Tanya Tucker, Keb' Mo', and Drew Holcomb Head Up 2019 Americanafest Lineup

The Americana Music Festival, celebrating 20 years in 2019, has unveiled the first 115 performers of the over 300 expected to play during the week of Sept. 10-15 in venues, parks, and record stores throughout the Nashville area.

Heading up the 2019 lineup is Tanya Tucker. Tucker is the latest of an increasing number of classic country hitmakers who have found the Americana fanbase more appreciative of their work than the current mainstream country landscape. Hits like “Delta Dawn” and “Just Another Love” made Tucker one of the biggest names in country during the '70s and '80s. Joining Tucker atop the Americanafest 2019 lineup are blues man and long time Americanafest veteran and 2014 Best Americana Album Grammy winner Keb' Mo', folk-rockers Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors, and sisters Leah and Chloe Smith with their band Rising Appalachia.

The remainder of the initial Americanafest 2019 lineup is an eclectic mix of fan favorites, rising stars, and international acts. Representing Americana's “big tent” approach to roots music, acts range from traditional bluegrass (The Travelin' McCourys), roots rock (American Aquarium), gospel (Robert Randolph), rockabilly (Corb Lund), jam (Donna the Buffalo) and everything in between.

Among the regular Americanafest fan favorites are “Mr. Americana” himself, Jim Lauderdale, Americana Music Award house bandleader Buddy Miller, and Delbert McClinton & Self Made Men. Less household names who are Americanafest regulars include rockabilly local Chuck Mead, Sarah Shook & the Disarmers, guitar hero Jack Ingram, Texas raconteur Shinyribs, and triple Americana Award nominee Lori McKenna.

But the true fun of Americanafest lies in the young artists who represent the future of the genre. In that respect, Americanafest delivers. Three of the four 2019 Americana Music Award Emerging Artists nominees are represented on the initial lineup. British sensation Yola, East Nashville sensation Erin Rae, and British singer-songwriter Jade Bird are all performing. Other young artists featured include Aussie Jordie Lane, Yonder Mountain String band mandolin player Jacob Jolliff with his band, former Stray Birds vocalist Maya De Vitry, returning performer from 2018 Katie Pruitt, Lucette, whose recent release Deluxe Hotel Room is receiving rave reviews, and Amythyst Kiah, who is nominated for an Americana Music Award as part of Our Native Daughters.

Is your favorite Americana artist not on the list? Never fear. The festival promises another 175 acts to be announced between now and September. And with Americanafest's history of holding back some headliner level acts for later announcements, there could be some huge surprises in store. If you'd like to attend the Americana Music Festival Sept. 10-15, you can purchase a wristband that grants access to all of the evening Showcase performances and select daytime shows for $90 or spring for the full Festival and Conference Registration, which grants priority access to shows likely to hit capacity as well as access to all of the conference panels and select Conference-only daytime performances for $399 ($299 for Americana Music Association members) by clicking here. If you'd like a taste of what to expect at Americanafest, check out Concert Hopper's coverage of the 2018 festival here.