Who’s In The News? Jessica Beaven

Media chair for the Sandy Lee Watkins Songwriters Festival

HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) – According to its website, the Sandy Lee Watkins Songwriters’ Festival is four nights of performances by some of Nashville’s award-winning singers and songwriters. While sitting in the round, attendees will hear stories about how and why their favorite songs were written.

Jessica Beaven is the media chair of the Sandy Lee Watkins Songwriters’ Festival. She has been in this role for over ten years.

“I have been involved in this event for over ten years, and the reason I get involved in this event is because I love music and, ultimately, I love to help my community… We do an annual grant process, and so we give that to local nonprofits in the community. And so anytime we can support and help others is something that is near and dear to my heart… I love hearing the stories behind the songs that are written for great artists that we hear on the radio, but what I find so important is: where do these songwriters develop the stories? And that’s what you get at the Sandy Lee Watkins Song Fest. It is very much a personal, intimate setting where the songs that we hear every day on our radio stations, these guys and gals come in and they share the stories behind the hit songs, and it’s a very moving and wonderful event each year.”

Beaven has many favorite moments from the festival, which is in its 14th year.

“I have a ton of great moments. One of those moments is going into… and… through the grant process with these individuals who have put in a grant application and awarding them the funds that all the volunteers have worked hard for on this festival. Being able to see the money being put back into Henderson is so honoring. Our songwriters do it for that certain reason. And I know our songwriters do it for that certain reason. Secondly, over the course of multiple events, there are also the families that attend with the songwriters and the attendees to see ‘the gentleman who wrote ‘The Dance,” or Garth Brooks, tell the story about how he developed that. That song is moving, and there’s not a dry eye in that [place] right when he tells that story, or when Don Sampson sings about tough little boys. There are so many moments throughout the festival that bring laughter but also a good cry. And it’s just a very unique festival to bring to this Tri-State area.”

Beaven does not play any instruments, although she has played piano and sang in the past.

“I personally do not play an instrument, but I will tell you this area has a ton of talent. We have a songwriter workshop on Saturdays, and we see so many people who are talented—whether it be with an instrument or vocally—however it is that they’re gifted, and they come to the workshop on Saturday morning and share their gift with these award-winning songwriters. I did play piano as a child. I did try to sing. My dad is a great singer, but me personally, no. But I can tell you from being involved in this festival that it’s very good to see that during that annual workshop that we do, we’re very blessed with local talent across the Tri-State area. And it’s very good to see that.”

She says this festival has made a big impact on her to be able to hear the stories of songwriters here, that they are taking the time out to help other people and give back in a financial way, but also give feedback to those songwriters who dream of going to Nashville.

“This festival has had a great impact on me as a person. I’ve gotten busier as I’ve gotten older with children, and I still stay involved. I still try to give my best, to give back to Henderson nonprofits, and to stay involved because I love the songwriters. These songwriters could go anywhere in the world, and they chose to come to Henderson, Kentucky, to support our local individuals. And so, I have seen these individuals give up so much but also give so much while they’re here. So it has made a big impact on me to be able to hear their stories here, that they are taking the time out to help other people and give back in a financial way, but also give feedback to those individuals in the community who want to go to Nashville and who want to do the things that they have done. But to give them a little time to be able to give them feedback, it’s amazing. And so I’ve enjoyed it so much, and that’s why I’ve been doing it for ten years—the difference that they’ve made in this community and helping local people get to where they want to be and giving back to those nonprofits that need support, it’s wonderful.”

She listens to various genres of music, but she loves the country genre the most.

“So I… listen to just about every type of music. My daughter and I listen to pop… I’ve loved country. That’s probably my biggest genre that I listen to most often. The nice thing about this festival, though, is it has a wide variety. So most people… when you think Nashville, yes, it’s the heart of the country music genre. But… gentlemen who have played in the festival include ZZ Top… people that play the electric keyboard… have played alongside many big names. My personal favorite is going to be pop or country, but for this specific festival, it’s across the board. It’s rock and roll. It is country. It is a little bit of soul music. It’s got a lot of good, different genres. So it needs a lot of different individuals… it’s got a little bit of everything for each… person.”

She says that when people come to the festival, they often tell her that they wish they had come sooner.

“I think the one thing that I would like everyone to know about this festival that we hear every single year is that they wish they had come sooner. I think for individuals, when you go to big concerts, it can be overwhelming. And the Song Festival was not meant to be a huge venue. It was to go in and sit beside these gentlemen and ladies and come. We hope that you will get hooked and want to come back. This four-day festival starts on Wednesday, July 24th, and you’re going to see local talent, but you’re also going to get a feel for these award-winning songwriters that you don’t recognize by their names. Their names are on the back of the CD, and their co-writers’… So we hope individuals will come and enjoy themselves in downtown Henderson, Kentucky, and take the time out to help. Not only to help nonprofits, but to support these guys and gals who write these beautiful songs. For these artists that we hear often on the radio.”

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