In the spirit of global collaboration and support, British Underground, CIMA and Sounds Australia are partnering to present the inaugural Country Connections Live – A Showcase of emerging Americana artists from Australia, Canada and the UK, an exciting online Special Event during Thriving Roots 2020.
Presented by the Americana Music Association Foundation, Thriving Roots: A Virtual Community Music Conference is a brand-new event. From the comfort of their own homes, attendees will experience an interactive conference with almost 100 online sessions that go beyond today’s webinar-style virtual conferences. This new experience invites industry professionals, DIY artists and die-hard music fans to be a part of three full days of insight, connections and showcases from September 16-18, 2020.
British Underground, CIMA and Sounds Australia have been working collaboratively for almost a decade. Country Connections began at SXSW 2011 as a place for music exporters to share knowledge, discuss topics affecting the global music industry and make new connections. It’s since grown to be a global initiative held at The Great Escape, AMERICANAFEST and Folk Alliance International, as well as SXSW, where professional delegates from Australia, Canada, UK, Ireland and New Zealand network with each other.
When the live music industry necessarily needed to close due to COVID-19, Country Connections pivoted online and became a monthly virtual event, bringing industry professionals from across the globe together on Zoom, creating vital connections in a time of isolation. Now we’re excited to announce the next evolution of Country Connections.
Introduced by the iconic BBC Radio 2 host Bob Harris, the first ever Country Connections Live will feature live performances alternating between artists from Australia, Canada and the UK. Four acts from each country will perform 2 songs apiece, making up the 2-hour showcase special. In alphabetical order, the artists are:
AHI (CAN)
Beccy Cole (AUS)
Charlie Collins (AUS)
Dan Sultan (AUS)
Ferris And Sylvester (UK)
Julian Taylor (CAN)
Lady Nade (UK)
Lauren Housley (UK)
Mama’s Broke (CAN)
Misty River (UK)
Mo Kenney (CAN)
Troy Cassar-Daley (AUS)
Country Connections Live will take place as part of Thriving Roots on Thursday September 17 at 5:00pm CDT (3:00pm PDT / 6:00pm EDT / 11:00pm BST / Friday 6:00am AWST / Friday 8:00am AEST). The showcase is only accessible to those who have purchased passes to Thriving Roots.
These 12 performers join an incredible line-up of artists and speakers already announced for the virtual event, including Jackson Browne, T-Bone Burnett, Ken Burns, Brandi Carlile, Rosanne Cash, Emmylou Harris and Mavis Staples.
Passes to Thriving Roots: A Virtual Community Music Conference start at US$99. You can purchase them at https://americanamusic.org/thrivingroots.
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CIMA gratefully acknowledges and thanks our generous sponsors and partners the Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings (FACTOR), the Government of Canada (through the Canada Music Fund), Ontario Creates, the Radio Starmaker Fund, Re:Sound, The SOCAN Foundation, Stingray Music and our showcasing partner the East Coast Music Association (ECMA).