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10 Questions with ... Jed Hilly
September 14, 2020
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
After cutting my teeth with ten years of diverse experiences at Sony Music Entertainment in New York, I moved to Nashville where I oversaw the estate of Roy Orbison before accepting the role as Executive Director of the Americana Music Association. For the past decade, I have overseen all aspects of the not-for-profit artist advocacy group and served as executive producer of its AmericanaFest Music Festival and Conference and the critically acclaimed Honors & Awards show.
During my tenure, the growth of the Americana Music Association has spread to three continents from Nashville to all 50 states, with satellite events in London, Los Angeles, New York and Australia. Membership has increased over 400% from 700 to 3000.
I also drafted proposals and successfully lobbied the Recording Academy to add the Best Americana Album (2009), Best American Roots Music Song (2013) and Performance (2014) to its list of Grammy Awards; in 2011, Merriam-Webster to add the word, Americana, as a musical term, to its prestigious Collegiate Dictionary.
I have also been awarded Grammy and multi Emmy awards as producer.
1. What got you interested in the music business?
I was in a band in New York city and someone needed to book out gigs … that was me. I always like to throw a party so when our band was formed it was natural for me to handle what was the business side of things.
2. How long have you been with the Americana Music Association?
This is my 14th year in this role.
3. How have the services of the AMA expanded since you have been there?
Services have expanded a ton. When I met Mr. Shoenberger, in 2007, there were only two full time employees of the AMA. Now there are 6 employees full-time and another dozen or more that join us part-time throughout the year; our membership has grown exponentially and the resources for our community.
4. Your annual gathering in September has also grown tremendously over the years. Tell us about that.
Around 2012 we addressed our mission statement. We had been very business centric -- to promote the business of Americana. That year we changed our mission, to advocate for the authentic voice of American roots music. That was a big change. Since that time our membership has grown, our annual gathering has gone from an aggregate attendance 5600 to 28,000.
5. Like so many this year, AmericanaFest has had to go virtual this year due the CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19). Tell us about the process of making it a different kind of event branded as Thriving Roots.
This was a challenge. We knew that we couldn’t replicate AmericanaFest in the same way we produced it in the past. There was no way we could convey the camaraderie and family gathering experience that the event had become. Transitioning to Thriving Roots was actually an organic experience. We first reached out to artists to see if they wanted to be involved and. Rosanne Cash was the first one and I asked her if there was a topic she wanted to address and discuss in our virtual forum. She responded within 24 hours to say that she wanted to talk to Ry Cooder, Bonnie Raitt, and Angela Davis about the history of protest music. The second call I made was to Bobby Weir to see if he was interested in doing something. Bobby came back with the idea of talking to Oteil Burbridge about the musical influence African-American musicians have had on the Grateful Dead. With different calls and conversations to the artists in our community we realized we had to do something different and we wanted to hear from the artists to help us to curate our event which is very different from how we do AmericanaFest.
6. What are some of the planned highlights for Thriving Roots?
In addition to Rosanne’s panel and Bobby’s panel mentioned above we are excited that Linda Ronstadt will be part of a conversation about a new documentary film coming out later this fall. Taj Mahal, Rhiannon Giddens, Margo Price, The Lumineers, Judd Apatow the list goes on. It’s been a very humbling experience to see the community come together to help us to curate and produce this event.
7. In your opinion, what is the health of Americana Music in 2020?
We chose the title Thriving Roots to represent the health of Americana music in 2020. We believe that to be true. We are all going through hard times. We are all struggling to make it through to next year. We are all missing gathering with each other and experiencing live music. The community that is the Americana community is strong and is healthy and passionate. I’ve always said that whether or not the Americana Music Association exists as the Americana community we continue and thrive.
8. Besides radio and touring (which is not happening at this time), what ways are there to get Americana music exposed to the public these days?
Americana has always been a favorite for music supervisors in film and television. The community is a resourceful one and has truly taken advantage of social media and Internet experiential services.
9. Will there always be a place out there for Americana music?
Yes, there will always be a place for American music as it has become entrenched in our society and it represents. in my opinion. the very best of American music. It is rooted in tradition and like any great art form takes from the past and innovates in the future.
10. What future do you see for the AMA?
Last year the American Music Association founded a philanthropic an educational side called the Americana Music Association Foundation. This new foundation is a 501©(3) philanthropic educational organization that strives to educate on where we came from to maintain the integrity and continuance of a great American art form.
When the American Music Association was founded, I don’t think anyone thought we would become festival promoters. I think in many ways the Americana Music Association Foundation can move the organization on the whole back to the essence of why we were created which was to advocate for the artists we love.
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