BMI Announces Key West Songwriters Festival 30th Anniversary Lineup Set for April 29 – May 3
Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association and Rams Head Presents to Host Over 200 BMI Multi-Genre Creators including Ashley Cooke, Bob DiPiero, The Brummies, ERNEST, HARDY, Jack Ingram, Doug Johnson, Robert Earl Keen, Lori McKenna, Lee Thomas Miller, Liz Rose, Jeffrey Steele, Bridgette Tatum and Guthrie Trapp
The annual Key West Songwriters Festival presented by BMI announced today the first details behind its landmark 30th anniversary, scheduled for April 29 through May 3, 2026. The Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association and Rams Head Presents will welcome more than 200 BMI multi-genre creators to the island, where Nashville charisma meets Key West charm. Multi-day offerings for free shows as well as ticketed shows at the Key West Theater will feature prominent songwriters like Ashley Cooke, HARDY, Brian Kelley, Chuck Mead, Rissi Palmer, Bruce Robison, Robert Randolph and more. Additional songwriters will continue to be revealed, and schedules will be made available in March at www.keywestsongwritersfestival.com.
The festival will launch with the official “Sunset Pier Kick Off Party” at the Ocean Key Resort & Spa on Wednesday, April 29, featuring Jeffrey Steele and The Brummies. On Saturday, May 2, ERNEST will host the annual free and open-to-the-public block party at Main Stage on Duval Street. “Sunday Songs: Music & Mimosas” will return to Williams Hall on Sunday, May 3, while Rams Head Southernmost Bar & Restaurant will serve as the event’s headquarters.
BMI songwriters who have become fundamental to the event’s success will return this year including Bob DiPiero (1997) and Jeffrey Steele (1998), who helped establish the must-attend event alongside founder, Charlie Bauer. They are joined by perennial local favorites Chuck Cannon and Tia Sillers, who solidified their status in 2000, alongside Wendell Mobley (2004) and James Slater, the latter of whom celebrates a streak of consecutive performances since 2004. The festival’s deep-rooted history continues with the return of Tim Nichols and Craig Wiseman (2005), as well as Danny Myrick and Bobby Pinson, both of whom have remained event highlights since 2007. With their 2008 debuts, Doug Johnson, Robert Earl Keen and Bridgette Tatum have cultivated a steadfast following throughout the island.
The lineup is further bolstered by pillars such as Rebecca Lynn Howard (2010), Phil Barton, Lori McKenna and Liz Rose, all of whom have been integral to the event since 2010. Following their 2013 debut, Ryan Beaver and Tyler Reeve will return, as well as Jack Ingram and Lee Thomas Miller, who first joined the festival in 2015. Taylor Phillips, Aaron Raitiere, and Trent Tomlinson will perform after their initial mark on the festival in 2017, as well as Ronnie Bowman, who will perform for his ninth consecutive year.
The Key West Songwriters Festival has served as a place of discovery which is exemplified by Chris Stapleton, Randy Houser and Jamey Johnson, all of whom first performed at the event in 2005. This tradition of identifying generational talent continued with early appearances from Thomas Rhett, Dustin Lynch, Kacey Musgraves and Charlie Worsham in 2011, followed by 2013 debuts from Drew Baldridge, Gary Clark Jr., and Caitlyn Smith, as well as Kane Brown, Luke Combs, HARDY, Walker Hayes and Maggie Rose in 2016. In recent years, the festival has maintained its status as a launchpad for headliners, hosting Morgan Wallen and Ashley McBryde in 2018, ERNEST in 2019, Carter Faith and Riley Green in 2022, as well as Elle King and Ella Langley in 2023.
The 30th annual Key West Songwriters Festival is sponsored by Gallagher, HD Radio, Texas Roadhouse, Dulce Vida Tequila, Empress Gin, Ketel One, Captain Morgan and Bud Light.
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