Van Morrison Will Receive Award, Play Big Show at 2017 Americana Music Festival
Van Morrison has big plans for the 2017 Americana Music Festival: The singer-songwriter will receive a special honor during the annual event's awards ceremony and perform an outdoor concert during the Nashville-based festival.
At the 2017 Americana Honors & Awards ceremony, scheduled to take place on Sept. 13, Morrison will receive the 2017 Americana Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting. The following evening (Sept. 14), Morrison will take the stage at Ascend Amphitheatre; it will be his first show in Nashville in eight years, and his daughter, Shana Morrison, will be his special guest.
“We are humbled and couldn’t be more excited to honor Van Morrison at our premier event of the year and are thrilled to present Mr. Morrison at Ascend Amphitheater,” says Americana Music Association director Jed Hilly in a press release. “Mr. Morrison has created a catalog of music that has served as a soundtrack for our lives."
A native of Northern Ireland, Morrison spent the early 1960s playing in various bands before launching a solo career in 1967. He's released more than 40 albums and more than 70 singles; "Brown Eyed Girl" is perhaps his best-known song.
The full line-up for AmericanaFest 2017 has not yet been announced; in 2016, the festival featured performances from Dwight Yoakam, Lori McKenna, Lydia Loveless and other beloved Americana favorites and up-and-comers. In addition to Morrison, Sturgill Simpson, McKenna and Rodney Crowell, among others, are nominated for honors at the 2017 Americana Music Awards.
The 2017 Americana Music Festival is scheduled for Sept. 12-17. Tickets to Morrison’s performance at AmericanaFest will be sold separately from festival passes; they will be available for purchase on Friday (May 19) at 10AM CT.
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