Nashville Songwriter’s Festival

Ben Chase is one of country music’s most exciting rising stars, blending honky-tonk energy with breezy, coastal charm in a style he proudly calls “Tiki Tonk.” Hailing from Prince Edward Island, Canada, Ben has already earned over 8 million global streams, two #1 singles on the Canadian iTunes Country chart, and a growing list of standout performances across North America.

With a natural talent for storytelling and an electrifying stage presence, Ben has shared the stage being direct support for artists like Dan + Shay, Sam Hunt, Zac Brown Band, Scotty McCreery, and Brett Kissel. He’s also performed at some of country music’s biggest festivals, including Country Thunder Alberta, The Calgary Stampede, Cavendish Beach Music Festival, Cowboys Music Festival and Big Valley Jamboree.

Following a Fans’ Choice Award win at the 2020 Country Music Alberta Awards, Ben made the move to Nashville, where he continues to carve out his unique sound and identity—rooted in small-town values, good times, and a love for the water. His breakout single “Somebody’s Summer” became one of his most-streamed songs to date, paving the way for his highly anticipated debut EP, due in late 2025.

Ben’s newest release, “Best Boat”—released July 18—is a sun-soaked anthem built for boat days and barefoot nights, capturing the spirit of summer that defines his signature style.

Whether you’re on a dock, at a festival, or just dreaming of warmer days, Ben Chase delivers a country experience that feels like a vacation.

BIAS is a country artist with deep Arkansas roots and a Nashville home base, delivering a sound that blends modern country energy with outlaw grit and small-town storytelling. Built for the stage and driven by connection, his music feels just as natural blasting down a backroad as it does in front of a packed crowd.

A semifinalist on Season 24 of The Voice, BIAS has continued to build momentum through relentless touring and high-impact live performances. He has performed at iconic venues including The Bluebird Café and The Listening Room, and has shared the stage with artists such as Gary Allan, Dylan Scott, Chris Lane, Neil McCoy, Charles Esten, Lacy J. Dalton, and McBride & The Ride.

Bias also won a BMI for the song “First Things First” by Consumed By Fire.

His song “Like An Outlaw” gained national exposure after being licensed as official walk-out music for the Kansas City Outlaws PBR team, marking a major milestone in his growing presence within the country and western sports world.

Whether performing solo acoustic or with a full band, BIAS delivers a polished, high-energy live show tailored for festivals, fairs, clubs and outdoor events. With strong momentum moving through 2026, he continues carving out his lane as an artist who respects country tradition while pushing forward with his own unmistakable voice.

Jacob Garner is a Nashville-based songwriter, producer, guitarist, and writer from Decatur, Illinois. He works with artists and writers at all stages to create authentic, impactful songs. As Music Director and guitarist for Riley Green, he brings valuable touring and studio experience to every project and is currently the producer for island artist Ben Chase.

This year we are adding a surprise artist to the bill. You dont not want to miss this.

Lily Pearl Black is a Nashville based country artist with a fresh voice and a deep connection to the genre’s roots. The daughter of country music legend Clint Black and singer and actress Lisa Hartman Black, Lily is building a musical identity all her own. Her releases include “Never Knew Love,” along with live recordings of “Every Time It Rains” and “Cry Pretty” from Songs from the Mostly Hits & the Mrs. Tour. She has toured alongside her parents and performed on iconic stages, including the Grand Ole Opry.

On the rise singer/songwriter Griffen Palmer is more than meets the eye. Having grown up musically, his father – a musician and artist – instilled an appreciation for lyricism in him early on that soon turned into a love for the craft of songwriting. Nurturing a strong pen and sturdy performance chops through four-hour cover sets in dusty college bars at Ohio’s Bowling Green State University, the D1 rugby player’s house party introduction to GRAMMY-nominated hitmaker Geoff Warburton (Shawn Mendes, Machine Gun Kelly, Jake Owen) was the tip of the scale that brought him to Music City.

After winning NBC’s Songland in May of 2020, the in-demand wordsmith earned cuts with global superstars Florida Georgia Line (“Second Guessing”) and Keith Urban (“Polaroid”) as well as The Band Camino, Chelsea Cutler, MacKenzie Porter, Jade Eagleson and more. Named SiriusXM The Highway’s “Highway Find” in 2023 he made his national television debut with a performance of the love ballad on ABC’s The Bachelor. The 29-year-old’s midwestern drive and versatile style is on full display on his debut album, Unlearn. Listen to his latest single “Fight With You” now. 

“Sharp, swooning, and all the right kinds of sentimental” (Rolling Stone), blossoming singer/songwriter Madison Kozak mesmerizes listeners with a strong pen and a vulnerable voice. Her breakout debut single, “First Last Name,” not only scored the Belmont alum a publishing deal with Big Loud in 2018, but compelled award-winning songwriter Nicolle Galyon to launch female-driven label Songs & Daughters, and sign Kozak as their flagship artist. In the months following her signings, Kozak graduated with a music business degree, toured the U.S. and Canada with Morgan Evans, Aaron Watson, and Mason Ramsey, and made her Grand Ole Opry debut to a standing ovation. Named to CMT’s 2021 LISTEN UP roster and 2020 Next Women of Country class, the Lindsay, Ontario native was named a country artist to watch by Pandora, Pop Culture, Sounds Like Nashville, and more. Kozak returns with a taste of “a voice that glows and songwriting capability that resonates” (Sounds Like Nashville) on her first new release in over two and a half years, “If We Were A Country Song.”

Canadian artist Adam Wendler is quickly making a name for himself in the Country Folk scene after moving to Nashville in early 2025. He has honed his craft playing over 1000 concerts across North America & Europe in the past few years – including support shows for acts such as Will Linley, Matt Mays, Aden Foyer, Graham Candy, Post Animal, The Academic, Jamie Webster and the Arkells.​

Wendler has also rapidly emerged as one of the most internationally successful new writers of 2024–2025. As co-writer and guitarist of “Austin (Boots Stop Workin’),” performed by Dasha, he helped craft one of the year’s most ubiquitous global hits — a modern country-pop anthem that has achieved multi-Platinum certifications across 13 countries, including 8× Platinum in Canada, 4× Platinum in Australia, and 2× Platinum in the UK. The song also won the “Female Song of 2024” award at the People’s Choice Country Awards.​

Adam Wendler has played guitar on / co-written tracks for and with artists such as Dasha, Tors, Stellar, Satin Jackets, Julia DiGrazia, Moon Taxi, Tyler Cameron, Nemo, B Young, Afroman, MOONLGHT, Dominic Donner, Pacific, Chael, Graham Candy and Jay Smith. He is a multi-platinum guitarist and songwriter and co-writes have amassed billions of streams worldwide.​

He has created a “Surf Country” sound that defies boundaries; blending pop elements with folk, country, indie, house and a touch of rock, his music has something for everyone, always tied together by his distinct vocals and smooth guitar playing. Recently his song “The Pretty Things” was featured in the Warner Brothers motion picture “OVER & OUT”.

Hailing from Southern California, Andrew Bloom is a powerhouse vocalist and gifted songwriter who now calls Music City his home.  Being a contestant on the 14th season of American Idol was only the beginning of his expansive music career. He was notably a lead singer in the country band On the Outside, who reached over 5 million faithful fans on TikTok.  After turning the page to the newest chapter, he has recently landed a pub deal with Mailbox Money/ Warner Chappell and is commonly collaborating with The 615 House.

Raised  in Nacogdoches, Texas, singer-songwriter Terri Jo Box has spent the last 20 years as a forerunner in the Nashville music scene. Growing up writing poetry, singing in church and inspired by country music, Box moved from East Texas to Music City in 1999 and  immersed herself in the Nashville writing community.  She wrote for MERF Music Group from 2010-2016. In 2019 she became the flagship writer signed to Jonas Group Publishing. She  co-wrote “What If We Don’t” Ashley Mcbryde’s current radio single. She has earned placement on four GRAMMY-nominated albums including two cuts on Lainey Wilson’s ACM, CMA and GRAMMY Award-winning Bell Bottom Country, Miranda Lambert’s 2018 ACM Album of the Year, The “Weight of These Wings”, bluegrass group Sister Sadie’s “Sister Sadie II” and  McBryde’s debut, “Girl Going Nowhere”, who also earned a Daytime Emmy nomination for her performance of “American Scandal” which Box co-wrote. She has also written songs recorded by Eric Church, Cody Johnson, Gary LeVox, Joe Nichols, Trisha Yearwood, Patty Loveless, Trent Tomlinson, Gwen Sebastian, Gary Chapman, Wade Hayes, Michelle Wright, Annie Bosko, Bryan Martin, Tyler Halverson, Pryor Baird and many more. Honoring her humble beginnings Box created the popular Music Row Freakshow writer’s round in 2014 With appearances around the world, Box remains one of the most sought-after assets in a writer’s room and shows no signs of slowing down as she continues to set the bar yet higher for herself.