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Roots & Rhythms Closes Its Season with a Powerful Night of Story, Song and Tennessee Heritage at The Hermitage
The last of this year's Roots & Rhythms Americana Concert Series took place June 26, 2026, at The Hermitage. This series highlighted musical traditions shaped by Tennessee such as bluegrass, gospel, R&B and country. Curated by Music City Roots founder John Walker, each evening included a Legacy Award presentation, live performances and local food & drink vendors in the open-air setting on the back lawn.
The Roots & Rhythms concert series wrapped up their inaugural slate of shows at the Hermitage in June. The 26th featured country artists Elizabeth Cook and Tim Easton. The concert was hosted by Jessie Scott (Americana Music Curator & Radio Host on Nashville's WMOT Roots Radio 89.5 FM). Composer Steve Earle was given the Roots & Rhythms Legacy Award that night. It was accepted on behalf of Steve by his sister Stacey who read a short statement from her brother. Elizabeth Cook is a revered country singer-songwriter. This Florida-bred, Nashville based artist is known to navigate the hidden corners of the American experience from both a deeply personal perspective and a place of reflecting on historical events and their ripple effects. Her upcoming studio album - Great Television, produced by Shooter Jennings and coming out August 14 via Thirty Tigers - will have more tales to tell while exquisitely blending country and rock. In addition to the new record is The Easy Kind a film about her life as an artist fundamentally fighting Nashville's music conformity. The story starts with a four-year-old Cook singing in bars with her parents' band. The movie stars Elizabeth alongside David Letterman, Karen Allen, Susie Essman, Melissa Jackson and Charles Esten - all playing characters in the semi-fictional version of Elizabeth's life and directed by Katy Chevigny in her narrative feature debut. Tim Easton has lived an interesting life, too. Born in New York, raised in Tokyo and Ohio then moving to Europe to busk and master songwriting - his muse is packed with personal adventures, often peppered with bold confessions or "tell it as it is" reality. He returned to America to record his debut solo album Special 20 in Nashville and signed with EMI Publishing in 1999. From there he would live in more locations while touring the world and releasing records. Back at the Hermitage - after some opening remarks - Greg Hall amused the crowd with his unique blend of comical storytelling paired with a history lesson. We learned that "America The Beautiful" was penned by a woman. Mr. Hall invited folks to sing along to the patriotic tune. Greg closed his segment with a serious song reminding listeners that love is stronger than your fear. Travis Bowlin aptly handled the American anthem before Easton and his beguiling band took the stage.
The evening's headliners included Elizabeth Cook and Tim Easton; John Walker gets back to what he does the best in Nashville. | Tim in the context of country was a strong storyteller with rhythms that veered towards the blues. Easton mentioned that his latest album Firehorse was produced by his guitar player right here in Nashville. Tim presented a number of tracks from it including "Don't Let Your Mind Grow Dark" - good advice with good grooves. "Never Punch The Clock Again" and "HWY62 Lovesong" also from Firehorse were both packed with visual snippets reflecting people and places. After a quick set change that included a moment of silence for Bill Cody (beloved WSM radio host for over 30 years), Elizabeth and her band took the stage. Her career spanning set featured music from the forthcoming Great Television including a powerful piece called "Girls of Atomic City". She told the fans sitting on the lawn of a former plantation that another one of the tragic casualties of the Vietnam War was an explosion at a factory that made trip wires put together by mostly black women which is most likely why this event is not well-known. Towards the end of Cook's set, she played "Great Television" that on the record features Wyonna Judd. Great Television is Cook's first new project since 2020's Aftermath. This record illuminates the type of lives typically sidelined in the dominant media narrative and the emotional truth buried within long-overlooked histories. The first single from the album is the riveting "Razorwire Wall" which finds Turnpike Troubadours' Evan Felker joining Cook for a saucy love song inspired by dropping her ex-boyfriend off at jail. Elizabeth also let folks know that The Easy Kind film will be shown at the Belcourt Theater in Nashville on August 10th - so mark your calendars now. Despite the often-heavy subject matter Elizabeth and her talented team present a mostly up-tempo set of edgy and engaging country music that even had some people dancing and concluded this Tennessee themed music series on a strong note. The Hermitage was the home of President Andrew Jackson (1767-1845). It is one of the largest and most visited presidential homes in the United States and was recently named the #1 historic house in Tennessee. Located at 4580 Rachel's Lane (Hermitage, TN 37076) this 1,120-acre property has gardens, a mansion with a museum plus events such as the Roots & Rhythms Americana Concert Series. Please visit The Hermitage's website for a complete list of activities.
Greg Hall, Travis Bowlin, John Walker, Stacey Earle and Jessie Scott all helped make it a memorable night on the farm near Old Hickory, Tennessee. Related Links: For more information on ROOTS & RHYTHM and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links - The Hermitage | Elizabeth Cook | Tim Easton | Greg Hall | Travis Bowlin
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