One would presume a music festival called AmericanaFest would feature great acts from the United States. And that was certainly true at this year’s event, held in Nashville from September 9–13. But, surprisingly, some of the best music came from artists from other countries.
That shouldn’t be a shock. Americana music, like the U.S. itself, is made up of many cultural threads. It contains elements of country, soul, folk, blues, rock, pop, and bluegrass that reflect the diversity of our nation. Canadian artists such as the Band, Neil Young, and Joni Mitchell have all been heralded as proto-Americana musicians, along with Australians such as Kasey Chambers and Brits like Billy Bragg.
AmericanaFest 2025 featured Manitoban singer-songwriter Boy Golden, Irish poet Paul Muldoon, and Californian singer-songwriter Chuck Prophet with his band Cumbia Shoes. Each of these acts deserves special mention because their individual performances were among the best of the fest.
Singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer Boy Golden has a new album, soon to be released, that’s full of catchy, literate songs about the human condition and the state of the world. He sings about everything from playing Mozart on the tambourine to finding meaning in suffering without being crushed by it. He’s also a very charismatic performer. In a just world, the forthcoming record will make him a major star.
Paul Muldoon has published more than 30 collections of poetry and won both the Pulitzer and the T. S. Eliot prizes. He joined up with the international band Rogue Oliphant and delivered an in-your-face mix of punk rock and spoken word with lyrics about everything from pasta carbonara to Italian poet Dante Alighieri, all delivered in a commanding fashion.
Chuck Prophet has released 17 solo records as well as contributed to many more. His work has been covered by everyone from Bruce Springsteen to Solomon Burke. His latest effort features members of the Cumbia band ¿Qiensave?, who keep the dance rhythms tight and let Prophet do his thing. The energy is electric and eclectic. Okay, so Prophet and his band hail from the Golden State, but their music belongs to a Latin American genre that originated in Colombia.
Of more than 200 acts that performed, the largest percentage were from the U.S. Many of the best ones have recently played in Iowa, such as Ken Pomeroy, Lilly Hiatt, Courtney Marie Andrews, Jade Bird, and Joy Oladokun, or are booked to perform in the Hawkeye State soon, like Rodney Crowell and Joshua Ray Walker. The problem is identifying what makes them distinctly American—or Americana.
Originally, Americana embraced the liberal side of country music. Two years ago, the most popular souvenir t-shirt from the event read (in large capital letters down the front): “ALL COLORS / ALL GENDERS / ALL ABILITIES / ALL SIZES / ALL ORIENTATIONS / ALL IDENTITIES / ALL*AMERICANA.” This year, the t-shirts just read: “Welcome to NASHVILLE TENNESSEE / Home of AMERICANAFEST Since 1999.” The change in language reflected changes we’ve seen in society at large. Many artists deliberately refused to make what might seem as politically charged statements and risk alienating some of those in the audience, despite what was expressed in their song lyrics.
With that caveat in mind, there were many great musical moments and performances. A partial list of the best that I saw includes Kaitlin Butts, Shawn Camp, Carlene Carter, Jack Van Cleaf, Elizabeth Cook, DeeOhGee, Fust, Kentucky Gentlemen, Amythyst Kiah, Sean McConnell, John Németh, Mon Rovia, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Uwade, and War and Treaty.
AmericanaFest is structured so that bands play short sets (45 minutes on average) in long lineups that reflect shared roots, themes, or record labels, such as musicians from Memphis, or tributes to Nanci Griffith, or Sun Records artists. That led to some wonderful mixed bills. For example, the Sun Records party at the Vinyl Tap tavern featured mainstream country vocalist (ex-Statler Brothers) Jimmy Fortune, composer Coyle Girelli, folk-gospel singer Ruthie Foster, and singer-songwriter Amy Helm. Therefore, it was a surprise but not a shock when pop tunesmith Nicole Atkins was joined by the unannounced but much more famous singer Chris Isaak during her set. Anything can happen during AmericanaFest.
It was during the Sun Records party that someone rushed in during ZZ Ward’s performance to announce that Charlie Kirk had been shot and killed. For a moment, no one knew what to do, and indeed many in the crowd did not know who Charlie Kirk was (I heard one person ask if he was a local musician). But there was nothing else to do but to keep on keeping on. The music continued.
The most celebrated newcomer at this year’s AmericanaFest was folkie Jesse Welles, who won the Spirit of Americana Award. Welles sings politically charged protest songs, but he is deliberately non-partisan. He calls himself “politically homeless” and sings about issues such as health care and corporate profits rather than specific events or people. Welles’s showcase at the Exit/In featured surprise guest John Fogerty, who joined him on a duet of the Creedence Clearwater Revival hit “Who’ll Stop the Rain,” a melancholy song originally about the discomfort many were feeling during the late 1960s and early ’70s. It still seems appropriate today, especially at an AmericanaFest searching for its identity in a changing America.