(CelebrityAccess MediaWire) —
The 6th Annual Americana Music Conference at the Nashville Convention Center September 8-10 will bring together an estimated 750 artists, record executives, managers, agents, music publishers, performing rights society executives, music retailers, producers, promoters, allied professionals and major media for three days of learning, networking and entertainment.
The conference will feature 39 panels and presentations covering all facets of the business, featuring new-media companies such as AOL, CD Baby, Dimensional Associates, echomusic, PodcastAlley, Sound Exchange, Yahoo! Music and many others. In addition to special legal, financial and personal development sessions, there will be a keynote address by Bonnaroo co-creator Ashley Capps and a special Label Heads Roundtable with top music executives.
This year’s conference will debut a new AMA Internet Café & Listening Lounge sponsored by Paste, Proper Music Ltd., Sonicbids and CMT, where several artists will perform. There will also be several sponsored luncheons and parties. The largest-ever conference trade show offers prizes to delegates visiting 50 exhibitors, including Smoky Mountain Harley-Davidson, whose special “Americana” model will be on display, to be signed by artists and raffled off to support non-commercial station WDVX/Knoxville.
After daytime activities, the "HARPmobile," sponsored by HARP Magazine, will shuttle delegates all three nights to the Basement, Station Inn, Mercy Lounge and Cannery Ballroom for 48 showcase performances, which are open to the public.
Confirmed artists for September 8 include the Avett Brothers, Bobby Bare, Blue Highway, Solomon Burke, Hayes Carll, Elizabeth Cook, the Derailers, Mary Gauthier, the Grascals, the Hacienda Brothers, Lucero, Buddy Miller, Tim O’Brien, Eve Selis, Chris Stamey, Marty Stuart, Swamp Cabbage, Uncle Earl, Holly Williams, Adrienne Young and a special “mystery” guest.
Following the Honors & Awards, September 9 performers include Thad Cockrell & Caitlin Cary, the John Cowan Band, Pat Flynn & Friends, Tom Gillam & Tractor Pull, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Kevin Gordon, Jim Lauderdale, the Lee Boys, Julie Lee and Chip Taylor & Carrie Rodriguez with two additional artists to be announced.
September 10 guests include Frank Black, the Bluerunners, Sarah Borges, Shawn Camp, Melonie Cannon, Peter Case, the Willie Clay Band, the Ditty Bops, the Duhks, Robbie Fulks, Dean Miller, Old School Freight Train, Robert Reynolds, RobinElla, Chris Scruggs, Greg Trooper, Two Tons Of Steel and Webb Wilder, with one more artist to be announced.
Daytime showcases in the AMA Internet Café & Listening Lounge include Jeff Black, Stephen Bruton, Wes Charlton, Dan Colehour, Danny Flowers, Arthur Godfrey, Lisa Hayes, David Olney, South Austin Jug Band, Marty Stuart and Adrienne Young. Hosted luncheon performances include Grayson Capps, Darryl Lee Rush and others to be announced.
A special late-night September 9 Compadre Records & Emergent Music Marketing “Chicken & Waffles After-Party Extravaganza” will feature Elizabeth Cook, Bernie Leadon, Julie Lee and Jesse McReynolds & Charles Whitstein.
A HighTone Records party on September 10 during the conference offers Brian Capps, the Domino Kings and the Morells while a Compass Records Party for delegates that evening will feature Alison Brown, Kieran Kane & Kevin Welch and additional guest performers.
Conference registration includes access to all panels and presentations, the trade show, selected meals, invitations to all sanctioned parties, conference program guide, goody bag, a ticket to the Honors & Awards at the Ryman Auditorium, wristband to all evening showcases and more. Registration through August 31 is $300 for AMA members, $400 for non-members. Details are available on www.americanamusic.org.
A limited number of showcase wristbands, good for admission all three evenings, are available for only $25 via www.americanamusic.org, and can also be purchased at numerous Nashville area locations starting August 9.
The Renaissance is the official hotel and Southwest Airlines is the official airline of the Americana Music Conference. Major sponsors include ASCAP, Baja Fresh, BMI, echomusic, First Amendment Center, GAC, HARP, Lost Highway Records, No Depression, Paste, Proper Music Group, Rounder Records, SESAC, Sugar Hill Records and Vanguard Records. –Bob Grossweiner and Jane Cohen
