NSAI CELEBRATES SUCCESS OF 34th ANNUAL TIN PAN SOUTH

Apr. 06, 2026

General News Tin Pan South

Nashville, TN – (April 6, 2026) – Recently in support of the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), thousands of enthusiastic music fans were filling venues across the city of Nashville, all eager to discover and support the creators who find lyric and melody out of thin air and gift songs that fill the airwaves, soundtrack life’s moments, and speak to us all.

Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival, a pinnacle week for songwriters around the world, was held March 24-28, 2026 as NSAI and presenting partner Regions Bank celebrated those creators at the 34th annual festival, featuring hundreds of songwriters throughout the five-day event. With 10 venues, 97 shows, and over 300 hours of stories and songs, nearly 12,000 fans experienced unvarnished, intimate performances of current hits, legendary tunes, future chart-topping songs, and anthems that have been cemented in music history.

A true “you had to be there” experience, there is nothing like Tin Pan South where you can take in music from all genres, a variety of decades, and hear never-before-told stories. Next year will mark the 35th anniversary of the festival and attendees can prepare to join the celebration March 30 – April 3, 2027.

As is tradition at the festival, various last minute lineup additions and special guest appearances added to the excitement of the 2026 event and audiences were surprised with appearances by songwriters and artists such as Bob DiPiero, Kashus Culpepper, Sam Palladio, Forrest Whitehead, Rivers Rutherford, Jaxson Free, Matthew Perryman Jones, Dave Turnbull, Andy Buckner, Erin Kirby and Kassi Ashton among others. In addition, numerous songwriters who were scheduled to perform on other rounds chose to join friends and co-writers on stages to extend their time with the festival!

Pictured: Bob DiPiero, Parker Welling, Lydia Vaughan, Rhett Akins backstage at 3rd and Lindsley Nashville (Jack Daniel's Stage). Credit: Tom Turk for Tin Pan South

Throughout the week, show to show featured a wide variety of genres and songs that spanned decades. At the Custom House by Guitar Center Stage (Station Inn) James Otto quieted the audience with a stunning rendition of “In Color” (recorded by Jamey Johnson) on Tuesday while Contemporary Christian artist and cross-genre hit songwriter Matthew West performed at Anzie Blue.

Pictured: Matthew West performing at Anzie Blue. Credit: Thomas Kibodeaux for Tin Pan South

On Wednesday the Tennessee Association of Broadcasters Stage (1865 Club) welcomed the Y’all 106.7 show featuring iconic songwriters Chuck Cannon, Billy Dean and James Dean Hicks, while audiences at the Jack Daniel’s Stage (3rd and Lindsley Nashville) enjoyed a show featuring ASCAP writers Pat Alger, Caylee Hammack, and Mark Irwin at 6 p.m., and then a round featuring NSAI Board President and #1 hit songwriter Lee Thomas Miller with Sela Campbell, Thomas Edwards, Randy Montana, and Randy Rogers, presented by BMI took place at 9 p.m.!

Pictured L-R: Mark Irwin, Kurt Ozan, Caylee Hammack, Pat Alger performing at the round presented by ASCAP at 3rd and Lindsley Nashville (Jack Daniel's Stage). Credit: Tom Turk for Tin Pan South

Thanks to Southwest Airlines®, numerous winners throughout the festival were recipients of a Southwest Surprise and Delight, each taking home a certificate for roundtrip air travel courtesy of Tin Pan South’s official airline partner!

Pictured: Lucky recipients of a Southwest Surprise and Delight with Ana Schwager, Senior Corporate Responsibility Regional Manager for Southwest Airlines® at the Tennessee Entertainment Commission Stage (Analog at Hutton Hotel). Credit: Jason Davis for Tin Pan South

Pictured L-R: Morgan Johnston, Stephen Kirk, Jenna Andrews, Kendall Cudd, Mattie Pruitt at the round presented by Mix 92.9 at Love and Exile (Nashville Scene Stage). Credit: Jason Davis for Tin Pan South

Thursday saw shows such as five-time CMA Musician of the Year Jenee Fleenor alongside #1 hit songwriter Rob Hatch and Jenny Tolman, recent contestant on CBS/Paramount+ show The Road at the round presented by SESAC on the Tennessee Entertainment Commission Stage (Analog at Hutton Hotel) while singer-songwriter Sean McConnell (cuts by Tim McGraw, Martina McBride, Christina Aguilera, Plain White T's) joined John Eddie and Olivia Wolf at the Southbound Tequila Stage (The Bluebird Cafe).

On Friday and Saturday, the Nashville Scene Stage (Love and Exile) saw Jenna Andrews and Stephen Kirk, co-writers of hits “What It Sounds Like” and “Free” featured in the viral Netflix sensation KPop Demon Hunters perform, the Visit Music City Stage (The Cowan) hosted the four songwriters behind the hit song “Texas” (recorded by Blake Shelton) - Johnny Clawson, Lalo Guzman, Kyle Sturrock, and Josh Dorr (who also co-wrote Lana Del Rey and Quavo’s record-breaking song “Tough”) at 6 p.m., while the 9 p.m. round opened with “Grenade” (recorded by Bruno Mars) performed by Louis York, and simultaneously over at the Beyerdynamic Stage (Commodore Grille) Lydia Slagle of The Secret Sisters was filling the room up with pure Americana on the round featuring Slagle, Matthew Perryman Jones, and Mary Bragg.

Pictured: Sean McConnell, John Eddie, and Olivia Wolf perform for a packed room at The Bluebird Cafe (Southbound Tequila Stage) Credit: Jason Davis for Tin Pan South

Pictured: Chuck Harmony and Claude Kelly (Louis York), Jamie Floyd, Mark D. Sanders, Megan Mullins Owen after their round at The Cowan (Visit Music City Stage). Credit: NSAI / Chance Phebus

Pictured: Matthew Perryman Jones at the Commodore Grille (beyerdynamic Stage).

Credit: Jason Davis for NSAI

Pictured L-R: Abby Anderson, Charlie Chronopoulos, Brennan Burns, Wyatt Durrette performing at 1865 Club (Tennessee Association of Broadcasters Stage). Credit: Jason Davis for Tin Pan South

Pictured: Musicnotes Stage at Cross-Eyed Critters Watering Hole welcomes the Lightning 100 presented round featuring Katie Pruitt, Lawrence Rothman, and Daniel Tashian. Credit: Jason Davis for Tin Pan South

Five days dedicated to promoting NSAI's mission to educate, elevate, celebrate, and advocate for the songwriter, the support was felt all around the city and beyond that songwriters are the lifeblood of Music City and a professional career that is invaluable. Plans are underway to bring a worthy celebration of the festival's 35th year so stay tuned!

For more festival information and to stay up-to-date on all things Tin Pan South, visit www.tinpansouth.com, follow @tinpansouth and @nsaiofficial on Facebook and Instagram.

Tin Pan South thanks our loyal partners: Regions Bank, Southwest Airlines, Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, Jack Daniel's, Custom House at Guitar Center, Southbound Tequila, Tennessee Entertainment Commission, Shield™ by Guardant Health, beyerdynamic, Musicnotes, Nashville Scene, Tennessee Association of Broadcasters, ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, Hutton Hotel, Graduate by Hilton Nashville, NewsChannel 5, Lamar Advertising of Nashville, 103.3 Country, 96.3 JACKfm, Lightning 100, Mix 92.9, 95.5 WSM, Y'all 106.7, MusicRow Magazine, Social Indoor of Nashville, NASHtoday, WMT Digital, Americana Music Association.

About Regions Financial Corporation

Regions Financial Corporation (NYSE:RF), with $159 billion in assets, is a member of the S&P 500 Index and is one of the nation’s largest full-service providers of consumer and commercial banking, wealth management, and mortgage products and services. Regions serves customers across the South, Midwest and Texas, and through its subsidiary, Regions Bank, operates approximately 1,250 banking offices and more than 1,750 ATMs. Regions Bank is an Equal Housing Lender and Member FDIC. Additional information about Regions and its full line of products and services can be found at www.regions.com.

About Tin Pan South
Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival, established in 1993 by NSAI, is the largest songwriter’s festival in the world. It offers audiences a platform to discover rising songwriters and watch songwriting legends in their element. Every genre is well represented; some of the artists who have graced the stage in the past include Art Garfunkel, Carole King, Donna Summer, Josh Osborne, Lamont Dozier, Lori McKenna, RaeLynn, and Thomas Rhett. More information can be found here.

About Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI)
The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) is the world's largest not-for-profit songwriters trade organization. Established in 1967, the membership of more than 5,000 spans the United States and 10 foreign countries. For over 58 years, NSAI has been dedicated to protecting the rights of and serving aspiring and professional songwriters in all genres of music. For more information, visit nashvillesongwriters.com.

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