British Americana fans will be flocking to Hackney, East London for three days of conference in January as AmericanaFest UK returns for its fourth year. Two days of conferences and showcases are topped off by a third day of events and the UK Americana Awards 2019.
As Americana evolves and the charts reflect the popularity of the genre, The Americana Music Association UK’s (AMA-UK) membership has grown rapidly and therefore the event has grown too.
The conference venue is bigger, the talks will take place over three days and there will be 48 artists showcasing at four venues over two days. The Awards show has moved to Hackney Empire as a result of the growth.
Speaking about the festival, Stevie Freeman – AMA-UK CEO – said: “I am excited to be launching AmericanaFest UK 2019 and to announce the nominations for the UK Americana Awards. 2018 has been quite a year for AMA-UK: after our prestigious Awards, we hosted stages at seven festivals across the UK, and we had 18 UK artists showcasing at AmericanaFest over in Nashville, Tennessee.”
Last year’s conference saw Bob Harris in conversation with acclaimed singer / songwriter Joe Henry and the keynote speech was from Billy Bragg.
Five Special Awards were given out on the night to such luminaries as Robert Plant, Mumford & Sons and The Wandering Hearts. Previously winners have included the likes of Van Morrison, Jason Isbell, Richard Thompson, Billy Bragg and First Aid Kit.
This year’s artist spotlight interview will be conducted by BBC Ulster’s Ralph McLean chatting with Ray Benson from Asleep at the Wheel.
Bob Harris will be in conversation with John Oates, whose recent album Arkansas pays tribute to American music’s roots. Following her incredibly well-received Guest Curatorship of Cambridge Folk Festival, US musician Rhiannon Giddens will be giving the keynote speech.
The AMA-UK will be hosting a launch event for AmericanaFest UK on 7 November at The Borderline in London’s West End. The event will be presented by musician Sunny Ozell and AMA-UK executive board member and broadcaster Baylen Leonard.
The event will see nominations and special award recipients being announced before the stage is set for a gig by London-based Curse of Lono, followed by a full set from Alabaman JP Harris. There will also be a surprise set on the night.
AmericanaFest UK is open to non-members who want to just attend the showcase gigs.
Showcase tickets are available to buy from HERE and more information, delegate packages to attend the conference and AMA-UK membership at https://theamauk.org/.
Tickets for the UK American Awards will be available to buy soon from https://hackneyempire.co.uk/
