Downtown Cody will feel the music Thursday through Saturday when the fourth annual Yellowstone Songwriter Festival comes to town.

The festival will have 30 live shows, 22 songwriters and take place across eight venues: the Cody Theatre, Chamberlin Inn, Cody Auditorium, Blanca Tatanka, Proprietress, Silver Dollar Bar, Tossers Pizza and Beer and The Station by Cody Coffee. The festival has over 20 sponsors including those serving as a venue. 

While this is the fourth year in Cody, it is the eighth year for Rocky Mountain Songwriter Festival, the nonprofit organization which organizes the event. The organization held its first festival in Red Lodge. A festival has been held in Whitefish, Montana, and one is planned in Livingston, Montana, board member Scott Bishop said. 

“We have people come in from all over the country and even out of the country into the local towns where the festivals were held,” Bishop said. “So it certainly brings people to shop and utilize the restaurants and places to stay and support local businesses and things.”

Over 65% of attendees to the Cody festival come from outside of the state, according to the organizers. So they try to have the venues downtown so as people walk from venue to venue there are opportunities for them to support local businesses. 

The proceeds then go to charitable organizations to help promote music within the community. Each year a painted guitar is signed by all the hit songwriters and auctioned off. For the past three years Scott’s wife Susan has painted the guitar and this year’s guitar was donated by Gibson. 

“It’s a one off, and each year is a little bit different, of course, different hit songwriters and things,” Bishop said. “So, you know, that’s kind of a nice little tribute.”

Since the creation of the festivals over $130,000 has been donated, Bishop said, and it’s also a chance to promote songwriters and share the creativity of the art with fans, and promote area tourism and music education. 

This year will be a little different, as it is the first year the Cody festival has a headliner. Special guest Michael Martin Murphey will be headlining along with Billy Montana, Randy Montana and James Dean Hicks according to the website.  Between them the four writers have produced more than 20 No. 1 hits and hundreds for Billboard’s Top Ten Hits. Artists who have sung their songs include Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Luke Bryan and Tim McGraw.

Local performers will include Kaylyn Beasly, who has been involved from the beginning of the festival. Jillian Nordberg, a 15-year-old local musician, was also asked to join the festival.

The majority of performers apply for the festival, Bishop said. 

There will also be “hit songwriters” and what the festival calls rising stars. Additionally, the festival attracts over 100 applicants for a songwriter workshop with the songwriters. The winner of a competition during the workshop then will get to come back next year. 

“We kind of like to think of ourselves as the festival with a purpose,” Bishop said.

Tickets are selling fast, Bishop said, with sales from the last week up 100% compared to last year. But patrons can continue to buy tickets the morning of any given day. 

To purchase tickets and learn more about this year’s lineup visit yellowstonesongwriterfestival.org.