News

Actions

Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival celebrates 32 years

What began as an event with a few shows in a couple venues blossomed into a festival featuring 400 performances
Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival celebrates 32 years
Posted
and last updated

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Thirty two years ago, leaders of the Nashville Songwriters Association International launched an event to celebrate songwriters. They called it 'Tin Pan South.' Today, the festival is known worldwide for bringing together the best of the best — performing songs and telling the stories behind them on stage across Music City.

I had the opportunity to enjoy music on Friday in a uniquely Nashville setting — the intimate venue of The Station Inn in the Gulch which brought me and other music fans up close to the artists behind the songs we love.

The festival is the brainchild of Bart Herbison, who serves as the executive director for the Nashville Songwriters Association International. He told me about its humble beginnings in the video player at the top of this page.

I also spoke with Allison Barrett, also of NSAI, about the seminars part of the annual event. Watch my interview in the player below.

More than just live music: Tin Pan South offers seminars and panels for budding artists

Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival also gives back to our community. This year, ticket sales from one show were donated to Strings For Hope, a non-profit focusing on supporting survivors of addiction, human trafficking and domestic violence.

Carrie: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/2e/72/be0f23854c54a228c9d6138c9847/carrie-recommends-header.png

Rhori: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/5b/25/a224d13d47739165c92b94e643db/rhori-recommends-header.png

Eugene: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/7b/09/9eaf788d46f580c4234978610d60/screenshot-2026-04-29-at-12-11-52-pm.png

Lelan: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/af/54/833bf879454097a398bd44f723de/lelan-recommends.png

Nikki-Dee: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/e1/b4/685a931d4182b82d9322d496fa15/screenshot-2026-04-15-at-12-01-18-pm.png

Henry: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/f7/31/2e3894bf45d9a1668f1ccc56b9f6/screenshot-2026-04-15-at-12-01-00-pm.png

Katie: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/77/55/afe9375249a4b9e058e4b2c3d2ea/screenshot-2026-04-15-at-12-00-46-pm.png

Brittany: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/67/90/788e5c364f00baabf9c5edae87e2/screenshot-2026-04-15-at-12-00-06-pm.png

Jennifer: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/e4/1e/9771c0824888a0fd87b2a1030979/screenshot-2026-04-15-at-12-02-19-pm.png

Students help relaunch donation drive for Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt

Young or old, we all love to play board and card games! Those games become even more important when you are indoors and don't have the ability to get outside, like patients in a hospital. Austin Pollack shares the story of students in a Nashville family who have helped re-launch the Red Wagon project to collect games for patients at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt.

- Lelan Statom