Key West Songwriters Fest; Better Angels Staff Updates

>>Better Angels Music Group President/CEO Rob Rappaport has added Chief Creative Officer to his roles, and will also become Creative Director of the Publishing Group. Previous Creative Director Todd Wilkes has exited the company but will continue to work with Better Angels as a consultant. Better Angels Director of Artist Relations Gary Ray will assume the post of Vice President, Operations, where he will be responsible for the daily business of both the Music and Publishing Groups. Additionally, Richard E. Gathright has joined Better Angels as Chairman of its Advisory Board of Directors. Gathright is a 40 year business veteran who currently holds the position of Chairman, CEO and President of SMF Energy. His career includes time with energy and logistics companies such as TransMontaigne Inc. and Aberdeen Petroleum PLC.

>>The Better Angels Music Key West Songwriters Festival, presented by BMI, has grown exponentially since debuting 16 years ago. This year’s event, running April 27 through May 1 will offer performances from more than 100 top-tier songwriters.

Recently added to the lineup are genre-hopping singer/songwriters Raul Malo, Marshall Chapman, and Robert Earl Keen; serial country chart-toppers Lori McKenna, Bobby Pinson, Liz Rose, Hugh Prestwood, Bob DiPiero, The World Famous Headliners (Al Anderson, Shawn Camp, and Pat McLaughlin), Keith Stegall, Jamey Johnson, Randy Houser, Jerrod Niemann, and Dallas Davidson; and rock-pedigreed singer/songwriters Better Than Ezra’s Kevin Griffin, Bo Bice, Collective Soul’s Ed Roland, and Patrice Pike.

Among the numerous previously announced performers are Steve Bogard, Chuck Cannon, Lee Brice, Luke Laird, David Lee,  Rhett Akins, Joey + Rory, Sarah Buxton, James Slater and tons more. The festival will benefit the Wounded Warrior project, an organization that provides aid for injured service members. Among the event’s highlights will be a full band show by Robert Earl Keen with special opening guest  Jerrod Niemann and the Hung Jury on Saturday, April 30.