February 29, 2012

Lineup Additions Fuel Anticipation of Better Angels Music Key West Songwriters Festival Pres. by BMI

Perennial Favorite Slated for May 2 – May 6, 2012

Press Release

NASHVILLE, February 29, 2012—The Better Angels Music Key West Songwriters Festival has announced red-letter additions to its 2012 lineup, set for May 2-6. The names on the growing bill continue and expand the festival’s tradition of elevating songwriters, from marquee performers to behind-the-scenes hit-makers.
 
Most of the stacked schedule is free, including more than 30 in-the-round sets from top performing songwriters. Tickets for a handful of intimate theatre shows will go on sale Thursday, March 1 at http://www.keywestsongwritersfestival.com/schedule.php

Additions include veteran headliners Robert Earl Keen, Patrice Pike, Billy Burnette, Matraca Berg, Blue Mother Tupelo, Hillary Lindsay, Paul Overstreet, Joey + Rory, Lo Cash Cowboys, Jeff Hanna (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band); 2012 ACM Songwriter of the Year nominees Rhett Akins, Dallas Davidson and Luke Laird; as well as singer/songwriters Kyle Park, Jon Randall, Josh Thompson, Lori McKenna, Even Stevens, Liz Rose, Cary Barlowe, Bob DiPiero, Bobby Pinson, Marti Fredericksen, Steve Bogard, James Slater, Dennis Morgan, Chuck Cannon, Chris Gantry, Billy Yates, Doug Johnson, Suzi Ragsdale, Kylie Sackley, Danny Myrick, Bridgette Tatum, Will Rambeaux, Jon Mabe and many others.

The newly announced round of performers joins previously announced attendees the World Famous Headliners—Al Anderson, Pat McLaughlin and Shawn Camp—and the Jeffrey Steele Band.
 
Presented by BMI and benefitting Operation Homefront, the 17th annual Key West Songwriters Fest is five days and nights of more than 30 free shows, staged at an array of the island’s most popular drinking holes and hot spots, bookended by full-band concerts. Sponsored by SunTrust and the Recording Academy, Nashville Chapter, the official kick-off party will feature the World Famous Headliners at Ocean Key Pier on Wednesday, May 2. To cap off the weekend on Saturday, May 5, the Jeffrey Steele Band will play a free and open-to-the-public show on Duval St., a first for the Key West Songwriters Festival.

For a complete list of participating songwriters, sponsors, sponsoring hotels, local businesses, and more please visit keywestsongwritersfestival.com.

In addition to its title sponsor, Better Angels Music, and presenting sponsor BMI, the festival is also sponsored by SunTrust Bank, Comcast, Jim Beam, The Recording Academy / Nashville Chapter, and Hearts Bluff Music.

About the Key West Songwriters Festival
Celebrating its 17th year, the Key West Songwriters Festival is the largest festival of its kind in the world. Since 1997, BMI has been a key sponsor of the festival and has helped it grow into both a tourist attraction and favorite of island locals. The festival revolves around five days and nights of more than 30 free shows, staged at an array of the island’s most popular drinking holes and hot spots, where live music introduces crowds to the faces, voices and stories behind the songs. Diverse lineups featuring more than 100 top songwriters deliver rare, “Key West-only” moments. Informal adaptations of Nashville’s signature in-the-round acoustic showcases dominate much of the schedule, while an event-capping street concert adds an enticing Mardi Gras fillip to the mix.
www.keywestsongwritersfestival.com


About Operation Homefront
Operation Homefront provides emergency financial and other assistance to the families of our service members and wounded warriors. A national nonprofit, Operation Homefront leads more than 4,500 volunteers across 25 chapters and has met more than 400,000 needs since 2002. A four-star rated charity by watchdog Charity Navigator, Operation Homefront also earned an A rating by the American Philanthropy Institute. A firm 94 percent of all donations to Operation Homefront goes to the organization’s programs. For more information, please visit www.operationhomefront.net.


About BMI
Broadcast Music, Inc.® (BMI®), a global leader in rights management, is an American performing rights organization that represents more than 500,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers in all genres of music and more than 7.5 million musical works. BMI has represented the most popular and beloved music from around the world for more than 70 years. The company provides licenses for businesses that perform music, and distributes the fees it generates as royalties to the musical creators and copyright owners it represents. Find out more at http://www.bmi.com, follow @BMI on Twitter and stay connected through Facebook.


MEDIA CONTACT
Kay Clary, BMI
615.401.2728 |
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