World Cafe

Since 2000, AmericanaFest has been a showcase of all things Americana and beyond. Hundreds of artists have played dozens of venues over the last 25 years in Nashville, including some of the biggest in the world. Join us for AmericanaFest Highlights, putting the spotlight on some of our favorite performances from AmericanaFest 2024, including Madi Diaz, Tim Heidecker, and The Wild Feathers. That’s on the next World Cafe.

Take a trip to Louisiana’s Cajun Country with a new installment of our monthly series Acadiana Music Showcase. Experience a live performance from the swamp rocker and Louisiana Music Hall of Famer Julian Primeaux as he performs songs in a live mini concert on the next World Cafe.

Elton John is not only one of the most famous musicians in the world, but he is also a huge, and humble, music fan. A range of guests join him on his most recent album such as Dua Lipa, Brandi Carlile, Stevie Wonder, and many more. On the next World Cafe, Elton talks about what he learned working with all of them and shares how COVID changed what he wants for his life, and music, moving forward.

Nick Lowe thought he would never record another album – but this Fall he released Indoor Safari, a record he made with Los Straitjackets. On the next World Cafe, he talks about what led him back to the studio, why Los Straitjackets have been the longest running collaboration of his career, and what he has learned about songwriting, penning songs like “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding)” and “Cruel to Be Kind.”

Annie Clark, who performs as St Vincent, has often explored identity and persona in her work. On her latest album, All Born Screaming, Clark cuts straight to the point: exploring life, death, and love. On the next World Cafe, St Vincent discusses making All Born Screaming, working with Dave Grohl and Cate Le Bon, and shares live recordings from the album. She is about to release a new, all Spanish version of the record.

Since 2000, AmericanaFest has been a showcase of all things Americana and beyond. Hundreds of artists have played dozens of venues over the last 25 years in Nashville, including some of the biggest in the world. Join us for “AmericanaFest Highlights”, putting the spotlight on some of our favorite performances from AmericanaFest 2024, including Amythyst Kiah, Robert Earl Keen, and Larkin Poe. That’s on the next World Cafe.

X, the trail blazing punk band from Los Angeles, has released its final studio album, Smoke and Fiction. It looks back at the punk scene they came up in, but frontman John Doe and vocalist Exene Cervenka aren’t trying to get overly sentimental on you. On the next World Cafe, they join us to talk about striking a balance between their famed past and the present moment, and X performs live. 

Sometimes you just need a hug. And that’s exactly what the music of The Softies feels like. The Softies are a duo of Rose Melberg and Jen Sbragia, and on the next World Cafe, they talk about how they met and started making music in the mid-90s, and why they felt like the world was ready for a new album from The Softies 24 years after making their last one. They also perform songs from their new album The Bed I Made, live.

Sting is back to where it began for him musically, touring as part of a trio. On the next World Cafe, he looks over his catalogue with The Police, as a solo artist, and with his new Sting 3.0 project, to reveal the song that changed his life, the song that takes him back to his childhood, and more, as a part of the new World Cafe feature, Backtracking.

For several years, Josh Ostrander felt like he’d been burning himself out, trying to make his band, Mondo Cozmo, the most adventurous it could be. He’s changed course on his latest album, It’s PRINCIPLE!, and delivered his most cohesive record to date. Josh will talk about how he cracked the code thanks to producer Mark Rankin, who has worked with Adele and Spoon. Plus, live performances from It’s PRINCIPLE! Mondo Cozmo, on the next World Cafe.