This year’s AmericanaFest was the hottest in recent memory, with daytime temps reaching the 90s and cloud cover hard to come by. But even the July-like September weather couldn’t tamp down the rootsy revelry in Nashville last week, as more than 200 acts performed at various Music City venues over five days. MAGNET’s Hobart Rowland offers a half-dozen takeaways.
ROBERT EARL KEEN
Currently Resides In
Kerrville, Texas
Sound
Quintessential Texas singer/songwriter fare.
Recent History
Robert Earl Keen “officially” retired from live performance two years ago—but we all know how that goes. The headliner for this year’s Lonestar Shindig, Kean made his way to a stool on the rooftop of Nashville’s Bobby Hotel at around 6 p.m. on September 19, just as the day’s heat began to recede. He and his band were in fine form for an understated set that included REK crowd-pleasers like “Feelin’ Good Again” and “Gringo Honeymoon” and tracks from his latest release, Western Chill. With an organic, laid-back vibe befitting its title, Western Chill is a true full-band affair, featuring solid songwriting contributions from guitarist/fiddle player Brian Beken and bassist Bill Whitbeck. Their boss won’t be officially retiring (again) for at least another few months. More live shows are coming this fall.
See Robert Earl Keen live.
WYATT ELLIS
Currently Resides In
Maryville, Tenn.
Sound
Classic bluegrass with a virtuoso edge.
Recent History
Among the most pleasant surprises of this year’s festival was Wyatt Ellis, who first picked up a mandolin at age 10. Four years later, his remarkable mastery of the instrument has won over Marty Stuart and Sierra Hull, both former mandolin prodigies much like himself. Ellis and his band found their groove early and often during an exhilarating September 19 performance at the Station Inn, a homey bluegrass haunt in Nashville’s Gulch neighborhood that’s changed little in its 40-plus years. The teen strummer has already made his Grand Ole Opry debut, and he’s shared the stage with Stuart, Billy Strings, Grammy winner Molly Tuttle and bluegrass great Peter Rowan. He’s also released his debut LP, Happy Valley, which features appearances by some big names, including Stuart, Hull, Jake Workman and Dominick Leslie. You don’t have to be a bluegrass afficionado to appreciate this kid’s mad skills and commitment to his craft.
See Wyatt Ellis live.
JANA MILA
Currently Resides In
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Sound
Laurel Canyon folk meets new country.
Recent History
Given Nashville producer Todd Lombardo’s considerable role in making Jana Mila’s Chameleon one the most impressive debuts of the year, it’s reasonable to wonder if this largely untested 26-year-old singer/songwriter could deliver in a live setting. She put any doubts to rest with a confident September 20 showcase, finessing her way through the chatter at Jane’s Hideaway, one of the noisier AmericanaFest venues. The stripped-down instrumentation gave Mila’s sturdy songs a bit more room to breathe. Bandmates Matthijs van Duijvenbode (keys and kick drum) and Gerben van der Mooren (guitar) provided sympathetic accompaniment in a trio format that shifted the focus to Mila’s pristine vocals, amplified the intimacy factor and accentuated the natural dynamics of album standouts “In Between” and “I Wasn’t Gonna.” Mila has no immediate plans for any major touring in the United States. That needs to change. Chameleon deserves a larger audience.
See Jana Mila live (in the Netherlands).
SWAMP DOGG
Currently Resides In
Northridge, Calif.
Sound
Classic R&B and country soul with a raunchy and eccentric touch.
Recent History
Jerry Williams Jr. wouldn’t be denied. One of the few enduring cult figures left in American music—better known as Swamp Dogg—was dead set on shaking every hand in the room as he made his way off the stage after a loose and generous performance at September 20’s Mountain Stage/Missing Piece party. With no end in sight, Swamp Dogg’s band milked the closing refrain of “I Was Born Blue” (from the 1970 psychedelic-soul classic Total Destruction To Your Mind), playing in a seemingly endless loop as the 82-year-old freak of nature made his way around the room, closely trailed by event organizers trying to escort him backstage. Swamp Dogg’s afternoon set had run precariously long, and there were other acts waiting to perform. But it was hard not to root for a guy who could be making his final curtain call on any given day. And, yeah, I shook his hand.
See Swamp Dogg live.
PAISLEY FIELDS
Currently Resides In
Brooklyn
Sound
A splashy fusion of vintage country, pop and indie rock.
Recent History
Paisley Fields’ James Wilson grew up in rural Hudson, Iowa—not exactly the most conducive environment for a queer, nonbinary kid with little interest in sports and a thing for authentic country music. His early struggles inform his honest, autobiographical approach to songwriting, which at once celebrates and debunks the traditional male/female dynamic. Helping to close out the festival on September 21 at East Nashville’s Five Spot, Wilson divided his time between a keyboard draped in glitter and a prime spot at the front of the stage, earning applause and cheers for his forthcoming between-song banter and vampy tunes like “Limp Wrist,” the title track from his most recent album. Given Wilson’s obvious talent and panache, it will be interesting to see where Paisley Fields lands once the novelty wears off—which doesn’t appear to be any time soon.
See Paisley Fields live.
CRYS MATTHEWS
Currently Resides In
Nashville
Sound
Punchy, issue-oriented folk and Americana with a pronounced debt to Tracy Chapman and Joan Armatrading.
Recent History
A preacher’s daughter, classically trained clarinetist and former drum major, Crys Matthews has made folk music the delivery method for the social-justice issues she’s passionate about. A powerful singer with an energizing onstage presence, she lightens the load of weighty topics like immigration, racial injustice and gun safety with her warmth and authenticity. Then there’s the topic that’s nearest and dearest to her heart. Not far into her September 21 set at the Five Spot, with wife Heather Mae by her side, Matthews walked the audience through what her version of faith looks like: a church she saw along the road that was proudly displaying its pride flags. At the time, she was nowhere near her adopted hometown of Nashville. She was closer to Washington, D.C., the city she’d left to pursue her music industry dream. Funny how life works.
See Crys Matthews live.
