<div>World-class songwriters traveled to Bentonville, Arkansas, during the <strong>Power of Music Festival</strong> on April 26-29, giving listeners a rare chance to hear the stories behind the songs. The proceeds benefit the <a title="I'll Fly Away Foundation; Click to open in a new window or tab
https://t.e2ma.net/click/l5hiw/t78yjf/pkwecg" href="https://t.e2ma.net/click/l5hiw/t78yjf/pkwecg" data-name="I’ll Fly Away Foundation" data-type="url"><strong>I’ll Fly Away Foundation</strong></a>’s music education program, which brings songwriting into area schools in order to elevate test scores and classroom engagement.</div>
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<figure id="attachment_35440" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-35440" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img class="size-large wp-image-35440" src="http://www.countrymusicnewsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/Power-of-Music-Festival-1024x769.jpg" alt="Power of Music Festival 2018" width="1024" height="769" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-35440" class="wp-caption-text">Pictured (L &#8211; R): Power of Music Festival&#8217;s Betsy Brumley-Bernier and Kevin Bernier; Steve Dorff; Stephen Dorff; Mahershala Ali.</figcaption></figure>
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<div>With dozens of shows and artists, the event drew top talent like 2018 Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee<strong> <a title="Steve Dorff; Click to open in a new window or tab
https://t.e2ma.net/click/l5hiw/t78yjf/5cxecg" href="https://t.e2ma.net/click/l5hiw/t78yjf/5cxecg" data-name="Steve Dorff" data-type="url">Steve Dorff</a></strong> (“Through the Years,” “Every Which Way But Loose”). His solo performance at the elegant Haxton Road Studios in Bentonville attracted cast members of HBO’s <em><a title="Click to open in a new window or tab
https://t.e2ma.net/click/l5hiw/t78yjf/l5xecg" href="https://t.e2ma.net/click/l5hiw/t78yjf/l5xecg" data-type="url"><strong>True Detective</strong></a></em>, including his son <strong>Stephen Dorff</strong> and Oscar-winning actor <strong>Mahershala Ali</strong>. Steve Dorff also participated in multiple book signings for his new memoir, <em><a title="Click to open in a new window or tab
https://t.e2ma.net/click/l5hiw/t78yjf/1xyecg" href="https://t.e2ma.net/click/l5hiw/t78yjf/1xyecg" data-type="url">I Wrote That One, Too…: A Life in Songwriting From Willie to Whitney.</a></em></p>
<p>Three members of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame united for a well-attended round at Meteor Guitar Gallery. The lineup featured <strong>Roger Cook</strong> (“I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing”), <strong><a title="Click to open in a new window or tab
https://t.e2ma.net/click/l5hiw/t78yjf/hqzecg" href="https://t.e2ma.net/click/l5hiw/t78yjf/hqzecg" data-type="url">Richard Leigh</a></strong>(“Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue”) and <strong>Dennis Morgan</strong> (“I Was Country When Country Wasn&#8217;t Cool&#8221;). Other highlights included original music from <a title="Click to open in a new window or tab
https://t.e2ma.net/click/l5hiw/t78yjf/xi0ecg" href="https://t.e2ma.net/click/l5hiw/t78yjf/xi0ecg" data-name="Steve Poltz" data-type="url"><strong>Steve Poltz</strong></a> (Jewel’s “You Were Meant for Me”),<a title="Jerry Salley; Click to open in a new window or tab
https://t.e2ma.net/click/l5hiw/t78yjf/db1ecg" href="https://t.e2ma.net/click/l5hiw/t78yjf/db1ecg" data-name="Jerry Salley" data-type="url"><strong>Jerry Salley</strong></a> (<a title="Chris Stapleton" href="https://stubhub.prf.hn/click/camref:1100ljXyr/pubref:WPSStapleton/ar:CMNBAutoLink/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stubhub.com%2Fchris-stapleton-tickets%2F">Chris Stapleton</a>’s “Outlaw State of Mind), and <a title="Click to open in a new window or tab
https://t.e2ma.net/click/l5hiw/t78yjf/t31ecg" href="https://t.e2ma.net/click/l5hiw/t78yjf/t31ecg" data-name="Keith Sykes" data-type="url"><strong>Keith Sykes</strong></a> (Jimmy Buffett’s “Volcano”).</p>
<p>Additional talent included indie-Americana band <a title="Click to open in a new window or tab
https://t.e2ma.net/click/l5hiw/t78yjf/9v2ecg" href="https://t.e2ma.net/click/l5hiw/t78yjf/9v2ecg" data-name="The Accidentals" data-type="url"><strong>The Accidentals</strong></a>, female vocal group <a title="Click to open in a new window or tab
https://t.e2ma.net/click/l5hiw/t78yjf/po3ecg" href="https://t.e2ma.net/click/l5hiw/t78yjf/po3ecg" data-name="Farewell Angelina" data-type="url"><strong>Farewell Angelina</strong></a>, Latin rock ‘n’ roll band <a title="Click to open in a new window or tab
https://t.e2ma.net/click/l5hiw/t78yjf/5g4ecg" href="https://t.e2ma.net/click/l5hiw/t78yjf/5g4ecg" data-type="url"><strong>Making Movies</strong></a>, inspiring rapper <a title="Click to open in a new window or tab
https://t.e2ma.net/click/l5hiw/t78yjf/l94ecg" href="https://t.e2ma.net/click/l5hiw/t78yjf/l94ecg" data-type="url"><strong>Saul Paul</strong></a>, guitarist-songwriter <a title="Click to open in a new window or tab
https://t.e2ma.net/click/l5hiw/t78yjf/115ecg" href="https://t.e2ma.net/click/l5hiw/t78yjf/115ecg" data-name="David Starr" data-type="url"><strong>David Starr</strong></a>, and Emmy-winning composer <a title="Click to open in a new window or tab
https://t.e2ma.net/click/l5hiw/t78yjf/hu6ecg" href="https://t.e2ma.net/click/l5hiw/t78yjf/hu6ecg" data-name="Jonathan Wolff" data-type="url"><strong>Jonathan Wolff</strong></a> (<em>Seinfeld</em>, <em>Will &; Grace</em>). A number of aspiring songwriters from the region also performed at venues like Two-25 Events and Bike Rack Brewery.</div>
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<div>The festival featured 42 shows and 51 artists over four days and included an education series for aspiring performers with guest speakers like soul music icon Al Bell (Stax Records). The festival is organized by the I’ll Fly Away Foundation, named for the iconic song “I’ll Fly Away,” written by Albert E. Brumley. His granddaughter, Betsy Brumley-Bernier, founded the I’ll Fly Away Foundation with her husband, Kevin Bernier.</div>