The first and second waves of the 37th annual Texan showcase of new music SXSW lineup have been released, and once again, it looks to be the sound of tomorrow. The festival runs a full six days from March 10-19th, 2023 and registration for tickets is open now. You can see the ticket and lineup information in full at https://www.sxsw.com/.
Texas and March may be far away, but the music is always close. Americana UK journos trawled through the 400+ artists to bring you a list of what hot new Americana artists you could be playing next year. You heard them here first. This is day eleven of a twelve-part series that explores this showcase; enjoy all of these artists “eleven truckers trucking, ten telecasters twangin’, nine cowgirls dancing, eight whiskey a-slammin’, seven slides a slidin’, six gators layin, five rhinestone suits, four open roads, three fresh hats, two bald eagles, and a pardner in a pantry”.
Former lead singer of alternative band Your Vegas and The Chevin, Leeds-based multi-instrumentalist and composer Coyle Girelli launched a solo career in 2018 with the album ‘Love Kills‘. His fourth album is due for release later this year. With his music appearing on several television shows and positive reviews steadily accruing, Girelli is going from strength to strength.
Based in LA, Mary Scholz has released her latest album ‘Begin Again‘ after teaming with award-winning producer Jonathan Wilson; this is quite a contrast from her debut of 2017, which was recorded in one room on an Ampex 8track tape recorder. Her music is grounded in timeless singer-songwriter acoustic guitar numbers, excellent stage presence and a warm voice. This classic combination deserves both airplay and the spot at SXSW.
Originally from a town with a population of only 106 in Nebraska, Evan Bartels is another guitarist who has gone to Nashville to make it big. Bartels is quite the workhorse; in 2017, he released his debut album, toured 110 dates on his Grand Americana Tour, and is currently producing his fourth album when not on the road. Bartels is proudly unsigned and continues to produce ballads and storytelling songs independently, a trait which fits the spirit of SXSW.
Rob Cannillo makes music from his farm in upstate New York. He is a proud family man who stays relatively local to the North East, writing and performing at his “Barn Concerts” on his 4-acre property in the Hudson Bay. His debut was recorded by a former Sony Music executive who worked with John Denver and The Doobie Brothers. His latest album ‘Tailwind‘ was produced by Rob Ignazio and will be released this Spring. Cannillo’s experience and centred approach make his music essential to Americana.
Ontario-born multi-instrumentalist member of the First Nations, Aysanabee, has had a whirlwind year. His debut album ‘Watin‘ was inspired by phone calls from his Grandfather (of this name) during the pandemic. The album is being released through Ishkode Records, one of Canada’s first Indigenous and women-owned labels. The Oji-Cree musician reminds the continent that country and folk music come from all its peoples and brings Americana another dimension to the word “rootsy”. Using saxophone and keyboards, his music has been likened to Bon Iver, Sam Smith and Kings of Leon.
You can read the previous article here:
The twelve days of the SXSW lineup: ten telecasters twanging
