It is going to be a dizzying week as the Americana world descends upon Nashville for the 16th Annual AmericanaFest. So much to do, so much to see, it’ll be a total blur! The week will culminate in a concert on Saturday with the legendary Loretta Lynn, Steve Earle, Gillian Welch and friends at the Ascend Amphitheater on the Cumberland River. Tickets are available Here.

Wednesday evening is the 14th Annual Americana Honors and Awards from the Ryman Auditorium. Ann Powers and I will be anchoring the Folk Alley and NPR Music webcast and audio cast. We are happy to be bringing it to you as this show is sold out. Like every year, it is sure to bring some magic moments. You can watch the LIVE video webcast at Folk Alley and/or NPR Music. Or listen live to Folk Alley's audio steam of the event via the internet radio channel.

As we are going in reverse order for the events of the week, on Tuesday, there is a kickoff party - the Sin City Vs Guitartown - Eastside Throwdown, at The Basement East in celebration of the new Supersuckers album Holdin’ The Bag, which comes out next month (more about that soon!) On hand that evening are Bottle Rockets, Keith Gattis, Jonathan Tyler, and Jesse Dayton, who is fresh off a run with legendary band X, and way more. Everyone is welcome, and money is being raised that evening for the Eddie Spaghetti Fight Cancer Fund.

Our traveling buddy from Canada, Shawna Cooper is having a Sweet Beaver AMA kickoff party in Nashville, on Tuesday evening as well, with artists from the UK, Ireland, Canada, the US, and Australia, including Sam Lewis, Martin Harley and more, at Belcourt Taps. Shawna works with Morgan O’kane, too, and he is just back from an Irish tour, although he is not making the trip to Nashville this year. Dang, sure wish he was. We filmed Morgan way back when at Folk Alliance in 2010, and then again in January at Midtown Live. That’s where today’s video is from. Here is Morgan O’kane with Music Fog’s session of “Hey Mama,” which can be found on his album The One They Call The Wind.

See you in Nashville!

-Jessie Scott