By Will Estell
This Oct. 24 and 25, the white sands and emerald waters of the World’s Luckiest Fishing Village will serve as the picturesque backdrop for five stages of music and fun at the second annual Destin Songwriter Festival. If you’re a fan of great songs, beautiful backdrops and all the fun that fall along our coastal paradise offers, you’re going to want to grab your tickets fast and join in on the celebration.
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.”
Carolyn Dawn Johnson is a well-versed hit songwriter and recording artist. Johnson penned Chely Wright’s No. 1 hit “Single White Female” and Jo Dee Messina’s “Downtime,” in addition to Johnson’s own 2001 hit, “Complicated.”
Bridgette Tatum, best known for writing Jason Aldean’s “She’s Country,” Randy Houser’s “Back” and Gretchen Wilson’s “Big Wood Deck,” has helped shape the sound of modern country music.
Saturday’s main stage will be located directly in front of The Edge Seafood restaurant. Pennings says the main stage shows are bring-your-own-chair events and run from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday main stage tickets are only $30, with a very limited number of eight-person tables also available for purchase.
Saturday Main Stage
5-5:50 p.m. — “Next of Nashville” with Bryce Leatherwood, Jessie G and Reed Foley
6-6:50 p.m. — “Female Power Round” with Terri Jo Box, Bridgette Tatum and Carolyn Dawn Johnson
7-7:50 p.m. — Headliner Jeffrey Steele, solo
For Sunday, the festival moves to the remarkable grounds of The Alice, where lucky ticket holders will relish an intimate VIP experience with reserved high-top seating. Sunday tickets are remarkably priced at only $60, with on-site food and beverages available for purchase. Pennings tells me that a very limited quantity of only 10 tables, with eight seats each, are also available for purchase and will include special VIP swag.
Sunday at The Alice
4-4:30 p.m. — Surprise artist TBA
4:45-6:15 p.m. — Operation Song presents Jamie Floyd, Matt Wynn and Kelli Johnson
6:15-6:30 p.m. — Official premiere of the music video “Something Blue,” the story of Kristin Sullivan, written by Jessie G and Matt Wynn
6:30-7:30 p.m. — “Female Power Round” featuring headliners Terri Jo Box, Bridgette Tatum and Carolyn Dawn Johnson
7:45-8:45 p.m. — Headliner Jeffrey Steele, solo
I asked my friend and fellow music lover Destin Mayor Bobby Wagner what having Destin Songwriter Festival back for its second year means to him. “As someone who loves music, I see this festival as more than entertainment. It’s a chance for our locals to revel in the talent and for our visitors and vacationers to experience the spirit of Destin through both song and the beautiful backdrops of our harbor area and The Alice.”
Organizer and CEO Pennings also reminded me that while the festival is about music, it’s also about giving back. As such, a portion of the proceeds will benefit Operation Song, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to helping veterans, active-duty service members and their families tell their stories through songwriting — a mission that reminds us of the powerful connection between music and healing. Being a veteran-owned festival is something Pennings says he is especially proud of.
When I asked Pennings what he was most excited about in coming back for a second year of Destin Songwriter Festival, he enthusiastically said, “I couldn’t be prouder of how much this festival has grown in just one year. A huge part of that momentum comes from the incredible support of our presenting sponsor, Patriot Vodka, and North American Spirits Inc. Their belief in this festival and commitment to helping us bring it to life has been instrumental in taking us to the next level.
We’re incredibly grateful to have Patriot Vodka in our corner as we build something truly special that we believe can become a signature event for Destin. I want to encourage everyone to come out, experience it for yourself and help us continue building.”
Visit destinsongwriterfestival.com for the latest updates, ticket information, artist announcements and insider travel tips for making the most of your festival fun.
Will Estell is a writer, editor and entrepreneur whose 25-plus-year media career includes more than 750 regional and national articles and the launch of 12 magazines. Chief creative officer of Estell Hussey Media and CEO of 399 Ventures, he has written one-on-one features on Kenny Chesney, Darius Rucker, Alan Jackson, Florida Georgia Line, Sara Evans, the iconic Jimmy Buffett and dozens of other artists. He also consults for media entities nationwide and works in coastal real estate and development. A father of three from the backwoods of Booneville, Miss., Estell and his wife, WEAR ABC 3 news anchor Laura Hussey Estell, call Destin and Navarre home. He is a longtime regular contributor to Life Media’s family of publications.
