Sunny Sweeney, a genre-bending, songwriting spitfire who has spent equal time in the rich musical traditions of Texas and Tennessee, is among the hit songwriters at this year's Red Lodge Songwriter Festival.
Red Park benches, bar stools, hotel lobbies, and parks become picking sessions, as songwriting rises to its highest level among the mountains of this charming Montana town.
This year’s festival features a cadre of hit song makers and rising stars, new venues, and ample opportunities to see and hear remarkable talent.
“I’ve been playing songwriters festivals all over the country for the last 20 years and the Red Lodge Songwriter Festival is hands-down one of my all-time favs,” says veteran songwriter Brett Jones. “The town is a gem in the Rockies, the people who support it are generous and enthusiastic, the weather is perfect and the music is awesome!”
Fans can take in up to 37 live performances by 24 songwriters in nine venues, plus a songwriting contest. In addition to entertainment and education, this festival supports music in public schools. Over the last several years festival organizers, Rocky Mountain Songwriter Festivals (RMSWF), has donated more than $100,000 to fulfill that mission.
RMSF also hosts the Yellowstone Songwriter Festival, Sept. 7-9 in Cody, Wyo., and the Whitefish Songwriter Festival, Sept. 14-16 in the Flathead Valley.
Hit songwriters at the Red Lodge event include Gary Nicholson, 2022 inductee into the Nashville Songwriter Hall of Fame, and 2019 inductee and Montana native Kostas; three other Nashville-based players – Leslie Satcher, Randy Montana and Sunny Sweeney; and James Dean Hicks from Franklin, Tenn.
The roster of Rising Stars includes Montanans Marcedes Carroll of Belgrade, Jo Smith and Hannah King of Whitefish, Tessy Lou Williams of Pony, and Kalyn Bealey & The Honky Tonk Arcade of Cody and Red Lodge. Also on the list are Kalyn Beasley of Cody; Hannah Belle of Louisiana; Shawn Byrne, Jess Jocoy, Goldpine and Liz Moriando, all of Nashville; Anthony Garcia of Austin; Steve Fulton of Boise; Brooks Forsyth and Paige King Johnson of North Carolina; Robert Cline Jr. of Wimberly, Texas; and John Hewitt of Edmonton, Alberta.
Tickets range from $15-$195 and VIP packages are $1,750 to $1,050, and include lodging and passes.
For more information, head to the website or Facebook.