Songwriters Kat Higgins, Chris August Confirmed for Festival, Which Kicks Off April 30
BENTONVILLE, Ark. (April 16, 2019)– Brumley Music Group’s I’ll Fly Away Foundation announced today its 2019 Power of Music Festival, which kicks off on Tuesday, April 30. Writers Kat Higgins (Carrie Underwood’s “Mexico”) and Chris August (three-time Dove Award winner) are confirmed performers, as well as Memphis-based band The ShotGunBillys and local acts Candy Lee and Taters, Maters and Squarsh.
Order of Events:
Tuesday, April 30- Friday, May 3 – Songwriting Retreat
Songwriters Kat Higgins and Chris August spend a week in Northwest Arkansas immersing themselves into the NWA culture, tapping into the magic of the area to compose new tunes inspired by NWA.
Friday, May 3 (4:30-8:00pm) at Bentonville Square
The I’ll Fly Away Foundation partners with Downtown Bentonville, Inc. to provide the music for First Friday in May. First Friday schedule is as follows:
4:30-5:30 – Tater, Mater & Squarsh, featuring one song with the students at Teen Action Support Center in Springdale (TASC).
5:35-5:55 – Candy Lee (songwriting instructor for I’ll Fly Away Foundation) performing songs she wrote with the kids during I’ll Fly Away’s You Can Fly program.
6:00-6:30 – BMG Songwriters Show preview with Kat Higgins and Chris August.
6:45-8:00 – The ShotGunBillys
*Free to attend
Saturday, May 4 (9:00-4:00pm) at Meteor Guitar Gallery
I’ll Fly Away Foundation presents Music Business Masterclass: How To Make It In The Music Industry. Three music executives (Shelby Kennedy, Chris Oglesby and Stephen Linn), with years of experience across the music industry, teach emerging songwriters, artists, and other music industry professionals insights for launching and growing your career. This masterclass will help attendees navigate the maze that is the modern music industry. Topics covered include:
- Major music industry players: who has a seat at the table, what they do, and what they mean to a songwriter or artist
- Seven laws of songwriting: learn a proven process to create better, more financially viable songs
- Artist development and branding: learn how treating a songwriter or artist as a small business will allow for development of a personal brand, growth in digital footprint and long-term success in the music industry
$50 attend Masterclass
$75 attend Masterclass & 1 5-minute song critique
Purchase tickets HERE.
Saturday, May 4 (7:00-10:00pm) at Meteor Guitar Gallery
BMG Songwriters Showcase
Ozark Regional Songwriters Association will kick off the evening a showcase finale. Prior to the festival the Ozark Regional Songwriters Association held eight showcases where songwriters performed and were critiqued by a live audience with each showcase yielding a winning songwriter. At this performance the eight winners will perform their original songs for Nashville professionals.
After the showcase, I’ll Fly Away Foundation co-founders Betsy Brumley and Kevin Bernier will make a brief presentation detailing the I’ll Fly Away Foundation’s mission and the impact on children using songwriting in the classroom.
Closing out the show, writers Kat Higgins and Chris August will perform a 90-minute set, featuring songs written during the Songwriting Retreat. In this intimate setting, they’ll share stories from the road, the stories behind the songs and share with attendees how Northwest Arkansas influenced the songwriting they did during the Songwriting Retreat.
Purchase tickets HERE.
Sunday, May 5 (5:00-7:00pm) at Bike Rack Brewery at 8thStreet Market
Beer & Hymns is a community sing a-long of hymns and cover songs attendees will most likely know by heart (lyric sheets provided, if not). The event supports the I’ll Fly Away Foundation, bringing people together to raise glasses, voices and funds to help change the world. All funds raised will benefit the children of Springdale, Ark. schools.
To learn more about the Power of Music Festival and order of events, click HERE.
About I’ll Fly Away Foundation
I’ll Fly Away Foundation – whose mission is “improving children’s lives through music” – was established in 2011 by Albert E. Brumley’s granddaughter Betsy Brumley and her husband Kevin Bernier. She started the foundation in part to carry out her grandfather’s dream of helping others through songwriting and music. The organization’s You Can Fly songwriting program partners classrooms with professional songwriters, who help children write a song about a subject they’re currently studying. The schools implementing the program have seen an overall increase of 18% in science scores, 8% in literary scores and 4% in math scores. To learn more, visit illflyawayfoundation.org.
About Brumley Music Group
Brumley Music Group (also Albert E. Brumley & Sons, Inc), located in Powell, Missouri, is a music publishing and production company founded in 1944 by Albert E. Brumley. It also operated the Hartford Music Company which is part of the Brumley Music Group. President and CEO Bob Brumley operates the company, whose mission is to uphold Albert E. Brumley’s legacy while producing and providing inspiring music built on a rich tradition and heritage. Brumley’s hit song “I’ll Fly Away” remains the most recorded song ever and serves as the namesake of Bob’s daughter Betsy Brumley’s philanthropic endeavor, the I’ll Fly Away Foundation. The company oversees one of the largest independent catalogs in the world, including Brumley’s original music, and is responsible for 10 GRAMMY Award-winning albums and several platinum and gold-selling albums. To learn more, visit www.brumleymusic.com.