Showcase Highlights And Venues For UK Americana Music Week, JAN 20-23

UK AMERICANA MUSIC WEEK, POWERED BY SWEET HOME ALABAMA,

JANUARY 20 – 23 2025 IN HACKNEY, LONDON

Celebrating the Best in Americana Music with Performances, Awards, and Industry Insights

SHOWCASE HIGHLIGHTS AND VENUES

TUESDAY 21 & WEDNESDAY 22 JANUARY

TICKETS NOW ON SALE: HERE

More details have been announced for the much-anticipated programme of showcases which take place on Tuesday 21 and Wednesday 22 January in Hackney, London, as part of UK Americana Music Week, powered by Sweet Home Alabama.

Close to 50 UK and international showcasing artists have been revealed so far, with more to come. They will perform in Hackney venues Night Tales, Oslo, Paper Dress Vintage and Moth Club; all within a 5-minute walk of each other. Showcase tickets give access to all showcase events Tuesday 21 and Wednesday 22 January, providing an unparalleled opportunity to enjoy both established stars and up and coming artists performing original Americana music. Live music doesn't get any better than this!

Purchase showcase tickets – incredible value at just £55 for multiple performances across two nights – HERE

Highlights in a sensational line-up include Danni Nicholls, returning for her first showcase performance since the very first UK Americana Week in Hackney, about whom broadcaster Bob Harris said, “I absolutely love the elegance and beauty of her music.”

The Dreaming Spires play their debut showcase, following their multiple award nominations in previous years. They will be celebrating the 15^th anniversary of the recording of the alt country classic ‘Everything All The Time’. A must-see for fans of The Byrds and The Band.

Multi-award winner Robert Vincent, with his band, will make his first official showcase appearance since 2022. Robert recently completed a tour with Robert Plant’s ‘Saving Grace’.

The UK Americana Music Week showcases also give the opportunity to premiere some outstanding emerging artists such as Savannah Gardner, who is nominated for ‘Best Live Act’ at the annual UK Americana Music Awards on January 23 at Hackney Church. Savannah has played major festivals including Glastonbury, Black Deer, The Long Road, Maverick, C2C London and more. Catch her live and you will understand why.

Amongst many acts representing the USA are the sublime Viv & Riley, whose artistic rebirth came about in Durham (North Carolina), home to ground-breaking roots artists like Watchhouse, Sylvan Esso, and The Mountain Goats.

Also from the USA, Willie Watson (formally of Old Crow Medicine Show), who will be playing tracks from his International Album Of The Year nominated album ‘Willie Watson’, in an extended showcase spot. Watson is a skilled songwriter and performer with a unique ability to use his expansive understanding of an old lexicon to add his own new entries to it.

2025 sees the return of the hugely popular Canada House at Moth Club. Highlights on the CIMA stage include Prince Edward Island’s contemporary folk group The East Pointers, Newfoundland trio The Once and International Song Of The year nominee Julian Taylor, from Toronto.

SHOWCASE LINE-UP ANNOUNCED SO FAR:

Altameda ● Annie Dressner ● Annie Keating ● Beth Bombara ● Celeigh Cardinal ● Chloe Foy ● Chris Acker ● Daniel Kimbro ● Danni Nicholls ● Digging Roots ● Dom Glynn & His Sunday Best ● Ella Spencer ● Ferris & Sylvester ● Georgia van Etten ● Grayling ● Jade Turner ● James Hodder ● Jill Jackson ● Joe Harvey-Whyte & Bobby Lee ● Jonny Morgan ● Julian Taylor ● Liam Cromby ● Logan Richard ● Logan Staats ● Louis Brennan ● Madeleine Roger ● Malin Pettersen ● Our Man in the Field ● Peter Bruntnell ● Robbie Cavanagh ● Robert Vincent ● Rube & Rake ● Run Remedy ● Ryland Moranz ● Sarah Jane Scouten ● Savannah Gardner ● Simeon Hammond Dallas ● Steady Habits ● Tapes For Diane ● The Dreaming Spires ● The East Pointers ● The Once ● The Lucky Ones ● The Roseline ● Toria Wooff ● Trevor Moss & Hannah Lou ● Viv & Riley ● Willie Watson  

Stay tuned as AMA-UK will be announcing a special showcase collaboration with ‘Swedish Americana’ very soon, with more names to be revealed.

Snap up showcase tickets now at: https://americanafestuk.seetickets.com/content/ticket-options. UK Americana Music Awards tickets and Delegate passes are also available.

Here is the Showcase schedule for the 21st and 22nd January at ‘UK Americana Music Week: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | VENUES 

Alongside the two nights of showcases, UK Americana Music Week, powered by Sweet Home Alabama will feature for 2025: a specially commissioned documentary film, “I’ll Take You There”, a co-production between the Americana Music Association UK (AMA-UK), The Romano Sidoli Consultancy and Northern Cowboy Films, which will premiere at Hackney Picturehouse on Monday 20 January.

The annual AMA-UK conference, the cornerstone of the week’s programming, which will be held at Night Tales in Hackney during the daytime on Tuesday 21 and Wednesday 22. Next year’s theme is “Can Songs Change the World? Americana in 2025,” covering a diverse range of topics tailored for Americana enthusiasts and industry professionals alike.

The week’s events will then culminate in the prestigious UK Americana Music Awards, powered by Sweet Home Alabama, hosted at Hackney Church on Thursday 23 January, where standout achievements in Americana music from the past year will be celebrated. Special Awards include an International Lifetime Achievement Award for iconic, multi-platinum singer and songwriter Candi Staton, and Trailblazer Awards for four times Grammy Award-winning singer, composer and actor Lyle Lovett (International) and ground-breaking Irish singer, songwriter and musician CMAT (UK/Ireland).

Details on the nominations and Special Awards for 2025 follow below.

The event is proudly supported by Sweet Home Alabama, who are headline sponsors again for the fourth year, CIMA (Canadian Independent Music Association) , PPL, PRS for Music, Concord, Thirty Tigers, Uncut, Musicians’ Union, Americana Music Sweden, and the US Americana Music Association.

Award Nominations:

UK ARTIST OF THE YEAR

·         Elles Bailey 

·         Ferris & Sylvester

·         Hannah White

·         Katherine Priddy

·         Robert Vincent

·         The Heavy Heavy

UK ALBUM OF THE YEAR

·         Elles Bailey - Beneath The Neon Glow

·         Hannah White - Sweet Revolution

·         Kathryn Williams & Withered Hand - Willson Williams

·         Nina Nesbitt - Mountain Music 

·         The Hanging Stars - On A Golden Shore

·         The Heavy Heavy - One of a Kind

UK SONG OF THE YEAR

·         Blue Rose Code – “Sadie”

·         Brown Horse – “Stealing Horses”

·         Jack Francis – “Failure”

·         Nina Nesbitt – “Pages”

·         Our Man In The Field – “L'Etranger”

·         Robert Vincent – “Follow What You Love and Love Will Follow”

UK INSTRUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR

·         Ashley Campbell

·         Henry Senior Jr

·         Joe Coombs

·         Joe Harvey White

·         Joe Wilkins

·         Keiron Marshall

INTERNATIONAL ARTIST OF THE YEAR

·         Bonny Light Horseman

·         Charley Crockett

·         Jason Isbell

·         Larkin Poe

·         Sierra Ferrell

·         Waxahatchee

INTERNATIONAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR

·         American Aquarium - The Fear Of Standing Still

·         Bonny Light Horseman - Keep Me On Your Mind/See You Free

·         Gillian Welch & David Rawlings - Woodland

·         Kacey Musgraves - Deeper Well

·         Kyshona - Legacy 

·         Willie Watson - Willie Watson 

INTERNATIONAL SONG OF THE YEAR

·         Gillian Welch & David Rawlings – “Empty Trainload of Sky”

·         Hurray For The Riff Raff – “Buffalo” 

·         Julian Taylor & Allison Russell – “Pathways”

·         Kyshona – “The Echo”

·         Lizzie No – “The Heartbreak Store”

·         Sierra Ferrell – “American Dreaming”

LIVE ACT OF THE YEAR

·         Ben Ottewell & Ian Ball (of Gomez)

·         Campbell Jensen

·         Danny & The Champions of the World 

·         Kezia Gill 

·         Lola Kirke

·         Morganway

·         Savannah Gardner

·         Skinny Lister

·         The Heavy Heavy

·         Wunderhorse

AMA-UK Special Awards

International Lifetime Achievement Award

Selected by the board members, their highest honour is awarded to an international artist, duo or group in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the Americana genre over the span of their career and life in music. The 2025 recipient will be Candi Staton

International Trailblazer Award

Selected by the board members, this special award celebrates an international artist, duo or group that has taken an exceptional path, inspiring others to follow in their footsteps in developing the Americana genre. The 2025 recipient will be Lyle Lovett

Lyle Lovett: photo credit: Michael Wilson

UK/Ireland Trailblazer Award

Selected by the board members, this special award celebrates an artist, duo or group from the UK or Ireland that has taken an exceptional path, inspiring others to follow in their footsteps in developing the Americana genre. The 2025 recipient will be CMAT

TICKETS NOW ON SALE

Tickets for UK Americana Music Week, powered by Sweet Home Alabama are available now: https://americanafestuk.seetickets.com/content/ticket-options

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to experience the magic of Americana music in the heart of London.

Bob Harris (OBE) had this message for Americana UK readers: “I am absolutely thrilled that The Country Show has been voted No.1 radio programme again. Thank you to Mark Hagen and Paul Mann for all their brilliant work behind the scenes, to BBC Radio 2 for the support they give us and to the musicians who create the music we love. But above all, thanks go to the listeners and to everyone who voted for us again this year. It means the world to know you’re enjoying what we do. I love the Americana UK community. Thank you for everything” 

About the AMA-UK

The Americana Music Association UK (AMA-UK) is a professional trade association representing and advocating for the voice of Americana music in the UK. It’s membership comprises musicians, both from the UK and overseas, plus individuals and organisations from all sectors of the music industry, including; agents, promoters, venues, festivals, labels, distributors, retailers, management, touring crew, journalists, broadcasters and publicists. 

The AMA-UK is committed to treating all artists and associated parties equally regardless of their gender status, sexual orientation, race, ethnic origin, age or disability.  It is always listening and learning from its membership and strives to ensure it provides a safe environment that allows all to feel welcome, safe and able to contribute.  

Previous recipients of the AMA-UK Board’s Special Awards include: Robert Plant, Mumford & Sons, Billy Bragg, Van Morrison, Richard Thompson, Albert Lee, Graham Nash, Joan Armatrading, Lucinda Williams and many more. Awards have been presented by Sir Patrick Stewart, Jools Holland, Bonnie Raitt, Chris Difford, Ricky Ross, Harry Shearer, Timothy B. Schmidt, Jim Lauderdale and Kiki Dee, amongst many others.

UK Americana Music Week, powered by Sweet Home Alabama is delivered under the leadership of the Americana Music Association UK's newly appointed Board, comprising Ian Thomas, Kristen Nielsen (Creative Consultant), Brendan McCarthy (Why & How), Paul Fenn (Asgard), Luke Hill (Grey Seal Media), and Anton Lockwood (DHP). UK Americana Music Week Festival Producer is Jim Walker (Brighthelmstone). The UK Americana Music Awards are produced by Adrian Basketfield. Commercial partnerships are handled by The Romano Sidoli Consultancy.

What is Americana music?

We find it best described as the genre that incorporates elements of various roots music styles resulting in a distinctive sound that lives in a world apart from the pure forms of the genres upon which it may draw. 

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