For the past 15 years, the 30A Songwriters Festival has attracted thousands of dedicated live music fans from around the world to hear original songwriters spanning multiple genres perform their songs. The beach resort towns along Scenic Highway 30A on the Gulf of Mexico feature 30 venues presenting over 180 songwriters and 280+ solo, band, and in-the-round performances throughout the weekend of January 12 – 15, 2024.
30A Songwriters Festival will celebrate its 15th year with performances on the main stage at presenting partner Grand Boulevard’s Town Center in Miramar Beach with headline performances by renowned artists JEFF TWEEDY, ELVIS COSTELLO & THE IMPOSTERS, ROSANNE CASH and KT TUNSTALL.
The festival will also be welcoming the following first-timers to 30A: KELLY WILLIS, SHANNON WHITWORTH AND WOODY PLATT, SUNNY WAR, CHAPEL HART, JOHN MUQ, JACK BARKSDALE, THE PINK STONES, DAVID CHILDERS, MEGAN BURTT, RACHAEL KILGOUR, PETE FRANCIS, DEREK and KATELYN DRYE, MATTHEW KILLOUGH, MIKE KINNEBREW, CAITLIN CANNON and BAYLEE LITTRELL.
Returning to perform two shows each throughout the weekend are songwriting legends RODNEY CROWELL, JOHN OATES, STEVE EARLE, MATTHEW SWEET, MINDY SMITH, DRIVIN N CRYIN, AARON LEE TASJAN (WITH BAND), PARKER MILLSAP, PETER YARROW, DAVID RYAN HARRIS, SHAWN MULLINS, ROBYN HITCHCOCK, JOHN FULLBRIGHT, BLACK OPRY REVUE, VICKI PETERSON AND JOHN COWSILL, JEFFREY STEELE, DAVID LOWERY (CRACKER), EMERSON HART, THE REV. SHAWN AMOS &THE BROTHERHOOD, MARY GUTHIER, BETH NIELSEN CHAPMAN, SARAH LEE GUTHRIE, WILL HOGE, CHUCK PROPHET, FLORENCE DORE, DAN BERN and ABE PARTRIDGE.
We are pleased to announce the following additional confirmed artists:
Jeff Black, Heather Maloney, Scott Miller, Grant-Lee Phillips, Garrison Starr, Gurufish, Will Kimbrough, Kim Richey, Paul McDonald, Brendan Abernathy, Charlie Mars, Dan Navarro, Mary Bragg, Eliot Bronson, Pat Byrne, Robby Hecht, The Kennedys, Joe Leathers, Michael Farren, Martha's Trouble, Darden Smith, Brian White, Karyn Williams, Diane Durrett, The Rough & Tumble, Becky Warren, The Tall Pines, Levi Lowrey, Bradley Cole Smith, Trisha Gene Brady, Meaghan Farrell, Jesse Lynn Madera, Alice Peacock, Jennifer Lynn Simpson, Sammi Accola, Chris Alvarado, Pete Francis, Kurtis John, Casey LeVasseur, and Cat Ridgeway
An Additional 100+ Artists Will Be Announced Over the Next Few Weeks—Stay Tuned
Jeff Tweedy – As the founding member and leader of the Grammy Award winning legendary American rock band Wilco, and before that the co-founder of the groundbreaking alt‐country band Uncle Tupelo, Jeff Tweedy is one of contemporary music’s most accomplished songwriters, musicians, and performers. Jeff has released three solo albums, written original songs for thirteen Wilco albums, and is the author of two New York Times’ Bestselling books. Jeff will release his third book, World Within A Song, on Nov. 7, 2023. Jeff travels all over the world performing with Wilco and on his own to sold out audiences. We are extremely fortunate to welcome Jeff Tweedy to our headline stage to celebrate our 15th year of the 30A Songwriters Festival.
Elvis Costello & the Imposters - Elvis Costello has followed his musical curiosity in a career spanning more than 40 years. An award-winning songwriter, performer, author, and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Costello began his career as part of London’s pub rock scene in the early 1970s and became a seminal figure in the emerging new wave and British punk movements later in the decade. His debut album, My Aim Is True (1977) – inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame in 2007 – was a breakout success and was followed in rapid succession by This Year’s Model (1978) and Armed Forces (1979). All three appear on Rolling Stone’s list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time." He is perhaps best known for his performances with The Attractions and the Imposters. Acclaimed collaborators include Burt Bacharach, The Brodsky Quartet, Paul McCartney, and the Roots. His songs have been recorded by a number of great artists including: George Jones, Chet Baker, Johnny Cash, and Roy Orbison. This January, Elvis Costello and the Imposters will take to the mainstage at Grand Boulevard to dazzle the 15th Annual 30A Songwriters audience with a wide-ranging set of classic songs.
Rosanne Cash - When you read the name Rosanne Cash, chances are you think of the singer-songwriter with nearly two dozen Top 40 hits, fourteen Grammy nominations, and four Grammy Awards. If you have paid close attention, you may also think of Cash as an author, whose memoir Composed garnered praise from high-profile critics and landed on The New York Times’s bestseller list. Or you have seen her as a music community catalyst who often brings together giants of American roots music for various events. Or in documentary films, as someone with a valued voice and a first-hand experience of modern music history. If you take a step back, though, it becomes much clearer that Rosanne Cash is all these things at once. The totality of her role as an artist, a woman, and the responsible courier of a storied cultural legacy means Cash is a rare artist with many outlets. All of these point toward the same end: Her belief that art and culture are a vital, shaping force in society. Indeed, Rosanne Cash has begun with music and art since she launched her career in 1978. But that has always been just the beginning. This year, Rosanne will be performing with her longtime partner and collaborator John Leventhal and their band celebrating 30 years of music making together.
KT Tunstall - KT Tunstall burst onto the music scene with her 2004 multi-platinum debut, Eye to the Telescope, which spawned the global hits "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" and "Suddenly I See." These songs established Tunstall as a captivating, must-see performer, as well as a songwriter with a singular knack for balancing introspective folk and propulsive rock. "I feel there are two immediate, recognizable pillars of my style," she says. "I have this troubadour, acoustic guitar-driven emotional side. Then there's definitely a rocker side of me with sharper teeth." In the last few years, the Grammy-nominated Scottish Musician has expanded on these musical selves by focusing on a trilogy of records, where each album zeroes in on a single concept: soul, body and mind. The first, 2016's KIN, was the soul record; 2018 WAX was the body record, and the new NUT is the mind record.
The 30A Songwriters Festival production team transforms amphitheaters, town halls, restaurants, theaters, bars and covered patios into unique music venues with state of the art sound systems with capacities ranging from 100 to 1000 seats indoors and 6,000 outdoors.
The 30A Songwriters Festival is co-produced by Russell Carter Artist Management and the Cultural Arts Alliance (CAA) of Walton, and net proceeds from the Festival support the CAA's mission to advance the Arts in Walton County, Florida.
"We are thrilled to host Elvis Costello in January 2024," comments Russell Carter, President of Russell Carter Artist Management and Festival Co-Producer. "Most Artists who break commercially do so after many years of hard development work. Elvis Costello flat out burst on the international scene with his debut album My Aim is True. Seemingly out of nowhere he appeared on Saturday Night Live with a name borrowed from Presley and looks apprehended from Buddy Holly. He proceeded to rage like the British punk and pub rocker that he was. His debut record demonstrated a melodic sense on par with Lennon & McCartney and a lyrical and poetic prowess comparable to Dylan. Over several decades of album releases, Elvis has recorded amazing songs encompassing R&B, country, jazz, baroque pop, Tin Pan Alley and classical music. It is with tremendous pride that we introduce Elvis Costello, one of my very favorite artists and one of our generation's greatest songwriters, to the 30A Songwriters Festival.
"As we approach the 15th anniversary of the 30A Songwriters Festival, we want to acknowledge how fortunate we are to have hosted so many world class musicians in our small beach community," says Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County Executive Director and Co-Producer Jennifer Steele. “We gambled in 2010 that touring musicians would enjoy spending an extended weekend performing along the uniquely beautiful coast on the Gulf of Mexico, and fortunately Jackson Browne, Emmylou Harris, Jason Isbell, Mavis Staples, John Prine, Indigo Girls, Brian Wilson, Brandi Carlile, Grace Potter and hundreds more have proved us right. Our Festival is a partnership with venues, resort communities, rental agencies and hotels along Hwy. 30A and beyond, along with important regional and national business sponsors who all benefit from the exposure to the many thousands of music lovers the Festival attracts. Most importantly, our local community benefits as 100% of the Festival's net proceeds are further invested in our mission to foster creativity and our vision of a thriving Walton County where everyone experiences the power of the Arts."
Adds Carter, "There is a direct correlation between the success of the 30A Songwriters Festival and the richness of cultural arts experiences in our communities, including an Art in Public Spaces program (murals and sculptures), The Foster Gallery that supports local artists, professional theatre, the Underwater Museum of Art, Flutterby Children's Arts Festival, and the ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival."
Festival Weekend Passes are currently available at www.30asongwritersfestival.com. VIP tickets that include premium seating and complementary gourmet food and drinks in the VIP tent on Saturday and Sunday afternoons are also available. For a full description of each ticket package including VIP mainstage and full weekend transportation packages for groups of 2 up to 12, visit www.30asongwritersfestival.com.
The 30A Songwriters Festival is presented by Grand Boulevard with additional support from Visit South Walton, the Florida Department of State Division of Arts & Culture, WaterColor Inn and Resort, and ASCAP.
About the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County
The Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County, Inc. is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization that fosters the inclusive and collaborative advancement of the Arts and envisions a thriving Walton County where everyone experiences the power of the Arts. As the creative core of our community for 30 years, the CAA provides accessible opportunities for all forms of art, every variety of maker, all levels of learners and art lovers. Through support for and presentation of creative and educational programs and services, the CAA strives to connect the people of Walton County to a broader view, critical exploration and answers only the Arts have the power to provide. Members of the CAA receive a 10% discount off weekend passes and admission to an exclusive performance on Wednesday, January 12th. Call (850) 622-5970 to become a member and take advantage of the discount. www.culturalartsalliance.com.
About Russell Carter Artist Management
Russell Carter Artist Management is a full-service artist management firm that has worked with national recording artists since 1990 currently including Indigo Girls, Shawn Mullins, Matthew Sweet, Abe Patridge, and Sarah Lee Guthrie. Prior to forming RCAM, Russell Carter practiced entertainment law in Atlanta for ten years. He is a board member of the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (CAA) in Florida. RCAM, based in the 4th Ward in Atlanta, books, promotes, and co-produces the 30A Songwriters Festival with the CAA and co-produces the Opelika Songwriters Festival in Alabama with the Sound Wall.
About Grand Boulevard
Grand Boulevard is the shop, dine, play and stay Town Center located on Northwest Florida’s Beaches. Based on the prominent mixed-use architectural model, Grand Boulevard offers a dynamic lifestyle experience with convenient access to a multitude of exclusive shopping and dining options, entertainment, professional services, corporate offices and lodging. Grand Boulevard is a Howard Group and Merchants Retail Partners property. For more information visit GrandBoulevard.com.
