Wild West Songwriters Festival - RECAP

October 17-18 2025 will go down as one of the best weekends of the year.

Seeing so many friends walking the streets of Deadwood, South Dakota with their guitars on their backs, their hearts on their sleeves, and their songwriters dreams inside of them was inspiring as well as entertaining. For me this weekend has become even more special the last few years as more Midwest Country Music Organization members make the trip to my hometown to take part in the Regional Songwriter Competition. This weekend I ran into a few of our fellow members including Birdy Young, Brad Morgan, Jackson Taylor, Cory Waller, Collin Donley, Tristen Schofield, and Janice Gilbert

I was taking part in the local writers rounds for the third year in a row and I was blessed to share the stage with some of my very favorite people and songwriters Tyler Bills, Matt Fockler, Bobbie Jo Kuhl, Molly Brown and Monte Amende, Laura Mills, Ja'net Eastman, Andrew Jandt and Nevada Ellison.

These amazing songwriters are all like family to me and to have the opportunity to share the stage with many of them for the very first time this weekend was incredible. I captured every minute of my rounds and will be sharing them as Songwriter Showcase episodes of The Scene Projects over the next few months and making them available on TrueTV Plus on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV. I am honored to have spent the weekend alongside of my friends and to use our platform to promote them to the world. It was a golden opportunity to capture some of the best in the Midwest and we didn't miss it!!

This weekend was really about one songwriter in particular for me and he ended up winning the Regional Songwriter Competition like I knew he would. Johnny Hastings is my favorite guitar player and that's why you hear him on my newest Startz and Endz album tearing it up like he has been doing around the Black Hills for almost 20 years but he is also one of the greatest songwriters I have ever met. He writes from the very depth of his soul and this weekend he laid it all out there for the fans to see. I am so proud of my friend and his deserving recognition at this years event.

Check out the gallery of photos here and look out for lots more coming from this wonderful weekend of music. Shout out to Wild West Songwriters Festival, the Deadwood Chamber, Jesse Allen and the whole crew that brought this 13th Annual event together. Best one yet!! Love you all, til next year!