The Gatlinburg Songwriters Festival is almost here!
On August 21 and 22, some of Nashville’s best songwriters will gather right here at the Historic Gatlinburg Inn for two days of live music, hit songs, and the stories behind them.
The songwriting seminar and co-writing experiences have already sold out. But General Admission tickets are still available, and there is plenty of great music left to enjoy.
Hear the Stories Behind the Songs
A songwriter festival is different from a regular concert.
You’re not just hearing someone perform a song. You’re hearing how that song came together. You may learn where the idea started, what inspired a certain line, or how a song almost never got recorded.
Then the songwriter plays it.
These are songs you may have heard on the radio for years. But hearing them performed by the person who actually wrote them is a completely different experience.
A Big Lineup in a Small Room
The Gatlinburg Songwriters Festival is an intimate event. You won’t be watching the performers from the other side of a giant arena. You’ll be sitting just a few feet away. That’s a big part of what makes this festival so much fun.
The 2026 lineup includes Wil Nance, Irene Kelley, Brady Seals, Danny Wells, Bobby Tomberlin, Jerry Salley, Steve Dean, Steve Williams, Victoria Venier, Janelle Arthur, Pete Sallis, Jason Sever, and more.
Their songs have been recorded by artists including George Strait, Reba McEntire, Alabama, Blake Shelton, Tim McGraw, Loretta Lynn, Rascal Flatts, Diamond Rio, The Oak Ridge Boys, and many others.
You’ll hear writers perform in small groups throughout the weekend. They’ll trade songs, tell stories, laugh, and sometimes surprise each other. It feels less like a formal concert and more like sitting in on a Nashville songwriter round.
You’ll Probably Know Some of These Songs
Even if you don’t recognize every songwriter’s name, you will probably recognize their work.
Danny Wells wrote “Check Yes or No” for George Strait and “These Days” for Rascal Flatts. Steve Dean co-wrote “Watching You” for Rodney Atkins, along with hits for Alabama, Reba McEntire, George Strait, and The Oak Ridge Boys.
Bobby Tomberlin co-wrote Diamond Rio’s “One More Day.” Steve Williams co-wrote “Redneck Yacht Club.” Brady Seals co-wrote Little Texas hits including “What Might Have Been,” “God Blessed Texas,” and “My Love.”
That’s just scratching the surface.
These writers have helped create the soundtrack to a lot of people’s lives. At the festival, you get to hear those songs stripped down to the way they first sounded: one songwriter, one instrument, and one great story.
Meet the Next Generation of Songwriters
The festival also includes the 2026 Rising Stars.
Rowdy Shea, Jael Gadsen, Noah Patten, and Renee Amelia will perform Friday evening and return for a special Rising Stars Showcase on Saturday afternoon.
Part of the fun of a songwriter festival is hearing the big hits. Another part is discovering a new artist or song before everyone else does.
You never know. You may hear the next big country hit while it is still brand new.
Two Days of Live Music
The music begins Friday afternoon with a meet and greet, followed by four songwriter shows. Saturday includes a breakfast show, the Rising Stars Showcase, more songwriter rounds, and the Bobby Tomberlin Radio Hour to close out the festival.
The seminar and special co-writing opportunities are sold out, but General Admission tickets still give music fans the main reason to come: the performances, as well as the opportunity to meet and talk to all these amazing songwriters.
And there are a lot of them.
Get Your Tickets Now
The sold-out seminar and co-writing events tell you something: people are excited about this festival.
If you love country music, great stories, or the craft of songwriting, don’t wait too long to get your General Admission tickets.
The Gatlinburg Songwriters Festival takes place August 21 and 22, 2026, at the Historic Gatlinburg Inn.
Come hear the hits. Meet the writers. Discover some new favorites. And enjoy a weekend of real music right here in downtown Gatlinburg.
Visit gatlinburgsongwriters.com to view the complete schedule and purchase tickets.
