Songwriters are the lifeblood of Tennessee. They are the heart and the storytellers who create the soundtrack of our lives. In honor of those songwriters, Tennessee, led by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, has devoted the last full week in February to Tennessee Songwriters Week. This statewide celebration shines a light on songwriting talent in every musical genre home to Tennessee. It’s a week meant to put a spotlight on the venues and songwriters who give the music its soul. Whether you make music or just love listening to it, this week offers an unforgettable experience.
Videos by American Songwriter
More than 6,000 songwriters have stepped onto the stages of Tennessee Songwriters Week to share their voices and stories since its launch in 2019. The event begins with in-person qualifying rounds from January 25 to February 7, held across the state in local breweries, listening rooms and restaurants. From there, songwriters will be selected to take part in seven showcases held in Memphis, Knoxville, Portland, Pigeon Forge, Chattanooga, Kingsport, and Franklin between February 22 and February 28.
Songwriters will be evaluated on two key points: song quality, which assesses lyrical originality, and performance, which focuses on instrumental strength and the ability to connect with an audience. Seven finalists, from each venue, will then be chosen to move on to the finale for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform on the legendary Bluebird Cafe stage in Nashville on March 29.
If that wasn’t enough, additional prizes for the finalists include a two-night Nashville hotel stay, a songwriting workshop with the Bluebird Cafe team, and a one-year membership to the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI).
Do you, or someone you know, want to be part of this year’s celebration? Find all the details to enter at tnvacation.com/songwriters-week.
You can also find important dates for Tennessee Songwriters Week 2026 below:
January 25, 2026 – February 7, 2026
Songwriters perform at qualifying rounds across the state. Select songwriters who win qualifying rounds will advance to showcase events.
Tennessee Songwriters Week Showcases in 7 Cities
MONDAY, FEB. 23, 2026
The Reserve in Kingsport – NEW
201 E Center St, Kingsport, TN 37660
MONDAY, FEB. 23, 2026
Hard Rock Cafe Pigeon Forge – NEW
2050 Parkway, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 25, 2026
Lafayette’s Music Room
2119 Madison Ave, Memphis, TN 38104
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 25, 2026
Barrellhouse Ballroom in Chattanooga – NEW
1501 Long St, Chattanooga, TN 37408
THURSDAY, FEB. 26, 2026
The Franklin Theatre in Franklin,
419 Main St, Franklin, TN 37064
FRIDAY, FEB. 27, 2026
Temple Theatre in Portland
109 N Russell St, Portland, TN 37148
SATURDAY, FEB. 28, 2026
The Bijou in Knoxville
803 S Gay St, Knoxville, TN 37902
SUNDAY, MAR. 29, 2026
Finale – The Bluebird Cafe
4104 Hillsboro Pike, Nashville, TN 37215
7 finalists will perform their original songs
This year’s Tennessee Songwriters Week promises a new crop of talented writers who are more than up to the task of representing the Tennessee music scene.
Tennessee Songwriters Week Showcase Venues
Contestants advancing to the showcase events will get the opportunity to play in some of the most historic music venues in Tennessee. Learn a little bit more about each venue’s history below.
THE RESERVE IN KINGSPORT
Open Thursday – Saturday evenings, The Reserve offers a lounge atmosphere while hosting comedy and live music shows. Guests can enjoy a casual, friendly environment with three lounge areas, a wine bar, light gourmet food, and an outdoor cigar-only smoking area.
HARD ROCK CAFE PIGEON FORGE
For 15 years, The Hard Rock Cafe has been serving the Pigeon Forge area, offering an outdoor dog-friendly patio, a live music stage, and a Rock Shop. Guests of the music venue can dive into music memorabilia from legends such as Dolly Parton, Jimi Hendrix, and Taylor Swift with hundreds of collectible items on display.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
The Memphis showcase will be held at Lafayette’s Music Room. The ’70s staple helped launch the careers of Billy Joel, Big Star, KISS, Barry Manilow, J.J. Cale, and Leon Russell. And the venue’s history is alive and well today. Rock musicians, R&B singers, and more all take to Lafayette’s to dish out their unique brands of musicianship.
THE BIJOU
The Bijou is one of East Tennessee’s oldest venues. It’s been praised for its sound quality, and everything from vaudeville to opera to rock shows has been played in its hallowed halls.
BARRELHOUSE BALLROOM IN CHATTANOOGA
The Barrelhouse Ballroom’s goal is to bring people together with good food, craft beer, and live music. Located inside the Five Witts Brewing Co. complex, the ballroom has a capacity to hold 500-600 people. The intimate venue offers good vibes, clear sightlines to the stage from anywhere in the venue, and hosts local, regional, and national talent.
THE TEMPLE THEATRE
The Temple Theatre is a renovated 1930s-era venue that harkens back to the golden age of cinema. After being closed for a period of time, the quaint Portland, Tennessee, community rallied around its restoration. Outside, the glowing lights of the Grand Marquis attract visitors to the intimate venue, while inside, the comfortable setting creates a meaningful experience for music lovers.
FRANKLIN THEATRE
The Franklin Theatre has been an icon on historic Main Street downtown since the 1930s. Today, the venue hosts both movie showings and live music. The theater and its classic charm are an indelible fixture on Main Street in downtown Franklin.
THE BLUEBIRD CAFE
As any songwriter will tell you, The Bluebird Cafe is the place to be if you want to get your songs out into the world. The Nashville hot spot has seen many world-class musicians, artists, and songwriters perform on its stage. A short list includes Keith Urban, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Kris Kristofferson, Carole King, Faith Hill, Vince Gill, Taylor Swift, and Townes Van Zandt.
Tennessee Historic Music Destinations
While Tennessee Songwriters Week covers a good amount of ground when it comes to historic destinations in Tennessee, there are plenty more where they came from… You can find other can’t-miss Tennessee destinations for music lovers below!
GRACELAND
You can’t visit Tennessee without stopping at Graceland in Memphis. Who wouldn’t want to visit the place The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll himself called home? On top of seeing the space Elvis Presley occupied from 1957 until his death, the experience includes an exhibition space, a performance venue, and an extensive automobile collection.
COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is the world’s largest music museum. Naturally, there is much to see inside the downtown Nashville staple. From galleries to theaters to education centers and shops, the Country Music Hall of Fame is a must-see space for all country music fanatics.
BIRTHPLACE OF COUNTRY MUSIC MUSEUM
It’s hard to pin such a vast cultural phenomenon down to a specific place and time. Country music, however, can be traced back to Bristol, Tennessee, where The Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers first brought the genre to the masses. The Birthplace of Country Music Museum treks a course through country music’s earliest days.
STAX MUSEUM OF AMERICAN SOUL MUSIC
Also in Memphis, the Stax Museum is the definitive home of soul history. Located on the site of the original Stax Records building—where the likes of Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, and Isaac Hayes recorded—the museum is chock full of interactive exhibits highlighting key points during the golden age of soul.
THE CAVERNS
Certain venues just seem to make music sound better. The Caverns in Pelham is one such place. The venue is located inside a cave, creating an unforgettable atmosphere for the powerful music being played there.
WEST TENNESSEE DELTA HERITAGE CENTER
The West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center, located in Brownsville, was converted from the small school Tina Turner attended into a museum hosting her memorabilia and that of other West Tennessee natives, including Carl Perkins.
LORETTA LYNN’S RANCH
Loretta Lynn built her museum in the ’60s to house the many memorabilia items from her storied career. Today, that museum, located in Hurricane Mills, has expanded to include live music, trail rides, a museum dedicated to her Cherokee ancestry, and more.
Photos courtesy of Tennessee Songwriters Week
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