| Basically, Americana is Country Music. Hold | | | | Good time music, next generation. Take a |
| on! Wait! Don't go clicking away yet!We're | | | | listen on a road trip and you'll be singing |
| not talking here about the cliches of Line | | | | along. Guaranteed.Americana has its own |
| Dancing, Stetsons and songs about losing | | | | association, and it is close to having its |
| Wife, Dawg and Car (not necessarily in that | | | | own Billboard chart. But Americana is |
| order).What we're talking about is music with | | | | independent; the Americana Music Association |
| attitude, whether that be protest songs, | | | | could just as easily have been named the |
| introspective ballads or just plain old | | | | Awkward Musicians Association. It is a free |
| bad-ass hell-raising good time music - | | | | spirit, embraces all comers and loves the |
| country yes, but Americana is also rock, | | | | diversity of the dobro, mandolin, Les Paul |
| blues, traditional bluegrass and even soul. | | | | and Stratocaster. It is conservative and |
| Music without boundaries, held together by a | | | | liberal in equal measures and pretty darn |
| common thread of realism, honesty and | | | | hard to pin down.In 2005 the Americana Music |
| heart.You like Springsteen and Neil Young? | | | | Association celebrated its 4th annual Honors |
| Well, Steve Earle is probably the most high | | | | and Awards ceremony which was held for the |
| profile name in Americana. If you're a fan of | | | | first time at the famous Ryman Auditorium in |
| The Boss and Neil Young in equal measures and | | | | Nashville Tennessee, the spiritual home of |
| you haven't come across the phenomena that is | | | | Country Music. The AMA is happy to co-exist |
| Steve Earle then do yourself a favour and get | | | | with the Country Music Association, but where |
| hold of 'Guitar Town' or 'Copperhead Road' | | | | the CMA Awards are a glitzy, showbiz affair, |
| and see what you've been missing.A whole new | | | | the AMA Awards are more down home, more real. |
| generation of singer-songwriters influenced | | | | Heck, they even have a 'Freedom of Speech' |
| by pre-'Achy, Breaky Heart' country music are | | | | award.Americana music is deserving of your |
| making their mark today, inspired by another | | | | attention. The Americana Music Association is |
| anti-hero Townes Van Zandt (a better | | | | run by people who care deeply about the |
| songwriter than Dylan, many would say). And | | | | music, about its influence and about |
| don't think Americana music is a closed-shop | | | | retaining the true spirit of traditional |
| club of world-weary men. Take a listen to | | | | music and traditional values. Yes, we love |
| Tift Merritt as an example of a young girl | | | | our Country Music and our singer-songwriters |
| with vocals as soulful and powerful as | | | | and our Texan attitudes, but you won't find |
| Aretha, or Patty Griffin, who can fell a | | | | any inverted snobbery about Shania, Tim or |
| person at fifty feet with her soaring vocals | | | | Faith.So, enough words ... track down the |
| and incisive lyrics, and can blow you away | | | | music and judge for yourself.Sally Smart has |
| with the hardest rocking alternative guitar | | | | been running a successful Booking and |
| music around.So you don't want deep and | | | | Promotions agency for US acts touring the UK |
| introspective? Okay, Shooter Jennings might | | | | for a number of years. She has recently |
| be just up your street - the son of Waylon, | | | | expanded the business into retail by opening |
| Shooter has hung out with Guns'n'Roses and | | | | a dedicated Americana online CD and download |
| obviously listened to Ted Nugent as a kid. | | | | store. |