BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.), alongside iHeartMedia and Fort Myers, Island Beaches & Neighborhoods, is excited to present Songwriters for Southwest Florida, an Island Hopper Songwriter Fest relief concert benefiting hospitality workers in Lee County after the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Ian.
Please click the Donate button to make your donation today!
The event will be held at 3rd & Lindsley in Nashville on November 2nd at 7:00 PM. To purchase tickets, visit 3rdandlindsley.com.
The response to help was overwhelming, with many songwriters pledging their support to a community that has given so much to them during their time at the annual 10-day Island Hopper Songwriter Fest in Southwest Florida over the last eight years. The benefit concert will feature BMI songwriters who have performed at the festival since its inception. Some of the singer/songwriters contributing to the night's line-up include Aaron Barker, Kristian Bush of Sugarland, Sheena Brook, Brooke Eden, Tim James, Paul McDonald, Frank Myers, Danny Myrick, Maggie Rose, Stephanie Quayle, Maia Sharp, and more.
"Island Hopper is our favorite songwriter event of the year. We start counting down the days from the moment it hits our calendar. The community of Captiva, Fort Myers, and FM Beach have become an extended family for Meg and me." - Danny Myrick
"Island Hopper Songwriter Festival is one of the best Festivals in the country! People come from all over to spend 10 days between Captiva, Downtown Ft Myers, and Ft Myers Beach. Over the years, I've made many new friends/fans that return every year to meet the writers and hear the stories behind the hit songs! I look forward to going back every year and hanging with the artists/writers in one of the most relaxing, beautiful places in the country! I value every new friend that I've met and treasure all the ones that keep coming back." - Frank Myers
"My first time in Captiva was just this year. I love that beautiful little island. I left a piece of my heart there when I left just a week before Ian hit. I was shocked by all the destruction I saw on the news. I’m more than willing to come and lend my songs to help raise some money for this wonderful place and its people." - Matt Warren
"I’ve been fortunate enough to play shows in downtown Fort Myers, Fort Myers Beach, and Captiva Island for the past 7 years for the island hopper festival. The community has always been so inviting, full of love, and positivity. They continue to welcome me with open arms & make me feel like family. I think that’s what really makes this festival special & why I’ve always enjoyed coming back. I’ve become such close friends over the years with so many people involved in the festival, along with locals in the area. I know most of the hotel staff and bartenders by name. We were all just down there the weekend before the storm hit, and everyone was enjoying drinks and fellowship. I don’t think anyone had a clue it would be this devastating. It breaks my heart to see such an amazing group of people going through this. I’ll do anything in my power to help this beautiful community get through. Even after the worst storms, the sun will shine again. We’ll get there together." - Paul McDonald
Paul McDonald’s voice is immediately recognizable and impossible to ignore. He pulls off the rare feat of being a proper songwriter, adamant performer, and a powerful vocalist. He is often compared to legends like Rod Stewart and Tom Petty, and current artists like Ray Lamontagne or David Gray, the poetic story-driven narratives and deeply catchy hooks in his music are delivered by a raspy yet refined voice reminiscent of another era yet that demands to be heard right now. After years of fronting various rock and alt-country bands including The Grand Magnolias, Hightide Blues, and a duo with actress Nikki Reed, Paul released his solo debut Modern Hearts in 2018 which introduced a more alt-pop approach and brought him widespread exposure through tours across the U.S., a record deal in the U.K., and placements in major motion pictures, commercials, with cuts on other major artist records. He has made television appearances on Good Morning America, The Today Show, NBC’s Parenthood, and The Tonight Show and his various bands have appeared in publications including Rolling Stone, Billboard, and American Songwriter.
Aaron Barker spent the better part of two decades in a band that performed at military bases and public events across the U.S. During long stretches on the bus, he began experimenting with writing songs. His first attempt, “Baby Blue,” was recorded by George Strait and topped the country chart in Billboard. Aaron soon began performing his original material in small clubs and cafes. One night after a long father-son talk, he wrote: “Love Without End, Amen.” Once again, his song was recorded by George Strait and topped the country chart. After that, more Strait hits followed: “Easy Come, Easy Go,” “I’d Like To Have That One Back,” “I Know She Still Loves Me,” and “I Can Still Make Cheyenne.” Aaron’s hits with other artists include “Not Enough Hours In The Night” by Doug Supernaw, “Watch This” and “You’re Beginning To Get To Me” by Clay Walker, and “What About Now” by Lonestar. Aaron is also the writer and singer of many radio and television commercials for the Blue Bell Ice Cream Company, including “Have Yourself A Blue Bell Country Day” and “The Good Ol’ Days.” In 2007 he was inducted into the Texas Songwriters Hall of Fame.
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Jeff’s first break arrived when his Pancho’s Lament song “Truth About Romeo” became the theme for the WB Network show “Jack and Jill.” His songs have also been featured on “Army Wives,” “The Simpson’s,” “Saturday Night Live,” in addition to films like “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.” As a songwriter, Jeff wrote the top 5 hits “Crazy For This Girl” (Evan and Jaron) and the top 15 country hit “Holy Water” (Big and Rich) which shot to # 1 on the CMT and GAC video charts. Recently he wrote “Postcard from Paris,” which was released by The Band Perry and went to #5 on the Billboard Country charts. Other artists who have recorded his songs include Sugarland, The Band Perry, Josh Groban, Macy Gray, Ilse DeLange, Sara Evans, Matthew Morrison of Glee.
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Singer / Songwriter Lance Carpenter pens hits of contemporary country radio while still staying true to his traditional background. Growing up on a farm in Ozark, Arkansas, Lance moved to Nashville in 2011, and within 18 months, he signed his first publishing deal and secured two major cuts. Lance achieved his first #1 Hit by co-writing Kelsea Ballerini's single “Love Me Like You Mean It.” In his latest project – The Demo Sessions, Lance is releasing one song per month during 2021. The project includes 12 songs, 19 co-writers, 11 producers, and 18 musicians, with the upcoming single “You’re Beautiful” releasing on July 16, 2021. But before this big-hearted Arkansas farm kid had any success in music, he chose a career of service to others. Carpenter got a job with the State of Arkansas after graduation from Arkansas Tech University and subsequently with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), where he worked to support those affected by dozens of disasters, including Hurricane Katrina. Amid the considerable stress and turmoil of the job, he found that the music he loved was able to quiet his mind and focus his heart. Slowly and often unintentionally, the power of crafting lyrics and melody drew Lance in a new direction.
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Sheena is a singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who has entertained audiences for decades throughout the States. Her music and live performances are simply captivating as she shares her personal journeys through Life, Love and Loss. Staying true to herself is evident in her performances, and that honesty has become the catalyst to her passion for music. Sheena was selected for NBC’s Season 12 of The Voice where she was hand-picked by Adam Levine. Since her appearance, Sheena has moved on to partner with several Multi-Platinum Songwriters and Artists that have evolved her unique songwriting style with tracks such as; Piece Of Me, Tongues Of Angels and her debut single Bad Bitches Like Me. Sheena is also the founder of The F.E.M. Collective, an organization that hosts events in support of women and equality in the industry. Her mission through music is to empower the people around her to feel free and to be themselves without apology or fear.
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Grammy award-winning songwriter Tim James is the co-writer of the 5-week #1 “My List” by Toby Keith, the Bucky Covington Top 10 “It’s Good To Be Us”, and the smash debut from the Lost Trailers “Holler Back”. James has had over 50 major label cuts by artists such as Alabama, Darius Rucker, Craig Morgan, Chris Young, Montgomery Gentry, LeeAnn Womack, Joe Nichols, Buddy Jewel, Josh Turner, and contemporary Christian artist Point of Grace. James penned the Trace Adkins single “All I Ask For Anymore”, which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Country Song of 2009, and the 2010 Billboard song of the year and #1 “Love Like Crazy”, by Lee Brice. “Love Like Crazy” was nominated for ACM song of the year in 2010 and broke a record for consecutive weeks on the charts. James also wrote the Rodney Atkins single “He’s Mine”, the George Strait #1 single “Give It All We Got Tonight”, and the title track and single from the Darius Rucker album “Southern Style”. James also penned the single, “Either Way”, from the Grammy-winning Chris Stapleton album entitled “From A Room, Volume 1”.