AMA Week

The Mavericks and the Alabama Shakes KILLED at the AMA Awards Show. The sound of a good band in that venue was epic. There were a couple of low points, a yawnable moment or two. And I think Bonnie Raitt (great as she is and was) is in the wrong genre. But I understand they need star power because it's a baby genre trying to draw attention to itself. Must admit it was cool seeing her perform. Overall, it was - as it has been year after year - an amazing night of music. The finale tribute to Levon Helm was probably as good as anything I’ve ever seen or heard at the Ryman. It was an all-star rendition of “The Weight” that included Jim Lauderdale, Buddy Miller, Sam Bush, Darrell Scott, Bonnie Raitt, Brittany Howard from the Alabama Shakes, Emmylou Harris, Richard Thompson, Don Was, Booker T. Jones, Larry Campbell, and the two Helm daughters.

It's always a good reminder of the talent in this town (and/or this genre) and of the people who are in it for the right reasons. People go to church to meet with other believers and rekindle their faith. That’s what AMA Awards Show is for me. Seems appropriate it is held in the “mother church.”

I didn't catch much more music so the awards show was the highlight of the week for me.

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