AmericanaFest Celebrates Successful Year, Announces 2013 Dates

Performing at the 2012 Americana Honors & Awards are (L-R): Sam Bush, John Hiatt, Brittany Howard, Emmylou Harris, Bonnie Raitt, Don Was, Buddy Miller, Amy Helm, Teresa Williams and Larry Campbell – Photo by Stacie Huckeba

Following its most successful year to date, the 2013 Americana Music Association Festival and Conference will be held September 18-22 in Nashville.

The 2012 Festival and Conference ran Sept. 12-16 and boasted a sold out Honors & Awards show that was broadcast live nationally on AXS TV, Sirius XM, WSM radio, and NPR.org. Segments of the show will be repurposed for the special presentation “ACL Presents: Americana Music Festival 2012” which will begin airing November 10 in the Austin City Limits time slot on PBS.

Anchored by exciting appearances and performances by Bonnie Raitt, Booker T. Jones, Richard Thompson, The Alabama Shakes, Punch Brothers, and more, the Festival–presented by Nissan–saw over 15,000 fans, 300 artist performances, and more than 1100 music industry professionals.

“I have never been more optimistic about the future in my 20 years in the music industry,” said Jed Hilly, Executive Director of the Americana Music Association, “The passion for this music and the community spirit we experienced last week was mind blowing.”

Attendance for the conference portion of the event saw an 8 percent increase, and registration for the event is up 40 percent over the last two years. Membership is up 18 percent over 2011, and 37 percent since 2010. Next, AMA will conduct its annual Board of Directors elections for membership for 2013.