Anderson East

2020 marked the 13th anniversary of Cayamo and music fans celebrated in style Feb. 3-10 aboard the Norwegian Cruise Line ship Pearl as she made her way from Miami to St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands and then to Antigua. Over the course of the cruise Cayamoans had chances to see multiple shows by Americana stars like Shawn Mullins, Buddy Miller, Soggy Bottom Boys, Anderson East, the Quebe Sisters, the Wailin' Jennys, Watkins Family Hour, Molly Tuttle, Alison Moorer and others as each act performed at least twice.

Hulda Quebe and Emily Scott Robinson

One of the very special things about Cayamo is that it affords the artists opportunities to interact. Allison Moorer, for example, reunited with her old bandmates the Mastersons during one of her shows and also appeared in a special 'art of memoir' show with Rodney Crowell. Soul and gospel singer Mavis Staples surprised fans by calling Jeff Tweedy and Lake Street Dive to the stage during her opening night performance, while Aaron Lee Tasjan hosted the cleverly-titled Tas-Jam, and Molly Tuttle and Steve Poltz performed a special show together. Then there was the aforementioned gospel show, a Sunday morning all-star affair with Mavis Staples and her band member Saundra Williams, Dan Tyminski, the Wailin' Jennys, the Quebe Sisters, Emily Scott Robinson and others.

Saundra Williams and Mavis Staples

Other fun events that took place during Cayamo included tai-chi sessions led by Jim Lauderdale, a ukulele workshop, whiskey and moonshine tastings, late night jam sessions, screenings of music films and lots of general merrymaking and fun in the sun as the Pearl traversed the warm Caribbean. And of course there was rum galore as Cayamoans went ashore in St. Croix and Antigua.

Molly Tuttle

And the wedding? That was performer Steve Poltz who said "I do" to his lady before a whole shipload of joyful witnesses. The nuptials took place in the evening of the final day of Cayamo, when cruisers were already mulling over the question of whether or not to be a part of Cayamo 2021. Borrowing from the newlyweds, the answer to "do you want to Cayamo next year" was a resounding "I do."

The Wailin' Jennys