The 39th Annual Frank Brown Songwriters Festival will be held November 9-19, 2023.
From FBISF.com
The The Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival is dedicated to the late Frank Brown, who was night watchman at the Flora~Bama for 28 years, and whose moral values, integrity and strength of character still endure. Mr. Frank, as he was known by all, (was 91 years old when he retired) was featured on Paul Harvey’s syndicated radio show, “The Rest of the Story.”
At the club, Mr. Frank wore a pair of matched revolvers, slung low, but he didn’t have to use them. Usually it was enough to say, “Now, you boys don’t have to be like that. What would yo’ mamma say?” All the regulars knew and respected him. He was as much a part of the Bama as the sunrise was a part of the night. He didn’t worry too much about material things. He thought: success is when a man gets what he wants, happiness is when a man wants what he’s got. He was in his glory, just staying around listening to the music. He was the last person the performers saw at closing time.
Mr. Frank was 95 years old when he passed away in 1988, and he left a legacy that we can all share. Some say his spirit still lives on in the celebration of the music. He still lives on today in the memories of those who were fortunate enough to have known him. It is those fond memories that drive all of us that are involved in the festival to ensure that it continues year after year.
The atmosphere here just seems to inspire collaboration and inspiration. A lot of the songwriters are not household names, but their songs are. It is impossible to list or describe the songwriters, musicians and performers that participate in this festival. It’s a living museum, that’s what it is.
THE FRANK BROWN INTERNATIONAL SONGWRITERS’ FESTIVAL at it’s inception was an idea born to honor Mr. Frank Brown (the night watchman at the Flora~Bama Lounge) through a gathering of the writers he so loved and admired. Today the festival provides an atmosphere to promote all writers, whether they had written hit songs which made people open their eyes and view the world in a different way or they are aspiring writers and musicians who knew they could do the same but needed a forum in order to get their music out to the world.
Each year the Festival grew slowly until 1996. The word had spread throughout the country that the Gulf Coast of Florida and Alabama was the place to be for songwriters to gather, collaborate, give birth to new music and enjoy the hospitality and memories atmosphere provided by Pensacola, Perdido Key, Florida and Orange Beach, Gulf Shores, Alabama and their respective surrounding communities. That seemed to be the turning point from a small genre to so many songwriters sending in their bios that many had to be turned away.
The mission of The Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival is to continue to provide a stage for all types of music to be born. In addition, through the sponsorship of businesses large and small, the festival is a major contributor in the fall season which is financially our slowest time of the year.
One of the goals of the festival is to bring songwriters into the classrooms to help expand our children’s minds and creativity through music, for the children to physically see the person behind a song they know and love – to know, they too have the capacity, the ability and the opportunity to enhance lives through their own words and music. The songwriters bring their music to nursing homes so the elderly know that there are truly people in the world who care about them. Music lifts the spirit, puts smiles on people’s faces and brings back memories they had long forgotten. This year the writers will continue to bring their music to children who are hospitalized to brighten their day and help them forget why they are there.
It has been and always will be the Festival’s intent to bring the world here to experience and share our mystical, spiritual, memories home; promote the platform for new songs to be born; be a positive, contributing factor to the economic and cultural growth of the Panhandle; increase educational awareness through music. The Festival brings new visitors here to take a piece of paradise home with a feeling of renewal, excitement and the memory of our local flavor, hospitality, stark white beaches against our expansive blue sky, billowy white clouds and water the color of emeralds sparkling like diamonds dancing in the sun.
The Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival continues to bring new and exciting artists who share their talent and ideas. The festival honors Mr. Frank Brown as it carries on its initial mission statement.
SIDEBAR: Among serious songwriters, the legendary Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival may be the most known, the most played (many writers go back year after year after year), and the most looked-forward-to of all the songwriting festivals held annually. It’s long (ten days), it covers many different venues in two states, Florida and Alabama, and by all accounts, it’s just a HOOT and a not-to-be-missed event!