Shore Fire's guide to AmericanaFest 2019

Amy Speace

Shakespeare storytelling meets folk-pop in a typically rousing Amy Speace set. Her Americana appearances highlight songs from Me And The Ghost Of Charlemagne(out September 6th), Speace’s spare and stripped-down album about life and death and the journey of all dreamers.

Thursday, Sept 12 / Nashville Underground / 12 PM

Thursday, Sept 12 / TRUE Music Room at Cambria / 11 PM

Come Hear NC

Come Hear NC is a year-long mission designed to celebrate, support, and sustain North Carolinians’ groundbreaking contributions to American music. In partnership with the Americana Music Association and Visit North Carolina, Come Hear NC presents special programming as the 20th annual AmericanaFest makes the state of North Carolina this year’s regional music focus. Highlights include a keynote featuring roots aficionado Rhiannon Giddens; a musical book reading by singer-songwriter Chris Stamey; and a deep-dive discussion on the history of Americana music in North Carolina featuring American Aquarium’s BJ Barham.

Wednesday, Sept 11 / The Westin / 11:30 AM [Panel]

Thursday, Sept 12 / The Westin / 4 PM

Thursday, Sept 12 / 3rd & Lindsley / 7 PM

Friday, Sept 13 / The Westin / 2:30 PM [Panel]

Friday, Sept 13 / The Westin / 4 PM [Panel]

Friday, Sept 13 / Mercy Lounge / 7 PM

Saturday, Sept 14 / Country Music Hall of Fame / 11 AM

Saturday, Sept 14 / White Avenue Studio / 11 AM

Saturday, Sept 14 / Bluebird Cafe / 6 PM

The Commonheart

This eight-piece Pittsburgh powerhouse led by fiery, Joe Cocker-like frontman Clinton Clegg will win you over with a sound “so explosive...it [could] summon a biblical thunderstorm” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette). They’ve shared the stage with Gary Clark Jr. and performed on the Outlaw Music Festival tour with Willie Nelson, Van Morrison, Sturgill Simpson, and more.

Friday, Sept 13 / Cannery Ballroom / 10:30 PM

Delbert McClinton

Over an influential 60-year career, the “Godfather of Americana” (Rolling Stone) has toured with the Beatles, backed Bo Diddley, and Howlin’ Wolf, and performed on SNL multiple times. After receiving his Lifetime Achievement Award for Performance at Wednesday’s Americana Honors & Awards ceremony, he’ll play a raucous late show Saturday highlighting his new album, Tall, Dark & Handsome (Hot Shot Records/Thirty Tigers).

Wednesday, Sept 11 / Americana Awards / 7 PM

Saturday, Sept 14 / 3rd & Lindsley / 11:30 PM

Elvis Costello

The Americana Music Association will award Costello with its lifetime achievement award for Songwriting.

Wednesday, Sept 11 / Americana Awards / 7 PM

Mapache

Aquarium Drunkard hailed this California duo as “a blazed up Everly Brothers." Now signed to Yep Roc, Mapache (Spanish for "raccoon") show off their "West Coast Pop Americana" at this year's festival. They've played Pickathon and Mountain Jam and have toured with Chris Robinson, Nikki Bluhm, Beachwood Sparks, and more.

Thursday, Sept 12 / Analog at Hutton Hotel / 9:30 PM

Our Native Daughters

The collaborative effort from Rhiannon Giddens, Amythyst Kiah, Leyla McCalla, and Allison Russell has earned Our Native Daughters a Group of the Year nomination. Drawing on early minstrelsy and banjo music, these four women reclaim, recast, and spotlight the often unheard and untold history of their ancestors, whose stories remain vital and alive.

Wednesday, Sept 11 / Americana Awards / 7 PM

Paul Cauthen

In honor of his new album, Room 41 (September 6th via Lightning Rod Records), Cauthen makes a few special appearances at this year's festival. In addition, Cauthen will present his “Big Velvet Revue” on Sept. 11th. Last year’s “Big Velvet Revue” sold out and was deemed a “Best Show” and “Can’t Miss” event by Nashville Scene.

Tuesday, Sept 10 / EXIT/IN / 8 PM

Wednesday, Sept 11 / Basement East / 10 PM

Thursday, Sept 12 / The Anchor / 9:30 PM

Saturday, Sep 14 / Grimey’s New & Preloved Music / 3 PM

Saturday, Sept 14 / Grand Ole Opry / 7 PM

Rhiannon Giddens

The GRAMMY-winning MacArthur “Genius” Grant recipient has been nominated for Artist of the Year & Duo/Group of the Year at the Americana Honors & Awards, and she will be featured in Ken Burns’ Country Music series premiering on PBS in September. Her 2019 projects include there is no Other (Nonesuch), an album recorded with Italian multi-instrumentalist Francesco Turrisi that is at once a condemnation of “othering” and a celebration of the ties that bind, and Songs of Our Native Daughters, a collaborative album recently released on Smithsonian Folkways that tells the stories of historic black womanhood and survival.

Wednesday, Sept 11 / Americana Awards / 7 PM

Friday, Sept 13 / The Westin / 4 PM [Panel]

Smithsonian Folkways

Jeff Place, the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage’s GRAMMY-winning Archivist and Curator, will participate in a panel on the great Pete Seeger’s legacy. Also, Smithsonian Folkways artists Our Native Daughters will perform during Wednesday’s Americana Honors & Awards.

Wednesday, Sept 11 / Americana Awards / 7 PM

Thursday, Sept 12 / The Westin / 4 PM [Panel]

The Time For Peace is Now

The Time For Peace is Now explores the rich and often overlooked period of the early '70s when gospel found a new voice. Join Luaka Bop President Yale Evelev, gospel scholar and DJ Kevin Nutt, and Annie Caldwell, formerly of the Staples Jr. Singers, as they discuss the music and the meaning of this era.

Friday, Sept 13 / The Westin / 3:30 PM [Panel]

Waylon Payne

You may have spotted Payne playing Jerry Lee Lewis in Walk The Line – now see the GRAMMY-nominated songwriter (co-writes with Miranda Lambert, Lee Ann Womack, Ashley Monroe, more) at this year’s festival.

Tuesday, Sept 10 / Analog at Hutton Hotel / 2 PM

Thursday, Sept 12 / Luck Showboat / 6:30 PM

Thursday, Sept 12 / The Anchor / 8:30 PM

Friday, Sept 13 / Basement East / 8 PM