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There are a lot of country fans and artists who love to complain about the country music of today. Music Row makes that an excessively easy pastime. What’s difficult is making a meaningful effort to try and do something about it. That is what Dale Watson, Celine Lee, and everyone involved with the Ameripolitan organization is doing with their annual awards and the weekend of festivities leading up to them.
One of the themes from the 2023 Ameripolitan Awards were recipients saying, “I have never won an award before.” This is also what the great singer and fiddle player Dawn Sears said when she won the first ever Ameripolitan award on the first ever Ameripolitan Awards presentation in 2014 just months before she passed away.
We never thought we would see artists like Rachel Brooke, and Croy and the Boys win Awards. “The Queen of Underground Country” Rachel Brooke was one of the very first artists Saving Country Music ever featured going back to 2008. The win for Austin mainstays Croy and the Boys was like a win for all of the great Austin honky tonk bands who get summarily overlooked in the national country music conversation. For artists and bands, an Ameripolitan Award is validation. It means that someone is actually paying attention, and appreciative.
To see a full recap and all the winners of the 2023 Ameripolitan Awards, CLICK HERE. But for two days before the awards show transpired, performances took place at the stately Guesthouse at Graceland in Memphis showcasing some of the greatest up-and-coming and independent talent from country, roots, and rockabilly—or “Ameripolitan” as we call it in this instance. There was also a fashion show Sunday afternoon, and yes, a crocheted dress done in the motif of The Waffle House made an appearance. There were also a few legends who appeared over the weekend.
Kinky Friedman is now 77 years old, and not exactly the wild ass he was when he was getting his episode of Austin City Limits banned. But it was cool to see an indisputable country music legend and groundbreaker take to the stage. What Kinky still has in spades is humor, and he used it to his distinct advantage to entertain the crowd. Dale Watson compelled Kinky to read a poem, which he did titled “The Navigator” about his dad. Afterwards Kinky whipped out a cigar and took pictures with anyone and everyone who asked for one like he wasn’t a guy who once mounted a serious campaign for Texas Governor.
Ameripolitan is not just about the “Outlaw,” “Honky Tonk,” and “Western Swing” categories. Rockabilly is also strongly represented, both in the performers, and in the population of attendees. Rockabilly Female winner Jane Rose, The Hi-Jivers, Bloodshot Bill, Sean K. Preston, and the Ichi-Bons from Canada were some of the highlights of the rockabilly weekend.
But perhaps the best performers of the weekend came Saturday night when a murderer’s row of incredible songwriters took the stage one after another in the Guesthouse at Graceland’s theater.
Kaitlin Butts put on a performance that is only fair to characterize as a “career moment.” Without her band, and in front of a crowd that’s not exactly the Texas/Red Dirt scene that she’s familiar with, Kaitlin came out with just an acoustic guitar, and stunned. It’s in these kinds of naked moments where an artist either rises, or is exposed. Off the strength of her songs, her voice, and her guitar playing, Kaitlin Butts proved she’s ready for any stage, crowd, or moment.
Kaitlin Butts received a standing ovation at the end of her set, and multiple grown ass men openly professed afterward at getting teary eyed in multiple moments. It felt like one of those performances we’ll still be referencing years from now.
About the only person on the planet that could take the stage after the emotion that was wrought during the Kaitlin Butts performance with any hope at success was one of the last true folk musicians in existence, the surging Willi Carlisle.
Starting off playing bones and harmonica, later playing guitar, banjo, accordion, and reciting spoken work essays in a space where you could hear a pin drop, Willi proved why he currently populates the short list of performers you absolutely have to see now while he’s still playing smaller venues. It’s been years in the coming, but the word about Willi Carlisle and the magic he sows live is out.
At this point, it’s fair to question whether Sierra Ferrell even needs the support of something like Ameripolitan as she sells out theaters coast to coast. But her participation in the 2023 Ameripolitan gathering was voluntary and enthusiastic, and that’s what was so cool about it. In fact, she was one of the most active participants in the entire weekend, not just performing Saturday night and proving somehow she’s even getting better over time.
Sierra Ferrell was also hanging out all weekend, modeled half a dozen or so outfits during Sunday afternoon’s Ameripolitan fashion show (photos below), was there watching her fellow performers play, and the rumor from folks was she was up until darn near morning participating in marathon picking parties.
There were so many excellent performances over the weekend, and apologies to some of the performers who are not mentioned or pictured below. There was just too much good music, moments, conversation, camaraderie, and community happening to take it all in, though holding (mostly) everything under one roof (some events happened at Hernando’s Hideaway down the road), made for a much less hectic event than in previous years.
After going dark during the pandemic, Ameripolitan came out big in 2023, and it feels like the momentum could take it to even bigger places in the coming years.
All photos below by Kyle “Trigger” Coroneos
Sierra Ferrell the Runway Model:
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