Americana Music Fest Lineup Announced

Helm, Hoge, Isbell, McMurtry, Duhks, Louris & Olson and tons more…

By Blurt Staff

The Americana Music Association has announced an initial line up of artists, below, confirmed to play the 2008 Americana Music Festival in Nashville Sept. 17-20. Festival showcases will be held at downtown venues The Mercy Lounge, 3^rd & Lindsley, The Cannery, The Station Inn and The Basement. Showcase wristbands are $35 and can be purchased over the web at the Americana Music website.

It’s all part of the 9^th annual Americana Music Festival & Conference. Registration for the entire conference, including a ticket to the Honors & Awards show and daily panels, workshops and daytime showcases is $350 for AMA members and $450 for non-members until August 13; register at the above website.

The seminars and panels will be held at the Nashville Convention Center in the day before activities shift to the nighttime showcases.  Levon Helm will officially kick off the festivities September 17 with his Ramble at the Ryman Auditorium (tickets available at the box office or through Ticketmaster).

The capstone of the festival will take the form of the annual Americana Music Association Honors and Awards, scheduled for September 18 at the Ryman Auditorium. Hosted by Jim Lauderdale and featuring a band led by Buddy Miller, the ceremony will toast winners in six member-voted categories and also bestow Lifetime Achievement Awards on John Hiatt, Jason and the Scorchers and longtime Austin City Limits producer Terry Lickona in the categories of Songwriting, Performance and Executive, respectively. The AMA will also present the unique "Spirit of Americana" Free Speech award to Joan Baez.

Confirmed Performers (more tba):

Peter Bradley Adams
Nels Andrews
Marcia Ball
Band of Heathens
Randall Bramblett
Laura Cantrell
Chatham Country Line
John Cowan Band
Cross Canadian Ragweed
Dailey & Vincent
Dedringers
Christopher Denny
Joe Ely
Mike Farris
Rosie Flores
Folk Ute
Kylie Harris
Malcolm Holcombe
Will Hoge
Jason Isbell
Jason & The Scorchers
Kane Welch Kaplin
Randy Kohrs
Ben Kweller
Langhorne Slim & the War Eagles
Jim Lauderdale
Gary Louris & Mark Olson
Kathy Mattea
Anne McCue
James McMurtry
Chuck Mead
Tift Merritt
Buddy Miller
Jennifer Nicely
Dave Peterson & His Old Time Country Review
Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band
Red Stick Ramblers
Kim Richey, Will Kimbrough & Mando Saenz
Bruce Robison
Romantica
Patty Hurst Shifter
Shurman
Sierra Hull & Highway 111
Patrick Sweany
The Belleville Outfit
The Coal Men
The Duhks
The Everybodyfields
The Farewell Drifters
The Gougers
The SteelDrivers
The Wrights Band of Annuals
Paul Thorn
Those Darlins
Ricky Young
Jim White
Robin & Linda Williams