![\"30A](\"http:\/\/houstonmusicreview.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/30A-15.jpg\")
<\/a>Where? That\u2019s always the first question. When I explain it\u2019s in Florida on a little strip of beachfront highway called 30A about 3 hours east of New Orleans it begins to make sense.<\/p>\nWell, how was it? Ohh\u2026it was FABULOUS. Worth the trip on so many levels. How does a gathering of over 160 singer-songwriters in at least 25 different venues with shows running from just about lunchtime til the wee hours for 3 days and nights sound?<\/p>\n
Add to this the temperate Florida weather, the pristine white sand and the emerald ocean\u2026how can you possibly go wrong? Well, ok it\u2019s January and you might need a jacket.<\/p>\n
In their 7th<\/sup> year, this is the best organized, best executed festival of its kind I have ever been to. Producers Russell Carter and Jennifer Steele, together with various local arts councils and ASCAP overlook nothing to bring the best talent from all around the country into some of the finest listening rooms anywhere.<\/p>\n And listening IS enforced. Refreshing.<\/p>\n For me, it all started with a phone call from one of my oldest friends. Kent, who currently lives in Atlanta, asked if I\u2019d ever heard of 30A and offered to put me up for the duration. After I saw the lineup I knew I couldn\u2019t resist , so I packed my bag and a guitar and headed out.<\/p>\n Have a look at www.30asongwritersfestival.com<\/u><\/a>. For a music lover, this is just about as good as it gets.<\/p>\n The energy was infectious, the music was real and the location couldn\u2019t have been any more pristine, safe and conducive to the pure enjoyment of the song and the songwriter\u2019s craft.\u00a0 Next year I\u2019ll try to set up a caravan because it\u2019s just that worth it.<\/p>\n Special note from the \u2018you never know\u2019 department, one of our roomates was Tony Sarno. In case you\u2019re not familiar, Tony plays guitar for Felix Cavaliere\u2019s Rascals. Remember the Rascals? True Lovin\u2026Groovin on a Sunday Afternoon\u2026? On a Saturday we were finally able to get a little playing in. Tony on guitar, Kent on drums and myself on bass.\u00a0 Great time and almost totally unexpected. Check Tony out at www.tonysarno.com<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Written by Michael Pittman Where? That\u2019s always the first question. When I explain it\u2019s in Florida on a little strip of beachfront highway called 30A about 3 hours east of New Orleans it begins to make sense. Well, how was it? Ohh\u2026it was FABULOUS. Worth the trip on so many levels. How does a gathering… <\/p>\n<\/a>From Jackson Browne, to JD Souther to Grace Potter, Shawn Mullins, Levi Lowrey, Willis Alan Ramsey, Jamie Lin Wilson to Ani DiFranco, Chris Stills, Bonnie Bishop..Suzy Bogguss, Hayes Carll the best of the best kept rolling out the songs.\u00a0 Everywhere you turn, in almost every door you step into someone is on a stage.<\/p>\n