As AmericanaFest rolls into Music City once again next week, you’ll see lineups at venues all over town populated by artists with names (or nicknames) that bear striking similarities to the folksy nomenclature prevalent in pro baseball. Among the following list of 30 names, 15 belong to artists performing at this year’s AmericanaFest, and the other 15 belong to pro ball players (some living, some not). Can you separate the sluggers from the songsmiths without Googling? Good luck!
Special thanks, as ever, to Nashville cinema and record store staffer Tyler Glaser — a lifelong baseball fan who also runs the appropriately named Instagram account @baseballplayerswithgreatnames — for his help rounding up the primo player handles.
Find the list of names below, and click here to see our answer key.
- Elles Bailey
- Buck Farmer
- Lil Stoner
- Drayton Farley
- General Crowder
- Nick Shoulders
- Turkey Stearnes
- Willi Carlisle
- Bullet Joe Bush
- Showboat Fisher
- Dori Freeman
- Skye Bolt
- Odie Leigh
- Chatham Rabbits
- Joelton Mayfield
- Ricky Bones
- Cookie Rojas
- Harlin Pool
- Nat Myers
- Mitch Trees
- Ole Kirkeng
- Nathan Mongol Wells
- Ginger Beaumont
- Parker Millsap
- Schoolboy Rowe
- Bella White
- Heinie Peitz
- Cat Clyde
- Chance Emerson
- Wee Willie Keeler
Ahead of AmericanaFest, check out our conversations with Adeem the Artist and SistaStrings, our show recommendations and more
