Americana Music Festival confirms artist lineup for Sept. 16-19 showcases downtown

Four days of showcases come to downtown Nashville as part of
this year's Americana Music Awards festival/conference event.

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Alt-country's Cross Canadian Ragweed and J.D. Souther, as well as Marty Stuart, Radney Foster and Holly Williams are among those set to take part in the 2009 Americana Music Festival and Conference in Nashville on Sept. 16-19.

The upcoming festival is part of the10th annual Americana Music Festival and Conference, which offers daily seminars, panels and networking opportunities at the Nashville Convention Center, along with a jam-packed lineup of evening showcases.

Representatives for the event's sponsor, the Americana Music Association, recently announced the initial lineup of artists who are confirmed to perform as part of the four-day festival's showcases beginning Wednesday, Sept. 16, through Saturday Sept. 19.

Said showcases, which are a bargain at $45 per person to attend all that you can take in, will be held at five downtown Nashville venues; namely, The Mercy Lounge, The Cannery Ballroom, 3rd & Lindsley, The Station Inn and The Basement.

Although additional artists are still pending, the AMA has confirmed a more than healthy, even downright vibrant, list of of musical fare that will undoubtedly be a treat for not just Americana fans, but country-music enthusiasts and beyond. That said, at this writing the festival's lineup of confirmed showcases--selected from more than 700 artist submissions--features the following acts:

Amanda Shires, Amelia Curran, Among The Oak & Ash. Amy Cook, Amy Speace, Angaleena Presley, Angela Easterling, Annie & The Beekeepers, Antje Duvekot, Ashley Cleveland, Asleep at the Wheel, Band of Heathens, Baskery, Bearfoot, Ben Mallott, Bottle Rockets, Brigid Kaelin, Buddy Miller, Casey Driessen, Charlie Pate & Dixie's Finest, Charlie Robison, Chuck Mead, Clarence Fountain, Sam Butler & The Boys, Come On Go With Us, Corb Lund, Cross Canadian Ragweed, DADDY, Dallas Wayne, Deadstring Brothers, Diana Jones, Elliott Brood, Gabriel Kelley & The Reins, Grayson Capps, Holly Golightly & The Brokeoffs, Hot Club of Cowtown, J. D. Souther, Jason White, Jerry Douglas, Jim Lauderdale. Jim Rooney & The Irregulars, Joe Pug, Kara Grainger, Keith Sewell, Ken Will Morton, Love Trucker, and also, Grand Ole Opry member Marty Stuart.

Now, for those still with me, there's also Holly Williams, Mary Gauthier, Matthew Ryan, Missy Raines, Nanci Griffith, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Otis Gibbs, Patrick Sweany, Radney Foster, Raul Malo, Reckless Kelly, Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers, Sam Bush, Samantha Crain & The Midnight Shivers, Sara Watkins, Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles, Sarah Jarosz, Sarah Siskind, Scott Miller, Seth James, Seth Walker, Shannon Whitworth, Smart Brothers, Stone River Boys, Tenderhooks, The Belleville Outfit, The Boston Boys, The Farewell, Drifters, the Greencards, The Lovell Sisters, The Rustlanders, Elizabeth Cook, The Smart Brothers, The Tejas Brothers, The Travelin' McCourys & The Lee Boys, The Trishas, Theodore, Those Darlins, Tim Easton, W.P.A., Webb Wilder, White Owls, Will Hoge and last but not least, Yarn.

To view the AMA's list of artists, performance dates/times and venues, please click here.

Registration/ticket info: Registration for the entire festival and conference, including a ticket to the critically acclaimed awards show, is $350 for AMA members and $450 for nonmembers through Sept. 14. Conference registrants will receive entrance/priority access to all showcase performances.

Non-conference attendees may buy wristbands, $45 each, which grant admission to all venues on all four evenings of live music They're available via americanamusic.org and at Grimey's New and Preloved Music, 604 8th Ave. South, in Nashville.