Kristina Murray, Aaron Lee Tasjan and More Captivate at AmericanaFest

2025 Americana Fest-Wed-EI-Kristina Murray-5.jpg — Kristina Murray at Exit/In for AmericanaFest, 9/10/2025
Photo: Steve Cross

While the Americana Honors and Awards show was underway at the Ryman on Wednesday, Sept. 10, a crowd filled the floor at Exit/In, showing up and out for performances from a stacked lineup. Kristina Murray, a Nashvillian by way of Georgia, started the evening with a set of originals highlighting her recent LP Little Blue, backed by her five-piece band. “I hope you like country with a little bit of rock ’n’ roll and blues,” Murray said, aptly preparing the audience for a collection of groovy riffs (and noteworthy bass solos) that put the blues in country-schooled Americana.

2025 Americana Fest-Wed-EI-Watson Twins-49.jpg — The Watson Twins at Exit/In for AmericanaFest, 9/10/2025
Photo: Steve Cross

Kentucky natives and longtime Nashvillians The Watson Twins followed her. The sisters, revered for their unique unison singing, strutted onstage in matching one-pieces and black cowboy boots. Their energetic performance included harmonica riffs, synchronized dancing and even a break for coordinated scream therapy. Meanwhile, Athens, Ga., country-rockers The Pink Stones met the audience with a little calmer energy. In advance of their new album Thank the Lord… it’s The Pink Stones (out Sept. 19), Hunter Pinkston and company played a few new numbers like “Too Busy” and “Real Sad Movies, Big Jet Planes.”

2025 Americana Fest-Wed-EI-AL Tasjan-76.jpg — Aaron Lee Tasjan at Exit/In for AmericanaFest, 9/10/2025
Photo: Steve Cross

You could feel a ripple of anticipation in the crowd as Music City’s own Aaron Lee Tasjan took the stage with his rocking band for the final set of the evening at 11 p.m. His fifth solo LP, 2024’s Stellar Evolution, is a career highlight. But this performance was part of an ongoing celebration of his solo debut, 2015’s whip-smart In the Blazes, and he began with “The Trouble With Drinkin’.” A Nashvillian by way of Ohio and New York, among other locales, Tasjan peppered the set with tales of his journey in the music industry. The story wound its way to moving to East Nashville and writing a song about a train — Blazes’ aptly titled “East Nashville Song About a Train,” or “E.N.S.A.A.T.”