Travel is a series of snapshots, impressions, and vignettes. For whatever reason, my experience at Americana Fest in Nashville this time was filled with heartfelt moments, often from total strangers spontaneously sharing stories. Oh yes, there were many magical music moment. The Americana Honors and Awards Show on Wednesday night at The Ryman Auditorium was simply spectacular. Every year we are amazed that it achieves the mark set by the previous year, and somehow, it just grows in stature each time. I watched, I listened, I absorbed! From the industry panels to the Americana Board and Membership Meeting, to a cool career counseling panel called Staying Alive hosted by Tamara Saviano, Tom Killorin and me, I tried to make the most of the landscape. You have to know that I missed the Music Foggers terribly. So many people asked after them and wished they were attending the conference, as did I. Oh what we could have captured with the 100 official artists and legions of other who were on hand.

Our Lone Star Music, KDRP, Hill Country Live and Luckenbach, Texas party on Saturday afternoon was a treat, with performances from John Fullbright, The Trishas, Jesse Dayton with Kinky Friedman and a special surprise set from Jimmy LaFave and Tim Easton. And did you know that there is a new Kinky Tribute album coming from Jesse? Yes indeed, it’s called Jesse Sings Kinky and it’s being released this fall!

There were so many stellar performers and great days and nights. Just as an example, I was in attendance for one evening that rolled with one fine band into another at the Basement: Lydia Loveless, Angel Snow, Sons Of Fathers, The Deep Dark Woods with Kendel Carson, and The Black Lillies. Music Fog filmed Cruz Contreras and Co. Last year during our capture at Marathon Recorders during the 2011 Fall Music Fog Marathon at Americana Fest. Bidding ‘adieu’ to Nashville for another year, here is “Goodbye Charlie.”

-Jessie Scott