Lillian Glanton
THE SHOALS-Muscle Shoals, Alabama is our quaint southern town, but it’s deceiving as it serves as the Hit Recording Capital of the World. Legends like Aretha Franklin, The Osmond’s, Mac Davis, and Duane Allman traveled to Muscle Shoals to write their songs.
When you play songs like “Old Time Rock and Roll,” “Hey Jude,” “Wild Horses,” and “Mustang Sally,” you follow a journey of music that is well produced and lyrics that sit with you even after the song ends. The Shoals serves as a best kept secret from the south, and Lillian Glanton took that as a challenge to expand on the massive musical footprint in the area.
Lillian grew up in the Shoals with a knowledge of the famous songwriters before her and wanted to follow in their footsteps. At just 18 years old, Lillian single-handedly founded the Muscle Shoals Songwriters Festival while simultaneously attending the University of North Alabama.
Lillian is a singer/songwriter herself and felt the struggle of breaking out into the industry without connections or the patience to hope her songs went viral. She was featured on American Idol and found her calling was in her own backyard. She landed on a mission to kindle the flame of Muscle Shoals as a music powerhouse and provide a spotlight for songwriters.
She wanted to help other artists feel like they had an avenue to get noticed while also reminding the public of the musical significance of Muscle Shoals. She wanted to make this an opportunity to foster new songwriters and celebrate the educational opportunities for aspiring artists to learn about the music industry.
Lillian’s undeniable entrepreneurial spirit, grit and determination made her a key player in the Shoals music industry and beyond.
The Muscle Shoals Songwriters Festival 2021 is in its second year, and it has already tripled in size since beginning.
“The thing that makes this festival so unique is that we are featuring award-winning and up-and-coming songwriters of all genres of music including traditional country, pop country, Americana, pop, soul and more. It’s a cultural phenomenon bringing all types of people together through music and the celebration of Muscle Shoals music history,” Lillian said.
The festival is conveniently located just two hours south of Nashville, two hours north of Birmingham, and one hour west of Huntsville. People travel across the southeast, but people in the Shoals just drive down the street.
This festival will feature the soon to be biggest songwriters in the south, with more than 90 songwriters including Billboard No. 1 Hit songwriter and Alabama native, Walker Hayes for “Fancy Like.”
Six hometown venues will house these songwriters including FAME Recording Studios, Singin’ River Live, Ole Grace, High Ridge Distillery, UNA on Sixth, and the Marriott Shoals Ballroom.
Tickets are on sale now for $189 General Admission or $220 for VIP. More information can be found at 2021 Artists Lineup – Muscle Shoals Songwriters Festival (mssongfest.com).
Media Release/Hannah Garrett/Muscle Shoals Songwriters Festival
