Hayes Carll "Wild As a Turkey"

What a day, what a day...day two of the Americana Music Festival! Last night, the 2010 Americana Honors & Awards Show took place at the Mother Church of Country Music, the Ryman Auditorium, and I got to host a webcast of the festivities for Folk Alley and NPR Music. It will be available on those sites starting today for you to hear the whole show, so check it out if you didn't listen live last night. Thanks to the folks a Folk Alley, Linda and Al, for asking me to host! I brought Marty Fitzpatrick, former X Country Music Director with me, and it was like old times as we got to use the same broadcast booth as when we anchored this show in the past, live on XM. Felt real good being back on the mic...I have to say.

There were some pretty intense presenters, as Robert Plant gave Buddy Miller his Instrumentalist of the Year Award, and Jack White gave the Lifetime Performance Award to Wanda Jackson. Great to be able to celebrate legends like her and John Mellencamp, at the same time as we acknowledge this year's winners. Rosanne Cash won Album of the Year for her CD The List. Ryan Bingham picked up two, for Artist of the Year, and for Song of the Year for "The Weary Kind." The Avett Brothers got the Duo or Group Award, and the New and Emerging Artist of the Year winner was Hayes Carll, who came to see us in the Sweet Suite yesterday, before the awards show, and he brought the band. We felt it only fitting to put this up for you, as we are basking in the afterglow! This week will make you feel "Wild As a Turkey!"

- Jessie Scott

Raul Malo "Lucky One"

Day One, yesterday, of the Americana Music Association Festival in Nashville and there is just no way to see everybody and do it all, but we are having a blast! We are camped out at convention headquarters, the newly renovated Sheraton Nashville Downtown. They had the ribbon cutting and grand re-opening ceremony just before the festival offically got underway. The rooms are beautiful! Simple, elegant. The pillows, oh yeah, are a thing to behold. Ensconcing and utterly luxurious. What better preparation for the busy days ahead, than laying your head in clouds of down at the end of the day. We kicked it off early, starting with an able assist from Eric Brace, who helped us on our round of errands. This included a stop at the Gibson Showroom, to pick up beautiful guitars and solid amps. We thank the Gibson folks for providing them to us!

Couple of things: there is a special guest for the Honors and Awards Show at the Ryman Auditorium. We can't tell you who it is exactly, but he is a rock icon, and his latest project makes a "joyful" noise! Tickets are still available at the box office, and all I can say is if you are in Nashville, or close, YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS SHOW. Really! If you can't get here, listen to the live stream on Folk Alley starting at 6:30pm CT today, but the special guest won't be broadcast...you have to be at the Ryman for that part! The second thing I wanted to mention is that another roots luminary is here, as there is a book signing with Rosanne Cash to celebrate the release of her memoir, Composed, in the second floor atrium at the Sheraton Nashville Downtown on Friday, September 10th, from Noon to 1pm.

Yesterday in our studio, which is set up in a sweet suite at the Sheraton, we had visits from Myk Gordon, Frontier Ruckus, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Shawn Camp, Marshall Chapman, Hans Rotenberry, John Brannen and Raul Malo. Just a half day for us! Only kidding. We started at 7am and wrapped at 7:30pm, grabbed a bite to eat, then sequestered ourselves to the production suite for video editing, mastering, uploading and writing. We thought it fitting to bring you a tune from Raul, actually one that he also did for us at last year's Americana Festival. This year we have a different rendering, as he brought Michael Guerra on accordion. "Lucky One," from the album of the same name. Not to worry, this is just the first of the videos from the 2010 Americana Music Festival. We have just begun to rock.

- Jessie Scott

Annie & The Beekeepers "Come On"

Mercury is retrograde. Whatever that means. The Cliff Notes version is that travel plans and communications can go awry. (Are Cliff Notes even necessary in a web enabled world?) The best laid plans, ya know? So you see, there was this tropical storm, which got to be a named hurricane at the eleventh hour, Hermine, pronounced her-Meen'. Ever heard that name before? Well me either! All I know is "Houston, we have a problem." Denise and I were on our way to Nashville, but no...now we are connecting through Denver. It was either that or Orlando. Oh well. Hanging in the gate, we ran into Cody and Willy Braun, who are going to sing the national anthem at the Rockies' ballgame on Thursday! Nice. I have fond recollections of last year's Americana Fest, going shopping at Manuel's with Cody. Fun.

Nashville is where we are headed, if Hermine cooperates. Last year's trip was full of spectacular moments, among them meeting Annie and The Beekeepers. They came aboard the Music Fog bus late one night and made magic. We had no idea that we would be capturing lightning in a bottle. They're not making the trip to Nashville this year, because they're on their way to the UK to play the End of the Road Festival. In their absence, enjoy this video, "Come On," an unreleased, exclusive track from our Threadgill's video extravaganza in March. We wish them a great time at the festival, and a safe trip, with no hurricane-related delays.

- Jessie Scott