Americana Music Festival & Conference to Feature Key Industry Leaders

Bonnie Raitt

The 13^th annual Americana Music Festival & Conference is fast approaching for Nashville’s Downtown Sheraton hotel.

Set for Sept. 12-15, the conference hosts panels from industry leaders and musicians including the legendary Booker T. Jones as well as special keynote interview (9/12), hosted by NPR’s Ann Powers, with previously announced Bonnie Raitt. Later that evening Raitt, Jones and Richard Thompson will be presented with Lifetime Achievement Awards at the 11th Annual Americana Honors and Awards at the Ryman Auditorium.

Other conference participants include industry leaders Ian Rogers from Topspin, who will lead a business keynote, and Bob Santelli of The GRAMMY Museum, who will lead 100 Years of Woody, a panel discussing the impact of Woody Guthrie. Jessie Scott of Music Fog will moderate Robert Ellis, Charlie Faye, John Fullbright, Lera Lynn and Paul Thorn in a performance panel. In partnership with the conference, Parnassus Books will host Music in Books featuring Sylvie Simmons on Leonard Cohen; David Menconi on Ryan Adams; and Kinky Friedman on himself.

Additional speakers include Steve Savoca (Spotify), Jim Mahoney (A2IM), attorney Rosemary Carroll, Sandra Aistars (Copyright Alliance), and Sean Coakley (Songlines).

Registrants receive entrance to all sanctioned daytime conference music, panels and parties, plus priority access to all evening showcase performances and one ticket to the Honors & Awards. Early Bird Registration is available until August 1, here.