13 must-see acts at Nashville 2024 AmericanaFest: Waxahatchee, Iron & Wine, John Oates
AmericanaFest is among us again. From Sept. 17 to 21, the 24th annual music festival will bring hundreds of performers to Nashville.
Over 200 artists and bands will perform in venues and stages throughout the city for the festival, which is presented by the Americana Music Association (AMA). The five-day festival aims to bring performers, fans and industry professionals together to celebrate the best in Americana — from the blues to folk music, singer-songwriters and more.
Some of the nightly showcases, panels, seminars and the Americana Honors and Awards will include performers Greensky Bluegrass, Neko Case, Waxahatchee, John Oates, JP Harris and many more.
Fans can buy their passes to the festival at https://americanamusic.org/americanafest/passes/, but some events are ticketed separately. Tickets for some events will be sold at the door the night of the show at some venues if capacity and availability allows.
With five full festival days on the docket, the AmericanaFest schedule can be a little intimidating. We're here to break it down for you.
Here are 13 acts and events not to miss at AmericanaFest 2024.
Tuesday, Sept. 17, at City Winery: Stella Prince and Friends
Change The Conversation, an organization that aims to bolster women's voices in country music, will partner with folk musician Stella Prince to present a showcase called "Stella Prince and Friends: The Power of Women in Music."
Prince, a 20-year-old musician who aims to bring folk music to a new generation, is known for tunes "At Seventy" and "Crying on a Saturday Night." Prince started the only all-female folk music showcase in Nashville, a monthly event that she has even taken on the road.
At AmericanaFest, the showcase will feature performances from Twinnie, Bonner Black, Gina Venier, Caroline Carlile and Prince herself.
The event, which also has a discussion and networking component, will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 5 p.m. at City Winery.
Tuesday, Sept. 17, at Cannery Hall: Iron & Wine
Samuel Ervin Beam, a singer-songwriter who goes by the stage name Iron & Wine, will be hitting the stage at Cannery Hall.
Iron & Wine, best known for tunes "Flightless Bird, American Mouth" and "Naked as We Came," recently released his April album "Light Verse."
To catch Iron & Wine's performance, head to the MainStage at Cannery Hall on Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 8 p.m.
To purchase tickets, visit canneryhall.com.
Tuesday, Sept. 17, at 3rd & Lindsley: Shemekia Copeland
Electric blues vocalist Shemekia Copeland will hit the stage at 3rd & Lindsley for AmericanaFest. The 45-year-old soul singer is known for tunes "Married To The Blues," "Salt In My Wounds" and "Hit 'Em Back."
Copeland recently released her 2024 album "Blame It On Eve," a 12-track record that features Alejandro Escovedo, Jerry Douglas and Charlie Hunter. Copeland will also hit the stage at the AmericanaFest Daystage at the Eastside Bowl on Wednesday at noon.
Catch Copeland's solo show at 3rd & Lindsley on Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 9:30 p.m.
To buy tickets, head to 3rdandlindsley.com.
Sept. 18 and 19 at Ascend Amphitheater: Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, My Morning Jacket
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats and My Morning Jacket will perform as co-headliners for two evenings of shows at Ascend Amphitheater.
The two acts will deliver equal-length sets and swap performance orders on each show as part of their "Eye To Eye Tour." Some of the proceeds from the Nashville shows will go to the Americana Music Foundation.
Catch the two band's shows on Wednesday, Sept. 18, and Thursday, Sept. 19 from 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
As a separately ticketed event, fans can visit eyetoeyetour.com to grab tickets.
Thursday, Sept. 19, at Basement East: Anti-Records 25th Anniversary Showcase with Waxahatchee, Madi Diaz
For Anti-Records' 25th anniversary, they will be throwing an AmericanaFest showcase at The Basement East.
The lineup for the evening includes Waxahatchee, Neko Case, Madi Diaz, MJ Lenderman, Christian Lee Hutson and Layla McCalla.
To catch the showcase, head to The Basement East at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 19.
Fans can buy tickets for this showcase at thebasementnashville.com.
Thursday, Sept. 19, at Hutton Hotel: T Bone Burnett
Record producer, songwriter and guitarist T Bone Burnett will hit the stage at the Hutton Hotel as a part of AmericanaFest.
The Grammy Award-winner has famously worked on notable movie soundtracks for "Walk The Line" and " O Brother, Where Art Thou?" and toured as Bob Dylan's guitarist.
This year, he released album "The Other Side," a 12-track record that features Lucius, Rosanne Cash and Steven Soles.
To catch Burnett's set, head to the Analog at Hutton Hotel on Thursday, Sept. 19 at 7 p.m.
To buy tickets, head to analognashville.com.
Thursday, Sept. 19, at Hutton Hotel: Jobi Riccio
Up-and-coming singer-songwriter Jobi Riccio will also hit the stage at the Hutton Hotel.
Known for songs "Sweet" and "Summer," Riccio released her debut album "Whiplash" last year and single "Instead" this summer. Riccio also hit the stage as a performer at this year's Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival.
You can catch Riccio at the Analog at Hutton Hotel on Thursday, Sept. 19 at 8 p.m.
To buy tickets, head to analognashville.com.
Thursday, Sept. 19, at Chief's on Broadway: Natalie Hemby
Singer and Grammy Award-winning songwriter Natalie Hemby will hit the stage at Chief's for AmericanaFest.
A member of musical group The Highwomen, Hemby has shared the stage with Maren Morris, Brandi Carlile and Amanda Shires in their power quartet. She's written songs for Kacey Musgraves, Sheryl Crow, Miranda Lambert, Lady Gaga and many more.
Hemby's set will take place at Chief's on Broadway on Thursday, Sep 19 at 8 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 20, at Musicians Corner at Centennial Park: Kaitlin Butts, The Dead Tongues, Tommy Prine
The Musicians Corner at Centennial Park will be putting on one of its free concerts in honor of AmericanaFest.
This year's lineup includes Kaitlin Butts, The Dead Tongues, Tommy Prine, Malena Cadiz and Theo Lawrence. Vendors and food trucks will also be present at the outdoor show.
To see this year's AmericanaFest at Musicians Corner, head to Centennial Park on Friday, Sept. 20 from 5 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.
More: The London inspiration behind Nashville's Musicians Corner and 4 things you might not have known
Friday, Sept. 20, at Station Inn: Swamp Dogg
Swamp Dogg, born Jerry Williams Jr., will hit the stage at the Station Inn for this year's AmericanaFest.
The R&B and country soul singer released a bluegrass album "Blackgrass: From West Virginia to 125th St" in May. The 12-track record features Vernon Reid, Jenny Lewis and Margo Price.
To see Swamp Dogg perform, head down to the Station Inn on Friday, Sept. 20 at 8 p.m.
Swamp Dogg will also hit the stage for a performance and conversation at the Ford Theater in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on Thursday, Sept. 19 from 2 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 20, at Cannery Hall: JP Harris
Country musician JP Harris, best known for the tune "When I Quit Drinking" and his knack for satire, will hit the stage as one of AmericanaFest's showcased artists.
Harris will also be releasing his latest album "JP Harris is a Trash Fire" on Sept. 20, his fifth studio album.
To see JP Harris perform, visit the Row One Stage at Cannery Hall on Friday, Sept. 20 at 9 p.m.
To purchase tickets, head to canneryhall.com.
Saturday, Sept. 21, at Station Inn: John Oates Acoustic Band
Singer and songwriter John Oates, and half of the former duo Hall & Oates, will hit the stage at the Station Inn with his acoustic band.
Known for tunes "Maneater," "Sara Smile" and "She's Gone," Oates released his album "Reunion" in May and a single with the Adam Ezra Group, "Hold Each Other Now," in August.
To catch Oates and his band's performance, head down to the Station Inn on Saturday, Sept. 21 at 8 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 21, at The 5 Spot: Lawrence Rothman
Indie singer Lawrence Rothman will be performing at The 5 Spot for AmericanaFest.
The alternative musician released album "The Plow That Broke the Plains" in April, which features S.G. Goodman, Amanda Shires and a collaboration with Jason Isbell.
Known for songs "Kate's Not Here" with Day Wave and Girl In Red and "Wolves Still Cry," the nonbinary singer's career continues to take off.
Rothman will perform at The 5 Spot on Saturday, Sept. 21 at 8 p.m. CDT.
More: Singer-songwriter Lawrence Rothman talks new album, battles with mental health and hate
Fans can also purchase tickets to the Americana Honors & Awards, which will take place at the Ryman Auditorium on Wednesday, Sept. 18.
For more information on AmericanaFest, head to americanamusic.org/americanafest.
Audrey Gibbs is a music reporter at The Tennessean. You can reach her at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville AmericanaFest: Iron & Wine, Shemekia Copeland, Madi Diaz
