The Fairhope American Legion’s annual songwriters festival was so successful in its first three years that organizers have added a third night of original music for the fourth annual event, slated Sept. 18-20 at the Legion’s historic home on the downtown Farhope bluffs. Music begins each evening a 7 p.m. on the Legion’s indoor stage. Admission is $15 per day or $30 for a three day pass.

The fest will bring more than 30 songwriters from Nashville Tennessee, Lower Alabama and Northwest Florida. All performances will be held in an ‘In-The-Round’ acoustic setting. An auction will be on going for the weekend. Contact John Henderson at 251-928-6573 or the Legion at 251-928-9132 for more information about this year’s event or to submit info to be considered for future L.A. Songwriters Festivals.

The performances are designed to aid artists in further promoting their work and to encourage participation in other songwriter events such as the Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival on the Alabama Gulf Coast in November. The LASF is open to the public and encourages original music appreciation fans to attend.

Cell phones, other disruptive action and smoking are not permitted in the Legion Hall during performances. Festival participants include Chris Newbury, son of legendary songwriter Mickey Newbury. Along with Townes Van Zandt and Kris Kristofferson, Mickey Newbury is considered one of the country music genre’s most literate and intelligent songwriters.

Newbury was among the first country artists to remove himself from the Nashville studio system to write and record songs outside the country music mainstream. His songs were covered by such artists as Don Gibson, Roger Miller, and Kenny Rogers, before initiating a recording career that began unsuccessfully with covers of hits he had written that had been made famous by other performers.

He seized control of his career shortly thereafter, however, to write and record albums that are considered among the first country concept albums. 4th Annual L.A. Songwriters’ Festival Schedule Thursday, September 18 7 - Donnie Mills / Lisa Christian / Cathe Steele 8 - John Joiner / Buzz Kiefer / Chris Newbury 9 - Johnny Barbato / Randy Branch / Lisa Mills 10 - Ellen Robertson / Eric Randall / Justin Fobes 11 - Guitar Jam with the Songwriters Friday, September 19 7 - Blind Dog Mike / Hank Becker / Donna Hall 8 - Steven Lee Veal / Chris Graham / Scott McPherson 9 - Charles Davis / Evans Davis / Ashe Underwood 10 - Doug Forshey / Matt Goedken 11 - Guitar Jam with the Songwriters Saturday, September 20 7 - John Reno / David Dulion / Jon Miller 8 - Kevin Clements/Chad Maness/Keith Glass/Tyler Champion 9 - Kerry Polk / Jenny Reynolds / Jimmy Lee Hannaford 10 - Davis Raines / Mark Robinson / Tim Simmons 11 - Guitar Jam with the Songwriters

Categories: LA
Tags: Fairhope American Legion, songwriters festival