I have just spent three very rewarding days at the AMA-UK Conference 2025, the annual celebration of Americana artists and music, which this year has been sponsored by travel business Sweet Home Alabama. Once again the event was centred around venues in the Hackney Central area, namely Night Tales 1 and 2, Oslo, The Moth Club and the Paper Dress.
The conference element consists of a series of focused panels and networking. These were launched on Tuesday morning by AMA-UK’s CEO, Ian Thomas and I can report on the value of the following, which I attended in person:
• Making a Living as an Independent Artist
• Sync 101 Panel / Feedback Session
• Open AMA-UK Members Session
• Delegate Networking Lunch
• Building Bridges: Strengthening the Grassroots Live Music Ecosystem
• Read The Small Print: Labels, Deals and Contracts
• Artist Management: Navigating Genre and Managing Expectations
• AMA-UK and MU Songwriting Workshop 2025 – Documentary and Performances
Meanwhile, the evening showcase performances were hugely popular and boasted fifty artists over five stages. I particularly enjoyed the songs and Americana styles of:
• Danni Nicholls (Night Tales)
• Annie Dressner (Oslo)
• Jade Turner (Moth Club)
• Robbie Cavanagh with the Northern Cowboys and CJ Hillman (Night Tales)
• Martin Almgren (Paper Dress)
I should add that the opening Monday evening proved very enjoyable too, as the Association hosted a premier at the Hackney Picturehouse in Mare Street of “I’ll take you there” – discovering the sound of Alabama, an engaging and informative film made in Muscle Shoals for the Association by the Romano Sidoli Consultancy and Northern Cowboy Films. This was followed by a wonderful collective performance at Night Tales by the combined musical might of Lauren Houseley, Lady Nade, Robert Vincent, the Northern Cowboys and Michele Stodart.
My thanks to everyone I met during the Conference and I look forward to further AMA-UK presentations and involvement in the months to come.
Main picture: the marvellous Danni Nicholls and band.
