Paul Thorn is among the artists who will Showcase at the Americana Music Festival in Nashville, Tenn. Sept. 17-20, 2008

Americana Music Association Executive Director Jed Hilly has announced the first showcase artist names for the upcoming Americana Music Festival, Nashville, September 17-20, 2008. Artists confirmed to date display the breadth and vibrance of the genre include Jim White, The Belleville Outfit, James McMurtry, Paul Thorn, The Snake The Cross and the Crown and The SteelDrivers. More names will be announced in the following weeks.

From the sensitive brilliance of James McMurtry to the bluegrass/soul hybrids The SteelDrivers, to the gypsy swing/Big Band jazz of the Belleville Outfit, to Paul Thorn’s post Pentecostal roots rock, the folk inspired melodies of the Snake The Cross and the Crown to the metaphysical alt-country Jim White. These are just some of the artists comprising the Americana genre and they, plus more than 70 other artists, will be part of the upcoming 9th Annual Americana Music Festival & Conference in September.

The Music Festival and Conference will bring together an estimated 900 artists, record executives, managers, agents, music publishers, performing rights society executives, music retailers, producers, promoters, allied professionals and major media for three days of learning, networking and entertainment.

The signature event during the Americana festivities is the Americana Honors & Awards show on Thursday, September 18 at the Ryman Auditorium. It will be hosted again by two-time Americana Honors & Awards and Grammy^® recipient Jim Lauderdale and the all-star house band will once again be led by last year’s Award winner for Instrumentalist of the Year Buddy Miller. Last month, the Americana Music Association announced that they will honor John Hiatt with the Americana Lifetime Achievement in
Songwriting Award. Other participants and honorees will be announced in the future.

The two hour event will be broadcast live on XM Satellite Radio, as well as future broadcast on Sirius Satellite Radio and on BBC@ Radio.

A limited number of tickets for the Honors & Awards show are priced at $45 are now available at http://www.americanamusic.org/site.php?content=store and by calling the Americana Music Association at 615 321-3836. Tickets will be available via Ticketmaster and the Ryman box office at a later date.

The schedule is still being completed, but is shaping up to be another four days of incredible music, educational workshops and networking. For early conference registration, please go to http://www.americanamusic.org/ or email info@americanamusic.org.

Conference registration includes access to all panels and presentations, the Trade Show, selected meals, invitations to all sanctioned parties, Conference Program Guide, goody bag, a ticket to the Honors & Awards at the Ryman Auditorium, wristband to all evening showcases and more. Registration through July 31 is only $250 for AMA members, $350 for non-members. On August 1 registration becomes $300 and $400, respectively.

Showcase wristbands, good for admission at all evening showcases are available for only $35 at the Americana Music website store and in Nashville at Grimey’s New and Preloved Music. Wristbands will be sold at area music retailers and other locations starting in early August.

The Renaissance is the official hotel and other major sponsors include ASCAP, BMI, Echomusic, First Amendment Center, The Gibson Foundation, Lost Highway Records, Rounder Records, SESAC, Sugar Hill Records and Vanguard Records.

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Memphis, Tenn. — The North American Folk Music and Dance Alliance (The Folk Alliance) will celebrate its Twentieth Anniversary with an evening of music at the Kerrville Folk Festival, Quiet Valley Ranch, Texas, Sunday, May 25, 2008. The KF Festival salutes the Folk Alliance with a show featuring Anthony da Costa, Sara Hickman, Eliza Gilkyson, Kevin Welch and Tom Russell. “We appreciate Kerrville’s salute to our 20th anniversary and their support,” says Louis Meyers, Executive Director, Folk Alliance. For information and tickets: www.kerrvillefolkfestival.com.

XM’s live broadcast will enlarge the rare atmosphere of the outdoor event to reach across North America. “The XM15 – The Village channel is growing in listenership. We want to go and be a presence, so to share this special festival with our USA and Canada community.” Robert Aubrey Davis - Program Director XM 15 The Village

Dalis Allen, Producer of Kerrville Folk Festival, Mary Sue Twohy, XM15 Music Director, and Louis Meyers, Executive Director of the Folk Alliance will be on hand to help raise awareness of the many benefits folk music has to offer.

The Folk Alliance recently hosted an evening at the Bluebird Café in Nashville and has two shows at the Orphem in Memphis: Judy Collins, Oct. 25, 2008 and the Carolina Chocolate Drops, January 24, 2009. Along with the online directory, interactive website (folk.org), insurance and other membership benefits the Folk Alliance works with its regions to help their internal events.

The regional conferences are interesting and helpful in developing intelligent and worthwhile fans and friends who support American contemporary and traditional music and dance. Including workshops, panels and showcases, the 2008 conferences will be:

• Oct. 2-5 - SWRFA - Southwest Regional Folk Alliance (www.swrfa.com) Location: TBA
• Oct 10 - 12 - FARM GATHERING - Folk Alliance Region Midwest, (www.farmfolk.org) Techny Towers Conference & Retreat Center, Northbrook, Ill.
• Oct. 17 - 19 - SERFA – Southeast Regional Folk Alliance (www.serfa.org) Murfreesboro, TN
• Oct. 24 - 26 - The 5th Annual FAR-West Regional Conference, (www.far-west.org) Phoenix Marriott Mesa Hotel & Convention Center, Ariz.
• Nov 13-16 – NERFA - Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (www.nerfa.org) Hudson Valley Resort, Kerhonkson, NY
• FACanada – no event.

The 21st International Folk Alliance Conference will be held in Memphis, Tenn., February 17-22, 2009. Roger McGuinn will be the keynote speaker.

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Burlington, MA – Rounder Records is pleased to announce the signing of the 5-piece southern California rock band, Delta Spirit. Rounder will release their much-anticipated debut album, Ode to Sunshine late summer/early fall of 2008.

The raw spirit of indie rockers the Walkmen and Spoon. An amplified, rocking version of 60’s protest folk. The soulful passion of the Violent Femmes and the Waterboys. All of these comparisons have been made in attempts to describe Delta Spirit, the southern California 5-piece who might just be one of the most important new bands of the decade.

Each description contains elements of the truth, but the real answer to the question “who is Delta Spirit?” lies within Ode to Sunshine, the band’s captivating debut. The group’s DIY ethic shines throughout the album, whose songs were honed razor-sharp over a year of non-stop touring across America. Opening sold-out tours for Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Cold War Kids, and Dr. Dog, the band developed a riveting live show and gained a loyal following amongst tastemaker music fans, earning them invites to national festivals like Austin City Limits, Noise Pop and Sasquatch. So it would not be an understatement to call Ode to Sunshine one of the year’s most highly-anticipated debuts. But don’t take our word for it; in the words of Delta Spirit: “If you’re feeling what I’m feeling come on, all you soul searching people come on.”

Delta Spirit Tour Dates (more dates to be added):

• 5/20 – The Graduate – San Luis Obispo, CA
• 5/21 – Phoenix Theatre – Petaluma, CA
• 5/22 – The Catalyst – Santa Cruz, CA
• 5/24 – Big Easy Concert House – Boise, ID
• 5/26 – Sasquatch! – George, WA
• 5/28 – Avalon Theater – Salt Lake City, UT
• 5/29 – Fox Theatre – Boulder, CO
• 5/31 – Granada Theatre – Lawrence, KS
• 6/02 – House of Blues, Cambridge Room – Dallas, TX
• 6/03 – The Parish – Austin, TX
• 6/04 – The Meridian – Houston, TX
• 6/05 – House of Blues, The Parish – New Orleans, LA
• 6/06 – WorkPlay Theater – Birmingham, AL
• 6/07 – Virginia Highlands SummerFest - Atlanta, GA
• 6/09 – The Orange Peel – Asheville, NC
• 6/11 – State Theatre – St. Petersburg, FL
• 6/12 – Captain Hiram’s – Sebastian, FL
• 6/13 – Culture Room – Ft. Lauderdale, FL
• 6/14 – The Social – Orlando, FL
• 6/16 – Jack Rabbits – Jacksonville, FL
• 6/17 – Common Grounds – Gainesville, FL
• 6/18 – Beta Bar – Tallahassee, FL
• 6/19 – The Hangout – Gulf Shores, AL
• 6/21 – Headliner’s Music Hall – Louisville, KY
• 6/25 – Middle East Upstairs – Cambridge, MA
• 6/26 – Mercury Lounge – New York, NY
• 6/27 – Union Hall – Brooklyn, NY
• 6/28 – The Khyber Pass – Philadelphia, PA
• 6/29 – DC 9 – Washington, DC
• 8/8 – El Rey Theatre – Los Angeles, CA

See them performing live at a Paste/Stereogum sponsored show at SxSW: http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/featured_videos/view/sxsw_2008_delta_spirit_children/

Checkout their website: http://deltaspirit.net/ and their myspace: http://www.myspace.com/deltaspirit

-From Rounder

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Martha Wainwright will release a new cd on Zoe/Rounder on June 10. Photo by Mark Squires.

Burlington, MA – Singer songwriter Martha Wainwright will be touring with KT Tunstall starting August 4 in Northampton, MA. The tour will be in support of Martha’s forthcoming album, I Know You’re Married But I’ve Got Feelings Too which Zoe/Rounder will release on June 10.

The album which Elle magazine raved shows off Martha’s “…highly intelligent songwriting” has her working with some of the biggest names in music including Donald Fagen (Steely Dan), Pete Townshend (The Who), and Garth Hudson (The Band) plus members of Martha’s family including mother Kate McGarrigle and brother Rufus Wainwright. The album has been a success at radio with it being one of the most added records with stations KCRW in Los Angeles, WXPN in Philadelphia, KCMP in St. Paul Minnesota and WFUV paving the way.

In addition to the dates with Tunstall, Martha will be doing three shows: June 12 at Joe’s Pub in NY, June 19 at the Troubadour in Los Angeles and July 23 at the Highline Ballroom in NY.

Below are Martha’s dates:

Martha Wainwright headlining:

• Jun 12 — Joe’s Pub, New York, NY
• Jun 19 — The Troubadour, Los Angeles, CA
• Jul 23 — Highline Ballroom, New York, NY

Martha Wainwright with KT Tunstall:

• Aug 4 — Calvin Theater, Northampton MA
• Aug 6 — Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY
• Aug 7 — Fairfield Theatre, Fairfield, CT
• Aug 8 — Borgata Music Box, Atlantic City, NJ
• Aug 9 — Virgin Festival Baltimore, MD
• Aug 11 — Meijer Gardens, Grand Rapids, MI
• Aug 12 — House Of Blues, Cleveland, OH
• Aug 13 — LC Pavillion Columbus, OH
• Aug 14 — Kresge Auditorium, Interlochen, MI
• Aug 15 — The Pabst Theater, Milwaukee, WI
• Aug 18 — Denver Botanical, Denver, CO
• Aug 20 — Red Butte Garden Amphitheater, Salt Lake City, UT
• Aug 22 — Silver Legacy Resort Casino, Reno NV
• Aug 25 — Belly Up Aspen, Aspen, CO

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Reckless Kelly will release “Bulletproof” on the Yep Roc label June 24th.

On Bulletproof, their first album with the Yep Roc label, roots-rock rogues Reckless Kelly explore fragility in relationships and the state of our country. The band’s fifth studio album shows their signature duality of barroom ballads and rocking fight songs at its pinnacle.

Bulletproof features a superb songwriting collaboration between frontman Willy Braun and country icon Robert Earl Keen on “God Forsaken Town,” a song about a person holding out from evacuating during Hurricane Katrina.

The grit and gristle of Braun’s voice brings the vulnerability of love songs like “A Guy Like Me” and “Bulletproof” to life without the threat of ever being saccharin.

One of the most poignant tracks on Bulletproof is “American Blood” a song criticizing the war in Iraq because of the loss of American troops.

While brothers Willy Braun (guitars, vocals) and Cody Braun (fiddle, mandolin, vocals), David Abeyta (electric guitar, vocals), Jimmy McFeeley (bass), and Jay Nazz (drums) haven’t released a studio album since 2005’s critically acclaimed Wicked Twisted Road, they remain road warriors and as much of a Texas staple as buckles, boots, and Budweiser. The band recently offered a preview of the new album on the popular, nationally syndicated Big Show with John Boy & Billy, the same show credited with helping to launch Robert Earl Keen’s career.

BULLETPROOF track list:

1. Ragged As The Road
2. You Don’t Have To Stay Forever
3. Love IN Her Eyes
4. Passin’ Through
5. I Never Had A Chance
6. One False Move
7. A Guy Like Me
8. American Blood
9. How Was California
10. Mirage
11. Don’t Say Goodbye
12. God Forsaken Town
13. Wandering Eye
14. Bulletproof

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