Put A Record On: A Fort Worth African American Roots Music Festival Sampler

Celebrating a wonderful musical gathering that deserves all the praise!

By Natalie

Last weekend, I was lucky enough to get to once again attend the Fort Worth African American Roots Music Festival (or FWAAMFest) — one of very few gatherings like it in the country, held deep in the heart of Texas. It was the fifth iteration of the festival, which is completely independent — a real feat in 2025 — and only growing in its mission to create a destination for Black artists in the roots music community.

The music was uniformly excellent, as were the vibes. People were so attentive to and enthused by the music, and the atmosphere was so warm and welcoming. Dom Flemons headlined, and the lineup also included Kyshona and Yasmin Williams — all performing acoustically and without a backing band, but spellbinding all the same.

I’m personally so inspired by what festival founder Brandi Waller-Pace has created truly against the odds, and so I thought it might be nice to celebrate the mission of FWAAMFest by making a playlist that includes almost all the artists who have played the festival over the years (some of them don’t have music on streaming services). Get a taste of what we’re lucky enough to have here in North Texas, and maybe a little inspiration for the better world that’s getting oh so hard to imagine right now.