Island Hopper Songwriter Fest kicks off its seventh year with an impressive lineup of talented singer-songwriters including headliners Jimmie Allen and Michael Ray.
Allen, who won this year’s Academy of Country Music Award for New Male Artist of the Year, will perform at the highly anticipated pool party at Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina on Sept. 26. The Delaware native made history as the first black artist to launch a career with two consecutive No. 1 songs on country radio. His hit, “Best Shot,” claimed the No. 1 spot for three weeks and his second single, “Make Me Want To,” climbed the charts in March 2020. He recently released an album featuring collaborations with Little Big Town, Keith Urban and Mickey Guyton.
Michael Ray
Ray, a Florida native, joins Island Hopper Songwriter Fest with three No. 1 songs, including “Kiss You in the Morning,” “Think a Little Less” and “One That Got Away.” He performs at Pinchers at The Marina at Edison Ford in downtown Fort Myers on Sept. 23. Ray kicked off his summer tour in June with country star Luke Combs.
Island Hopper Songwriter Fest, a free 10-day music festival – except for a few ticketed events – runs from Sep. 17 – 26. It begins on Captiva Island Sept. 17 – 19, then moves to historic downtown Fort Myers Sept. 20 – 23, and wraps up on Fort Myers Beach Sept. 24 – 26. The event is the largest songwriter festival in Southwest Florida and offers a unique experience to interact with songwriters at pool parties and beachside venues.
This year, more than 60 singer-songwriters from around the country will perform more than 100 shows.
In addition to hit-making headliners, other award-winning performers at the festival include Jay Allen, Dylan Altman, Aaron Barker, Steve Dorff, Hannah Ellis, Frank Myers, Dave Pahanish, along with Fort Myers native Sheena Brook and more.
“BMI is thrilled to partner once again with Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau and iHeartMedia for the 2021 Island Hopper Songwriters Fest,” said Dan Spears, BMI vice president of industry relations. “After the challenging year we’ve had, this festival offers the perfect opportunity to bring people back down to Southwest Florida and celebrate with great food, drinks and music. Thank you to all of the participating BMI-licensed restaurants, bars and hotels for giving our songwriters a platform to showcase their music and share the stories behind some of their most popular songs.”
While most of the festival performances are free, a few exclusive ticketed shows are available on the official festival app under the schedule tab. You can download the app in the App Store or on Google Play free of charge. Visit www.islandhopperfest.com for more details.
