Multi-versatile Actor/Musician John C. Reilly and GRAMMY-winning, rock icon Jack White to Hold Keynote Interview at AMERICANAFEST on September 11 in Nashville

Nashville, Tenn. (July 29, 2025) — The Americana Music Association has announced a keynote interview at the AMERICANAFEST Business and Educational Conference between Academy, GRAMMY and Tony Award nominee John C. Reilly and GRAMMY-winning rock icon Jack White on September 11 in Nashville.

For over two decades, AMERICANAFEST has hosted its business conference in Nashville, providing a premier educational forum for discussions on cultural and industry-related topics among top professionals and artists from the Americana community. This year, AMERICANAFEST returns to The Embassy Suites by Hilton Nashville Downtown, featuring over 60 insightful sessions, as well as its signature nighttime music showcases throughout notable venues in Music City, which will welcome over 200 electrifying artists and bands.

For more information about AMERICANAFEST 2025, please visit americanamusic.org.

Keynote Interview: John C. Reilly & Jack White
Thursday — 12:00PM (At the Embassy Suites by Hilton Nashville Downtown)

John C. Reilly and Jack White come together for an unforgettable keynote conversation at AMERICANAFEST. Reilly, beloved actor, musician, and storyteller, is in the midst of touring his vaudevillian stage show Mister Romantic – a lush and emotional tribute to the great American songbook. His new album What’s Not to Love? has earned critical acclaim and established him as a tender and compelling voice in today’s musical landscape. Jack White, iconic artist, producer, and founder of Third Man Records, has spent decades pushing boundaries while preserving the soul of American music. Together, these longtime friends will explore creativity, collaboration, and the enduring power of song. At a time when the world feels noisy and disconnected, their conversation reminds us that music remains a powerful force to heal, unite, and inspire.

John C. Reilly‘s most personal and highly anticipated project in 2025 is Mister Romantic, an intimate show that has already garnered critical acclaim, with the New York Times calling it “wryly funny, sometimes tender and sad, but always sincere,” described by Vanity Fair as “fiercely funny.”

“I looked at our weary world a few years ago and tried to think of a way I could spread love and empathy. I decided the most fun way to do that was through performing and singing and telling people I loved them. So the emotional vaudeville show Mister Romantic was born, out of both hope and despair. What’s Not To Love? is a collection of songs from the show with some cinematic audio weaved in. They tell the story of an eternal optimist, Mister Romantic, as he looks for love. Each song moved me enough to want to share it with people and keep each one alive by passing it on like some of my favorite singers did in their time. The lyrics all have something deeply true about them. Someone once said ‘It’s better to light one tiny candle than to curse the darkness.’ Well, this is our little candle in the darkness. We hope it reminds people that it’s good to love. I figured it was worth a try.” – John C. Reilly.

After debuting Mister Romantic in 2022 and performing sold-out concerts across the country over the past two years, John C. Reilly released his debut Mister Romantic album, What’s Not To Love? on June 13 – the first release on Reilly’s own Eternal Magic Recordings. What’s Not To Love? is a collection of gorgeous renditions of songs from the Great American Songbook backed by a band of multiple GRAMMY-winners.

For more than three decades, John C. Reilly has remained one of the most beloved and versatile actors of his generation, effortlessly navigating the worlds of comedy, drama, and musical theater with a rare blend of skill and charm. From his breakout roles in quirky comedies to his more nuanced dramatic performances, Reilly has consistently proven himself to be a master of range, able to breathe life into a vast array of characters with equal parts warmth and depth.

Beginning with his film debut in Casualties of War and quickly establishing him as a sought-after actor among some of the most acclaimed American directors. He collaborated with Paul Thomas Anderson on Hard Eight, Boogie Nights, and Magnolia, worked with Martin Scorsese on Gangs of New York and The Aviator, and joined Robert Altman for A Prairie Home Companion. He showcased his comedic mastery with two blockbuster films with Adam McKay, Step Brothers and Talladega Nights, while also blending his musical and comedic talents in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. His versatility led to international recognition in films such as We Need to Talk About Kevin (Lynne Ramsay), Carnage (Roman Polanski), The Lobster (Yórgos Lánthimos), and The Sisters Brothers (Jacques Audiard). More recently, he reunited with Adam McKay, starring in HBO Max’s Winning Time, the limited series about the Los Angeles Lakers.

2025 is poised to be another breakout year for John C. Reilly, with a slate of exciting and diverse projects on the horizon. He will take on the role of a town doctor in A Prayer for the Dying, Dara Van Dusen’s adaptation of Stewart O’Nan’s novel set in the 1870s, which follows a community ravaged by a deadly plague. Reilly will also portray the legendary Buffalo Bill in Testa O Croce, a film directed by Italian filmmakers Alessio Rigo de Righi and Matteo Zoppis. Additionally, Reilly is currently filming How To Rob A Bank, directed by Davíd Leitch, starring alongside Nicholas Hoult, Zoë Kravitz, and Pete Davidson.

Born and raised in Detroit as the youngest of 10 siblings, Jack White’s utilitarian approach filters through all of his work, from self-producing his own music to the Third Man empire he founded (which currently includes a pressing plant, a record label, three physical retail stores, a photo lab, a lounge/bar, and more), his upholstery and various other art and design pursuits, and anything else that crosses his desk. Over a quarter century into his professional musical career, White’s ability to weave relevant, compelling, and poignant artistry into his music leaves him unparalleled.

When the White Stripes started in 1997, no one, least of all White, ever expected that a red, white and black two-piece band would take hold in the mainstream world. The band’s self-titled debut and sophomore effort, De Stijl, amassed critical acclaim and built a passionate underground following, but it was the release of 2001’s White Blood Cells that thrust the White Stripes onto magazine covers as they captivated larger audiences through worldwide touring.

The release of Elephant in 2003 not only cemented the band’s reputation, but also offered the #1 hit single “Seven Nation Army,” which has since been appropriated as arguably the most popular chant in sports stadiums around the world.

In 2004, White teamed up with Loretta Lynn to produce and perform on her Van Lear Rose album, an effort that won GRAMMY Awards for “Best Country Album” and “Best Country Collaboration with Vocals” for the single “Portland, Oregon.” To date, White has won 12 GRAMMYs in eight different categories with 34 career nominations, and was honored with the Producers & Engineers Wing “President’s Merit Award” in 2017.

A 12x GRAMMY award-winner and 36x nominee, three of White’s five acclaimed solo albums – 2012’s RIAA gold certified solo debut, Blunderbuss, 2014’s Lazaretto and 2018’s Boarding House Reach – debuted at #1 on the SoundScan/Billboard 200 along with a variety of other charts. Among his myriad international honors, White’s long run of career GRAMMY awards and nominations saw BLUNDERBUSS earning five nods over two years, including “Album of the Year,” “Best Rock Album,” “Best Rock Song” (for “Freedom At 21”), “Best Rock Performance,” and “Best Music Video” (the latter two honoring the single, “I’m Shakin”). Lazaretto proved equally popular with GRAMMY voters, scoring a nomination as “Best Alternative Music Album,” while its title track received the 2015 GRAMMY Award for “Best Rock Performance” as well an additional nod as “Best Rock Song.” Boarding House Reach proved among White’s most unique works, topping a variety of charts in the US and Canada while drawing applause around the world.

In 2022, White released two solo albums: Fear of the Dawn and Entering Heaven Alive. Fear of the Dawn, which SPIN called “a Beefheartian thunderbolt of an album,” made a landmark chart debut following its release, entering at #1 on Billboard’s “Top Album Sales,” “Top Current Album Sales,” “Top Alternative Albums,” “Top Rock Albums,” “Record Label Independent Current Albums,” “Digital Albums,” “Current Digital Albums,” “Internet Albums,” and “Vinyl Albums,” as well as at #4 on the overall Billboard 200. White supported the albums with The Supply Chain Issues World Tour, which included his first-ever shows in Southeast Asia.

2023 saw the celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the White Stripes’ acclaimed album Elephant, with a deluxe edition available both digitally and on vinyl and a new music video for “Black Math,” which was nominated for a Webby award. 2023 also saw Jack White join the acclaimed SNL Five-Timers club, with a performance of “Taking Me Back” and “Fear Of The Dawn,” which marked White’s 5th performance on the late-night series.

With 2024, No Name met the ears of unassuming fans via a clandestine white-label appearance at Third Man Records locations, where customers were slipped, guerilla-style, free unmarked vinyl copies in their shopping bags. True to his DIY roots, White recorded, produced, and mixed No Name at his Third Man Studio throughout 2023 and 2024, pressed the album to vinyl at Third Man Pressing, and released it via Third Man Records, to both fan and critical acclaim.

About AMERICANAFEST:
AMERICANAFEST brings together hundreds of showcasing artists, industry leaders and music fans throughout the most notable venues in Nashville, Tennessee. To complement the nightly official showcases curated by a festival committee, multiple special events during the day allow agencies, labels and other industry entities to highlight their roster. The destination event also offers a three-day educational conference with networking opportunities, numerous panels, and premium industry interaction. The annual Americana Honors & Awards ceremony at Ryman Auditorium recognizes the groundbreaking figures of Americana music and celebrates the music achievements of the past year. AMERICANAFEST serves as a fundraiser supporting the initiatives of the Americana Music Association and its Foundation and will take place in Nashville from September 9-13, 2025.

About the Americana Music Foundation:
Established in 2020 by the Americana Music Association, the Foundation’s mission is to preserve the beloved art form known today as Americana music. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, with a global vision, the non-profit 501(c)(3) serves as a charitable and educational resource through partnerships with cultural and educational institutions, including those with New York University, Salt Lick Incubator, the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, the National Museum of African American Music, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and the Grammy Museum. Learn more about the Americana Music Foundation initiatives here.

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