The third annual Red Lodge Songwriter Festival brings families together for a weekend of inspiring music heard from local and Nashville songwriters, June 21-23.
TARA CADY, Gazette Staff
Kostas returns to the Red Lodge Songwriter Festival as a special guest, Friday, June 22. A writer of chart-topping singles for country stars Patty Loveless, Dwight Yoakum and others, Kostas was a workshop leader and contest judge at last year's festival.
Red Lodge will be striking all the right chords with the 3rd Annual Red Lodge Songwriter Festival from Thursday, June 21, to Saturday, June 23.
The three-day fest showcases 15 songwriters, including Nashville Songwriter Hall of Fame member, Hugh Prestwood, returning composers James Dean Hicks and Montana resident, Kostas. In addition, new vocalists will take the stage to perform and tell personal stories behind their songwriting.
The atmosphere is captivating as songwriters play the popular tunes they wrote for famous musicians like Eddie Rabbitt, Johnny Cash, and Merle Haggard.
“The magic happens when a fan hears his or her favorite country music song, and then identifies it when the songwriter that wrote it is playing it for them,” said board chair and executive director, Mike Booth.
Seven venues host the event, including the Roman Theater, Bone Daddy's Custom Cycle, Natali's Front Bar, Sam’s Tap Room, The Pollard Hotel, Lion’s Park, Snow Creek Saloon, and The Snag Bar. Red Lodge will be filled with ambitious musicians from across the region competing, learning and performing – all for the love of music.
“For three days, the streets, bars, cafes and parks of Red Lodge become a gathering place for songwriters from Montana, Nashville and around the country. This is the place that displays songwriting at its highest level in the amazing setting of Red Lodge. Park benches, bar stools and hotel lobbies all become places for picking sessions,” said Booth.
The songwriting contest is Saturday, June 23, providing 100 aspiring lyricists the chance to perform at the festival. Ten songs are selected to be played and evaluated by live judges. The top two songwriters will open the show Saturday evening.
New to this year’s festival is the Red Lodge Songwriter School. Intensive workshops allow students to work with Nashville hit songwriters. From novice to well-versed, the two-day workshops strengthen any skillset. Class schedules are Friday, June 22, from 9 a.m. to noon, and Saturday, June 23, 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Cost is $295 and includes tickets to the Nashville Songwriters in the Round concerts.
The third annual Red Lodge Songwriter Festival brings families together for a weekend of inspiring music heard from local and Nashville songwriters, June 21-23.
Kostas returns to the Red Lodge Songwriter Festival as a special guest, Friday, June 22. A writer of chart-topping singles for country stars Patty Loveless, Dwight Yoakum and others, Kostas was a workshop leader and contest judge at last year's festival.
