The Best of AMERICANAFEST 2026

AMERICANAFEST 2026 is over, and we're still recovering from five days of running from venue to venue to try and fit it all in! Pulling out our favorites from the dozens of acts we saw is a Sisyphean task, but we've given it a shot. Here is our Best of AMERICANAFEST.

Best of the Fest: Ruthie Foster and Laney Jones & the Spirits
We couldn't pick just one act as our favorite of the festival when two stood out above the group equally. And they couldn't be more different. Ruthie Foster is a Grammy-winning blues artist whose voice is perfectly suited to the blues and whose sense of melody transcends that genre. We were lucky enough to catch Ruthie twice, once in a mini-set at the “What Does the Folk Say?” show at The 5 Spot and again at her official showcase at 3rd and Lindsley, where she was joined by the equally talented Miko Marks for a rousing finale.

For those interested in the more rock and roll side of Americana's “big tent”, do yourself the favor of checking out Laney Jones & the Spirits. If Joan Jett and Joey Ramone had a child, that child would likely sound a lot like Laney Jones. Dynamic is an understatement for Jones' leadership of her tight band, and their fuzzed-out garage rock sound blew the roof off The 5 Spot as Saturday night's festival closer.

Best Finds: Next of Kin and Howley

The best bet at AMERICANAFEST during the evening showcases is to find a venue with someone else you want to see and park there for the evening. Not only do you avoid Nashville's horrid parking situation (if I did a “worst of AMERICANAFEST,” Nashville parking would get the pole position, just ahead of Nashville driving), but you might find a new favorite among the other acts playing that day. So it was at 3rd and Lindsley on Thursday as we waited for Ruthie Foster to take the stage. Opening the night was a vocal trio from Texas called Next of Kin. With airtight harmonies and killer hooks, we were mesmerized and immediately went to Bandcamp to add their catalog to our wishlist.

The second find of the weekend came on Wednesday at Station Inn as Howley took the stage first and proceeded to steal the night. Had I known Howley was the Howley brothers from We Banjo 3, I would have shown up to Station Inn primarily for them. Instead, I was surprised to find the band was the brothers and their equally talented wives, Kiana June (Gaelic Storm) and Caitlin Leahy (Leahy's Luck). Unlike We Banjo 3's “Celtgrass” sound, Howley leans more “Celticana” in their style but retains the stellar musicianship and signature sense of humor that made We Banjo 3 a band we've loved for years.

Best Reunion: The Heartbreakers with Chris Stapleton at the Americana Awards and Honors
While we didn't attend the Americana Awards and Honors, we did catch the highlight of the show on YouTube as the original iteration of Tom Petty's Heartbreakers reunited for the first time in a quarter century to accept a Lifetime Achievement Award. That alone would have been something special, but when the band came together, fronted by country superstar Chris Stapleton to perform a set of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers songs, it became one of those moments that makes the Americana Awards and Honors the best awards show in music.

Best Tribute: Dolly Parton Tribute at 3rd and Lindsley
Speaking of paying tribute to a legend, you knew AMERICANAFEST wasn't going to let the week go by without honoring country music's first lady, Dolly Parton. That honor came during the day on Wednesday as Americana staple Emily West assembled a talented group of friends to perform some of Dolly's best-known songs, including a rousing group sing of “9 to 5” to close out the show. Later that night at the Americana Awards and Honors, Dolly herself appeared by way of a message she recorded before she died, accepting her Lifetime Achievement Award.

Best Throwback: Jake Vaadeland & the Sturgeon River Boys
It's hard to truly stand out as unique at a festival known for a wide range of unique artists, but Canada's Jake Vaadeland & the Sturgeon River Boys managed to do just that at WMOT's Old Fashioned String Band Throwdown with a set that threw back to the radio variety shows of old, complete with corny jokes and even a sponsor break with a corresponding jingle. It was a fun time and had the audience laughing throughout.

Best Rock and Roll Dance Party: Mule Kick Records Rock and Roll Brunch
Mule Kick Records took over Love & Exile on Saturday afternoon for some L.A.-based rock and roll that helped form what became Americana. After a set of stellar mini-performances by several artists, Mule Kick brought on a slew of artists to cover some of the West Coast's best cowpunk tunes, highlighted by Gold Coast's blistering take on X's landmark “Los Angeles.” Unfortunately, we had other commitments and had to leave before cowpunk royalty Jason Ringenberg of Jason & the Scorchers fame took the stage.