Crested Butte Songwriters Festival Debuts

Get your skiis waxed and your poles placed to enjoy the inaugural Crested Butte Songwriters Festival Jan. 13-13. The festival, presented by Texas Roadhouse, Coors, BMI, and Crested Butte Mountain Resort, will feature performances by a stellar cast of world class songwriters, staged at Crested Butte hot spots.

An event-capping benefit concert will be held on Saturday night, Jan. 14, to raise funds for Tough Enough to Wear Pink and the TJ Martell Foundation. To date, the Tough Enough campaign has raised $9 million for breast cancer charities; the TJ Martell Foundation has helped provide more than $250 million for leukemia, cancer and AIDS research.

Home base for the event is the Crested Butte Mountain Resort in Crested Butte, Colorado. Special group rates and packages are available, call 888-443-6715 or the online code: cbsongwritersfest.

Performances will feature a diverse collection of the world’s top songwriters. Texas roots country hero Robert Earl Keen; veteran troubadour Dean Dillon, writer of more than 50 classics for George Strait; country icon and hit writer Mac Davis; pop writer/producer Marti Frederiksen; up-and-coming country stars Jake Owen,Kristen Kelly, Nicolle Galyon, Emily Shackelton, and Kristy Lee Cook; modern country hit songwriter Rodney Clawson (“Amarillo Sky” and “Johnny Cash” by Jason Aldean, “Sunshine and Summertime” by Faith Hill); and Crested Butte local favoritesTyler Hansen, Steve Snyder and David Paulik. All shows will be hosted by endearing host Storme Warren.

SCHEDULE
Friday, January 13
8 p.m. at Kochevar’s featuring Dave Paulik, Steve Snyder, Kristy Lee Cook, Emily Shackelton, Nicolle Galyon, Rodney Clawson and Robert Earl Keen. Admission: Make any donation to T.J. Martell Foundation

Friday, January 13
10 p.m. at The Eldo, featuring Tyler Hansen, Marti Frederiksen, Kristen Kelly, Jake Owen and Dean Dillon. Admission: Make any donation to T.J. Martell Foundation

Saturday, January 14
7 p.m. – In-the-Round benefit show at Center for the Arts featuring Kristy Lee Cook, Rodney Clawson, Nicolle Galyon, Dean Dillon, Robert Earl Keen, and Mac Davis

9:30 p.m. – In-the-Round benefit show at Center for the Arts featuring Jake Owen, Marti Frederiksen, Kristen Kelly, Dean Dillon, Robert Earl Keen, and Mac Davis. Admission: $50 tickets benefitting Tough Enough to Wear Pink available at Western World in Gunnison / 970-641-6566; Center for the Arts / 970-349-7847; the Toggery in Gunnison / 970-641-0844; and the Adventure Center at Mountaineer Square / 970-349-4554.