Key West Songwriters Festival Shines Spotlight on Those Who Write the Hits You Hear
KEY WEST, Fla. — A southern migration — of music — has kicked off in Key West this week with more than 200 music makers from Nashville converging on the Conch Republic for the 29th Annual Key West Songwriters Festival.
Live music, set against a simmering sunset and glistening waters, provided the perfect backdrop for opening night kickoff party on Sunset Pier in Key West, with songwriters belting out the hits they wrote for musicians you may know.
Singer/songwriter Brian Fuller captivated the crowds with his sultry set, while The All Star Band featuring, Dylan Altman, Guthrie Trapp, and Robert Randolph closed out the night just as the sun was setting into the warm waters off Sunset Pier in Key West.
The five-day festival, presented by BMI, with Rams Head Presents and the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association, fills the Southernmost City with music while turning up the volume on the talents of Nashville’s rising stars and well-established music makers.
From April 30 to May 4, 2025, BMI songwriters will perform 60 plus shows for more than 30-thousand music lovers at some of Key West’s most iconic locations, offering both free and ticketed performances.
Think intimate concerts. Acoustic sets. Storytelling sessions. Late-night jams and full-bands, including a free outdoor concert, Saturday, May 3 on Key West’s legendary Duval Street by platinum-selling country duo LOCASH with Thomas Edwards.
Proceeds from the five-day event benefit the BMI Foundation, a nonprofit founded in 1985 that supports music education and creation through various grants and scholarships, along with Michelle’s Foundation, a Key West-based nonprofit that helps children and families in need.
For a complete schedule of events, visit: keywestsongwritersfestival.com.
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Singer/Songwriter Robert Randolph and his All Star Band belt out a soulful set during the kickoff concert at the 29th Annual Key West Songwriters Festival in Key West, Fla., April 30, 2025. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY (Mark Hedden/Florida Keys News Bureau)
Music fans got a double dose of satisfaction with this brilliant backdrop at the 29th Annual Key West Songwriters Festival kickoff concert. Hundreds of fans swayed to the music written by emerging artists on Ocean Key’s Sunset Pier in Key West, Fla., on April 30, 2025. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY (Mark Hedden/Florida Keys News Bureau)
Musician Robert Randolph brings the heat with his sultry songs during the kickoff night of the 29th Annual Key West Songwriters Festival. Hundreds of fans packed Ocean Key’s Sunset Pier in Key West, Fla., for an evening of songs, stories, and soul-filled sets on April 30, 2025. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY (Mark Hedden/Florida Keys News Bureau)
Did someone say jam-session? Gable Bradley and Joey Hyde show the crowd how it’s done during the kickoff concert for the 29th Annual Key West Songwriters Festival in Key West, Fla., on April 30, 2025. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY (Mark Hedden/Florida Keys News Bureau)
What does it take to make it as a songwriter? Ask Brian Fuller, whose hit song is coming out a few days. He was one of the many musicians who headlined the opening concert at the 29th Annual Key West Songwriters Festival in Key West, Fla., April 30, 2025. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY (Mark Hedden/Florida Keys News Bureau)
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