Read about our TriFest Tour music travels 12 September 2018
Nashville TN – TriFest Music Tour
Words -Rob Dickens
Images -Jim Jacob
Compass Records Music Row
Featuring live music at “Hillbilly Central,” the birthplace of Outlaw Country. We visited Compass’ Records’ Music Row offices and historic studio, the former home of Glaser Brothers Productions (a.k.a. “Hillbilly Central”) where the likes of Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Kinky Friedman and Tompall Glaser gave rise to country music’s “Outlaw” movement.
Today’s performances were an outstanding mixture of styles, all with the highest quality, as befits this eminent, grassroots record label. Award winning bluegrass band Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen, Nicki Bluhm, The Brother Brothers, acclaimed young guitarist Molly Tuttle and the inimitable Mike Farris.
The 17th Annual Americana Honors & Awards Show
The historic Ryman Auditorium hosted the annual celebration of the year in Americana music and honored Lifetime Achievement Award recipients.
The Lifetime Achievement Award honorees were the iconic k.d. lang, blues legend Buddy Guy, the Soul Queen of New Orleans Irma Thomas, singer/songwriter/humanitarian Rosanne Cash and Olivia Records pioneers Judy Dlugacz and Cris Williamson.
Among the artists performing were: lang, Guy, Thomas, Cash, John Prine, Robert Earl Keen, Brandi Carlile, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, I’m With Her, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Margo Price, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Mary Gauthier, Anderson East, Lilly Hiatt, Tyler Childers and Courtney Marie Andrews. The standouts were John Prine (the tender “Come On Home”), Brandi Carlile (the multi-layered and soaring “The Joke”), “White Man’s World” by Jason Isbell and Courtney Marie Andrews (“May Your Kindness Remain”).
Those who didn’t have their own band on the night were backed by Americana’s most-awarded artist, songwriter, musician and producer Buddy Miller taking the reins of musical direction for the Americana All-Star Band featuring Don Was, Jerry Pentecost, Joe Pisapia, Ian Fitchuk, Lillie Mae, Josh Grange, Jim Hoke and the much-loved McCrary Sisters.
Americana award-winning and Grammy-nominated duo The Milk Carton Kids (Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan) were on hand to host for the first time.
Winners were:
Album of the Year:
“The Nashville Sound,” Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, produced by Dave Cobb
Artist of the Year:
John Prine
Song of the Year:
“If We Were Vampires,” Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, written by Jason Isbell
Duo/Group of the Year:
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Emerging Artist of the Year:
Tyler Childers
Instrumentalist of the Year:
Molly Tuttle
“Spirit of Americana” Free Speech Award, presented in partnership with the First Amendment Center:
Rosanne Cash
Americana Trailblazer Award:
k.d. lang
Lifetime Achievement Award for Instrumentalist:
Buddy Guy
Lifetime Achievement Award for Performance:
Irma Thomas
Jack Emerson Lifetime Achievement Award for Executive:
Cris Williamson and Judy Dlugacz of Olivia Records

Photo: Getty Images for the Americana Music Association®
Cannery Ballroom
Lucero hail from Memphis TN and have recently notched up their twentieth birthday. (Lucero is Spanish for “bright star”) – plenty of gritty alt. country.
Tyler Childers provided some Kentucky country roots with his booming voice and fiery lyrics.
Read about our TriFest Tour music travels 12 September 2018
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