NMAAM to host five days of AMERICANAFEST programming celebrating Black music’s roots 

Official special event partner welcomes Kenny Sharp, Bobby Rush, Ruthie Foster and Joy Oladokun, Sept. 15–19 
_{Event details now available at nmaam.org/americana}
 
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Sept. 3, 2026) — The National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) will serve as an official special event partner of AMERICANAFEST 2026, hosting five days of conversations, film, live performance and permanent artifact donations from Sept. 15 through 19 that trace the through-line from Black music to the heart of Americana. 

The programming opens Tuesday, Sept. 15, with Shared Roots: NMAAM Welcomes AMERICANAFEST 2026, an evening celebrating the partnership between NMAAM and the Americana Music Association. The event features remarks from Association Executive Director Jed Hilly and NMAAM board member Shannon Sanders, a display of the Legacy of Americana Award, a performance by Ruby Amanfu honoring Paul Kwami and the Fisk Jubilee Singers, and a full-band set from Americana Soul artist Kenny Sharp. 

“For NMAAM to open AMERICANAFEST as an official partner affirms what this museum was built to say — that the roots of American music run directly through Black artistry,” said Bill Jeffries, president of NMAAM. “We are honored to welcome these extraordinary artists and to give audiences a place where that history is not only celebrated, but preserved.” 

The story of Americana is inseparable from the story of Black music in America. From blues, spirituals and gospel to folk, country, soul and rhythm and blues, Black artists and traditions helped create the sounds generations of musicians would build upon. NMAAM’s partnership with AMERICANAFEST celebrates that shared history while recognizing the Black artists who have shaped it across generations. 

“The National Museum of African American Music is the greatest cultural contribution that Nashville has seen in decades,” said Jed Hilly, executive director of the Americana Music Association. 

The week continues Friday, Sept. 18, with Grammy-winning roots and blues artist Ruthie Foster in conversation, and an afternoon with three-time Grammy-winning blues legend Bobby Rush, whose new documentary King of the Chitlin’ Circuit screens ahead of a live Q&A. Programming concludes Saturday, Sept. 19, with a Heartbeat Saturday edition of the museum’s Youth Amplified education activation and an intimate conversation and performance from genre-defying artist Joy Oladokun. 

“To share my music at the National Museum of African American Music, and to leave something behind in its collection, means more than any stage I could stand on,” said Ruthie Foster, Grammy-winning roots and blues artist. “This is where our story lives, and I’m proud to be part of it.” 

Several events will add permanent works to the museum’s collection, including artifact donations from Ruthie Foster and Joy Oladokun and a harmonica from Bobby Rush, extending the week’s impact well beyond the festival. 

“Every artifact we receive this week becomes part of the permanent record of American music,” said Dr. Bryan Pierce, director of curation at NMAAM. “These artists aren’t just performing history — they’re helping us preserve it for generations who deserve to know where this music comes from.” 

All AMERICANAFEST programming at NMAAM is free and open to the public with RSVP; seating is first come, first served. Full details and registration are available at nmaam.org/americana. 
 

About the National Museum of African American Music 
The National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) is the only museum dedicated to preserving and celebrating the many music genres created, influenced and inspired by African Americans, from spirituals and gospel to jazz, blues, hip-hop and R&B. Located in the heart of downtown Nashville, NMAAM integrates history and interactive technology to bring the musical heroes of the past into the present. For more information, visit www.nmaam.org. 

About the Americana Music Association 
The Americana Music Association is a professional not-for-profit trade organization whose mission is to advocate for the authentic voice of American roots music around the world. The Association produces events throughout the year, including AMERICANAFEST and the Americana Honors & Awards program. 

Media Contact: 
Dr. Dexter D. Evans, Deputy Director, Strategy & Advancement 
National Museum of African American Music 
(629) 215-4130   |  devans@nmaam.org  |  nmaam.org 
 
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