Although his role as executive director of the Americana Music Assn. (AMA) is a year-round job, Jed Hilly is busiest in the run-up to the Americana Music Festival & Conference. During the month before this year’s event — Sept. 18-22 in Nashville — Hilly’s days are spent preparing his staff of five, more than 100 volunteers, performers and press for the annual ode to American roots music. The popularity of bands like Mumford & Sons, the Avett Brothers and Alabama Shakes has helped put Americana on an upward trajectory.
8:00 AM A Skype call with BBC Radio personality Bob Harris to review Harris’ visit to the conference and his planned conversation with Rosanne Cash.
8:30 AM Another call to Europe to Will Hodgkinson, the chief rock and pop critic at the Times of London, to talk about coverage of the conference. We’ve never had them cover our event before. I’m excited about that.
9:00 AM A meeting with Michelle Aquilato, co-producer of the conference’s awards show and director of marketing at the AMA, to match up award presenters with songs in their discipline. Jerry Douglas will be the presenter of the instrumental category.
9:30 AM A phone call with musician Steven Stills’ team about his participation.
10:00 AM Meeting with musician Rodney Crowell, a director on the AMA board, to talk about board business, the song he and Emmylou Harris will perform at the awards show and to review pending policy and legislation impacting music.
11:00 PM A weekly publicity meeting with Jackie Marushka from Shore Fire Media. AMA conference coordinator Sarah Comardelle and operations manager Whitney Holmes joined to talk about credentials and journalist coverage.
12:00 PM Lunch with Carroll Van West, the Middle Tennessee State University professor who was recently appointed Tennessee state historian. We talked about the historical significance of music that’s come out of Tennessee.
1:00 PM Locked down locations for two events during the conference: a BBC party at the Hard Rock Cafe and a communion event at the Downtown Presbyterian Church. Met with Danna Strong, director of operations, to talk about off-site events.
2:00 PM Staff meeting to discuss publicity and promotion.
4:00 PM Another staff meeting to review what still needs to be done.
8:00 PM Back at the office, talked to Buddy Miller about the awards show house band. So far the band is comprised of bandleader Buddy Miller, Don Was on bass, Larry Campbell on guitar, Marco Giovino on drums, John Deaderick on keyboards and the McCrary Sisters on vocals.