The Americana Music Association has announced the first 165 of 240 acts slated to perform at their 21st annual AmericanaFest event, held from Sept. 22-25 in Nashville, Tennessee. The four-day festival and conference event will also feature the annual Americana Honors Awards on Sept. 22, which will offer “one-of-a-kind performance pairings” at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Jason Isbell and Amythyst Kiah lead nominations, with Isbell vying for Artist of the Year alongside Brandi Carlile, Kathleen Edwards, Margo Price, and Billy Strings.

More than 160 artists were announced, including Kelsey Waldon, Allison Russell, and Joshua Ray Walker, singer-songwriters Kathleen Edwards, Arlo McKinley, William Prince, and Brandy Clark; roots patriarchs and matriarchs Rodney Crowell, Jim Lauderdale, and the McCrary Sisters; alternative acts Sarah Shook & the Disarmers, Early James, and the Pine Hill Haints, among many others. Also of note are sets by actor-singer Kiefer Sutherland, the young blues phenom Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, rising singer-songwriter Brittney Spencer, and the Memphis soul band Southern Avenue. More performers will be announced ahead of the festival.

Among the venues in Nashville showcasing talent over the four-day fest are the Mercy Lounge, City Winery, 3rd & Lindsley, and The Station Inn. The destination event also features a music conference, discussing current industry topics and issues over panels and workshops. Passes for AmericanaFest 2021, its related conference, and the Americana Honors awards are currently available at the link here.

xEditorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com