AMERICANAFEST 2026 opens where the music begins, at the National Museum of African American Music, where the Americana Music Association Foundation cohosts a special evening celebrating the shared legacy that connects Black music to the heart of Americana. The evening brings together Nashville’s musical past, present and future inside one of the city’s most important cultural institutions. Presented by the Americana Music Association, AMERICANAFEST will take place in Nashville on September 15 – 19 across 50+ venues, showcasing more than 200 artists and bands, with nearly 300 events available for attendees.
NMAAM’s mission is to educate the world, preserve the legacy and celebrate the central role African Americans play in creating the American soundtrack, making the museum a fitting setting for an AMERICANAFEST event rooted in the musical traditions that continue to shape Americana, soul, R&B and roots music.
Tuesday evening at NMAAM features an opening reception at 4:00 PM followed by remarks from Jed Hilly, Executive Director of the Americana Music Association, and NMAAM Board Member Shannon Sanders; a featured display of the Americana Music Association Legacy of Americana Award; a performance by Ruby Amanfu honoring the legacy of her late uncle, Dr. Paul Kwami, and the Fisk Jubilee Singers; and a 12-piece band set from rising Americana Soul artist Kenny Sharp. Seats to the Shared Roots event are first come, first served. Admission is free with RSVP, open now: https://www.nmaam.org/event/shared-roots-americanafest-2026/
AMERICANAFEST brings together hundreds of showcasing artists, industry leaders and music fans throughout the most notable venues in Nashville, Tennessee. To complement the nightly official showcases curated by a festival committee, multiple special events during the day allow agencies, labels and other industry entities to highlight their roster. The event also offers a three-day educational conference with networking opportunities, numerous panels, and premium industry interaction. The annual Americana Honors & Awards ceremony at Ryman Auditorium on Wednesday, September 16 recognizes the groundbreaking figures of Americana music and celebrates the music achievements of the past year. AMERICANAFEST serves as a fundraiser supporting the initiatives of the Americana Music Association and its Foundation and will take place in Nashville from September 15-19, 2026.
“NMAAM exists to preserve the musical legacy that continues to shape the American soundtrack, but preservation is most powerful when those traditions are alive and moving forward. Bringing Ruby Amanfu and Kenny Sharp into our Roots Theater during AMERICANAFEST is a beautiful example of that continuum — honoring the legacy of the Fisk Jubilee Singers while giving audiences an opportunity to experience where those roots are taking us next,” shares and William Jeffries, President, National Museum of African American Music.
“AMERICANAFEST is about bringing people together around the music that connects our history to where we are going. Kenny Sharp embodies that spirit. His music lives at the intersection of soul, R&B and Americana, and pairing his performance with Ruby Amanfu, niece of our beloved friend and Fisk Jubilee Singers musical director, Dr. Paul Kwami, creates exactly the kind of meaningful musical conversation that AMERICANAFEST is built to celebrate. The Fisk Jubilee Singers represent the past and present while Kenny Sharp represents the present and future,” says Jed Hilly, Executive Director, Americana Music Association.
“Kenny Sharp understands that great music doesn’t live inside a genre box. He brings Soul, Rhythm and Blues, Gospel, Hip-Hop and Americana together in a way that feels deeply rooted and completely contemporary. Having worked closely with the Fisk Jubilee Singers and spent my career championing songwriters and artists who move culture forward, I’m especially excited to see this musical lineage represented in one room at NMAAM during AMERICANAFEST,” says Shannon Sanders, Executive Director, Creative, BMI Nashville, and board member of both NMAAM and the Americana Music Association.
The event also reflects the deep connections among Nashville’s African American musical history, contemporary soul and R&B, and the broader Americana community. NMAAM is the only museum dedicated to preserving and celebrating the many music genres created, influenced and inspired by African Americans, from spirituals and gospel to jazz, blues, hip-hop and R&B.
“I’ve always believed the music I make is part of a bigger conversation — one that started long before me and will continue long after me. To perform at NMAAM during AMERICANAFEST, alongside Ruby Amanfu and in a space that honors the roots of Black music, is a full-circle moment. I’m bringing the whole band, and we’re going to give Nashville everything we’ve got,” says Sharp.
AMERICANAFEST Festival Wristbands are currently $150. AMERICANAFEST Silver Wristbands are currently $385 for Association members and $505 for non-members. Wristbands are available online. For more information and to purchase an AMERICANAFEST pass, visit www.americanamusic.org.
The full AMERICANAFEST schedule is available on the mobile app or online here. Download the app here: App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android).
This year’s 50+ conference panels will feature a variety of topics including inside looks at the music industry, the impact of AI, and Continuing Legal Education. Plus, catch the Keynote Conversation between legendary songwriter Bernie Taupin and GRAMMY-winning artist Brandi Carlile.
Renée Fleming & Béla Fleck with the Nashville Symphony at the Schemerhorn Symphony Center. For the fourth consecutive year, AMERICANAFEST is partnering with the Nashville Symphony to present a special performance at the Schermerhorn. They started dreaming about a musical collaboration over twenty years ago, inspired by the soundtrack of O Brother, Where Art Thou? Now you can finally hear it. Not just anywhere, but in the pristine acoustics of the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. In The Fiddle and the Drum, banjo legend and Nashville resident Béla Fleck joins with renowned soprano Renée Fleming to explore Appalachian folk songs, mountain hymns, and stirring tunes of love and loss. Accompanied by My Bluegrass Heart with Sierra Hull on mandolin, this AMERICANAFEST special event is the sort of genre-bending evening that doesn’t come along often; Tuesday, September 15 at 7:30 PM
Musicians Corner at Centennial Park: Musicians Corner is a great way to spend an evening in Nashville. Enjoy outdoor music at the beautiful Centennial Park, featuring artisan vendors, food trucks, and Kidsville. This year’s AMERICANAFEST lineup includes Obed Padilla, INK, She Returns From War, and Jake Bugg. (5PM – 9PM on Friday, September 18)
