WILD WEST SONGWRITERS FESTIVAL WRAPS

DEBUT WILD WEST SONGWRITERS FESTIVAL RESOUNDING SUCCESS

Best of Nashville and LA Songwriters & Recording Artists Celebrate Their Craft In Historic Deadwood

(Nashville, Tennessee...) - Many of the hottest songwriters from Nashville and Los Angeles converged on historic Deadwood, South Dakota recently for the inaugural Wild West Songwriters Festival, and the event was a resounding success. The four-day festival featured panel discussions, seminars for aspiring songwriters and plenty of music.


The Festival celebrated the tradition of story telling through song in a way that is unique to the culture and history of Deadwood's wild Western ways. Performances were held day and night at some of Historic Deadwood's finest establishments, including The Deadwood Mountain Grand, Saloon #10, The Bullock Hotel, and The Deadwood Loading Dock.

"We had some of the best songwriters in the business not only playing the songs that are engrained in our musical fabric, they and other industry experts also led seminars and song critiques for budding songwriters," said Gil Cunningham, President of Neste Event Marketing who produced the Wild West Songwriters Festival. "The feedback has been fantastic, and the support we received from the Deadwood community was incredible."

The "Writers Rounds," groups of three songwriters taking turns performing songs as they originally wrote them and telling the fascinating stories behind those songs, included the best of the best in the songwriting world. Highlights included Shane McAnally: "Last Call" - Lee Ann Womack, "Neon" - Chris Young; Marc Beeson: "When She Cries" - Restless Heart, "This Love" - LeAnn Rimes; James T. Slater - "Hi Cost of Living" - Jamey Johnson, "In My Daughter's Eyes" - Martina McBride; Danny Myrick - "She's Country" - Jason Aldean, "International Harvester" - Craig Morgan; Doug Johnson, "Three Wooden Crosses" - Randy Travis, "Love Like Crazy" - Lee Brice; and numerous others.

Plans are already in the works for the 2nd Annual Wild West Songwriters Festival in 2013. Details will be released in the coming months.

Deadwood Mountain Grand co-owner Marc Oswald (center holding glass) celebrates the Wild West Songwriters Festival with (l. to r.): songwriters Marc Beeson and Doug Johnson, music publisher Mark Brown, songwriters James Slater, Billy Burnette and Danny Myrick.

(l. to r.) Participants from the "Bring Your Own Demo" Panel (l. to r.): Film & TV Producer Chris Lee, ASCAP's Evyn Mustoe, Moderator Kevin Williamson, Artist/Songwriter Clayton Bellamy, PD Kat Country Radio/Rapid City Mark Houston, Artist/Songwriters Jaren Johnston and Morgan Frazier

Artists, songwriters, panelists and organizers of the Wild West Songwriters Festival gather outside the Deadwood Mountain Grand.

Artists, songwriters, panelists and organizers of the Wild West Songwriters Festival gather outside the Deadwood Mountain Grand

EVENT (DEADWOOD, SD): OCT 11-14 - WILD WEST SONGWRITER'S FESTIVAL

The Best of Nashville and LA Songwriters/Recording Artists Will Celebrate Their Craft In The Wild West of Historic Deadwood

(Deadwood, South Dakota...) -- Over 20 Hot-Shot songwriters and recording artists will travel to Deadwood, South Dakota to take part in the inaugural Wild West Songwriters Festival which will take place October 11-14, 2012. These Songwriters have penned hits for the biggest names in Country and Rock music such as Kenny Chesney, Eric Clapton, Keith Urban, Reba McEntire, Lady Antebellum, Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts, Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert, Tonic, Fuel, LeAnn Rimes, Restless Heart, Tyler Hilton and Jack's Mannequin,  just to name a few, and will gather to entertain and delight crowds during the exciting weekend. The Festival will celebrate the tradition of story telling through song in a way that is unique to the culture and history of Deadwood's Wild Western ways. Performances will be held day and night at some of Historic Deadwood's finest establishments, including The Deadwood Mountain Grand, Saloon #10, The Bullock Hotel, andThe Deadwood Loading Dock. Performances will be "In the Round," featuring three to five songwriters guiding the intimate, conversational show. The Songwriters themselves will perform their biggest hits as they were written, as well as share their true-life stories of how these songs began with pen and paper and ended being recorded and performed by some of the biggest Rock and Country artists. The weekend-long Festival won't stop with powerhouse performances - the Wild West Songwriters Festival will host Nightcap Socials, Happy Hours, and other events for Weekend Pass-Holders.  Wild West Songwriters Festival Performers: Emerson Hart (of Tonic) - "If You Could Only See" and "Open Up Your Eyes" - Tonic  Wayne Kirkpatrick - "Change The World" - Eric Clapton, "Boondocks" and "Bring It On Home" - Little Big Town Jaren Johnston - "Sing 'Em My Good Friend" - Kenny Chesney, "You Gonna Fly" - Keith Urban, "If It Rains" - Meatloaf     Carl Bell (of Fuel) - "Shimmer," "Hemorrhage," and "Bad Day" - Fuel       Billy Burnette - "What's a Little Love Between Friends," "Soldier of Love," and "Ain't It Just Like Love" - Billy Burnette     Tyler Hilton (Songwriter, Artist, and Actor) - "This World Will Turn Your Way," "You'll Ask for Me" and "How Love Should Be" - Tyler Hilton Cary Barlowe - "American Honey" - Lady Antebellum, "Untouchable" - Taylor Swift "No Yesterday" - Bucky Covington Andrew McMahon - "Dear Jack", "The Resuloution" and "Swim" - Jack's Mannequin, "Space," "Punk Rock Princess" - Something Corporate   Steven Dale Jones - "One More Day" - Diamond Rio, "He Gets That From Me" - Reba McEntire, "Ten Thousand Angels" - Mindy McCready Bonnie Baker - "Love Makes Me" and "Rainy Season" - Hunter Hays, "Play"  Rascal Flatts     Catilyn Smith - "It Ain't Easy" - Jason Aldean, "Let It Hurt" Rascal Flatts     Shane McAnally - "Last Call" - Le Ann Womack, "Neon" - Chris Young, "Alone With You" - Jake Owen Josh Osborne - "Neon" - Chris Young, "Come Over" - Kenny Chesney     Marc Beeson - "When She Cries" - Restless Heart, "Long After I'm Gone" - Big Kenny, "This Love" - LeAnn Rimes  Brandy Clark - "Crazy Woman" - LeAnn Rimes, "Mama's Broken Heart" - Miranda Lambert, "The Day She Got Divorced" - Reba McEntire    Danny Myrick - "She's Country" - Jason Aldean, "International Harvester" - Craig Morgan, "Loud" - Big & Rich      Weekend passes are available for $75 and will include access to all performances, Night Caps, Happy Hour Socials, and more. Single-Day tickets are available for $25-35. To order tickets, please visit www.DeadwoodMountainGrand.com.   About The Deadwood Mountain Grand: Prior to the opening of this Hotel, Event Center, and Casino, the property was home to the mining structure known as theDeadwood Slime Plant. The City's Historic Preservation Commission funded the facade restoration, to ensure the historic mining heritage is honored and preserved. Currently, the Event Center plays host to performances by some of Music's biggest acts. Artists who have set the stage include: Don Williams, Kenny Rogers, Kenny Loggins, Pat Benatar, Clay Walker, Tracy Lawrence, Ronnie Milsap, The Bellamy Brothers, Randy Travis, Chris Young, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and many more. For more information please visit www.DeadwoodMountainGrand.com.S    About Saloon #10: Saloon #10 is the famed location where Wild Bill Hickok played his last game of poker after being killed by the assassin Jack McCall. When Wild Bill was killed he was holding a pair of black aces and a pair of black eights, forever known as the "Dead Man's Hand". Billed as the only museum in the world with a bar, the Saloon #10 is known throughout the world for not only its history but for its range of live music and parties. For more information please visit saloon10.com. About The Bullock Hotel: This historic property on Deadwood's Main Street was built by Deadwood's first sheriff, Seth Bullock. You can step back in time and through the very same corridors that Bullock still proudly "haunts". According to dozens of reports, Bullock continues to play host at his beloved hotel. Participants will enjoy live music and sessions in "Seth's Cellar" in the basement of the Hotel. For more information please visit historicbullock.com.    About Deadwood Loading Dock: The Deadwood Loading Dock sits in the location where W.E. Adams made his fortune and right next to Deadwood's train depot which brought thousands of people to Deadwood seeking their fortune either from gold or from other "not- so-reputable" ways. Fore more information please visitdeadwoodloadingdock.com.