Americana Conference Update

Just Two Weeks Away

The AMERICANA MUSIC FESTIVAL AND CONFERENCE, just two weeks away (10/12-15) in NASHVILLE, has announced appearances by GREGG ALLMAN, ROBERT PLANT AND THE BAND OF JOY, LUCINDA WILLIAMS, JERRY DOUGLAS, JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE, THE JAYHAWKS, NORTH MISSISSIPPI ALLSTARS, FOSTER AND LLOYD, ELIZABETH COOK, HAYES CARLL, THE SECRET SISTERS and THE CIVIL WARS, among others.

RECORDING ACADEMY President/CEO NEIL PORTNOW will make the keynote speech:  PORTNOW will speak on THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13th at 11a (CT), followed immediately by an Artist Development panel featuring JOY WILLIAMS and JOHN PAUL WHITE of THE CIVIL WARS.  The Artist Development panel will also bring together members of the act's marketing and promotion team.  It will be moderated by NPR MUSIC’s ANN POWERS.

There will be approximately 40 panels, workshops and educational events throughout the festival.

One of the highlights of the four-day event is the AMERICANA HONORS & AWARDS SHOW, set for THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13th at the RYMAN AUDITORIUM.  JIM LAUDERDALE will continue his tenure as master of ceremonies, joined for another year by BUDDY MILLER and his All-Star house band.

The AMA has announced its 2011 LIFE TIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNERS: LUCINDA WILLIAMS (songwriting); GREGG ALLMAN (performer), JERRY DOUGLAS (instrumentalist); and RICK HALL (executive.  There will also be a new award this year named TRAILBLAZER and it will go to journalist and radio host BOB HARRIS.

As already reported, the awards event has now been confirmed to broadcast live on NASHVILLE PUBLIC TELEVISION.  In addition to the live awards broadcast, an edited version of the show will be aired NOVEMBER 19th as a special episode of the new season of the PBS series "AUSTIN CITY LIMITS."

Further, SEAN COAKLEY and LESLIE ROUFFE of SONGLINES will be hosting the annual AMERICANA MUSIC MEETING taking place on FRIDAY AFTERNOON, OCTOBER 14th.  They're looking for the best new music to showcase for radio, satellite and Internet programmers as well as music bloggers.  The deadline for submissions is OCTOBER 7th.

For more information go to www.americanamusic.org.

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