The Chattanooga Songwriters Association will host its first Chattanooga Songwriters Festival this weekend at Sugar's Downtown, 507 Broad St. The event, scheduled 8-11 both nights, features several local and national talents, including three prolific members of the Nashville Songwriters Association International.
The Chattanooga Songwriters Association was created this year by Thom Cavin. Regional and local writers share the stage performing their original material and discussing their work at weekly showcases.
Tonight's featured artist is NSAI President Steve Bogard, who has written more than 1,050 songs, according to an online biography. To date, Bogard has eight No. 1 country songs among 18 ASCAP and BMI award winners, including George Strait's "Carried Away" and "Carrying Your Love With Me," Rascal Flatts' "Prayin' for Daylight" and Dierks Bentley's "Every Mile a Memory," a 2007 Grammy nominee for Country Song of the Year.
He will be joined by local hitmaker Roger Alan Wade, who has penned songs recorded by country legends such as Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, George Jones and Hank Williams Jr. Also scheduled are local songwriters Summer Hullender, Bernie Faukner, Hannah Thomas and A Man Called Bruce.
Saturday night features NSAI songwriters Chuck Cannon & Chuck Jones, along with Robby Hopkins, Jennifer Daniels, Jordan Hallquist and David Brown.
Cannon, president of the NSAI in 2001-03, has had his songs recorded by such artists as Billy Dean, Sawyer Brown, Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton. His "I Love the Way You Love Me," recorded by John Michael Montgomery, was the Academy of Country Music's 1993 Song of the Year. His "How Do You Like Me Now" was a No. 1 hit for Toby Keith and a 2001 nominee for ACM Single of the Year.
Jones' best-known songs include "Your Love Amazes Me." John Berry's version was TNN/Music City News Country Song of the Year in 1994. He also wrote "Love a Little Stronger" (Diamond Rio), "Faithfully" (Peter Cetera); "Only the Wind" (Billy Dean) and "Count Me In" (Deanna Carter).
Admission is $30 for both days and $20 for a single day. Visit www.chattanoogasongwritersfestival.com for more information.