Biggest Takeaways From The 16th Annual 30A Songwriters Fest


The stretch of coastline between Destin and Panama City, FL was a rather unremarkable and undeveloped portion of the Florida Panhandle even up to recent memory. That’s certainly not the case anymore. Swanky resorts, retirement condominium villas, luxury properties, and a host of fine and casual dining options and upscale shopping now crowd along a little two-lane county road called 30A. It truly is the American South’s version of the Riviera, with all due respect to Daytona.

This geography is also the location for the 30A Songwriters Festival, which hosted its 16th annual event January 16th thru 20th in 2025. Titans of the songwriting world such as Chris Knight, Brandy Clark, Darrell Scott, Mary Gauthier, Natalie Hemby, Hayes Carl, John Paul White, and Will Hoge joined the next generation of legendary songwriters like Tommy Prine, Beth Bombara, Elliott Bronson, Lily Hyatt, Mary Bragg, and more.

For the people who live along and around 30A—and those willing to travel to it and Airbnb a condo—it’s an incredible opportunity to experience some of the premiere songwriters in the world who travel to attend what has become one of the most vaunted songwriter showcases on the calendar.

Each beach community on the coast houses multiple stages, and most songwriters play two or more shows over the week. This gives patrons an opportunity to see songwriters in sometimes unique and intimate performance spaces, along with the spacious main stage at Grand Boulevard where both songwriters and full electric bands can be featured.

Beyond the festival, 30A has become a year-round songwriting haven, and for some, a primary or secondary residence to their homes in Nashville or elsewhere. Sometimes these songwriters show up to the neighborhood spots and regale the local residents, far away from the luring eyes of the popular music world. It’s hard to not be inspired with the sea right over your shoulder, and other songwriters to collaborate with. 30A isn’t just where great songs are showcased, it’s also where many great songs are written.

One logistical hurdle anyone looking to attend this festival should understand is that the fest stretches out across the entire coastline of Walton County. That means tapping into all or even most of the songwriting talent assembled over the week is difficult. As opposed to walking from one stage to another like at a traditional festival, or maybe taking a five-minute Uber or shuttle ride to the next destination, venues can stretch as much as 40 minutes apart as you try to plan your itinerary.

Saving Country Music found it frustrating to fit both the songwriting legends into the mix, and find time for artist discovery with everything so spread out, and so many simultaneous performances. But once you did get in front of a songwriter and that intimate hush fell over the crowd, you were in musical bliss.

The 30A Songwriters Festival benefits the Cultural Arts Alliance or CAA of Walton County, which goes to benefit art programs throughout the region, including for schools, the Boys & Girls Club, as well as a prison songwriting program you will hear much more about here soon.

Here are fives artist takeaways from the 2025 30A Songwriters Festival.


Willi Carlisle


Multi-instrumental and sometimes irreverential, Willi Carlisle is like a kid’s birthday entertainer, only for adults. He hides the deep wisdom of his lyricism in humor and stage frivolity, so you don’t realize you’re ingesting deep soul medicine.

It was a hoot to witness the old soul folkie perform at 30A Songwriters Fest in Walton County, Florida this week. He played new songs from an upcoming new album he has up his sleeve produced by Darrell Scott, who happened to be in the audience. Mary Gauthier and Jaimee Harris were also seen listening in. You know a good artist when their fellow artists show up to support.


Holly Williams


Fans of the granddaughter of Hank Williams have been waiting rather impatiently for new music since the last album from Holly Williams was 2013’s The Highway and it was so excellent. She promised before her performance at 30A that new music was coming this year. She also acknowledged that she said that last year at 30A too. But this year, she means it.

Since The Highway, Holly’s had three children, and as she said right before her 10:50 pm set, she’d spent 15 hours that day parenting. Like so many songwriters, she also calls 30A a second home, and goes to church in the Rosemary Beach Town Hall where she performed on Saturday night.

Williams teared up when performing one of her signature songs, “Waiting On June” about her maternal grandmother.


Chris Knight


It’s uncanny how Chris Knight can take such simple notions, and turn them into exaltations for the common man and their common struggles. He’s the headwaters of erudite knowledge served in plainspoken terms that all other songwriters seek.

If you want the real deal wisdom and perspective of forgotten America, you go strait to the source. And for artists like Randy Travis, John Anderson, and Lee Ann Womack who’ve all cut his songs—and for thousands of loyal fans over the years—that source is Chris Knight.

In his sharp Kentucky accent and plainspoken language, this anti-star can impart learning on the level of the Dalai Lama, if you listen.

Before there was Sturgill Simpson, before there was Tyler Childers, before the was an Appalachian revolution of songwriters from Kentucky turning country music around, there was Chris Knight.


Charlie Starr and Benji Shanks of Blackberry Smoke


Great musicians can do more with less, know how to choose their notes wisely, and don’t need electrification to create magic.

Charlie Starr and Benji Shanks of Blackberry Smoke are two such musicians, and they’re currently creating such magic on a short run acoustic tour. True fans know acoustic shows are where the most memorable moments can occur. Charlie and Benji made plenty of them at the 30A Songwriters Fest.

They played a lot of Blackberry Smoke’s most recognizable tunes, but also took the opportunity to play a handful of covers you won’t get to see Charlie and Benji play, including a Willis Alan Ramsey song.


The Secret Sisters


The songs are dark and moody, roiling the unsettled emotions that afflict the psyche until they’re roused to the surface to be vanquished. Yet the blood harmonies send you to a warm, sublime place, unburdening and uplifting to the soul.

This was the rich experience of seeing the Grammy-nominated Secret Sisters perform live, as patrons of the 30A Songwriters Fest witnessed. Laura Rogers and Lydia Slagle have played the festival numerous times before. But this was the first year they were featured on the main stage. Once down and out in the music business and being sued by they’re manager, now The Secret Sisters are one of the preeminent performers in Americana.


Other Photos:

Gary Louris of The Jayhawks
The Pink Stones playing at AJs
Songwriter Beth Bombara
Certainly So
Caitlin Cannon helped kick off 30A on Thursday night in a local cafe
The Black Opry Revue featuring Nicky Diamonds, Julia Cannon, and Nick Tabron
The Italian-inspired architecture of Caliza at Alys Beach—a luxury resort community on 30A
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