Road Ready Talent Contest: The Best Photos From American Songwriter’s Live Grand Finale

On April 22, American Songwriter hosted the first-ever Road Ready: Talent Contest Finale at the Basement East in Nashville, Tennessee. Last night, the American Songwriter and the greater Nashville music community came together to support and vote for the three finalists, Beachmont, SmithField, and Joe Jenneman.

Joe Jenneman kicked off the night and set the tone for the evening by taking the crowd to highs and lows throughout his folk-rock set. Subsequently, SmithField brought Broadway to the Basement East by performing an upbeat set of covers and original songs. Lastly, Beachmont closed out the evening with their unorthodox, visceral, and in-your-face performance.

All three finalists left it all out on the stage and helped pack the Basement East. Unfortunately, there could only be one winner, and that one winner was the boys from Nebraska, Beachmont. The evening was a grand celebration of American Songwriter, the three finalists, and the whole indie Nashville music scene. Needless to say, Road Ready was a success, and here are some of the photos that captured the majesty of the evening.

The Photo Highlights of Road Ready: Talent Contest

Director of Community and Road Ready organizer, Shane Whalen, delivers the first-ever Road Ready: Talent Contest Finale inaugural address.

Joe Jenneman and company grace the stage and warm up the crowd with the first performance of American Songwriter’s historic evening.

Jenn Fielder and Trey Smith of SmithField perform the night’s second set full of classic rock, pop, country, and their original song “We’ll Figure It Out.”

Talent contest winners, Beachmont, close out the evening with a bang thanks to their ear-piercing and face-melting indie rock performance.

Beachmont, Joe Jenneman, and SmithField anxiously wait to hear the final voting results of the competition.

Beachmont celebrates its hard-earned victory by posing with the Road Ready: Talent Contest $20,000 grand prize.

Thanks to the finalists, the fans, the families, and the Basement East for making American Songwriter and Nashville music history. As a result of the evening’s success, we aren’t done yet. Come this time next year, we will likely be back with three new phenomenal finalists.

So, if you want to grace the stage at one of Nashville’s most intimate venues, stay tuned for Road Ready 2025 updates.

Photo via American Songwriter