The 13th Annual Hog's Breath Key West Songwriters Festival looms enticingly on the horizon. Presented by Cherry Heart Music and proudly supported by charter sponsor BMI, the event is slated for April 30 through May 4 in Key West, Florida. The festival revolves around five days and nights of more than 20 free shows, staged at an array of the island's most popular drinking holes and hot spots. Informal adaptations of Nashville's signature in-the-round acoustic showcases dominate much of the schedule, while this year, a street concert Saturday, May 3 featuring the Jeffrey Steele Band and Robert Earl Keen adds a Mardis Gras fillip to the mix.

BMI songwriters dominate the diverse lineups. Americana trendsetters including Robert Earl Keen, Raul Malo, Kim Richey and John Oates will perform alongside Nashville's most engaging and prolific hitmakers, including Jeffrey Steele (Rascal Flatts' "What Hurts the Most"), John Scott Sherrill (Steve Wariner's "Some Fools Never Learn"), Wendell Mobley (Rascal Flatts' "Fast Cars & Freedom"), Jamey Johnson (George Strait's "Give It Away"), Scotty Emerick (Toby Keith's "As Good As I Once Was"), David Lee (Tim McGraw's "I Need You," featuring Faith Hill), Keith Follese (Tim McGraw's "Something Like That"), Jim Beavers (Gary Allan's "Watching Airplanes"), Heather Little (Miranda Lambert's "Gunpowder and Lead"), Steve Bogard (Dierks Bentley's "Every Mile A Memory"), Bobby Pinson (Sugarland's "Want To"), Doug Johnson (Randy Travis's "Three Wooden Crosses"), Chas Sandford (John Waite's "Missing You"), Chuck Cannon (Toby Keith's "How Do You Like Me Now"), Max T. Barnes (Diamond Rio's "That's How Your Love Makes Me Feel"), Chuck Jones (Chris LeDoux's "Cadillac Ranch"), Rodney Clawson (Jason Aldean's "Why"), Gary Hannan (Joe Nichols's "Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off"), Billy Yates (George Jones's "Choices"), Jerrod Niemann (Garth Brooks' "Good Ride Cowboy") and Dallas Davidson (Trace Adkins's "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk"), with Curb recording artist Lee Brice (Garth Brooks' "More Than A Memory"), singer/songwriters Heather Morgan, Stephanie Chapman and Lauren Lucas and Orange County rock outfit Lit's Jeremy Popoff.

For a complete list of sponsoring hotels, local businesses, schedules and participating songwriters, please visit www.keywestsongwritersfestival.com or call 305.296.4222.

A founding sponsor, BMI has helped the festival evolve into a highly anticipated destination for Nashville hit makers. The event’s emphasis on the songs and camaraderie of minds that create them has attracted a diverse collection of new participants each year. First-time attendees this year include hit songwriters Keith Follese, Marty Dodson and Bobby Pinson, auspicious singer/songwriters Luke Laird, Jimmy Stewart and Brandon Jane, up-and-comers Courtney Dashe and Jennifer Stegall, and alt-country heroines Suzi Ragsdale and Kate York.

The list of BMI artists and songwriters slated to attend this year features a jaw-dropping array of talent. Performers include Hugh Prestwood, Keith Stegall, Jamey Johnson, Scotty Emerick, Vicky McGehee, Wendell Mobley, Bart Allmand, Randy Houser, Wayd Battle, Chuck Cannon, Kent Blazy, Lee Brice, Morgane Hayes, D. Vincent Williams, Kylie Sackley, Phillip White, Amber White, Arlis Albritton, Billy Joe Walker, Jr. , Sherrié Austin, Christi Bauerlee, Christina Bell, Kris Bergsnes, Craig Boyd, Richie Brown, John Stone, Deanna Bryant, Lisa Carver, Stephanie Chapman, James Slater, Cliff Cody, Doug Colton, Dallas Davidson, Brian Davis, Fred Wilhelm, Dillon Dixon, Rob Hatch, Pete Sallis, James Dean Hicks, Aleysha Hoffman, Natalie Howard, Kyle Jacobs, Tim James, Ken Johnson, Chuck Jones, David Lee, Levi Simms, Cole Lee, Lauren Lucas, John Mabe, Will Rambeaux, Jason Matthews, Lila McCann, Chas Sandford, Jim McCormick, Jimmy Melton, Sally Mudd, Danny Myrick, Anna Owens, Melissa Pierce, Leslie Satcher, Jen Schott, Elisa Vazzana, Bruce Wallace, Emily West, Melinda Williams, Blake Wise and trio Rhiannon.

For the complete festival schedule, ticket information, performer profiles and line-up, please visit www.kwswf.com or call 305.296.4222.

BMI Performer Schedule at 2007 Key West Songwriters’ Festival

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

6-8pm - Kick-Off show @ The Top (La Concha Hotel on Duval)
7-7:45pm - James Slater

8pm -  Rum Barrel
8pm -  Randy Houser, Brian Davis & Jon Stone
9:30pm - Southland

10pm -  Conch Republic
10pm -  Jamey Johnson, Bobby Pinson & David Lee
10:45pm -  Scotty Emerick
11:30pm -  D. Vincent Williams & Chuck Jones

10pm-2am -  Hog/BMI Stage
The Massacoustics

Thursday, May 3, 2007

1-8pm - Hog/BMI Stage
1-3pm - Cliff Cody & Arlis Albritton
3-4pm - Christina Bell & Mike Loudermilk
4-5pm - Natalie Howard & Katy Kiefer
5-6pm - Sally Mudd & Christi Bauerlee
6-8pm - Pete Sallis & Jim McCormick

4pm - Blue Heaven
4pm - Phillip & Amber White, Cory Heydon, Suzi Ragsdale
4:45pm - Lauren Lucas, Stephanie Chapm - an, Kate York, Misty Loggins
5:30pm - Leslie Satcher, Kent Blazy, Jason Matthews, Courtney Dashe

8pm - Pier House Beach Show hosted by Scott Kirby
8pm - Lila McCann, Jen Schott, Melissa Pierce, Lisa Carver
8:45pm - Keith Stegall & Jen Stegall
9:15pm - Kylie Sackley & Lee Brice
10pm -  Brandon Jane, Luke Laird, Sherrié Austin, Jimmy Stewart

10pm -  Cowboy Bill’s
10pm -  Jon Mabe, Billy Joe Walker, Jr., Anna Owens, Blake Wise
11pm -  Tim James, Fred Wilhelm, Bruce Wallace & Jimmy Melton
12am Wayd Battle, Ritchie Brown, Dallas Davidson, Chas Sandford

10pm-2am - Hog/BMI Stage
The Massacoustics

Friday, May 4, 2007

1-8pm - Hog/BMI Stage
1-2pm - Southland
2-3pm - Ken Johnson & Ben Margulies
3-4pm - Rhiannon
4-5pm - Doug Colton & Aleysha Hoffman
5-6pm - Jon Mabe & Friends
6-7pm - Pat McLaughlin
7-8pm - Fred Wilhelm & Friends

4pm - Sloppy Joes
4pm - Willie Mack, Tim James, Deanna Bryant, Sherrié Austin
5pm - Kyle Jacobs, Blake Wise, Bart Allmand, Danny Myrick

5:30pm - Green Parrot “Sound Check”
5:30-6:45pm -    Southland

6pm - Fury Sunset Sail
Lee Brice & Kylie Sackley

6pm - Piano Show @ Doubletree
6pm -   Christina Bell & Mike Loudermilk
6:30pm - Chris Tompkins
7pm - James Slater & Dallas Davidson

8pm - Hog’s Breath Upstairs Writers Room
8pm - James Dean Hicks
8:30pm - Hugh Prestwood & Don Schlitz
9:15pm - Scotty Emerick
10pm -  Brett James, Hillary Lindsey & Luke Laird

8pm - Tropic Cinema
8pm - Dave Berg, Walt Aldridge, Wendell Mobley & Marty Dodson
9pm - Phillip & Amber White
9:45pm - Chuck Cannon & Chuck Jones

10pm -  Green Parrot
Dillon Dixon, James Dean Hicks & D. Vincent Williams

10pm - -2am Hog/BMI Stage
The Massacoustics

Saturday, May 5, 2007

1-5pm - Hog/BMI Stage
1-3pm - Pete Sallis & Jim McCormick
3-4pm - Jason Matthews
4-5pm - Kent Blazy

1pm - Southernmost Cinco De Mayo Pool Party
1-2pm - Rob Hatch, Cliff Cody, Dillon Dixon
2-3pm - Randy Houser, Brian Davis, Jon Stone

5pm - Cinco De Mayo Bash at Hog’s Breath

6pm - Fury Sunset Sail
Dillon Dixon & James Dean Hicks

8pm - Hog’s Breath Upstairs Writers Room
8pm - Bobby Pinson & Leslie Satcher
8:45pm - D. Vincent Williams & Wendell Mobley
9:30pm - Chuck Cannon & Chuck Jones

8pm - Tropic Cinema
8pm - Courtney Dashe, Misty Loggins, Kyle Jacobs & Jen Schott
9pm - Byron Hill, Hugh Prestwood, Pat McLaughlin, Keith Follese
10pm - Scotty Emerick

10pm - Buck’s Bottle Cap
10pm - Natalie Howard, Chas Sandford & David Lee
10:45pm - Phillip & Amber White
11:15pm - Jamey Johnson, Jon Stone, Wayd Battle

10pm - 2am Hog/BMI Stage
The Massacoustics

Sunday, May 6, 2007

1-5pm - Hog/BMI Stage
1-2pm - Christina Bell & Mike Loudermilk
2-3pm - Deanna Bryant
3-4pm - Suzi Ragsdale
4-5pm - Kate York

6pm - Sunset Show @ Westin
Christina Bell, Mike Loudermilk,  Natalie Howard, Katy Kiefer,  Billy Joe Walker, Jr., Anna Owens, Jon  Mabe, Chuck Jones, Chuck Cannon, Lisa Carver and many more.

Born in a small town in West Virginia’s Eastern panhandle and raised in Round Hill, Va., Stephanie grew up with a geographic and demographic backdrop as eclectic as her father’s music tastes. She spent her childhood in the country, literally playing in cow pastures with her siblings, and grew up to earn two degrees, write for various publications, and work in the Pentagon. At the same time she was exposed to Broadway musicals and Frank Sinatra, Stephanie learned from her father to love bluegrass, Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash. It only makes sense that this amalgamation of influence, both in music and in life, would lead to a writer whose songs appeal to a wide audience. Proof of this are two different yet equally-respected artists who have recorded Stephanie’s songs, Bonnie Raitt and Trisha Yearwood. 

Though Stephanie counts her happy childhood as fodder for many of the songs she writes, the road to writing songs about the human conditions of love, loss and heartache was not always smooth. A few months into her sophomore year of college, Stephanie was hit by a car while walking to campus and suffered a severely broken leg which she almost lost. While the outcome could have been much worse, Stephanie says the accident that literally knocked her off her feet changed her life. “There are people who’ve been through so much more, but for a small moment in my life I really thought I was going to die. I’ve always been sensitive to the world around me, but from then on I found myself acutely aware of the beauty and sadness in our world. Everyone deals with emotions and events in a different way; I am lucky to get to write songs about them.”

In a world where there can often be more bad news than good, the need for beautiful music is great. Stephanie’s songs seem increasingly poignant and somehow find a balance between sorrowful and uplifting; as if to say that first we recognize hardships and then we find the good in them. The voice that shares this message is uplifting too. Stephanie’s voice is reminiscent of Linda Ronstadt and her songwriting style recalls Rodney Crowell. Having shared a stage with legends like Merle Haggard and Ricky Skaggs, Stephanie’s music has thrived equally among rowdy, loyal Merle fans and the scrutinizing ears of bluegrass lovers, once again proving the constant appeal of touching lyrics sung beautifully. 

Stephanie calls East Nashville home and lives with her producer/guitarist husband Nathan Chapman. She continues to write songs for herself and others and at Jody Williams Music. 

http://www.stephaniechapman.com