(HACKNEY, LONDON UK) – The Americana Music Association UK is proud to present AmericanaFestUK 2017, a two-day celebration of Americana music featuring a conference, festival showcases and the second annual UK Americana Awards, February 1-2 in Hackney, London, UK.
AmericanaFestUK features appearances and performances by Mary Chapin Carpenter, Glen Phillips, Bob Harris, Jed Hilly, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Angaleena Presley, Harry Shearer, Simon Mayo, Imelda May, Richard Thompson, Yola Carter and more.
In 2016, the AMAUK revamped its annual conference, modeling it on Nashville’s AmericanaFest, with three primary event strands: a two-day conference, artist showcases and a gala awards show. This year, with the kind permission of the AMA, the events have been rebranded AmericanaFest UK. Keep reading to learn more about showcasing artists, UK Americana Awards nominees and the industry conference.
UK Americana Awards
The highlight is the second annual UK Americana Awards show, hosted by Bob Harris OBE and with performances from Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Richard Thompson and five-time GRAMMY winner Mary Chapin Carpenter, a nominee in the International Artist of the Year category. Click here to view all the nominees and for details on the celebration.
The AMAUK Conference
The two-day conference will kick off with a keynote address from the inimitable Sid Griffin, one-time leader of Americana pioneers The Long Ryders, founder of The Coal Porters and writer of books on Bob Dylan, Gram Parsons and Bluegrass. Click here for the full conference schedule.
Showcase Festival
Twenty artists from the UK, U.S., Canada and Australia will perform at the showcase festival, taking place across three venues in Hackney, London. Performers include U.S. artists Angaleena Presley, Glen Phillips, Carter Sampson, Wild Ponies and Amythyst Kiah, along with Nashville-resident and Australian Emma Swift.
The AMAUK in Nashville
Three of the UK artists who performed at the UK event in 2016 went on to showcase at AmericanaFest in Nashville: Robert Vincent, William the Conqueror and Yola Carter, who earned massive critical praise throughout the festival, including a nod from NPR Music. The AMA-UK hosts events annually during AmericanaFest in Nashville, highlighting the emergence and growth of Americana in the UK. If you’re planning a trip to AMA for September, be on the lookout for all your opportunities to experience Americana from the UK!