Come on down to the Bayou: Morgan City, LA

Morgan City Songwriters Festival Opens Avenues For National Musicians 

Morgan City, LA – A music revolution has begun right in the heart of Cajun Country, and it is about to gain more traction during Songs on the Bayou Singer/Songwriter Festival, Conference and Retreat on March 25 – March 31, 2019. A mix of touring singers and songwriters from across the country bringing Americana, Country, Rock, Folk, Blues and Zydeco to stages all across Morgan City, La, as well as music industry professionals coming to present at the conference.

Morgan City or “Bayou Music City” as it is known, is the national headquarters of D.a.T. Sauce and The Last Honky Tonk Music Series, and together for the third row these two companies have partnered together and have been in the planning stages for months, booking venues and performers to excite and bring in crowds from across the country.

“Providing a platform to be heard is so vital to performers,” says Scott Green, owner of D.a.T Sauce. “Creating an avenue where not only the public but music executives can hear the stories in their songs is what we’re all about.”

Nearly 100 featured songwriters who have been traveling the songwriting festival circuit will come from across the United States to take part. Many hail this particular festival as the “Road to Third Street,” with Baton Rouge-based Third Street Songwriters Festival being the first Songwriters Festival that broke ground in Louisiana.  Music lovers are encouraged to participate in both events, bridging the way to a larger connected music community in Louisiana.  Other surrounding cities are also represented at the Songs On The Bayou Festival, with special stages for NOLA Songwriters, Lafayette Songwriters, as well as the Baton Rouge songwriters. Festivals from other states are also included, like the Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival and Pensacola Beach Songwriters Festival.

“Each year we are thrilled to see how much this festival grows,” said organizer (and performer) Brigitte London. “The talent keeps excelling, and the interest from artists keeps growing. It’s such an exciting time for original music. We’re so thankful to be able to bring that to a wide audience.” London heads up The Last Honky Tonk Music Series, a nationwide movement with over 70 Official Artists and venues, spanning the USA. The Series produces a syndicated radio show, as well as a local radio show on KQKI in Morgan City, and a television series is in development. Each artist in the Series is invited to perform at the festival every year.

The seven-day event will be more than solely performances. A songwriters retreat will take place, allowing writers to commune with nature as a way to gain further inspiration, as well as scheduled writes with Veterans and members of the Elder and Youth community.   There will also be a Bayou Music City Summit, sponsored by Taff Optical Pickups out of Los Angeles. Taff Optical Pickups are pioneers in the industry, leading the forefront of light-based technology for acoustic instruments. Their revolutionary optical pickup was first debuted at an LHTMS event in VA last winter. They will be leading the Light Up The World With Music portion of the summit, with presentations, workshops, and panelists discussing topics from self-publishing to vinyl versus digital to music therapy to how to stay true to one’s own ethos when thrust into the music industry, and much more. Songwriters will also be able to meet one-on-one with some of the biggest names working in the industry. There may even be a surprise or two in terms of scheduled acts.

“We have so much to offer at this Summit, from leaders in the forefront of musical equipment technology in the industry to Music Industry Professionals, as well as Multiple Presenters who use Music as a Healing tool (including autism, Alzheimer’s, PTSD, and mental and physical trauma,” says London.  The Summit is $35 for a three-day pass, and that gives entry to the weekend shows at Morgan City Municipal Auditorium. All other performances are free to the public.

Thirteen venues in Morgan City and the surrounding areas will host performances in the select venues from March 27 to 31st, with a family-friendly kick-off on Wednesday, March 28 in Lake End Park featuring a Fais Do Do featuring local swamp pop artists, as well as a Thursday Veterans Night at NicoBella, and a finale at Gros Marina on Sunday. All shows are now listed on the festival website.

Solidifying the local commitment (building yet another bridge in the La music community) to creating “Bayou Music City,” the Cypress Sawmill Festival in Patterson, La (April 5-7, 2019) has partnered with SOTB, working in cross-promotion and entertainment exposure. The festivals are back-to-back and provide the entire scope of music experience, art, culture, and family entertainment. This has built a strong commitment between Patterson, Bayou Vista, Berwick, Morgan City, and surrounding areas in St. Mary Parish,  even extending into St. Martin Parish at Gros Marina on Four Mile Bayou, that embodies the welcoming essence of the Cajun hospitality.

“Music is a force in the lives of so many,” said London. “It’s a thread that binds us and brings us together.  We invite everyone to come to the Cajun Coast and be part of this life-changing experience. Feed your soul.  Son of a gun, we’re gonna have big fun on the Bayou! ”