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Key West Songwriters Fest Ends Sunday

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KEY WEST (CBSMiami) – Scores of America's top performing songwriters have taken the stage in casual island settings during the past five days at the 20th Key West Songwriters Festival.

An annual tradition for many leading country and pop music hitmakers ends Sunday.

Thousands of country music aficionados crammed the 200 block of Duval Street Saturday evening to listen to  Gammy-nominated country artist Chris Young and singer Josh Door Saturday night.

Other featured performers including Jack Ingram, Raul Malo, Liz Rose, Jeffrey Steele and Rhett Akins shared stages at island city bars, restaurants, theaters, resort beaches, poolsides and even an excursion catamaran at sunset.

"We had over 225 performers here for five days, putting 50 shows on around Key West," said festival president and founder Charlie Bauer.

Presented by BMI, the Key West Songwriters Festival benefits the St. Jude Children's Research

At the top of the Florida Keys island chain, the Upper Keys Business Association is planning the Key Largo Original Music Festival May 14-17. Multiple on-the-water venues are to feature Nashville's hit songwriters and musicians as well as local entertainers.

(©2015 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Florida Keys News Bureau contributed to this report.)

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