What is this Americana thing anyway… an introduction

Anybody who is a fan of the genre – by which we mean you our dear readers – is bound to have been asked at some point: “What kind of music do you like?” Your reply will have been “I really like Americana”. You will all, no doubt, have been met by the same blank faces or quizzical looks or maybe the classic question “What the hell is THAT?”. We’ve all been there. In this, a new occasional series, we attempt to get to the bottom of what the genre is (if indeed it is one thing) and how our particular love for it as writers for Americana-UK came about. As usual, your thoughts, comments and observations are warmly welcomed.