinds of oysters on the half shell, and the best hush puppies I have ever had. Chuck Whiting, MCAU Editor, was delighted, since he’s a pescatarian!  Concord Records spared no expense on this spread.  Once seated, we were told there was another buffet section with hors d’oeuvres and desserts.  Did I mention there was an open bar all evening?  After filling our tummies, we headed down the hall to the show.

     First up was Caroline Spence, who performed her set with a sweet mountain voice accompanying herself on guitar. Her honest lyrics and intimate delivery really drew me in.  We were seated on the left side where some of the musicians unpacked their instruments. A husky guy with overalls and a floppy hat removed his guitar and waited his turn.  I couldn’t help but wonder what this chap would sound like.  The emcee announced “Bony James” as he made his way to the stage.  His gut bucket guitar had me nodding, and his smooth blues vocals had me smiling.  Really enjoyed his fun love song “Pigsty!”  Red head Bella White gave a solid traditional country set, playing guitar with upright bass and fiddle side musicians. I really liked the reflective ballad “The Way I Oughta Go.”  Another red head, Logan Ledger, was up next.  From my seat, in profile, he looked a little like John Sebastian of the Lovin’ Spoonful.  Logan had my foot tapping on the upbeat ballad “All the Wine in California.”  At this point, we left our coveted seats for a bathroom break and a fresh drink.  Fortunately, the show was pipped into the restauant.  While sipping my cocktail, I heard the most longing beautiful voice with a lone guitar.  Looking through my program, I found it was Katie Pruitt!  If you get a chance check her out, you won’t be disappointed.  We made our way back to the showcase to catch the last act, Sierra Ferrell. What a polished and well-rehearsed act.  Playing guitar, she was joined by fiddle, upright bass, mandolin, and backing vocals.  I loved her take on Western Swing with her West Virginia hill country vocals.  What a fun set!  What a great night!

Learn more about the Americana Music Fest at www.AmericanaMusic.org. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at @MusicCityArts and @Chuck.Whiting.