Atlanta Guitar Art Music Lover Enjoys Key West Spring Songwriter’s Festival

BMI’s 17th Annual Key West Songwriter’s Festival  May 2-6 was a terrific event with not only an opportunity to hear great music but to socialize with attendees, performers and music executives. The well chosen venues were conveniently located along, or near Duval Street; and allowed attendees to be very close to the performers. Paul Heller and his wife Diane attended this Key West event for the first time having frequented numerous Nashville songwriter’s performances including the premier annual event, Tin Pan South that occurs each year in late March. The festival exposed numerous people to Paul’s intriguing and unique Guitar Art which received rave reviews.

At most events in Nashville, the songwriters are available typically for a few minutes after their performance while they pack up to head home or wherever. At this festival songwriters hang out prior and after their performances often listening to other acts and mingling with whomever. This uniquely allows attendees to interact with songwriters to a greater extent. One of those hanging out plenty was extremely approachable Storme Warren, host of a leading Great American Country television show.

Performances That Share A Song’s True Meaning

Listening to the “inspiration” behind the songs as well as a song’s “journey” create the many highlights that motivates the Hellers to attend these songwriter festivals. Examples included:

• Phillip Coleman explaining that his moving song” Cost of Living” was based on his true story of being unemployed the result of not having had a song of his cut for over ten years. Coleman further explained that it took over twelve years since initially writing the song for Ronnie Dunn to select, slightly modify and release this chart-topping single.
• Jeffrey Steele’s explanation  that the Rascal Flatts’ mega-hit “Everyday” was a collaboration of both hearing a piano riff of Alissa Moreno at a Colorado songwriter bootcamp and hearing Sarah Buxton previously comment that her roommate “saves her life everyday”.

Another exciting event was going down to the Southernmost Beach Café venue early Sunday morning to hear Granville Automatic. To my initial dismay I thought they were singing cover songs when I first heard a Sugarland mega-hit. Then I realized that Vanessa Olivarez was the third original Sugarland singer. In checking her background not only was she an integral part of Sugarland but she also a top twelve member of season two  American Idol.

Guitar Art Enjoyed By LoCash Cowboys

At our favorite venue, the Smokin’ Tuna Saloon, Preston Brust of the LoCash Cowboys broke out Paul’s “Electrifying Blue” Guitar Art and played as if he was a champion air guitarist. See Photo. Visit www.Guitars-4-Stars.com for additional information on Exquisite Custom Guitar Art.