Americana and No Depression

Got back from the Americana Music Association conference in Nashville on Saturday night. It was interesting, I saw some great music and got to hang out with Jim Olsen (from Signature Sounds). Also had sushi with Jenn Adams (formerly of Missoula). I wasn't thrilled by the southern-ness of everything, ie guys my age calling me ma'am, men holding the door for me all the time and trying to help me out of cars. Nor am I too into southern barbecue. But the weather was nice and it was quite interesting to get a better sense of the whole Americana scene, which clearly had a different vibe than the folk/acoustic-pop/singer-songwriter scene (not that that is one thing).

Between the showcases and the AMA awards show at the Ryman, I saw Rosanne Cash, John Leventhal, Dave Alvin, Darrell Scott, Abigail Washburn, Casey Driessen, Sam Bush, Buddy Miller, Alejandro Escovedo, Rodney Crowell, Mindy Smith, Tres Chicas, Elvis Costello (!), Jeffrey Foucault, Chris Smither, Kim Richey, RobinElla, James McMurtry, Marty Stuart and other people I'm probably forgetting right now.

I also got tons of free music magazines in my swag bag. And I saw Grant Alden, one of the co-editors of No Depression, speak on a panel. I read some of the magazines (Performing Songwriter, Harp, American Songwriter, etc) and realized that No Depression really is the best music magazine, by far. Even if they don't include some of the less Americana-ish stuff that I like, the writing is just so much better that it's always worth reading.... So I resolved to renew my subscription, and also realized there were some back issues with articles about people I'd seen this week. When I got home I rummaged through the recycling, the same pile that had been out in the rain (and still not gone out because I missed garbage day, being away). There indeed were the issues I wanted. So I saved all my back issues of No Depression and was once again grateful for my tendency to hold on to things (OK, I'm still usually not, but this time....).

I'm glad to be back in Portland, where it is once again sunny and warm this week. Had a great time yesterday at Willa's 4th birthday party on Sauvie Island at The Pumpkin Patch. Looking forward to seeing Devon Sproule tomorrow for the first time, and the big Dirty Martini shows this weekend.

Oh, and I just saw that air travel restrictions are relaxed. So now you can bring a bottle of water on with you. Of course this happens the day after I get back, after I dehydrated myself because I wasn't allowed to bring water on board....