2026 KEY WEST CHICK FEST LINEUP:

Erica Sunshine Lee (Founder & Host of the Key West Chick Fest) - This dynamite International country singer-songwriter is known for blending her traditional Southern roots with a vibrant tropical flair. With 11 original albums to her name and over 65 songs recorded by other Nashville and international artists, Erica’s music brings a unique mix of heartfelt storytelling, coastal rhythms, and island vibes. She continues to energize crowds with her infectious hooks, witty humor, and powerhouse engaging and sassy performances. Her signature raspy Southern alto and honest, evocative lyrics capture everything from heartbreak and redemption to adventure, freedom, and faith—always wrapped in her bold, sunny spirit.
Georgia native now based in Nashville and Key West, Erica has earned 5 TRMA Female Artist of the Year awards for her ability to bridge country music and tropical rock. She’s lit up stages around the world—from Summerfest and Cheyenne Frontier Days to festivals in Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, and Italy! Erica’s songs tackle both life’s highs and lows—beachside romances, addiction, loss, and hope—with a splash of lime, a dose of Jesus, and a whole lot of soul. Beyond the stage, she’s a children’s author, founder of the Key West Chick Fest supporting female creatives, and a passionate advocate for chasing dreams and lifting others up.
Billie Jo - (TEXAS) Featured on the new TV SERIES with Keith Urban on “THE ROAD,” and coming to her 2nd Key West Chick Fest. Born and raised in Texas, Billie Jo Jones was destined for stardom from the very beginning. “I was putting on private concerts for my grandparents in their living room when I was just 4 or 5 years old,” she recalls. “They would sit, watch me for hours, and clap for me after every song.” Inspired by icons like Shania Twain, the Dixie Chicks, Patsy Cline, Ray Price, and Loretta Lynn, Billie Jo developed a deep love for classic country music that continues to influence her artistry today.
Morgan Lee Powers - Morgan Lee Powers is a Country and Americana singer-songwriter currently somewhere between Waco and Nashville.
Morgan, a native Texan, enjoys writing songs about growing up in a small town with a loving family.
Her debut album “How Naïve” is releasing January 6th summing up what it is like to be a young girl growing up in a humble Texas home. Her biggest influences are Flatland Cavalry, Kacey Musgraves, Kaitlin Butts, The Dixie Chicks and Bella White.
Meredith Crawford - The first female to champion the Larry Joe Taylor Songwriter Showcase in 2024, she’s got a bright future ahead. She’s also a Texas Songwriter University Alumni, meaning she was mentored by the best of the best including Jack Ingram, Lori McKenna and Liz Rose. She has opened for Jack Ingram, Hayes Carll, Summer Dean, Courtney Patton, Sunny Sweeney, ShinyRibs, and recently Diamond Rio. Songwriting at a rapid pace and with many releases already under her belt, the highway is wide open for this chick.
Paige King Johnson - Paige King Johnson is a rising North Carolina country artist known for her classic-meets-modern sound and heartfelt storytelling. Inspired early by legends like Loretta Lynn and Merle Haggard, she began performing locally as a child before moving to Nashville to study Music Business at Belmont University and develop her songwriting voice.
Johnson has opened for major acts including Kane Brown, Gabby Barrett, Clint Black, and Scotty McCreery, and has earned seven Carolina Country Music Awards. As the first musical ambassador for North Carolina’s “Got to Be NC” program, she released the agriculture-inspired single “Homes in the Hometowns” while championing local communities and young songwriters through her festival series, The Country Yard Party.
Her debut single “Water Down the Whiskey” reached #29 on the Music Row charts, leading to her first album Honky Tonk Heart and multiple nationally premiered music videos with Pam Tillis—including a milestone debut at the Grand Ole Opry.
Kaitlyn Croker - Maryland-born and Nashville-based, Kaitlyn Croker is a fast-rising singer, songwriter, and guitarist quickly making her mark on the country scene. Since moving to Music City in 2021, she’s delivered powerhouse performances everywhere from the Bluebird Café and the Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival to the legendary Flora-Bama and Johnny Cash Farm.
Croker’s momentum has put her alongside major names—sharing events with Ashley McBryde, Bridgette Tatum, and Thompson Square, and opening for artists including “The Voice” winner Todd Tilghman, bluegrass icon Rhonda Vincent, Shenandoah, and most recently, Cole Swindell. In 2024, she added standout appearances at CMA Fest, the Pensacola Beach and Lake Martin Songwriters Festivals, and multiple performances at Zac Brown’s Camp Southern Ground.
With a growing catalog of original music and a fanbase that expands with every stage she steps on, Kaitlyn Croker is proving she’s one of Nashville’s most exciting new voices—and she’s just getting started.
Hillary Reese - From the heart of Mississippi, this dynamic young songstress Hillary Reese is a triple threat, singer/songwriter/instrumentalist, with a sound all her own that connects across generations of fans and genres. Hillary’s vocals and lyrics offer a balance between the charm of a southern belle and the ferocity of a steel magnolia. At only 8-years-old, she emerged on the music scene through a series of viral Facebook videos, which fast-tracked to millions of views and a loyal following of over 300,000 fans. Hillary quickly found herself traveling frequently to Nashville where she has collaborated with industry heavyweights including Dolly Parton’s producer, Kent Wells, and former Little Texas Member, Jeff Huskins. Hillary has since been touring all around the US and gaining followers globally. She is currently living in Nashville writing, performing, and releasing music full time.
Betsy Franck - is a soulful Americana–blues singer, guitarist, and songwriter. A Virginia native now based in the North Georgia mountains, she has spent years performing and recording across the South, including time in Nashville, Athens, and the mountain towns of North Carolina. Her five studio albums blend blues, Americana, southern rock, and bluegrass influences, shaped by a deep-rooted mountain sensibility and expressive vocals.
A longtime collaborator with the Athens rock band Bloodkin, Franck continues to perform both her own material and group projects while supporting live music and community-focused gatherings through BFranckProductions. New recordings are in the works—genre-bending, vinyl-bound, and worth the wait.
Carissa Carter - Three things characterize Carissa Carter: powerful vocals, a bold presence, and soulful storytelling. Her sound reflects her upbringing of singing southern gospel songs on Sunday mornings to rocking out with Miranda Lambert, Linda Ronstadt, the Allman Brothers, and Faith Hill as a teenager. In 2023, she released an Acoustic EP called “The Scratches, Part 1,” that garnered over 10,000 streams across platforms in its first month. In 2024, Carissa formed her band, Carissa Carter and Southern Light (CCSL), which led to them opening for artists like Howard County, Ben McPeak, Jeremy Peyton, Dakota Murillo, Dani & The Rejects, Caleb Michael and The Arrested, and Dakota Murillo. Carissa has also performed at the Rustic Rhythms Festival, Whistletop Festival, and the Kaufman Fall Festival. Carissa Carter and Southern Light have headlined Hoots Hall in Burleson, Red Barn Saloon in Durant, and Margaritaville Crystal Beach. The Truth, Tall Tales, and Whiskey Podcast, the Gotta Love Texas Music Podcast, and Country vs. Metal have all featured her, with her Country vs. Metal episode releasing in October 2025. Her Debut EP, “Untamed,” will be coming in 2026, with her debut single “Between These Two Barstools,” coming out in September 2025.