Presented by Ingles on November 13-15 at Lanier Islands Resort, the Songwriters at the Lake Music Festival promises three days of hit songs from the original songwriters and the stories behind them. Headlined by Chuck Leavell – famed keyboardist for the Allman Brothers Band and The Rolling Stones, Songwriters at the Lake will combine a stunning lakeside setting, a fall weekend filled with music-making and storytelling, eight stages throughout the resort, and legendary artists that include Randall Bramblett, Jimmy Hall, Joanna Cotten, and more. The festival’s organizers, Songwriters ATL, announced today the full lineup of artists who will appear at the festival.
Beyond the award-winning talents of Leavell, Bramblett, Hall, and Cotten, the Songwriters at the Lake Music Festival lineup will feature:
- Tony Arata – Born and raised in Savannah, this 2012 Nashville Songwriter Hall of Famer is the mastermind behind Garth Brooks’ “The Dance” – which won Song of the Year in 1990 at The Academy of Country Music.
- Ed Hill – Having written dozens of Top 10 songs, Hill is one of Nashville’s most prolific songwriters. He wrote Faith Hill’s “It Matters to Me,” Trace Adkins’ Grammy-nominated “Just Fishin,” and Luke Bryan’s “Most People Are Good.”
- Jim Collins – Collins’ most famous compositions include Kenny Chesney’s “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy” and “The Good Stuff,” Jason Aldean’s #1 hit “Big Green Tractor,” and Thompson Square’s “Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not.”
- Greg Barnhill – Barnhill has written songs recorded by Etta James, Martina McBride, Jessica Simpson, Chicago, Leona Lewis, and Tim McGraw. He penned “Walkaway Joe,” performed by Trisha Yearwood and Don Henley, as well as “House of Love,” performed by Amy Grant and Vince Gill.
- Chuck Cannon – The songs of this multi-award-winning songwriter have been performed by Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Dwight Yoakam, George Jones, George Strait, Lonestar, NightRanger, Randy Travis, Shawn Mullins, Tanya Tucker, Toby Keith, Wynonna Judd, and many more.
- Webb Wilder – Bona fide Roots Rock Royalty, Wilder is a prolific performer in his own right. His classic debut album, It Came From Nashville, was named one of the Top 50 Southern Rock Albums of All Time by Paste Magazine. His latest and 13th album, Hillbilly Speedball, made with friends like David Grissom and Vince Gill, spent weeks in the Americana Chart Top 20.
- Chuck Jones – This Nashville-based songwriter has penned over 140 recorded songs across country and pop radio, including John Berry’s “Your Love Amazes Me,” Diamond Rio’s “Love a Little Stronger,” and Chris LeDoux’s “Cadillac Ranch.”
- Frank Myers – With 15 #1 hit songs, Myers is a 3-time Nashville Songwriter Hall of Fame nominee and was inducted into his home state’s Ohio Country Music Hall of Fame in 2025. He co-wrote “I Swear” for John Michael Montgomery and “I’m Already There” for Lonestar with his longtime songwriting partner Gary Baker.
- Gary Baker – The hit song “I Swear” – which he co-wrote with fellow Songwriters at the Lake performer Frank Myers – sold more than 20 million internationally and won the 1995 Grammy Award for Best Country Song.
- Wynn Varble – This Georgia-born songwriter is perhaps best known for his #1 songs: Brad Paisley’s “Waitin’ On a Woman,” Darryl Worrley’s “Have You Forgotten?,” and Easton Corbin’s “I’m a Little More Country Than That.”
- Michelle Malone – Performing with everyone from Gregg Allman to Jackson Browne, the Atlanta Symphony to the Atlanta Pops Orchestra, John Mayer to Drivin N Cryin, ZZ Top to The Indigo Girls, this Atlanta artist has been deemed “raucous and jubilant” by Rolling Stone Magazine and “equal parts guitar slinger and sweet songstress” by Guitar World Magazine.
- Drew Parker – This Grammy‑nominated singer‑songwriter from Covington, Georgia, has written multiple hits for some of country music’s biggest names, including Jake Owen, Zac Brown Band, HARDY, and Blake Shelton. He is perhaps best known for co‑writing Luke Combs’ “Forever After All” and “Doin’” Most recently, he released “Blame Jesus,” featuring Steven Curtis Chapman.
Songwriters at the Lake performers also include Joe Lasher, Kaitlyn Baker, Britt Wilder, and Cole Grover. Additional artists may be added to the lineup in the coming weeks. At the heart of the weekend, the Chuck Leavell and Friends concert kicks off at 6 p.m. on the main stage – showcasing the talents of Chuck Leavell, Randall Bramblett, Jimmy Hall, Joanna Cotten, Greg Barnhill, and others. Tickets for the three-day festival are just $129 per person and include resort gate entry. A portion of festival ticket proceeds will benefit the Georgia Mountain Food Bank, the Jarrard Burch Songwriter Foundation, and other worthy charities.
“We are delighted to have so much talent converge on Lanier Islands Resort,” said Matthew Bowling, President of Lanier Islands Resort. “Songwriter festivals represent one of the fastest-growing genres of music gatherings in the U.S., and ours will be the first songwriter mega event in North Georgia. We look forward to welcoming the artists and the fans who love their music. Songs like ‘I Swear,’ ‘The Dance,’ and ‘Most People Are Good’ hold deep personal meaning for so many. How cool will it be to learn the inspiration behind those songs from the people who wrote them? Given the breadth and depth of talent at such an excellent price for three days of music, we highly recommend everyone secures their weekend passes before they sell out.”
Bowling also warns that rooms are already being booked up quickly all over the Islands for the three-day festival – from Legacy Lodge and Villas to the LakeHouses at Legacy. After securing their tickets to Songwriters at the Lake, he recommends attendees book a three-day, two-night stay at the resort right away so they won’t miss a minute of the music. Rooms can be reserved from the event page at https://www.lanierislands.com/special-events/songwriter-festival/ or by calling 770-945-8787. Lanier Islands Resort is 45 miles north of Atlanta at 7000 Lanier Islands Parkway in Buford. To explore amenities and other future events, visit www.LanierIslands.com.
