TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

I was listening to Whispering Bob's Radio 2 show in the car last evening - he played Richard Thompson's 'Good Things Happen to Bad People' from 'Electric'.  Apparently RT is up for an Americana award this week, based, it would seem, on the fact that the album was recorded in Nashville.  Now, I'm all for hearing more Tommo on the radio and if they want to shower him with awards then why not?  But.... Americana! I know it's only an arbitrary label, but I think it comes close to misrepresentation.

Good point.American'ave that sort of thing going on.Brittanicana perhaps.

As accurate as labelling RT's current offerings as "Folk".

Over the past weekend, I saw RT at the Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia, which is in the Washington, D.C. area.  He mentioned that one of his songs had been nominated for the Americana award, and made some comment about being perplexed by that.  

I'm not really sure exactly what the label means, but judging by the artists that are labeled that (James McMurtry, Ray Hubbard, Hayes Carl, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, etc.), I've sort of understood it to mean sort of electric country folk.  Which I don't know if how I'd exactly describe "Electric."  But I agree, if it means more exposure and awards for him, sure.  

Wiki says that;

"Americana is an amalgam of roots musics formed by the confluence of the shared and varied traditions that make up the American musical ethos; specifically those sounds that are merged from folk, country, blues, rhythm and blues, rock and roll and other external influences."

I tend to think of it as a reaction to the stuff you hear on the ultra conservative Country Music stations where George Strait is seen as kinda risky.

I think of The Band as being the archetypal Americana act, with the Last Waltz showing it can encompass everything from Muddy Waters to Emmylou to The Staple Singers.

I am not as averse to "genres" as some, I enjoy finding new music that is suggested by being labelled as a stable mate of someone else I like. I listen to a US-based Americana radio station and have found some great stuff that you wouldn't necessarily group together, but that's fine.