This year’s festival features intimate acoustic, songwriter-round-style performances and unforgettable headliner sets across five stages over two days, offering music lovers a firsthand glimpse into the stories behind the songs.
In my two decades covering festivals and writing interview features on numerous songwriters — from Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson and Sara Evans to Darius Rucker, Lyle Lovett and even the late, great Jimmy Buffett — I’ve often said that to sing is one thing, but to write and breathe lyrical and musical life into a song is another entirely. This is what the Destin Songwriter Festival is all about.
I asked festival CEO and co-founder Matthew Pennings for a little insight into some of the second-year changes to the festival, and this is what he had to share: “Throughout the festival, music lovers can enjoy free performances at multiple popular venues along Destin Harbor, coupled with paid ticket holders being able to access the main stage and featured acts. The Destin Harbor stages include Boathouse Oyster Bar, Sky Bar and Edge Seafood Restaurant. All of the shows at those venues will be free to attend, while the main stage events will be available to ticketed patrons only.”
As for the talent on hand for this second rendition of the growing music fest, fans are sure to be impressed. The most notable headliner, Jeffrey Steele, is a personal favorite of mine, having seen him perform numerous times at various festivals I have covered. Steele is a six-time Grammy nominee with more than 65 million airplays for hits penned for artists such as Keith Urban, Eric Church, Zac Brown Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Cher, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts and numerous others.
His accolades include induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Country Music Hall of Fame’s Poet and Prophet Honor and multiple BMI and NSAI Songwriter of the Year awards. Steele’s chart-toppers include “Raise ’Em Up,” “What Hurts the Most” and “My Wish,” along with so many other hits you will know and sing along to. Steele has received more than 35 BMI Country and Pop awards, a Golden Globe nomination for “I Thought I Lost You” from Disney’s “Bolt” and recognition as one of Billboard’s top five writers for eight consecutive years.
Other artists on hand to share their songwriting and performance talents include: Terri Jo Box has an impressive catalog that includes Lainey Wilson’s “Hillbilly Hippie,” Ashley McBryde and Trisha Yearwood’s “Bible and a .44,” Cody Johnson’s “God Bless the Boy” and Miranda Lambert’s “Dear Old Sun.”</p
