The Best of Americanafest 2025

With over 150 bands showcasing (plus likely that many more playing unofficial showcases throughout Nashville during the week), it's impossible to see everything, or even a significant fraction of things at AMERICANAFEST. But tried our best, notching over 30 acts seen across half a dozen venues in Music City, from some of the town's most iconic concert halls to a dive bar in nearby Madison, and even John Prine's favorite diner. Here are the best things we saw at AMERICANAFEST 2025.

Best of the Fest- Dom Flemons
Dom Flemons is not only Americana's best historian, preserving the history and legacy of black string bands and black workers throughout the 19th and 20th Centuries, he's also a gifted multi-instrumentalist and consummate entertainer. Over the course of his set at Station Inn, Flemons played banjo, guitar, pipes, and bones, telling stories of black cowboys and classic country themes of love gone bad. Flemons has been my Best Of recipient in a past year, and he's only gotten better since then. If he comes to your town, catch his act. You won't be sorry.

Best Find of the Fest- D.K. Harrell
There are always a few bands at AMERICANAFEST that come out of nowhere and blow us away. This year, it was D.K. Harrell. The New Orleans-based Delta blues wizard wowed 3rd and Lindsley on Friday night, not only showing off some mean B.B. King-worthy guitar chops, but also entertaining the crowd with his witty banter and over-the-top dance moves, some performed out in the crowd. We couldn't even wait until we got home. We headed over to Bandcamp and picked up his latest album that night.

Best Homegrown Favorites Breaking Out- The War & Treaty
It was a surprise when The War & Treaty were a last-minute lineup announcement for Friday night at 3rd and Lindsley. They're the kind of act that typically stops playing AMERICANAFEST once they get too big for the club venues the festival inhabits. But The War & Treaty and AMERICANAFEST have a unique history, one that helped launch the duo from obscurity into a band that now has a major label contract and has notched award nominations from mainstream country outlets. Co-lead vocalist Michael Trotter spoke about their important relationship with AMERICANAFEST from the stage in an emotional interlude from what was a rocking set of originals.

Best All-Out Rock and Roll Show- Aaron Lee Tasjan
Very few acts embody the rock and roll end of Americana's big tent like Aaron Lee Tasjan. The former guitarist for New York Dolls has carved a niche serving up the homey folk lyrics of Todd Snider, backed up by guitar licks worthy of Bruce Springsteen himself. On Wednesday at Nashville's famed Exit/In, he showed why he's one of Americana's most dynamic acts today. Flanked by frequent collaborator and guitarist Brian Wright and guest vocalist Jon Latham, he was also joined by a young guitar virtuoso whose name I unfortunately didn't catch but who put on a guitar duel with Tasjan that was one for the record books.

Best Day Party- OUTlaw Country Queer Roots
There were a lot of showcases with a party atmosphere at Americanafest, but none brought the fun like the OUTlaw Queer Roots party at Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge. Hosted by Julie Nolen and Secret Emchy Society’s Cindy Emch, it was a fun atmosphere throughout the day. The music was darned good too, featuring acts like Secret Emchy Society and Ashleigh Flynn & the Riveters.

HM: Interstate 88 at The 5 Spot- Not only did Interstate 88 bring some great music, but they also brought free beer, which is enough to get the interest of any poor music journalist!

Best Unique Venue- Brown's Diner
As stated above, AMERICANAFEST sprawls across many of Nashville's clubs and bars, but as far as I know, Brown's Diner was the only venue that is primarily a diner. Not that there isn't a significant music connection there, as Brown's was John Prine's favorite place to stop and get a bite, a fact celebrated in signs and plaques throughout the diner. I'd be hard pressed to say which I enjoyed more: the day of music put on by East Coast Social Club, which included unknown to me acts like Goldpine and Carrie Welling, or the delicious biscuits and gravy served up while watching the show.

Best Trend- Married Duos
Married duos have always been a big part of AMERICANAFEST, but this year seemed to emphasize this trend more than ever. So much so that there was even an unofficial pre-fest concert (which I, sadly, missed due to not arriving until the day of the fest) called AMARRIEDcana showcasing only married couples. But the shows I did see featured plenty of wed duos, including Chris “Critter” Edlridge (from Punch Brothers) and Kristin Andreassen, bluegrass legend Tim O'Brien and his wife Jan Fabricius, and long-time folk duo Jim Patton and Sherry Brokus.

Best Spectacle- Rev. Peyton's Big Damn Band

From the “what did I just see?” files, Rev. Peyton's Big Damn Band consists of a guitarist, drummer, and dedicated washboard player. Sound like a standard old-time act to you? You've obviously never seen the Big Damn Band in action! Rev. Peyton's distorted rock and roll guitar is punctuated by “Brother” Jacob Powell's powerful drums and “Washboard” Breezy Patton's own percussive thunder (can a washboard really thunder? Oh yes, it certainly can). Together, they ripped up Station Inn with a set of rocking blues tunes that defy easy explanation.