Dale Watson talks the 2018 Ameripolitan Awards

Courtesy of Dale Watson

Now in its fifth year, the Ameripolitan Awards, honoring the sounds of Rockabilly, Honky Tonk, Outlaw, and Western Swing will take place in Memphis over four music-filled days, February 10-13th. The Ameripolitan Awards show, held on the final night of the festivities will be hosted by founder Dale Watson and Danielle Colby, an Ameripolitan music fan and television personality from the History Channel's American Pickers. In advance of this year's celebration, Watson graciously took the time to discuss the many facets of Ameripolitan from the awards and the showcases, to its worldwide reach, and more.

This will be the Ameripolitan Award’s 5th year, and instead of taking place in Austin, the celebration moved to Memphis. What spurred the move and why Memphis?
Well, with Austin being my home, and the city being so centrally located, it made it easy to do there, but from the beginning, I always wanted to move it around. Going into the fifth year I wanted to do something different, and once we had settled on having it take place in Memphis, a city I head to quite often, it took off like wildfire.

The wonderful city of Memphis could not have been more welcoming to us. Memphis is such a great town filled with a rich musical history, and creative people; it has so much soul and so many things to enjoy and I think the people who come will gain a whole new perspective of Memphis and discover the charm of the city.

In addition to the move, you’re also doing some new things this year including a new award, The Legend Award, which will honor Sam Phillips who had an enormous impact on music.
Sam wasn’t a performer, but he basically created the careers of Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis at Sun Studios. We talked about giving him the Master’s Award like we did Ray Price or Charley Pride, but we felt he needed his own.

Unlike some other award shows, you let the fans decide the winners. Why was it important to you that it be done this way?
It’s 100% by the fans because the fans are the livelihood of this whole genre and the people in it. They are the ones who come to the shows and buy the records, so they’re the voices you have to listen to. Having the fans vote is more real than having some guys in a room pick the winner because to me, that can really begin to corrupt it.

Ameripolitan isn't solely about the awards; at four days, it’s definitely has the feel of a festival. 
The whole thing is like a mini SXSW, but it’s very focused. We have four days finalized now: on the 9th we have the Hot Rod Show and Pre-party, the 10th we have the Honky Tonk and Western Swing showcases, on the 11th there are the Outlaw and Rockabilly Showcases and the 12th has the Fashion Show and music on Beale Street and the 13th are the awards show and party. We have a lot going on.

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That’s a full four days. The Fashion Show seems like a terrific component as fashion is really a large part of the culture.
Oh yeah, absolutely it is. You can always tell the Honky Tonkers from the Western Swingers from the Outlaw and Rockabilly folks – everyone has their own look. We have a very diverse fashion show lined up to represent all of it, with clothing from Manuel and Lansky to Bandit and Vinyl Ranch, among others.

We touched a bit on the showcases that are happening. Do you get to catch any or are you busy hosting?
Well, I host some of the showcases, so I get to play emcee and then watch the artists perform. And my band will be backing up a lot of folks that weren’t able to bring their bands as well.

Do you know everyone that is performing or are some artists new to you?
I don’t know them all and that’s the beautiful thing about Ameripolitan. The fans are the ones who bring the music to us, so we learn about the music the way a new fan would. Many of the comments we get about the show are how people discover a new band, and there are definitely quite a few nice surprises along the road.

Another great thing about Ameripolitan is that the music is just not solely from the US, which so often is the case; there really is a worldwide reach. A few years ago, we had an English guy [Charlie Thompson] win Honky Tonk Male and this year we have people from Sweden, Germany, Spain and Italy. If you come, you’re bound to find music you like

Not to say it is not true of other musical arenas, but the artists that are involved in Ameripolitan seem to be there for the pure love of it, rather than having success as the driving force. Would you say that’s a pretty fair statement?
I think that’s pretty true. They strive for success, but I don’t think that’s what controls their motives. A lot of folks have been doing the music, travelling, touring, and putting in the hard work – what we used to call paying your dues – all by themselves for a long time, while many Nashville acts pay with a company credit card. It really makes a difference when people have so much integrity in what they’re doing that they make sacrifices and do what they do the hard way.

Ameripolitan is music that is not mainstream, but it could be. The mainstream is so driven by politics that it ignores this music because it cannot be controlled. This is music where people write their own songs, which in Nashville is the worst thing you can do - they don’t like anyone who cooks for themselves and east their own meals (laughing)

Some of these artists like Whitney Rose, Charlie Crockett, or Luke Bell have found success in the Americana arena as well. Is it, for lack of a better word, acceptable for the music to blend in different areas?
Oh yeah, it’s not Ameripolitan or nothing else. If we bring someone to their camp or vice versa, we’re happy with that. In fact, of all the genres, I would say Americana is the one I listen to the most, but the thing is it’s such a broad stroke that it cannot really cover all we do. There are a lot of people out there who need to be acknowledged and that’s what Ameripolitan does. But whether someone gets recognized from us, the ACMs, CMA, or the Hall of Fame…it’s all good. It’s all about the music.

The Ameripolitan Awards and festivities surely keep you busy, but what else is in store for you in 2018?
Before the Awards, I'll head to Scotland for a day and then we are taking part in the Sirius XM Outlaw Cruise, which will force me to slow down and relax for a few days. Sometime this year we will release the new record that we finished up at Sam Phillips Studio, and then there will be more touring both in the US and Europe. I figure I can rest when I’m dead. 


The Ameripolitan Awards are partnered with Tito's Handmade Vodka and sponsored by the Downtown Memphis Commission.


​AMERIPOLITAN AWARDS WEEKEND EVENTS
 
Friday, Feb. 9 | Loflin Yard
Ameripolitan Pre-party and Hot Rod Show, 9 p.m.
Free to the public, hosted by Ameripolitan founder Dale Watson and Rosie Flores with special guests
 
Saturday, Feb. 10 | Guesthouse at Graceland
Honky Tonk and Western Swing showcases, beginning 8 p.m.
Open to Ameripolitan wristband holders only
 
Sunday, Feb. 11 | Guesthouse at Graceland
Rockabilly and Outlaw showcases, beginning 8 p.m.
Open to Ameripolitan wristband holders only
 
Monday, Feb. 12 | Guesthouse at Graceland
Vendor booths open throughout the day
Ameripolitan Fashion Show, 4 p.m.
 
Monday, Feb. 12 | Blues City Café on Beale Street
Ameripolitan satellite showcases, 9 p.m.
Satellite showcases will be free and open to the public
 
Tuesday, Feb. 13 | Guesthouse at Graceland
Ameripolitan Awards, 8 p.m.
 
Tickets for the Ameripolitan Awards are available now at Ameripolitan.com.
For more information on Dale Watson, visit HERE.

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