Dates Set For Tin Pan South, Key West Songwriters Festival

Tin Pan South • Key West Songwriters Festival • Nashville SongWriters Festival • Chris Austin Songwriting Contest
The 19th Annual Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival will be held Tuesday, March 29 – Saturday, April 2 in Nashville. Presented by Regions Bank and produced by NSAI, the world’s largest all-songwriter festival offers more than 75 shows at venues throughout the city. Tin Pan South Fast Access Passes allow club hopping with preferred admission and go on sale Wednesday, March 9. Proceeds from the festival support the Nashville Songwriters Association International. Details and passes at tinpansouth.com.
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The Better Angels Music Key West Songwriters Festival, presented by BMI, is set for Wednesday, April 27 – Sunday, May 1, 2011. The 16th annual event will host more than 100 songwriters performing in venues throughout the island.
Full band concerts will bookend the 2011 festival. Howard Livingston and the Mile Marker 24 Band will kick things off, and Robert Earl Keen with special guest Jerrod Niemann and the Hung Jury will close the festival.
Among those scheduled to perform are Rhett Akins, Lee Brice, Chuck Cannon, Dallas Davidson, Sarah Davidson, Bob DiPiero, Andrew Duhon, Kevin Griffin of Better Than Ezra, The Harters, The World Famous Headliners (Al Anderson, Shawn Camp, and Pat McLaughlin), Randy Houser, Courtney Jaye, Jamey Johnson, Robert Earl Keen, Luke Laird, James Slater, Toby Lightman, Patrice Pike, Ed Roland of Collective Soul, John Michael Rushell, and even Even Stevens.
Proceeds benefit the Muzak Heart & Soul Foundation. www.keywestsongwritersfestival.com
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The 9th Annual Nashville SongWriters Festival on Music Row is on track for June 3-5, 2011. It’s part live original music performances, part teaching conference, part networking opportunity and part gathering of friends. Details at songwritersfestival.com.
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MerleFest 2011, presented by Lowe’s, is once again hosting the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest. Now in its 19th year, the contest is an opportunity for aspiring writers to have their original songs heard and judged by a panel of Nashville music industry professionals, under the direction of this year’s volunteer contest chairperson, Grammy®-winning singer/songwriter Jim Lauderdale. MerleFest 2011 takes place from April 28 – May 1, 2011.
Contest details at Sonicbids and American Songspace. The deadline for submissions is February 18, 2011.