| Basically, Americana is Country Music. Hold on! Wait! | | | | Ted Nugent as a kid. Good time music, next |
| Don't go clicking away yet!We're not talking here | | | | generation. Take a listen on a road trip and you'll be |
| about the cliches of Line Dancing, Stetsons and songs | | | | singing along. Guaranteed.Americana has its own |
| about losing Wife, Dawg and Car (not necessarily in | | | | association, and it is close to having its own Billboard |
| that order).What we're talking about is music with | | | | chart. But Americana is independent; the Americana |
| attitude, whether that be protest songs, | | | | Music Association could just as easily have been |
| introspective ballads or just plain old bad-ass | | | | named the Awkward Musicians Association. It is a |
| hell-raising good time music - country yes, but | | | | free spirit, embraces all comers and loves the |
| Americana is also rock, blues, traditional bluegrass and | | | | diversity of the dobro, mandolin, Les Paul and |
| even soul. Music without boundaries, held together by | | | | Stratocaster. It is conservative and liberal in equal |
| a common thread of realism, honesty and heart.You | | | | measures and pretty darn hard to pin down.In 2005 |
| like Springsteen and Neil Young? Well, Steve Earle is | | | | the Americana Music Association celebrated its 4th |
| probably the most high profile name in Americana. If | | | | annual Honors and Awards ceremony which was held |
| you're a fan of The Boss and Neil Young in equal | | | | for the first time at the famous Ryman Auditorium in |
| measures and you haven't come across the | | | | Nashville Tennessee, the spiritual home of Country |
| phenomena that is Steve Earle then do yourself a | | | | Music. The AMA is happy to co-exist with the |
| favour and get hold of 'Guitar Town' or 'Copperhead | | | | Country Music Association, but where the CMA |
| Road' and see what you've been missing.A whole | | | | Awards are a glitzy, showbiz affair, the AMA Awards |
| new generation of singer-songwriters influenced by | | | | are more down home, more real. Heck, they even |
| pre-'Achy, Breaky Heart' country music are making | | | | have a 'Freedom of Speech' award.Americana music |
| their mark today, inspired by another anti-hero | | | | is deserving of your attention. The Americana Music |
| Townes Van Zandt (a better songwriter than Dylan, | | | | Association is run by people who care deeply about |
| many would say). And don't think Americana music is | | | | the music, about its influence and about retaining the |
| a closed-shop club of world-weary men. Take a listen | | | | true spirit of traditional music and traditional values. |
| to Tift Merritt as an example of a young girl with | | | | Yes, we love our Country Music and our |
| vocals as soulful and powerful as Aretha, or Patty | | | | singer-songwriters and our Texan attitudes, but you |
| Griffin, who can fell a person at fifty feet with her | | | | won't find any inverted snobbery about Shania, Tim |
| soaring vocals and incisive lyrics, and can blow you | | | | or Faith.So, enough words ... track down the music |
| away with the hardest rocking alternative guitar | | | | and judge for yourself.Sally Smart has been running a |
| music around.So you don't want deep and | | | | successful Booking and Promotions agency for US |
| introspective? Okay, Shooter Jennings might be just | | | | acts touring the UK for a number of years. She has |
| up your street - the son of Waylon, Shooter has | | | | recently expanded the business into retail by opening |
| hung out with Guns'n'Roses and obviously listened to | | | | a dedicated Americana online CD and download store. |