BMI and the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association Present Charlie Bauer with BMI Ambassador Award

During the 30th annual Key West Songwriters Festival presented by BMI, BMI proudly recognized Key West Songwriters Festival Founder and Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association Board Member Charlie Bauer with the BMI Ambassador Award in recognition of his significant impact on the songwriting community. On Saturday, May 2, BMI and the FRLA celebrated the festival’s 30th anniversary with a VIP reception where he was honored. BMI’s Clay Bradley and Mason Hunter, along with previous BMI Ambassador Award recipients Storme Warren and Xperi’s Joe D’Angelo, joined FRLA’s Carol Dover in recognizing Bauer’s lasting contributions to the songwriting community.

“Receiving the BMI Ambassador Award was amazing and a big surprise,” Bauer said. “30 years ago, BMI went above and beyond to help me find songwriters to come down and play this festival and here we are after all these years. BMI has always made me feel like family and now after receiving this award… I am part of the BMI family.”

Founded by Charlie Bauer in 1996, BMI’s Key West Songwriters Festival has grown into one of the nation’s premier celebrations of songwriting and live music. Bauer first arrived in Key West in 1988 to open the Hog’s Breath Saloon alongside Jerry Dorminy, where live singer-songwriter performances quickly became a staple, eventually expanding to three shows daily. As demand for performers grew, Bauer looked beyond the local music scene for talent and inspiration. Songwriter Drew Reid later suggested the idea of creating a songwriter festival in Key West, and Bauer immediately embraced the concept, laying the foundation for what would become a signature event for both the city and the Nashville music community.