Get ready to trade your poker chips for guitar picks, Vegas! The inaugural Las Vegas Songwriters Festival is about to hit
This four-day musical extravaganza will feature a whopping 50 award-winning songwriters, performing over 100 live shows and representing more than 300 No. 1 hits. It’s like karaoke night, but with people who actually know how to rhyme “love” with something other than “dove”!
Star-Studded Lineup
The festival’s roster reads like a who’s who of the music industry. We’re talking about the masterminds behind hits for superstars like Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw, Taylor Swift, and Garth Brooks. Some of the big names include:
- Bob DiPiero: The man behind Reba McEntire’s fiery anthems and Brooks & Dunn’s boot-scootin’ bops.
- Dean Dillon: George Strait’s lyrical sidekick (aka the reason you’ve cried into your beer to “The Chair”).
- Liz Rose: Taylor Swift’s former co-writer who probably taught her how to rhyme “crush” with “blush”.
- Victoria Shaw: The genius who gave Garth Brooks “The River” and Ricky Martin his… Livin’ la Vida Loca? (We don’t judge.)
Here’s the full list and who they wrote songs for:
- Aaron Benward – Namie Amuro, EXO, Taeyeon, Red Velvet
- Allison Veltz Cruz – Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Lady A, Girls’ Generation
- Anthony L. Smith – Reba McEntire, Donna Summer, Kenny Rogers, Chris Young
- Anthony Smith – George Strait, Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton, Faith Hill
- Billy Montana – Garth Brooks, Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney, Blake Shelton
- Bob DiPiero – Reba McEntire, George Strait, Faith Hill
- Bobby Pinson – Toby Keith, Sugarland, Blake Shelton
- Brian Davis – Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, Jason Aldean
- Brian White – Jason Aldean, Rascal Flatts, Rodney Atkins
- Brice Long – George Strait, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire
- Bridgette Tatum – Jason Aldean, Gretchen Wilson, Randy Houser
- Brinley Addington – Maren Morris, Ryan Hurd, Tyler Farr
- Charles Esten – Connie Britton, Deana Carter
- Chris DeStefano – Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert
- Chris Tompkins – Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton
- Clint Daniels – Eric Church, Montgomery Gentry, Joe Nichols
- Cole Taylor – Luke Bryan, Florida Georgia Line, Justin Moore
- Danny Myrick – Jason Aldean, Tim McGraw, LoCash
- Dave Pahanish – Keith Urban, Toby Keith, Jimmy Wayne
- Dean Dillon – George Strait, George Jones, Kenny Chesney
- Earl Bud Lee – Garth Brooks, George Strait, Blake Shelton
- Eric Paslay – Jake Owen, Rascal Flatts, Eli Young Band
- Gary Burr – Ricky Martin & Christina Aguilera, Juice Newton
- Jared Mullins – Kane Brown, Morgan Wallen, Jake Owen
- Jerrod Niemann – Garth Brooks, Jamey Johnson
- Jesse Lee – Kelsea Ballerini, Brett Young
- Jim Beavers – Toby Keith, Dierks Bentley, Tim McGraw
- Jim McCormick – Jason Aldean, Brantley Gilbert, Gabby Barrett
- Jimmy Yeary – Lee Brice, Rascal Flatts, Jake Owen
- Jon Mabe – Miley Cyrus
- Justin Wilson – Mitchell Tenpenny, Randy Houser, Dustin Lynch
- Lance Miller – Jerrod Niemann, Tim McGraw
- Lincoln Parrish – Cage the Elephant
- Liz Rose – Taylor Swift, Little Big Town
- Mark Irwin – Alan Jackson, Tim McGraw
- Marla Cannon-Goodman – Tracy Byrd, Rodney Atkins, Lee Ann Womack
- Marti Frederiksen – Aerosmith, Carrie Underwood, Def Leppard
- Matt Warren – Gary Allan
- Mitch Oglesby – Luke Bryan, Chris Janson
- Paul Jenkins – Jason Aldean & Kelly Clarkson, Thompson Square
- Paul Overstreet – Randy Travis, Kenny Chesney, Keith Whitley
- Ray Fulcher – Luke Combs, Eric Church
- Rebecca Lynn Howard – Trisha Yearwood
- Rob Hatch – Justin Moore, Lee Brice, Randy Houser
- Ronnie Bowman – Kenny Chesney, Brooks & Dunn
- Scotty Emerick – Toby Keith, Willie Nelson
- Shane Minor – Diamond Rio, Steve Holy, Cole Swindell
- Shane Stevens – Lady Antebellum
- Steve Bogard – George Strait, Rascal Flatts
- Trent Tomlinson – Brett Young, Scotty McCreery
- Tyler Reeve – Brett Young, Luke Combs
- Victoria Shaw – Garth Brooks, John Michael Montgomery
- Wynn Varble – Brad Paisley, Easton Corbin, Darryl Worley
More Than Just Music
But wait, there’s more! These songwriting savants won’t just be belting out tunes. They’ll be spilling the beans on the stories behind their biggest hits. It’s your chance to find out if “Friends in Low Places” was inspired by a wild night at the casino or just a really short barstool.
How to Get In on the Action
Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, February 28th. But if you’re an MGM Rewards member, you can snag your tickets a day early on February 27th. Just remember, what happens in Vegas… will probably end up in someone’s next hit song!
