Big Machine Records / Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment Showcases Its Next Wave Of Emerging Acts At Americanafest 2026

From Appalachian soul to Colorado-forged sun-soaked sonics, Big Machine Records / Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment spotlighted its next wave of talent at AmericanaFest 2026. Americana indie-rock duo Marfa and Kentucky-bred singer-songwriter Hunter Flynn took the stage as part of the festival's official lineup, celebrating the artists, storytellers and sounds pushing the genre forward while previewing new music on the horizon.

Marfa - praised by Billboard for their "daring, unpretentious and commercially accessible" sound - returned to AmericanaFest for their second appearance, performing at The Basement Friday night (9.18) for a packed set. The duo previewed songs from their forthcoming EP, We'll All Be Okay, out October 23 via Big Machine Records/ASCEND Music. The duo also treated fans with an intimate acoustic set at Martin Guitars' 16 Series launch event on Tuesday (9.15).

On Saturday (9.19), HunterFlynn channeled his deeply-personal storytelling at The Basement East, delivering a full-band set pulled from his debut album, Roots, out October 30 via Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment. He also joined Music Blooms Here Vol. 2: A Laurel Cove Shindig at The Basement Thursday (9.17) for an acoustic performance.

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Photo Credit (Marfa): Luke Rodarmel

Photo Credit (Hunter Flynn): Blake Harbison/Peachtree Entertainment

Together, the performances marked the label's growing presence in roots and Americana, championing the genre's most-promising new voices. Earlier this year, Big Machine Label Group artists also took over CMA Fest, with Riley Green, The Band Perry, Greylan James, Cole Goodwin, The Jack Wharff Band, Mackenzie Carpenter, Hunter Flynn and Naomi Carman performing across stages and events throughout Nashville.

For more information on Big Machine Records, visit: bigmachinerecords.com.

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ABOUT BIG MACHINE RECORDS:

Led by Founder, Chairman, and CEO Scott Borchetta, Big Machine Records & Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment are the core record company brands in Borchetta's portfolio of businesses.

The Big Machine/Nashville Harbor artist roster includes Riley Green, The Band Perry, Rascal Flatts, The Jack Wharff Band, Marfa, Aaron Lewis, Caroline Jones, Cole Goodwin, Greylan James, Hunter Flynn and Mackenzie Carpenter.

Their artists have received multiple GRAMMY, CMA, ACM, AMA, CMT, Teen Choice, MTV, Billboard, People's Choice and BRIT Awards. Big Machine is the first-ever American label to align with terrestrial radio for performance royalty rights for its artists and is an industry leader in fighting for artist, songwriter, publisher and record company rights.

Visit https://www.bigmachinerecords.com for more information.