Less than 2 weeks until the 5th Annual AmericanaFest UK kicks off in East London!

The 5^th annual AmericanaFest UK will return to Hackney, London between January 28th and 30th. The theme of the event is “Collaborate and Cross Pollinate” reflecting on how Americana artists work together across different genres and art forms. AmericanaFest UK comprises of an annual conference occurring during the daytimes, 2 evenings of live music with over 70 artists from UK, USA, Canada, Australia and Europe showcasing across venues in Hackney and concluding with the 2020 UK Americana Awards. Information for the events and the last remaining tickets are available HERE.

The 2020 conference will be held at Hackney Picturehouse and Hackney Empire buildings where the AMA-UK are incredibly honoured to announce that their Keynote Speaker will be female powerhouse and living legend Joan Armatrading. Whilst the showcases will be at Oslo, Moth Club, Night Tales, Paper Dress Vintage, Hackney Church Brewery Bar and Empire Bar. All these venues are within 5 minutes walking of each other. Then the event culminates on 30 January with the prestigious UK Americana Awards 2020 which after 4 sold-out years moves to a bigger venue for 2020 – the gorgeous art deco Troxy in Limehouse, East London.

On 27 January Hackney’s OSLO will be host to an extra special Charity Kick-off event – Americana Clash – celebrating the 1978 meeting of Texan roots rocker Joe Ely with London punks the Clash – West Texas Hellraisers Meet East London Hellraisers – and the friendship between the two Joes. Americana Clash will really highlight our collaborate/cross-pollinate ethos, whilst also celebrating 40 years of The Clash’s classic album ‘London Calling’. This event is presented in partnership with our friends from Austin Texas & ACL Music Festival and will be raising money for Hackney Night Shelter as well as The Joe Strummer Foundation. Not surprisingly this event has already SOLD OUT.

The real festival aspect of the event takes place in the evenings of January 28th and 29th where 2 full nights of live music across 6 venues all within close proximity to each other where there is access to over 70 live performers showcasing across the 2 nights including Illse DeLange, Sunny Ozell, Kerri Watt and The Secret Sisters which gives a fabulous opportunity for the artists to present new music and fans to discover a variety of terrific performers. This as an event is incredible value at £33 (including all booking fees etc.) for 2 full nights of music where you can move between the 6 venues with your event wristband presents an opportunity too good to resist! Tickets for the showcase wristbands can be bought on ALT or DICE where we really hope to see you there for what we listed as one of our “20 Reasons to be excited about Country Music in 2020” with full lineup details below:

Amelia White, Amy LaVere, Amy Speace, Blair Dunlop, Blue Rose Code, Brand New Zeros, Callum Pitt, Catherine MacLellan, Chatham County Line, Chloe Foy, Cory Gallant, Daddy Long Legs, Danni Nicholls, Darling West, David Wax Museum, Dean Maywood, Dean Owens & The Southerners, Del Barber, Demi Marriner, Dennis Ellsworth, Dylan Earle, Dylan Menzie, Elliot Brood, Falls, Ferris & Sylvester, Flats & Sharps, Gill Landry, Hollie Rodgers, House of Songs In The Round, Ilse DeLang, Ira Wolf, Irish Mythen, Izaak Opatz, Izzy Walsh, Jack Klatt, Jonah Tolchin, Jonathan Wilson, Joshua Burnside, Judy Blank, Kerri Watt, Kyshona, Lady Nade, Lennie Gallant, Lucy Feliz, Lucy Grubb, Malin Pettersen, Mapache, Martin Harley Band, Megan Nash, Michaela Anne, Native Harrow, O & O, Pete Gow & The Siren Strings, Peter Bruntnell, Rob Heron & The Teapad Orchestra, Robert Vincent, Roseanne Reid, Sam Baker, The Secret Sisters, Smooth Hound Smith, Stephen Fearing, Strung Like a Horse, Sunny Ozell, Terra Lightfoot, The Ballroom Thieves, The Goat Roper Rodeo Band, The Orange Circus Band, The Vangaurds, Union Duke, Worry Dolls

Last year’s Awards show saw phenomenal performances from established Americana stars such as Rhiannon Giddens, Seth Lakeman and Graham Nash alongside fresh, bold, rising UK talents Jade Bird and Yola, with top awards going to Frank Turner, Brandi Carlile, Mary Gauthier and Bennett Wilson Poole.

This year’s UK Americana Awards will recognise the huge breadth of talent across the genre with some incredible artists nominated this year including such diverse names as Yola, Frank Turner, Jade Bird, Mavis Staples, Larkin Poe, Highwomen, Ida Mae and Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real.

Our Special Awards carry on the tradition of honouring the great and good of Americana, and the AMA-UK are proud to announce the following, known for their incredible work within the genre of Americana, country, folk and beyond:

Lifetime Achievement Award – Joan Armatrading
Trailblazer Award – Nick Lowe
Grassroots Award – Mark Whitfield – Americana-UK.com
Emerging Artist Award – Ferris and Sylvester
Legend Award – Lonnie Donegan

Full list of Nominees for the UK Americana Awards 2020:

UK Instrumentalist of The Year – Ben Smith, Jim Maving, Siân Monaghan, Will Page

UK Song of The Year – Little Piece of Heaven by Elles Bailey (Written by Elles Bailey, Bobby Wood and Dan Auerbach) The Fire by Jamie Freeman (Written by Jamie Freeman and Ben Glover) Hear Your Voice by Danni Nicholls (Written by Danni Nicholls and Kyshona Armstrong) Amy by Roseanne Reid (Written by Roseanne Reid)

UK Album of The Year – Here There’s No Sirens by Pete Gow (produced by Joe Bennett) Chasing Lights by Ida Mae (produced by Ethan Johns) Bleeding on the Soundtrack by William the Conqueror (produced by Ethan Johns) Walk Through Fire by Yola (produced by Dan Auerbach)

UK Artist of The Year – Jade Bird, Bear’s Den, Frank Turner, Yola

International Song of The Year – Turn Off The News (Build A Garden) by Lukas Nelson & Promise of The Real (written by Lukas Nelson & Promise of The Real) Letter to Madeline by Ian Noe (written by Ian Noe) Saying Goodbye by J.S. Ondara (written by J.S. Ondara) Me and The Ghost of Charlemagne By Amy Speace (written by Amy Speace)

International Album of The Year – Undress by Felice Brothers (produced by Jeremy Backofen) Highwomen by Highwomen (produced by Dave Cobb) Songs Of Our Native Daughters by Our Native Daughters (produced by Rhiannon Giddens and Dirk Powell) Mint Condition by Caroline Spence (produced by Dan Knobler)

International Artist of The Year – Brandi Carlile, The Dead South, Larkin Poe, Mavis Staples