Nashville- When the curtain closes on Americana Tonight after the series finale on Wednesday July 25th, there will be
no doubt that those on hand to bid farewell were treated to another spectacular evening of Americana/Roots music.
Americana Tonight President and Producer, Mark Wehner, announced last week that he would be suspending
operations of the weekly showcase following the annual anniversary show next week.
Scheduled to appear on the July 25th show are Jubal Lee Young, acclaimed songstress Irene Kelley, Antsy McClain,
bluegrass artist Lorianna Matera, and local hero Tommy Womack. WSMV-4 will be on hand to tape Womack's segment
for future broadcast as part of their Nashville Music & More series, which the NBC affiliate airs on Saturday's at 6:30pm.
The show is staged at Douglas Corner Cafe, 2106 Eighth Avenue South (615.298.1688). Doors will open at 6:30pm
and the show begins promptly at 7pm. Americana Tonight shows are open to persons 18 years of age and older and
there is a nominal $5.00 cover charge at the door. No advance tickets are being sold for this show.
|
The Sopranos simply faded to black. St. Elsewhere revealed the whole thing took place in a snow globe. JR Ewing was
confronted by the devil. Hawkeye Pierce finally went home, albeit a little worse for wear and tear. In a little over two
weeks, we'll witness two more endings. In the first, we'll find out how the Harry Potter saga concludes; who lives, who
dies. The second won't be nearly as dramatic (I don't think) ... following the Americana Tonight Anniversary Show on
July 25th, I'll be unceremoniously pulling the plug and setting the series gently into the annuls of Nashville music
history. This is a decision that I've wrestled with for some time now and, after considerable thought, feel the time is
right. Had you been to every Wednesday night gathering since it began, you would have experienced over 150 nights
of stellar music offered by more than 700 performers. You would've stood witness to moments that can only happen in
a town like Nashville. When I think back on what really happened over the past several years, I'm utterly and
completely dumbstruck. So, what happens now? I'll still be championing the national independent music effort via my
consulting company, The CIA (Creative Independent Artists), still driving to increase the awareness and viability of the
Americana/Roots genre and, no doubt, wondering what happened to the music on Wednesday nights.
For anyone who is remotely interested, the full press release on the closing of Americana Tonight can be found on the
home page of the AT website (www.americanatonight.com). But before we throw dirt in the hole, we still have some
business to attend to and that means bringing great music to your doorstep a few more times, including this week,
during the final month of Americana Tonight at Douglas Corner, 2106 Eighth Avenue South (across from Zanies) in
Nashville. As one songsmith once noted, every new beginning is the result of an ending, and I can't imagine ending AT
on anything but a high note with a pretty large amount of hoopla. So, with that said ...
Mark Wehner's Americana Tonight
Douglas Corner Cafe, Nashville
Americana Tonight Shows are 18+
$5.00 at the door
$3.00 with valid student ID
Wednesday July 11th
9:30pm Dan Colehour www.dancolehour.com
Welcome back to an AT favorite. Dan has a new record in the works to follow up his One For The Old Man.
9:00pm Seth Walker www.sethwalker.com
Bluesy, with enough roots to move your mind and your soul.
8:30pm Tony Laiolo
Sure, he's tall, but the "Wildwood Tower" was a finalist at Kerrville and has been keeping some pretty strong company
while playing around Nashville.
AT NEWS AND NOTES
The Americana Music Conference is still several months away (October 31st-November 3rd), but if the current chart is
any indication, there's some fine music headed our way this fall. Ryan Adams takes the top slot this week, closely
followed by Kelly Willis and Marty Stuart, while Jimmy LaFave and Adrienne Young round out the top five. New music
hit this week's top forty courtesy of Antsy McClain & The Trailer Park Troubadours, The Gourds, The Hackensaw
Boys, Steve Forbert and Nick Lowe. The Most Added on radio was new from The Subdudes (26 stations jumped on it.)
Our AT Family is ably repesented by Elizabeth Cook at #11, David Olney at #15, and Uncle Earl at #34. No matter
where you go, you're only a click away from being in the know at www.americanaradio.org
So, how do we close out the month? On July 18th, catch Ed Petterson with David Olney and Freedy Johnson, then join
us for the Grand Finale on July 25th with Tommy Womack, Jubal Lee Young, The Coal Men and Lorianna Matera (still
hoping to slip a surprise in for you that night as well.)
I never really understood the phrase "It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings." Do I need to book a fat lady? Does it matter if
she sings well? At least there's a little time to figure it all out.
Mark Wehner
|
|
