August 18 – 19, 2023
Welcome to the Gatlinburg Songwriters Festival – an intimate, two day music series taking place at the Historic Gatlinburg Inn that features some of the top songwriters in Nashville, responsible for multi-platinum hit songs.
August 18 – 19, 2023
The Historic Gatlinburg Inn
Wil Nance
Wil Nance is a hit songwriter who has penned the #1 Brad Paisley smash, “She’s Everything,” the #1 George Strait hit, “Round About Way,” (also George Strait’s “Where Have I Been All My Life”, “If Heartaches Were Horses”, and “It Takes All Kinds”) and other singles and cuts for other country artists such as Joe Nichols, Tim McGraw, Easton Corbin, Tracy Lawrence, Craig Morgan, John Michael Montgomery, Neal McCoy, Blue County, Diamond Rio, Oakridge Boys, Rodney Atkins, Mo Pitney, Chris Jansen, and many others.
In addition, Wil is part of Operation Song, a non-profit based in Nashville, Tennessee whose mission is to empower veterans, active duty military, and their families to tell their stories through the process of songwriting (www.operationsong.org).
Irene Kelley
Irene Kelley’s signature mix of Bluegrass, Country & Americana appeals to music lovers across all genres. A native of Latrobe, Pa., Irene discovered her flair for songwriting as a teenager and soon found her way to Nashville, TN. where her songs were quickly noticed and recorded by Carl Jackson, Ricky Skaggs & Sharon White. While recording an album for MCA and independently releasing four more records and touring world wide, Irene raised 2 daughters and scored cuts with Alan Jackson, Trisha Yearwood, Loretta Lynn, Ricky Skaggs, Pat Green, Brother Phelps, Rhonda Vincent, Claire Lynch, the Whites, the Osborne Brothers Kathy Lee Gifford and others.
A new full length Bluegrass album- “Snow White Memories”-produced by Irene & Justyna Kelley out 2/27/2023. The album is comprised of 10 original songs never before released. The new collection features Kelley is joined on the album by a host of musical friends and co-writers — including singer, The Kruger Brothers, dobroist Rob Ickes, banjoist Scott Vestal, and Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Trisha Yearwood among others — and she’s collaborated with her daughter Justyna, Ronnie Bowman, Terry Herd, Mark Irwin, Bill Whyte, Steve Cropper, Billy Droze, Steve Leslie, and Donna Ulisse to co-write 10 of the songs on the album.
Kelley evokes a quiet winter scene and the yearning for times past on the stirring and quietly moving title track. Aubrey Haynie’s elegiac fiddle creates a reflective atmosphere, mining the depths of emotion that emerge out of memories of special times and places, and Kelley’s daughters, Justyna and Sara Jean, elevate the song with their layered harmonies. Her rendition of the classic rock band Kansas’ tune, “Can I Tell You,” will surely surprise and delight fans.
“Snow White Memories conveys the depth of Kelley’s lyricism and her ability to deliver straight-to-the-heart songs filled with emotional resonance.”
Henry Carrigan, No Depression
“She sings with immense hillbilly heart and writes like a champion.”
Robert K. Oermann, Music Row Magazine
Danny Wells
Songwriter-artist Danny Wells is a CMA and an ACM award nominee. He is recognized for the #1 HITS, Check Yes or No recorded by George Strait, These Days recorded by Rascal Flatts and Couldn’t Last a Moment by Collin Raye. Other hits include This Everyday Love and While You Loved Me, both recorded by Rascal Flatts, Craig Morgan’s Little Bit of Life and Hello L-O-V-E for John Michael Montgomery. He has also had cuts by Chris Young, JoDee Messina, Joe Diffie, Scotty McCreery, Kane Brown, Crystal Gayle, Sara Evans, Tracy Byrd, Billy Ray Cyrus, Alabama, John Rich, James Bonamy, Julie Roberts, Wade Hayes and Confederate Railroad. His songs have received BMI’s certification for over 14 million radio airplays.
Bobby Tomerlin
CMA, ACM & Grammy nominee, Bobby Tomberlin, was raised in Luverne, Al, where he was a disc jockey at the age of 11, interviewing icons like Johnny Cash, Waylon and Tammy Wynette. Bobby was discovered by Mel Tillis and recently celebrated his 27th year as a staff songwriter for CURB Word Music. Bobby co-wrote “One More Day”, recorded by Diamond Rio, Darryl Worley’s Top 10 hit, “A Good Day To Run” and the recently Grammy nominated Dolly Parton/Bill Anderson single, “Someday It’ll All Make Sense”. Bobby has also had songs recorded by Blake Shelton, Willie Nelson, Barbra Streisand, Faith Hill, Josh Turner, Kenny Rogers, Joe Nichols, Rodney Atkins, Joe Diffie, Dylan Scott, Pam Tillis, Mo Pitney, Jamey Johnson, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chris Young, The Oak Ridge Boys, Deana Carter, Thompson Square, Bill Anderson, actor Chris Pine, Moe Bandy, Craig Morgan, Terri Clark, Neal McCoy, John Schneider, Lee Greenwood, Bobby Bare, Jeannie Seely, Steve Wariner, Rhonda Vincent and many others.
Jerry Salley
Referred to by Billboard Magazine as “One of Music Row’s greatest veteran tunesmiths,” Jerry Salley has had an incredibly successful, multi award-winning songwriting career. Nominated in 2019 for the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Salley is the 2018 & 2019 IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) Songwriter of the Year and was named the 2003 SESAC Country Music Songwriter of the Year. In 2020, Salley was nominated for a Grammy in the Gospel Roots category for producing the multi-artist project, Gonna Sing, Gonna Shout, on Billy Blue Records. Salley has had over 540 different songs recorded and his songs have sold in excess of 18 million records worldwide. Writing and singing in Nashville since 1982, he has written multiple hits in country, bluegrass, and gospel music and may well be the most successful songwriter to have earned equal recognition from all three genres of music.
Bill Whyte
Bill Whyte is a songwriter, comedian, Hall of Fame radio announcer and more.
His songwriting credits include “Safe Haven” by Hillary Scott & The Scott Family that was included on the album “Love Remains”. That album won the Grammy Award for “Best Contemporary Christian Album of 2016. He’s written songs for Joe Nichols, Ray Stevens, Cledus T. Judd, Del McCoury, Darin & Brooke Aldridge and others.
He’s also won a CMA Award for Best Large Market Radio Personality and inducted in the Country Radio Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2012.
Victoria Venier
Illinois native Victoria Venier is a multi-talented singer/songwriter whose songs have been recorded by artists worldwide. Her work is featured on the GRAMMY® and Dove nominated project “The Standard” by Take 6, and she is in high demand as a Nashville session singer. As a vocalist, she has backed up greats like Brenda Lee, Joe Diffie, Sandi Patti and BeBe Winans.
Steve Dean
Nashville singer/songwriter Steve Dean has co-written six number one Billboard hits, including the most played song on country radio in 2007 and Country AirCheck’s Song of the Decade in 2017, “Watching You” for Rodney Atkins, the Grammy nominated “It Takes a Little Rain” for the Oak Ridge Boys, “Southern Star” for Alabama, “Round About Way” for George Strait, “Walk On” for Reba McEntire, and “Hearts Aren’t Made to Break” for Lee Greenwood.
Among Steve’s musical influences are the Beatles, the Byrds, the Eagles, Buck Owens, Johnny Cash and Roger Miller.
Steve’s songs have been recorded by Sister Hazel, LoCash, Joe Nichols, Dierks Bentley, Lee Ann Womack, Waylon Jennings, Pure Prairie League and others. He has earned eight BMI Songwriter awards and two BMI Publisher awards.
Featured Performers
2023 BOUTIQUE GSF SCHEDULE
All events take place at the Historic Gatlinburg Inn.
Friday, Auguest 18
4 – 5 PM
MEET & GREET
Light appetizers, beer, wine
5 – 6 PM
Round #1
6 – 7 PM
Round #2
7 – 8 PM
Round #3
8 – 9 PM
ACOUSTIC ROUND / Fireplace Room
9 – 10:30 PM
2nd Floor Suites
One hit songwriter and up to 8 aspiring songwriters in every room.
Register at Meet and Greet after purchasing ticket
10:30 PM – ?
FRONT PORCH JAM
Saturday, August 19
TBD
10 AM – 12 PM
PANEL DISCUSSION with Hit Songwriters
1 – 2 PM
Round #4
2 – 3 PM
Round #5
3 – 4 PM
Round #6