Muscle Shoals Songwriters Festival To Be Held November 5th & 6th – Early Bird Tickets Available Now

Image courtesy of Muscle Shoals Songwriters Festival

The ultimate festival experience in Muscle Shoals, AL presented by Marriott Shoals

If you have never experienced a songwriters’ festival, you have been missing out. Yes, hearing your favorite artist sing is an amazing experience, but we often forget that it is the incredible talent behind-the-scenes that bring our favorite songs to the radio in the first place. We need to remember that before a song is recorded, it must be written. Songwriters need to be recognized and celebrated. And what better place than Muscle Shoals. Muscle Shoals is known as “The Hit Recording Capital of the World.” Famous bands and singers, including Aretha Franklin, The Osmonds, Etta James and Mac Davis all came to Muscle Shoals to record hit songs at FAME Studios.

The Muscle Shoals Songwriters Festival will be held November 5-6, 2021. Think Country is proud to announce our partnership with the festival. We are thrilled to be associated with what is certain to be one of the not-to-be-missed musical events of 2021.

The festival will feature 90 gifted performers, 30+ shows and 7+ venues.

Image courtesy of Muscle Shoals Songwriters Festival

A few of the talented songwriters are listed below. I picked a few to mention, but each and every one of the men and women you will see at this fest will leave you wondering how you have not heard of them in your daily life. All the brilliant songwriters you will be seeing at the festival are listed on their website and I encourage you to spend a bit of time finding out more about them.

Walker Hayes

Monument Records recording artist Walker Hayes is a singer/songwriter originally from Mobile, Alabama. Hayes recently released his single, “Don’t Let Her,” a powerful love letter about his wife, illustrated through a heartfelt conversation between Hayes and the hypothetical man that may take his place should anything happen to him. During the fall of 2018, Walker headed overseas with Old Dominion for his first-ever European tour. Hayes has joined the likes of Kelsea Ballerini‘s Unapologetically Tour and has been on the road with Dan + Shay, Thomas Rhett and more. In January 2019, Walker set out on his headlining, Dream On It Tour.

Emily Weisband

A Virginia native, Emily Weisband moved to Nashville, TN to pursue a career in songwriting. She signed her first publishing deal with THiS Music/Warner Chappell in early 2014. She has since had songs recorded by various artists including Keith Urban, Darius Rucker, Danielle Bradbery, Lauren Alaina, Hunter Hayes, Natalie Grant, Hillary Scott and Family, Pink, Lady Antebellum, Thomas Rhett, Camilla Cabello, Selena Gomez, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Raelynn, Danny Gokey and others. In 2017 Weisband won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Christian Performance/Song, along with fellow co-writers Hillary Scott and Bernie Herms, for “Thy Will” performed by Hillary Scott and Family.

John Paul White

John Paul White is an American singer-songwriter, and prior member of the Grammy Award-winning duo The Civil Wars. He restarted his solo career with his 2016 release, “Beulah”. White is a co-owner of Single Lock Records, which he founded in his hometown of Florence, Alabama, together with Ben Tanner (of Alabama Shakes) and Florence financial consultant, Will Trapp. The label has signed multiple artists from the Muscle Shoals area, including the legendary “Funky” Donnie Fritts, along with indie standouts like Lera Lynn. White often collaborates with the artists on the Single Lock label. His album, “Beulah”, was released on August 19, 2016. In 2017, White guested on the song “It Ain’t Over Yet” with Rodney Crowell and Rosanne Cash.

Bobby Pinson

Bobby Pinson has had over two hundred of his songs recorded by country music superstars such as Toby Keith, Eric Church, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, Jake Owen, Blake Shelton, Cole Swindell, Sugarland, Brantley Gilbert, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Brooks & Dunn, Tracy Lawrence, Trace Adkins, LeAnn Rimes, Montgomery Gentry, Van Zant and many more. Bobby has written over thirty Top 40 hits, including ten number-one singles. Bobby’s celebrated songs have earned him 2009 BMI Songwriter of the Year, two CMA Triple Play awards, a Grammy nomination for 2020 Country Song of the Year, CMA and ACM Single and Song of the Year nominations, seventeen BMI awards, and five NSAI (Songs I Wish I’d Written) awards.

Anthony Smith

Anthony Smith is a versatile songwriter, producer and arranger who has achieved great success in many genres, including Country, Pop, R&B, and Jazz. Artists who have recorded his songs include Chris Young, Reba, Parmalee, Lauren Alaina, Ben Gallaher, Bucky Covington, Lonestar, Clay Walker, Rodney Atkins, Joanna Smith, Regina Belle, Vince Gill, Jo Dee Messina, Neal McCoy, RBD, Emerson Drive, Adam Gregory, Heartland, Donna Summer, Shane Yellowbird, Jaydee Bixby, Trent Tomlinson, Rio Grand, The Wilkinsons, Kirk Whalum, Suzy Bogguss, Kenny Rogers, Ash Bowers, Aleksander With, John & Audrey Wiggins, Julie Reeves and Anita Cochran. Smith’s hit songs include “Tomorrow” – Chris Young (SESAC Song Of The Year 2011), “What About Now” – Lonestar (also used in a national Toyota campaign), “I Want My Life Back” – Bucky Covington and several others. Smith is VP/Partner of Porchlight Music.

Jenn Schott

Born and raised in Pittsburg, Kansas, Jenn Schott was destined to have a career in music. Jenn made the move to Nashville to pursue a career as a songwriter. Since then, her songs have been recorded by artists including Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts, The Eli Young Band, Gloriana, Jana Kramer, Lucy Hale, Francesca Battistelli, Jamie Lynn Spears, Billy Ray Cyrus, Pam Tillis, Lonestar, Kelleigh Bannen, and Restless Heart. Jenn co-wrote Mickey Guyton’s debut single, “Better Than You Left Me,” which was named one of Billboard’s 10 Best Country Songs of 2015. She also penned the title track of Tim McGraw’s Grammy nominated album, “Two Lanes of Freedom,” which was the namesake of McGraw’s 2013 summer tour. Jenn’s other past radio singles include Restless Heart’s “Feel My Way To You”, Katie Armiger’s “Unseen,” Billy Ray Cyrus’ “A Good Day,” and pop artist Lucy Walsh’s “1882.” In addition to her success in the U.S. country market, Jenn has also had songs released by top-selling artists in Canada and Australia.