’90s Key Western Fest Announces All Women Lineup for 2024
In February, the inaugural Key Western Fest in Key West, Florida asked the question if you could throw a festival primarily focused on resurgent performers from the ’90s era that are coming back into vogue in country music. According to the fans that flocked to the southermost town in the United States, the answer was a resounding “yes.”
As Saving Country Music observed while attending the first year festival, “One of the biggest conversation points throughout the weekend was how the women were outclassing some of the men on the lineup.” In that spirit, the 2nd Annual Key Western Fest is going all women, bringing country legends and Hall of Famers like Wynonna Judd, Tanya Tucker, Jo Dee Messina, Pam Tillis, Terri Clark, and more to paradise for a 4-day excursion into the best of ’90s country music January 31st thru February 3rd, 2024.
According to organizers, they didn’t start out booking the 2nd-year festival with women only, and they’re not trying to make some sort of statement necessarily. But as they were putting a lineup together and were working through the availability of performers, the idea just started to materialize with the artists they were booking, and how it could be a great illustration of the importance of women to ’90s country.
“In an ever-growing festival landscape, Key Western Fest truly does offer an incredibly unique live music experience in one of the most beautiful locations on our continent,” says Key Western Fest co-founder Kyle Carter. ”Last year, we put together a fantastic show that captured the essence of the golden era in country music and to do it on a two-by-four mile island, makes it that much more special for festivalgoers. We’re thrilled to do it all over again in 2024 with a dream lineup that boasts some of the best female voices and songwriters in the rich history of the genre.”
The ’90s were really the last time that women were given a major stake in mainstream country music and went on to help define the sound of that era, illustrated by The Women of Country TV special that aired 30 years ago this year. Key Western Fest happens the week after its sister festival, the Texas/Red Dirt-oriented Mile 0 Fest, which will be celebrating its 7th year in 2024. In previous years, Mile 0 Fest performers have gotten together to toast the women of country from the ’80s and ’90s.
Key Western will also feature more contemporary artists as well, with Lillie Mae also announced for the lineup. More names will be announced in the coming weeks, including potentially some more headliner-level performers.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit keywesternfest.com .
August 11, 2023 @ 11:19 pm
They should Kelly Willis in on that.
August 17, 2023 @ 3:12 pm
Agree. While country women were great in the early/mid nineties, there is a whole other fest to be composed of talented women during the same time frame that country failed, like Bobbie Cryner, Kelly Willis, Shelby Lynne…
August 12, 2023 @ 2:01 am
Watch them bitch later about low turnout
August 12, 2023 @ 4:46 am
That’s a stellar lineup. Wil be interested in attendance figures when done. Would have been cool to include Patty Loveless as well.
August 12, 2023 @ 6:38 am
She’ll never leave Harlan
August 12, 2023 @ 7:49 am
It’s a solid lineup. I do worry that they don’t have a “headliner” type guaranteed to put butts in the seats though. If turnout is low, it will be blamed on the fact that it’s an all female line-up.
August 12, 2023 @ 8:01 am
This event has more names to come, including I believe headliner-level names. My understanding is they just wanted to get out this initial lineup because folks need to plan in advance for an event like this. I think everyone is curious what the turnout will be, but if you appeal directly to a certain demographic, the whole can become greater than the sum of its parts.
August 12, 2023 @ 7:52 am
Yeah, I think they’ve really hurt their ticket sales in planning this. When I was working in country radio, one unwritten rule was “Never play three women in a row”. This was because men will turn it. Maybe we’ll be pleasantly surprised and it will be a huge hit. Maybe they could then make it a national tour though, and call it something like “Ellie Mae Fair”.
August 12, 2023 @ 12:26 pm
I realize that rule would apply now – and over the last 20 years. Let’s face it – from 2007 – 2014 or so there were only two women getting ANY radio airplay on a regular rotation.
But I remember in the 80s and 90s when it was uncommon at all to hear female acts back to back to back. Dolly, Crystal, Barbara, Anne, Janie, Tanya, Trisha, Patty, Pam, Judds, Reba, Mary, KT, Shania, Martina….
There were enough popular women with a wide variety of styles back then.
August 12, 2023 @ 12:28 pm
That should say WASN’T uncommon at all to hear women on the radio back to back to back. Sorry.
August 12, 2023 @ 8:03 am
There’s some elephant sized, obvious, current, and culturally relevant questions that immediately come to mind when I see this all (cis) women list. But we’re not supposed to talk about it? Or,…wait, if we don’t talk about it, doesn’t silence = violence or something? It’s all very confusing.
August 12, 2023 @ 12:53 pm
No men?
Where is the diversity??!!!
/s
August 12, 2023 @ 2:46 pm
Well sure, but I’m also wondering if Trig or the other outlets consulted any biologists before writing these headlines.
Lest someone think I’m just trolling or being antagonistic, I’m honestly curious how the organizers are going to handle this. Note that the word “women” doesn’t appear anywhere in their announcement or website. Was that intentional? Also, that aside, shouldn’t these headlines say “all FRONT women lineup,” since for example in the very picture used, the guitarist APPEARS to be a man*
August 13, 2023 @ 4:26 am
Funny There are far easier/cheaper methods to check these sorts of things.
August 17, 2023 @ 8:56 am
I glad the word “women” doesn’t appear in the title. Many fest like Clapton Guitarfest for example are all sausages and they never to “men” in the title. Besides if they put it in people will expect it next year.
August 12, 2023 @ 4:57 pm
100% good on them. If I was in any way close I’d defininitely go. Not just to ‘support them’ but because it will be a heck of a good show.
Totally not understanding the negatively that some people seem to have about an all female show. Its not a big deal, its called a theme. Its not making a point its just a damn good time.
Music isn’t a competition
(Posted while listening to Gabe Lee, Eveline)
August 12, 2023 @ 7:37 pm
Don’t care, can’t afford such trips anymore.but as long as they shake their asses, and show a lotta leg,then it will be a Hugh success. This line-up is real country,not the crap that’s out there today!!!!
August 13, 2023 @ 4:21 am
How Sweet! Great lineup, but it’s a bit childish.
August 13, 2023 @ 8:06 am
Not very diverse and not very varied. Some wonderful singers in the line up but not varied enough for me. Only women to attend? Unlikely to be a sell out? Good luck to them. I think they might need it. I wish them success.
August 14, 2023 @ 11:01 am
Damn it, Trig.
I’ve just started working on my accommodations for Mile 0 and now you throw this on me.
This looks cool.
August 17, 2023 @ 12:31 am
as the great philosopher yogi berra once said “predicting things is hard. especially when it involves the future.”
lillith fair, anyone? for 90’s female country? it ain’t gonna fly.
just my opinion, and prediction. hey, believe me, i hope i’m wrong!! great lineup, but no headliner. unless…
shania? faith?
August 17, 2023 @ 8:52 am
If Trisha Yearwood shows that might draw more people because she is now cross-brandd with many things. Just PLEASE do not bring Shania Twain, simply because the 90s are hip again…
Lee Ann Womack would be another great addition as would Leanne Rimes. But man If I wasn’t broke and stuck on the west coast I’d go for sure.
August 17, 2023 @ 9:00 am
Ooops missed the dates! I might be able to make it work.
Also a little confused by the negativity or “lack of diversity” comments as if Wynonna and Tanya Tucker have put out exactly the same music their whole careers. I mean it’s all country music, and mostly 90s how do you make the line-up more diverse without bringing in non country acts.
What I am excited for is all the possible guest spots that might happen with women showing up to each others sets.
August 17, 2023 @ 3:27 pm
Is there a single female major label country singer from the early nineties who didn’t make better music than even Alan Jackson or George Strait? Even if you look at the commercially unsuccessful careers of people like Bobbie Cryner or Shelby Lynne their highs were much higher than literally any of the guys outside of “This Time”-era Dwight.
October 7, 2023 @ 6:32 pm
Is there a way to get a refund since our tickets were purchased prior to the decision to exclude male singers?