30A Songwriters Festival 2026 Preview: The Magic Behind the Music with Jennifer Steele & Russell Carter!

The 30A Songwriters Festival is one of the most highly anticipated, absolute must-attend stops on our annual coverage calendar—and that’s why we’re bringing you an exclusive preview right now, as the final countdown begins!" The largest gathering of nationally recognized songwriters is coming back to the beautiful Florida coast, January 16th through the 19th, 2026. We sit down with the visionary leaders who make the magic happen: Festival Producer and Manager Extraordinaire, Russell Carter, and the Executive Director of the Cultural Arts Alliance, Jennifer Steele. We find out the secret to the festival's unmatched stability, how they manage to make an event of this scale feel so incredibly intimate, and we celebrate the stars of the 2026 lineup! We’re talking legends like Mavis Staples, I’m With Her, 10,000 Maniacs, and a celebratory main stage headline from our own friend, Paul McDonald & The Mourning Doves! If you've ever wanted to know why this festival feels like family, or what it takes to curate a world-class lineup, this episode is a must-listen. Tune in now for the inside story, then visit 30ASongwritersFestival.com to grab your tickets before they’re gone! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices