The Americana Music Association UK (AMA-UK) has, with great regret, announced that UK Americana Music Week, due to take place in Hackney, London January 24th to 27th 2022, has been cancelled. This is due to the current COVID-19 situation and prevalence of the Omnicron variant.
However, the 2022 UK Americana Awards will now air ONLINE and is FREE to view for everyone - please join on YOUTUBE on the 27th January at 7pm (Click link to register. Stream link will be added here on the 27th: https://fb.me/e/1snN16OHT).
This special ceremony will celebrate this year’s nominees and Award winners, with many exclusive performances from UK artists and those based around the world. The show will be hosted by broadcasters Baylen Leonard and Whispering Bob Harris and performances will include: Sid Griffin of The Long Ryders with the house band led by Michele Stodart (The Magic Numbers), Lauren Housley, Allison Russell, Lady Nade, Elles Bailey, Sierra Ferrell, Amythyst Kiah, Memorial, The Wandering Hearts, Aaron Lee Tasjan.
The AMA-UK would like to extend huge thanks to its wonderful sponsors for making this event possible. The Board would also like to thank the ever-supportive Americana community for the truly humbling response and all of the heartfelt messages sent on news of the cancellation of UK Americana Week 2022.
In her official statement, AMA-UK CEO, Stevie Smith said:
"On behalf of the AMA UK board I am bringing you news today that breaks my heart - regretfully due to the recent developments with the Omicron variant worldwide, our international partners have had to pull out of being at our event and this has had a knock-on effect that makes the event unviable. That, along with hospital cases rising at rapid rates, the pandemic seems to still be far from at its peak here in the UK. The board has decided that in the absence of Government guidance we have to make this difficult decision ourselves and that the only safe and sensible thing to do at this late stage is to cancel UK Americana Music Week for 2022.
This has been an incredibly difficult decision to make because, as you know, keeping the genre vibrant and giving you all a platform to showcase your music is our highest priority, but this is now out of our hands and we have no real choice but to take this path. Our 2023 dates are confirmed for January 23rd-26th so mark that in PEN in your diaries now. "
