Tennessee Songwriters Week

The sixth annual Tennessee Songwriters Week kicks off with qualifying rounds on January 26, 2025. The week celebrates the foundation of the craft for which Tennessee is known – music. Tennessee is the home of seven genres of music, making it not only a vital part of our state's culture and heritage, but arguably our biggest export to the world.

Prior to Tennessee Songwriters Week, the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development and The Bluebird Cafe invite up and coming songwriters to register for participation in a contest. Eligible songwriters will be given the opportunity to play an original work at a Qualifying Round. Qualifying Rounds will be hosted by seventy (70) venues throughout the State. A panel of judges at each of the venues located throughout the West, Middle and East Tennessee Regions will select two (2) songwriters to advance to the Songwriters Week Showcase, for a total of up 140 songwriters.

The Laurel Theater will be one of three qualifying round venues in Knoxville featuring 15 songwriters.