Several hundred performing artists and others engaged in the music business will converge on the historic Victorian gingerbread-lined New Jersey seaside resort community of Cape May, March 27-28, 2026 for the Singer-Songwriter Cape May conference.<\/p>\n
Nashville, Tennessee-based singer-songwriters Pete Mroz (who performed on NBC\u2019s The Voice) and Maya DeVitry (formerly a founding member of the roots trio The Stray Birds) will deliver keynotes and perform during the conference, while some 130 other pre-selected musical acts and artists of various genres will showcase their talents at 15 local bars, restaurants and hotels on Friday and Saturday evenings.<\/p>\n
Now in its 13th year, Singer-Songwriter Cape May launched in 2008, continued through 2019, and resumed in last year following a five-year hiatus. The conference also features two days of hour-long music business panel discussions and workshops, as well as mentoring sessions, at Congress Hall & Harrison Conference Center. There will be plenty of opportunities for networking with other singer-songwriters, musicians and music industry professionals.<\/p>\n
While AcousticMusicScene.com<\/em> is my labor of love, I am also a seasoned public relations and strategic communications professional and will moderate a panel discussion entitled \u201cStory to Strategy: Marketing & Branding for Independent Acts & Artists\u201d during a Friday afternoon conference session similar to one that I participated in last year.<\/p>\n The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) has many implications for the music industry and is rapidly changing how music is written, recorded and shared. Aspects of AI will be explored in three workshops. Professor Emeritus Jeff Snyder, who spent 25 years in higher education and chaired a music department, will lead ones on \u201cAI \u2026 What Have You Done?\u201d and \u201cAI for Musicians: From Creation to Promotion,\u201d while Dr. Michael Harrington, a frequent speaker at SS Cape May and other music conferences, will explain how to leverage AI as a creative tool while safeguarding your intellectual property in \u201cHarnessing AI for Music Creation: A Legal Perspective.\u201d Harrington, who created a popular Berklee College of Music course on copyright law in the music business, has served as an expert witness and co-authored amicus briefs on behalf of big-name artists and as a consultant in hundreds of music copyright and intellectual property matters.<\/p>\n Bill Pere, a Grammy Award-winning songwriter and author of Songcrafters\u2019 Coloring Book, returns to the conference to again present a workshop on \u201cBuilding A Successful Career as a Songwriter\u201d and share \u201cThe 8 Keys to Success in the Music Business\u201d in another one. His wife, Kay Pere, a nationally known vocal and creativity coach, again leads a workshop entitled \u201cRegenerative Creativity: Making a Musical Life that Matters. The Peres have been sharing their decades of experience and knowledge on the craft and business of songwriting at SS Cape May every year since its inception and are glad to be returning. \u201cAmong the dozens of music conferences we have presented at over the last 30 years, SS Cape May is clearly one of the best for both new and experienced singer-songwriters to learn, network, and enhance their career goals,\u201d they told AcousticMusicScene.com<\/em> last year. \u201cWe always look forward to this weekend filled with the creative energy and aspirations of current and upcoming singer-songwriters.\u201d<\/p>\n Lou Plaia (Hot Rats Entertainment), co-founder of ReverbNation \u2013 the world\u2019s largest DIY artists services platform, moderates a panel discussion on \u201cMaximizing Your Potential as a Musician,\u201d Fellow music industry veteran Les Scott (Source Q Boutique), who specializes in music placement in film & television and has represented hundreds of writers and artists, speaks on \u201cMarketing Your Music for Film & Television,\u201d as well as “Breaking Down the Doors” of gatekeepers\/decision makers. Other workshops and panel discussions will delve into “From Songs to Stages: Building a Sustainable Career as a Singer-Songwriter,”\u00a0 \u201cRecording and Releasing New Music in 2026,\u201d \u201cThe Independent Advantage: Shaping the Future of the Music Industry,\u201d \u201cRedefining the Modern Musician: The Shift from \u2018Artist Only’ to Creative Entrepreneur,\u201d and \u201cMaximizing Your Potential As a Musician.\u201d<\/p>\n The conference registration desk opens at 10 a.m. on March 27, while panel discussions and workshops take place between 11:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Showcasing artists and panelists will receive credentials for the conference, while a limited number of others may still register to attend the daytime events for $135. Evening showcase performances\u00a0 — apart from those at Congress Hall featuring keynoters Laura Stevenson and Adam Weiner, which are ticketed — are free and open to the public. The venues hosting them are all within walking distance of Congress Hall.<\/p>\n