the TrueFans AMP— Issue 101

You might call this the 'Americana Issue.' We are...

"Americana isn't a sound— it's a feeling. It's the truth sung without autotune, played on instruments that breathe, and delivered by artists who've lived the stories they tell."
— Buddy Miller

In This Issue... 15 pages (about 22ish minutes to read) You'll Get... 

• Recommends— Miss Americana

• Your BIZ— Americana Is Having a Moment (and It's Built to Last)

• The Greatest Singer Songwriters of All Time— Harlan Howard 

• in partnership with Jason Blume 

• Feature Article— What IS Americana... Like Really? by John Fogg

• PS from PS— Do the Hustle NO! Thank You!

Here’s the playlist

• Recommends—  Miss Americana
Netflix | Directed by Lana Wilson | 85 mins

And no, you don't have to be a Swiftie to appreciate this one.

Miss Americana is not a concert film. It's not a glossy behind-the-scenes vanity project. And it's definitely not what you'd expect from one of the most polished pop icons of our time.

Instead, what you get is something raw, personal, and revealing:

A young woman at the peak of fame… learning how to stop performing for approval and start standing in her truth.

That alone makes it worth your time— especially if you're a Musical Artist.

Why You Should Watch
Taylor Swift has lived in the public eye since she was 15. She's now 35. What Miss Americana captures so powerfully is her evolution— not just as a Songwriter, but as a person finding her voice in a world designed to drown it out.

In this pic/doc we see her:

There's a striking moment in the film where Swift says:

"I became the person everyone wanted me to be."
"I want to be able to be proud of what I make."

That's not just celebrity introspection. That's the artist's journey— one every TrueFan-worthy Musical Artist will relate to.

Real Music. Real Struggle. Real Shift.
One of the standout scenes is watching her write The Man— a searing, smart smackdown of gender double standards— in real time, at the piano. Another: watching her react emotionally to coming forward politically for the first time.

You feel the cost of speaking out. You feel the power in doing it anyway.

This is an artist choosing authenticity over applause (and ending up a billion-dollar baby). Taking risks with her art and voice, And evolving beyond categories— exactly the ethos behind Americana, even if her genre isn't called that.

As we said in our feature article:

"Americana is music made for the front porch, the dive bar, the church pew, and the open road. All at once."

And Miss Americana is a front-row seat to one woman's journey from stage to soul.

a Final Word
Even if you're not a Taylor Swift fan, you'll likely come away from Miss Americana with a new respect for what she's endured— and how she's grown. The film reminds us that what lasts in music isn't perfection— it's presence, passion, and personal truth.

That's worth recommending.

• Your BIZ— Americana Is Having a Moment (and It's Built to Last)

Think Americana is just a niche for banjos and ballads— and maybe Taylor? Think again.

The Americana music market is growing steadily, and it's not slowing down. According to Nielsen and the Americana Music Association:

The kicker? According to MusicWatch and MIDiA Research, listeners who identify as Americana fans are more likely to support artists directly— through merch, vinyl, live shows, and crowdfunding.

So what does that mean for your biz?
If your music is rooted, real, and resonates with truth— you might be sitting on a goldmine. Americana fans aren't passive consumers— they're TrueFans waiting to be moved.

The genre may defy definition, but here's one thing that's clear:

Authenticity sells.... and Americana delivers that.

Forecast? Sunny with a strong chance of soul.

• The Greatest Singer Songwriters of All Time— Harlan Howard

"If Harlan Howard hadn't existed, we would've had to invent him— because no one wrote country songs truer, tougher, or more tender than he did."
— Kris Kristofferson

There are Great Songwriters... and then there's Harlan Howard. 

The Heart of Country Music is Harlan Howard

His songs didn't just top the charts— they defined an era. They stitched themselves into the soul of country music and, through countless covers and reinterpretations, crossed genres, continents, and decades. Howard didn't just write hit songs. He wrote the truth— three chords at a time.

"There were a lot of Songwriters, but only one Harlan Howard."
— Waylon Jennings

Born in Detroit in 1927, raised on the Grand Ole Opry radio broadcasts and the rhythms of rural America, Harlan Howard never stopped listening to the human heart. And he turned what he heard into nearly 4,000 songs, over 100 of which became bona fide hits. If you've ever had your heart broken, fallen in love, or simply stumbled through life with a guitar in your hand— you owe a debt to Harlan Howard.

"Three Chords and the Truth"
That was Harlan's definition of a great country song. It's since become an ethos for Songwriters everywhere. He understood that simplicity wasn't a limitation— it was the golden key to resonance. And he practiced what he preached. His songs are  masterclasses in economy and emotional impact.

"He could write more emotion in a verse than most of us can in an album."
— Dolly Parton

Take I Fall to Pieces, recorded by Patsy Cline in 1961. It wasn't just a hit— it was a revolution in heartbreak. Or Busted, a searing anthem of hard times that Ray Charles took to No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Howard's pen had no boundaries. He wrote for everyone from Johnny Cash to The Judds, Buck Owens to Waylon Jennings, Ray Price to Conway Twitty.

And let's not forget Heartaches by the Number, a honky-tonk classic so bulletproof it charted three times in one year— by Ray Price, Guy Mitchell, and George Jones.

"Harlan wrote the real stuff— unfiltered and unforgettable."
— Kris Kristofferson

Hit Factory: Sales, Songs & Success
By any metric— commercial or cultural— Harlan Howard's songwriting was staggering. His songs have been recorded over 1,000 times. He wrote hits in every decade from the 1950s through the 1990s.

Key highlights include:

Howard had more than 100 Top 10 hits on the country charts and helped define what Nashville came to be known for— craftsmanship, clarity, and emotional punch.

Collaboration and Legacy
Though he wrote solo and prolifically, Howard was a generous collaborator. He worked with other legends like Buck Owens, Kostas, and Hank Cochran. As Nashville transformed into a hit-making machine, Harlan remained both its godfather and its conscience.

"If it wasn't for Harlan, I wouldn't have known what to sing."
— Loretta Lynn

Younger writers revered him, and many got their start because Howard took the time to listen, critique, and encourage. His publishing company became a launching pad for new voices, including Patty Loveless and Pam Tillis.

Awards and Accolades
The industry recognized his greatness:

Yet he never rested on laurels. He was always chasing the next great line, the next true song.

The Man Behind the Music
Howard's personal life was as colorful and complex as his lyrics. He was married three times, including to country singer Jan Howard, with whom he had three children. The couple often collaborated musically, even as their marriage strained and eventually ended.

"Harlan Howard taught us all how to write a song that hits you straight in the heart."
— Willie Nelson

Despite immense professional success, Howard wrestled with loneliness, perfectionism, and industry politics. Yet he stayed true to his art, rarely compromising for trend or fame. He was deeply respected— sometimes feared— for his honesty, his wit, and his relentless drive for excellence.

He wasn't a political activist in the public eye, but through his songs, he championed working people, heartache survivors, and lovers on the edge of ruin. His lyrics gave voice to those too worn down or tongue-tied to speak their pain aloud.

"Harlan's songs don't age. They just keep finding new hearts to break."
— George Strait:

Enduring Influence
Howard's fingerprints are on every modern country Songwriter's work. His ethos of "Three chords and the truth" echoes from Music Row to indie folk clubs and songwriting retreats. Legends like Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, and Dolly Parton cite him as an influence. Younger writers, too— Kacey Musgraves, Chris Stapleton, Brandi Carlile— owe a debt to his clear-eyed, emotionally raw songwriting.

When Harlan Howard passed away in 2002, Nashville dimmed its lights. But his songs never stopped playing.

He once said,

"A song should make you laugh, cry, drink, and fall in love— maybe all at once."

For countless artists and listeners, his songs did exactly that—and still do.

• in partnership with Jason Blume

• Feature Article— What Is Americana… Like Really? by John Fogg
Understanding the Label, the Legacy, and the Loophole

"Americana" is both a genre and a vibe, a label and a loophole, and understanding what it really means can help artists figure out where they fit, how they're perceived, and how to best reach fans, festivals, and curators who use that term.

It's a musical identity that often resists one. The term "Americana" shows up in playlists, press blurbs, music conferences, festival lineups, and Grammy categories. But ask 10 people what it means, and you'll get at least 13 answers.

So, What Is Americana?
At its simplest, Americana is American roots music— but expanded. It includes elements of folk, country, blues, bluegrass, gospel, R&B, and rock & roll. Think Bob Dylan and Emmylou Harris. Think Jason Isbell, Brandi Carlile, Mavis Staples, Lucinda Williams, and The Band.

Americana is what happens when these genres shake hands, blend, bleed, or blur together. It's a musical melting pot where traditions are respected— but not necessarily obeyed.

More than a sound, Americana is an ethos. 
It values authenticity over perfection, story over polish, roots over rules. It leans into raw vocals, organic instrumentation, lyrical depth, and musical honesty. It's not slick, it's soulful. Not artificial, but artful.

As Buddy Miller puts it...

"Americana isn't a sound— it's a feeling. It's the truth sung without autotune, played on instruments that breathe, and delivered by artists who've lived the stories they tell."

A Brief Backstory
The term "Americana" first emerged in cultural circles in the early 20th century, referring to imagery and artifacts associated with American life— think Route 66, Coca-Cola, baseball, folk art. It was nostalgic.

Musically, "Americana" gained traction in the 1990s when radio programmers, journalists, and labels needed a catch-all for artists who didn't fit neatly into mainstream country or rock categories. It was a home for misfits. Or rather, a genre for genre-blenders.

As Jim Lauderdale once said,

"It's music by people who mean it, for people who need it."

The Americana Music Association (AMA) formed in 1999 and began advocating for this sound— a sound that was already deeply rooted in American musical history but finally had a name. And in 2010, the Grammys made it official with the introduction of the Best Americana Album category.

Who Lives Here?
If you look at artists who've won that Grammy— Bonnie Raitt, Brandi Carlile, Jason Isbell, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss— you start to get the picture. These aren't "country" stars, though they may use fiddles. They aren't "rock" acts, though they may plug in. And they're definitely not "pop"— though they have passionate followings.

Americana is where artists go to be themselves. 

And where fans go to feel something real.

A few iconic examples:

"It's not country. It's not rock. It's not folk. It's not blues. But it's all of them," said  Rhiannon Giddens.

"It's American music the way gumbo is Southern food— it takes what's around and stirs it up into something real."

And new voices keep showing up— Margo Price, Marcus King, Molly Tuttle, Hiss Golden Messenger, Sierra Ferrell, Charley Crockett— all working in the American roots tradition but breaking molds.

Americana ≠ Just "Old-Timey"
Don't confuse "Americana" with "vintage" or "retro." Yes, banjos are welcome. Yes, harmonicas howl. But Americana is not stuck in the past— it draws from the past to write something for now.

The best Americana music is relevant. It's political, personal, poetic. It's about the soul of a place, the heart of a people, and the complexity of the American story.

And that story includes everyone. While early Americana leaned heavily on white Southern aesthetics, there's been a long-overdue reckoning and expansion of the genre's representation— acknowledging the foundational role of Black, Indigenous, and immigrant musical traditions in shaping what "roots music" even means.

Why It Matters (Especially for You)
If you're a Musical Artist and someone calls your music Americana, what they might mean is:

Margo Price cuts straight to the core:

"Americana is where misfits go when they don't want to fake it."

That can be a blessing… or a branding problem.

On the plus side:

But…

As Lucinda Williams once joked:

"When I first heard the term, I thought, ‘That's just what we've always done.' You know— play music from the gut."

Should You Claim the Label?
If your songs are rooted in real life— if you draw from folk, country, soul, blues, or bluegrass— if you prize honesty over trends, and feel more at home in a room of Songwriters than a chart-topping studio... then Americana might be you.

But don't force the label just to fit in. Let the music speak first.

Instead of chasing a genre, ask:

If the shoe fits, wear it. If it doesn't— lace up your own.

Americana Is a Conversation
Maybe the best definition of Americana isn't a genre at all. Maybe it's a conversation. A dialogue between the past and the present. A musical way of asking: Who are we? Where do we come from? Where are we headed?

Rosanne Cash says it plain:

"Americana is the sound of America telling the truth about itself."

That's a question worth asking— and answering— in your own voice.

a Takeaway for Musical Artists:
If your music tells the truth, touches the soul, and doesn't quite fit in a box— you may be Americana already. Explore the scene. Pitch to those playlists. Submit to those festivals. Build with that community. And most of all…

Tell the truth in your songs.

As Brandi Carlile said:

"What makes Americana special is that it's not defined by charts or trends, but by soul and story."

And hey, in a world full of noise, that might just be the most powerful music of all.

• PS from PS— Do the Hustle. NO! Thank You! 

I'm not talking about the #1 1975 disco hit The Hustle by Van McCoy and the Soul City Symphony— though let's be honest, that track had more soul in four minutes than most of today's sales emails— which is what I'm ranting about here— have in their entire existence.

I'm bitching about the sales-obsessed, hypesters hustling Musical Artists every time they send out an email. Buy. Buy. Buy my course. My book. My autographed underpants. My revolutionary morning routine. My secret sauce for Instagram virality. My grandmother's recipe for success (now in convenient PDF form for just $97!).

Drives me nuts!

It's like everyone forgot that music is supposed to move people, not just merchandise. 

When did Music Artists become walking ATMs dispensing "exclusive content" instead of, you know, actual human beings creating art that matters?

Our way is different. New Music Lives™ is the Artist First movement. NOT me/us/we first. We're the anti-hustle in a world drunk on the hustle shots. Our philosophy is to SERVE you—  because... Here's a radical concept: 

When you actually help people instead of 
hunting their wallets, magic happens.

That's the only way we believe we earn your trust. Not through manipulative countdown timers or fake scarcity tactics, but by showing up consistently with value that actually... well, adds value to your life as an artist.

Later. Down the line. If we have something to offer, we're counting on the trust we've built with you over time— trust earned through countless small acts of service, not clever copywriting tricks or manufactured urgency.

We've been working on TrueFans CONNECT™ for a good while now. The best way to describe it? Imagine if Spotify and a really smart, artist-loving friend had a baby, and that baby grew up to actually understand what musicians need to thrive in 2025. 

And we're not rushing to market (though we did try and... nope, not ready yet) with some half-baked beta just to chase a revenue target. Because when we do share it with you, it won't be because we need to hit our quarterly numbers. It'll be because we've built something that genuinely serves Artists First— and we'll know that (and you'll know that) because you've been part of the conversation all along.

Now that's a hustle worth dancing... and doing.

Until we speak again...

Thanks for reading. Give us your feedback.

And PLEASE, if you've got any Singer Songwriter friends, pass the AMP on, because... It’s Time... for a Change. Big Time. Past Time...