Grace Bowers Nominated for Instrumentalist of the Year at 2024 Americana Awards

Breakthrough guitarist, songwriter and bandleader Grace Bowers is nominated for Instrumentalist of the Year at the 2024 Americana Music Association Honors & Awards. The awards ceremony will take place at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium on Wednesday, September 18.

The nomination adds to a breakout year for Bowers, who released her debut single, “Tell Me Why U Do That,” with her band The Hodge Podge last month to critical acclaim. Of the song, Forbes praises, “an infectious, joyous party and a worthy introduction to Bowers,” while RIFF Magazine calls her “The next generation’s star of American rock, blues and funk guitar.” Produced by GRAMMY Award-winner John Osborne (Brothers Osborne), the single was written by Bowers, Osborne, Lucie Silvas, Meg Mcree and Ben Chapman. Watch the official music video HERE. 

In celebration of the new music, Bowers is confirmed to make her debut performance on the legendary Grand Ole Opry on her eighteenth birthday, July 30, 2024. Other performances this spring and summer include stops at BottleRock Napa Valley, Levitate Music & Arts Festival, Floyd Fest, Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, Bourbon & Beyond, XPoNential Music Festival and Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival as well as dates supporting Chris Shiflett, Elle King and Brothers Osborne. 

Bowers will also host her 2nd annual “An Evening Supporting Love, Life & Music” benefit concert on June 10 at Nashville’s Brooklyn Bowl, which will feature performances from Bowers, The Cadillac Three, Devon Gilfillian, Caroline Jones, Meg McRee, Jared James Nichols, John Osborne, Lucie Silvas, Brittney Spencer and Butch Walker with more special guests to be announced. Tickets for the event, which will benefit Voices for a Safer Tennessee and MusiCares are on-sale now. Full details can be found HERE.  

Originally from the Bay Area and now calling Nashville home, Bowers began garnering attention after sharing videos of herself playing guitar on social media during the pandemic. In the years since, she’s been featured on “CBS Mornings” in a piece focused on a new wave of young female guitarists, performed alongside Dolly Parton as part of her Pet Gala special on CBS, joined Lainey Wilson as part of CBS’ New Year’s Eve Live celebration, performed as part of the “Men’s Final Four Tip-Off Tailgate Presented by Nissan” and been sought after by everyone from Devon Allman to Tyler Childers and Susan Tedeshi to Gaslight Anthem. Of her 2023 Newport Folk Festival debut, Rolling Stone declared, “Her 20-minute performance gave the distinct sense that everyone lucky enough to have attended was witnessing a star in the making,” while The Tennessean calls her “a 17 year old Blues guitar prodigy,” with a, “heart as big as her talent is vast.” In response to the tragic Covenant School shooting in Nashville last year, she organized and headlined the Grace Bowers & Friends benefit, which supported Covenant Heals and MusiCares® and featured Butch Walker, Hannah Wicklund, Devon Gilfillian and Daniel Donato. 

GRACE BOWERS & THE HODGE PODGE CONFIRMED TOUR DATES

May 11—Knoxville, TN—Southern Skies Music Festival 

May 12—Scaly Mountain, NC—Bear Shadow 2024

May 17—Hurricane Mills, TN—Tennessee Motorcycles and Music Revival

May 23— Napa, CA—BottleRock After Dark @ The Garden*

May 24—Napa, CA—BottleRock Napa Valley

June 10—Nashville, TN—Brooklyn Bowl

June 13— Davenport, IA—Capitol Theater#

June 14—Winnetka, IL—Winnetka Music Festival  

June 15—Des Moines, IA—Val Air Ballroom#

July 5—Marshfield, MA—Levitate Music Festival 

July 14—Vail, CO—Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater+

July 27—Floyd, VA—Floyd Fest 

July 30—Nashville, TN—Grand Ole Opry

August 3—Mammoth Lakes, CA—Mammoth Festival of Beers & Bluesapalooza

September 13—Telluride, CO—Telluride Blues & Brews Festival 

September 15—Bristol, TN—Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion 

September 20—Louisville, KY—Bourbon & Beyond 

September 22—Camden, NJ—XPoNential Music Festival

September 29—Franklin, TN—Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival 

October 11—North Charleston, SC—Riverfront Revival

*supporting Chris Shiflett 

#supporting Elle King

+supporting Brothers Osborne

Photo credit: Cedric Jones

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