Americana Music Association
{{Short description|American non-profit organization}}
{{infobox organization
|name = Americana Music Association
|image = Americana Music Association logo.png
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|size = 200px
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|formation = {{start date and age|1999}}
|extinction =
|type = not-for-profit music organization
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|language = English
|leader_title = Executive Director
|leader_name = Jed Hilly
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|website = [http://www.americanamusic.org americanamusic.org]
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The Americana Music Association is a not-for-profit trade organization advocating for American Roots Music globally, and supporting professionals within the field.
Purpose
The Americana Music Association was founded in order to advocate and provide a network for Americana artists and industry professionals. The Association produces the annual Americana Music Festival and Conference, known as AMERICANAFEST, and the Americana Music Honors & Awards, typically held together in the fall.{{cite web|title=AMA|url=http://americanamusic.org/who-we-are|access-date=6 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110509035124/http://americanamusic.org/who-we-are|archive-date=May 9, 2011|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}} The association also manages and publishes radio airplay charts,{{cite web|title=AMA Chart|url=http://www.americanaradio.org|access-date=6 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020526175450/http://www.americanaradio.org/|archive-date=May 26, 2002|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}} publishes newsletters, conducts market research, and disseminates information about events in the Americana community.
History
Founded in 1999, the association held its inaugural convention in September 2000 at the Hilton Suites in downtown Nashville, featuring performances by Sam Bush, Rhonda Vincent, Rodney Crowell, and Jim Lauderdale.{{Cite web |date=2000-11-28 |title=Americana Music Association Kicks Off First Convention at BMI Nashville |url=https://www.bmi.com/news/entry/20001129_americana_music_association_kicks_off_first_convention_at_bmi_n |access-date=2022-09-29 |website=BMI.com |language=en}} The Americana Honors and Awards were added to the convention the following year. Americana icons Emmylou Harris, Billy Joe Shaver, and T-Bone Burnett were given lifetime achievement awards for performing, songwriting, and executive achievement, respectively.{{Cite magazine |author=Billboard Staff |date=2002-09-16 |title=Americana Awards Honor Music Greats |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/americana-awards-honor-music-greats-74189/ |access-date=2022-09-29 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}} The 2001 convention also featured a surprise performance by Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, with members of the Cash family. After being awarded the association's first "Spirit of Americana" Free Speech Award, Cash gave a recitation of his song-poem "Ragged Old Flag," before performing with June and their family.{{Cite web |last=Rogers |first=Richard |title=The Americana Honors & Awards show over the years |url=https://www.tennessean.com/picture-gallery/entertainment/music/2019/09/09/americana-honors-awards-show-over-years-nashville-ryman-auditorium/2262990001/ |access-date=2024-01-25 |website=The Tennessean |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Johnny Cash Surprises Americana Awards Crowd |url=https://www.cmt.com/news/9oxtg2/johnny-cash-surprises-americana-awards-crowd |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220929212534/https://www.cmt.com/news/9oxtg2/johnny-cash-surprises-americana-awards-crowd |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 29, 2022 |access-date=2022-09-29 |website=CMT |language=en}} This was the last public performance the Cashes would ever give together.{{cite journal|title=Americana Music Association History|journal=AMA Press Kit|date=2012-10-31}}
Over time, the fall event attracted larger groups of fans and industry conferees,{{Cite web |date=2014-09-16 |title=AMA's Jed Hilly On Growth of Americana Music Festival & Conference |url=https://musicrow.com/2014/09/amas-jed-hilly-on-growth-of-americana-music-festival-conference/ |access-date=2022-09-29 |website=MusicRow.com |language=en-US}} and the organization formally changed the name of its event to the Americana Music Festival and Conference. By 2008, the event had expanded to four days and moved its Awards Show to the historic Ryman Auditorium.{{Cite web |title=Show History |url=https://ryman.com/about/show-history/ |access-date=2022-09-29 |website=Ryman Auditorium |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-09-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220929212534/https://ryman.com/about/show-history/ |url-status=dead }}
Previous musical performances at the conference have included Levon Helm's Ramble at the Ryman, John Fogerty, Grace Potter, The Avett Brothers, The Civil Wars, Bonnie Raitt, Booker T. Jones, Richard Thompson, Alabama Shakes, Punch Brothers, John Fullbright, and Robert Plant with Buddy Miller.{{Cite web |title=Americana Music Awards recap |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/americana-music |access-date=2024-01-25 |website=Paste Magazine |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2011-11-16 |title=Americanafest Sets Attendance Records, 2012 Dates |url=https://musicrow.com/2011/11/americanafest-sets-attendance-records-2012-dates/ |access-date=2022-09-29 |website=MusicRow.com |language=en-US}}
The Association's capstone event, the Americana Music Honors & Awards, aired live nationally on September 12, 2012, via AXS TV, broadcast via SiriusXM, WSM radio, and streamed by NPR.org. Musical segments of the awards show also appeared on PBS nationwide during the special presentation "ACL Presents: Americana Music Festival 2012". Additional international radio broadcasts via BBC2 and Voice of America began airing September 23, 2012.{{cite web|title=Americana Celebrates Most Successful Event Yet|url=http://americanamusic.org/americanafest-celebrates-most-successful-event-yet-2013-dates-announced|access-date=19 September 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130224011713/http://americanamusic.org/americanafest-celebrates-most-successful-event-yet-2013-dates-announced|archive-date=February 24, 2013|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.americanamusic.org Americana Music Association website]
{{Music organizations}}