Leon Timbo and Amythyst Kiah End AmericanaFest With an Exclamation Point

Saturday’s show wrapped with two stellar artists who bring a huge array of influences under the Americana tent

Ron Wynn

Ron Wynn
Sep 24, 2023
Sep 24, 2023

Amythyst Kiah-6.jpg — Amythyst Kiah at 3rd and Lindsley for AmericanaFest
Photo: H.N. James

At its best, Americana offers a home for artists whose music for whatever reason doesn't neatly fit into other tightly defined formats. That asset was notably on display Saturday night at 3rd and Lindsley as this year's AmericanaFest concluded in dynamic fashion with strong sets from two acts who clearly deserve more mainstream exposure.

Both Amythyst Kiah and Leon Timbo — who each took the stage in turn following the ominous string-band stylings of J.P. Harris’ Dreadful Wind and Rain — can be classified in the simplest manner as singer-songwriters, but that hardly comes close to describing either their appeal or approach in full. Kiah's strong, evocative voice and material are one part drenched in roots, country and old-time strains, but equally fueled by the sonic edge of rock and the storytelling flavor of the blues.

When Kiah belted out the defiant theme of her signature tune “Black Myself," it was impossible not to be moved by its authoritative flair and declarative power. Her set also included a superb solo number she performed on banjo, and she wrapped things doing a spiritual piece with a chilling authority that personified seeking and achieving salvation through song, even if only for the moment.

Leon Timbo-5.jpg — Leon Timbo at 3rd and Lindsley for AmericanaFest
Photo: H.N. James

Timbo seamlessly combines so many idiomatic elements in his music it's hard to cite them all. He is the son of ministers, and a gospel edge cuts through every tune. But he obviously loves the folk-soul hybrid popularized by Bill Withers, and the Timbo family band blazed through emphatic covers of “Lean on Me” and “Ain't No Sunshine.”

“If you don't like it, don't tell me,” the affable Timbo said often throughout his energetic set. He also did a poignant original, the titular song of his 2021 LP Lovers and Fools, which he dedicated to his parents. He wrapped his set with a powerhouse cover of electric blues legend Freddie King's “Going Down.”

Among other things that deserve criticism in Americana, it’s easy for artists across the genre to fall into a pattern of sameness. This is clearly not the case, by any means, for Kiah or Timbo.