Taking in Tin Pan South: Your guide to this week’s music festival

Dierks Bentley (photo: submitted)

Songwriters of all stripes gather in Music City this week for the 20th annual Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival, taking place Tuesday-Saturday at 10 local music venues. This year’s lineup includes current country chart-toppers, pop songwriting legends, recognizable names of rock, Americana, bluegrass and Christian music, and more than a few under-sung behind-the-scenes players who’ll get a much-deserved turn in the spotlight.

We’ve collected some of the week’s highlights here, but a full perusal of the schedule (at www.tinpansouth.com) is highly recommended.

Tuesday

Jessi Alexander, Matraca Berg, Erin Enderlin, Angaleena Presley

Fans can expect a hit-heavy set Tuesday night at The Rutledge with acclaimed country singer-songwriter Berg (who earned a recent Grammy nod for co-penning the Kenny Chesney smash “You and Tequila”) and Pistol Annies member Presley, who’ll be joined by Alexander (co-writer of the hit Miley Cyrus ballad “The Climb”) and rising country singer-songwriter Enderlin.

9 p.m., The Rutledge, $15

Josh Turner and Friends with Mark Narmore, Mark Nesler, Jeremy Spillman

Country chart-topper Josh Turner (“All Over Me,” “Why Don’t We Just Dance”) brings along three talented pals that he’s cut tunes by: Narmore, Nesler and Spillman.

6 p.m., Hard Rock Cafe, $20

Jim Beavers, Luke Bryan, Bob DiPiero and Jeff Stevens

Country star Bryan (“Country Girl (Shake It For Me),” “I Don’t Want This Night to End”) gets back to his songwriting roots with DiPiero, a Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer who’s responsible for 15 No. 1 hits; Stevens (who’s also produced all three of Bryan’s albums); and award-winning country writer Beavers.

9 p.m. Hard Rock Cafe $20

Edens Edge & Friends

Rising country trio Edens Edge (“Amen”) will bring some to-be-announced special guests along for an intimate performance at Nashville songwriters haven The Bluebird Cafe.

9 p.m., The Bluebird Cafe, $12

Wednesday

Dierks Bentley, Jeff Black, Sam Bush and Jon Randall

Bentley will delve into his current country hits (“Am I the Only One,” among them) with the company of singer-songwriters and collaborators Randall and Black, as well as contemporary bluegrass statesman Bush.

6 p.m., Hard Rock Cafe, $20

Radney Foster, Josh Kear, Eric Paslay, Rivers Rutherford, Striking Matches (Justin Davis & Sarah Zimmermann)

Songsmith Kear has co-written some of country music’s biggest hits in recent years — among them Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now” and Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats.” He’ll be joined at the Hard Rock Cafe by revered songsmith and solo star Foster, mainstay hit-maker Rutherford, country upstart Paslay (co-writer of Jake Owen’s “Barefoot Blue Jean Night”) and Nashville duo Striking Matches.

9 p.m., Hard Rock, Cafe, $20

Felix Cavaliere, Jack Tempchin, Jimmy Webb

“Wichita Lineman,” “MacArthur Park” and “The Worst That Could Happen” are just a few of the haunting pop classics tunes to spring from the mind of songwriting great Webb, famed for his work with Glen Campbell, The Fifth Dimension and dozens of other stars. Joining Webb at 3rd & Lindsley on Wednesday is Nashville-based rock vet Cavliere, best-known for his time in the Rascals (“Good Lovin’,” “Groovin”) and Tempchin, who penned Eagles hits including “Peaceful Easy Feeling”

6 p.m., 3rd & Lindsley, $20

Flip Anderson, Lacey Brown, Jonny Houlihan, Rick Huckaby, Tracy Lawrence

Country chart-topper Lawrence and a handful of special guests, including American Idol alum Brown, Huckaby, Houlihan and Anderson, gather at Nashville’s famed Station Inn on Wednesday for a thoroughly country bill at 6 p.m. And stick around: Gatlin Brothers leader Larry Gatlin heads up the late shift at the venue at 9 p.m., where he’ll be joined by Red Lane, Leslie Satcher and Bobby Tomberlin.

6 p.m., The Station Inn, $10

Thursday

Faith Family Medical Benefit with Pat Alger, Wayland Holyfield, Jon Vezner and Paul Williams

Composer of classics including “Rainbow Connection,” “An Old-Fashioned Love Song” and “We’ve Only Just Begun,” singer-songwriter and actor Williams is far from finished himself. He’s currently the president and chairman of the board of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) and has recently been working with one of the hippest musical acts on the planet — French electronic duo Daft Punk. He’ll perform at The Bluebird Cafe along with Alger, Holyfield and Vezner as a benefit for the Faith Family Medical Clinic.

9 p.m., The Bluebird Cafe, $15

Greg Barnhill, Joanna Cotten, James Otto, Lee Roy Parnell

Otto (“Just Got Started Lovin’ You”) and fellow country hit-maker Parnell (“What Kind of Fool Do You Think I Am”) team up with accomplished songsmiths and collaborators Barnhill and Cotten, who teamed up to co-pen Danny Gokey’s “Be Somebody,” among other tunes.

6 p.m., Hard Rock Cafe, $15

Dave Barnes, Brandon Heath, Brett James, Lee Thomas Miller

Soulful rock/pop songsmith Barnes has found success as a solo artist and as a hit songwriter — the latter notably with his ballad “God Gave Me You,” which became a hit single for Blake Shelton and earned Barnes a Grammy nomination for Best Country Song earlier this year. He’s joined at the Hard Rock by fellow 2012 Grammy nominee and Christian music star Heath, whose song “Your Love” and album Leaving Eden landed three nominations. Also on the bill: James (who found similar Christian/country crossover success by penning Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus, Take the Wheel”) and fellow frequent chart-topper Miller (Trace Adkins’ “You’re Gonna Miss This”).

9 p.m., Hard Rock Café, $15

Friday

Kevin Griffin, Jim Lauderdale, John Oates, Daphne Willis

Tin Pan South flaunts its stylistic range on a bill that features two of Nashville’s unique rock residents: Oates (one half of Hall & Oates and respected roots-rock solo artist) and Griffin (leader of alt-rockers Better Than Ezra and writer of hits including Sugarland’s “Stuck Like Glue”). The pair are joined by esteemed Nashville bluegrass/Americana singer, songwriter and instrumentalist Lauderdale and rising Chicago songsmith Willis.

6:30 p.m., Hard Rock Cafe, $15

Ella Mae Bowen, Trent Dabbs, Barry Dean, Natalie Hemby

“White Liar” is among several Miranda Lambert cuts written by local songwriter Hemby, who’s also penned tunes for Carrie Underwood, Lee Ann Womack and others. She and local pop songsmith Dabbs (founder of Ten Out of Tenn and one half of new duo Sugar and the Hi Lows), songwriter/producer Dean (whose recent work includes Lori McKenna’s Lorraine) and teenage Big Machine Label Group signee Bowen.

6:30 p.m., The Rutledge, $10

Saturday

The World Famous Headliners — Al Anderson, Shawn Camp, Pat McLaughlin

Southern-styled Nashville rockers and hit songwriters Anderson, Camp and McLaughlin have teamed up for a trio they’ve dubbed “The World Famous Headliners.” All three are top-notch pickers and have earned their share of cuts by country, bluegrass and pop greats alike.

9:30 p.m., The Rutledge, $15

No Rules

Hard rock hit-makers rule the Listening Room Cafe on Saturday Night, with a bill that features Night Ranger drummer/vocalist Kelly Keagy and “Eye of the Tiger” co-writer Jim Peterik as well as hit country/pop writer Joie Scott and Blue Miller, a musician, songwriter and producer who’s worked with everyone from Bob Seger and Ted Nugent to Issac Hayes and Michael Bolton.

9:30 p.m., The Listening Room Cafe, $12

Contact Dave Paulson at dnpaulson@tennessean.com or by calling 615-664-2278.

If you go

What: Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival

When: Tuesday-Saturday

Where: At 10 Nashville music venues (see below).

Admission: Fast-Access Passes, which grant access to all Tin Pan South shows, are sold out. Individual show admissions range from $8 to $20 and will be available at the door of their respective venues based on availability. Club admissions are subject to club capacity, and a Fast Access Pass does not guarantee admission to a show.

Details: For a full concert schedule, visit www.tinpansouth.com.