Thursday, October 5th
Join WERU and the Maine Songwriters Association for an amazing night of music from four incredible Maine-based songwriters: Mehuman, Tom Peabody, Andre Lascoutx and Conner Garvey at Barncastle Inn and Restaurant in Blue Hill!
Doors open at 6:00pm to access the bar and seating, and the show begins at 7:00pm.
We’re very excited to be continuing our series at Blue in Portland in April. The show will feature Jud Caswell, Carole Wise, Bob McKillop, and Andrea Cole swapping songs and probably some stories as well in this songwriters round. Tickets are not required but a donation of $20 (or more) is suggested. All proceeds go to the performers.
Meet the performers:
Bob McKillop loves songwriters and songwriting. He wrote his first song at the tender age of five years, and has been writing folk, country, and Americana songs since his teens. His songwriting shifted into high gear in 2003, when he moved to Portland began to perform at open mics and small gigs around Southern Maine. Bob admires the work of songwriters like Roger Miller, Cindy Walker, Carole King, Mark Erelli, Tony Lane, Shane McAnally, Guy Clark, Jason Eady, and Sam Outlaw. Lori McKenna is his songwriting hero.
Andrea Goldman Cole is a Maine singer and songwriter whose music has been performed by groups throughout New England. Reflecting on themes of nature, love, and family, Andrea aims to write melodic tunes with heartfelt lyrics and rich harmonies. She was the 2nd place winner in the MSA 2021 Songwriting Contest.
Carole Wise is a singer/songwriter from Brunswick Maine. Her music is sweet and soulful, drawing on a lifelong passion for education, the beauty of the natural world, and the adventures of finding truth through life’s challenges. Her music is also organic – grown and nurtured from the seed of a feeling or a visual. “I do not chase a song,” Carole says. Nature is where her spirit thrives and meditative walks are often the source of the seeds – as in the hawk she watched soaring above – that was the seed from New Frontier. Once planted in her mind and heart, Carole gifts it the time to grow. Carole’s most recent release “Long Way Home” charted as No. 18 on Folk Radio in November 2021.
Maine singer/songwriter Jud Caswell has got a keen eye for detail, a head full of far-away, and a heart full of home. In 2006 he burst on the national scene, winning the legendary Kerrville New Folk competition. His songs have been taught at Berklee, recorded by Judy Collins, and named “#4 Song of the Decade” by New York’s WFUV. Jud left the road to raise a family where his own roots go deep. He draws inspiration from the land like Mary Oliver, pushing gently into the specific until it unfolds into the universal. He paints his landscapes like Wyeth, with a reverence for humble beauty. And with a voice fresh as water over granite and soft as a pine needle bed, he wields his instruments with the matter-of fact deftness of an old woodsman with an axe.
We’re happy to be working with Meetinghouse Arts in Freeport, to present Songwriters on Stage. The evening was curated by Yarmouth singer-songwriter, Tim Winchester. Tim will be joined by Karen McDine, Ben Wood, and Laurie Jones. Meetinghouse Arts is in the acoustically-stunning church space at 40 Main Street in Freeport. The show starts at 7:00pm. Tickets are $20 (10% discount for full paying members). Purchase in advance here or at the door.
About the artists:
Laurie Jones is an American Singer/songwriter that has been dubbed “the missing link between Dusty Springfield and Tom Petty. She has been referred to as “Chrissie Hynde with a folk guitar” and compared to Lucinda Williams and Sheryl Crow for her Americana and Folk-Rock influences. These comparisons she happily and humbly accepts. Influenced by a multitude of styles, Jones combines the craft of songwriting with her own unique sounds that ranges from Rock to Gospel. Whether playing her songs acoustic solo, or backed by her rock solid band, Jones delivers the lyrical sass and musical punch she has built her reputation on.
Laurie Jones’ latest release, Dark Horse, is available wherever you prefer to stream music and/or CDs.
Karen McDine is a unique singer/songwriter from Brunswick, ME with a voice that’s been described as “Honey over vinegar”, Newport News, Norfolk ,VA. After attending a few years of college at MECA, in Portland, ME, Karen began teaching herself how to play the guitar and moved to Virginia Beach, VA. in ’97 to pursue a career in music.
Her debut album, Fallen Angel was recorded in Virginia Beach 2002, and shortly after its release, she opened up for the legendary local pop band, The States, at the historic NORVA in downtown Norfolk, VA. Karen has since released a pop/rock single, Light Tomorrow with Today, in August 2022. Her newest single, Shadows – a song she wrote for her birth mother whom she has never met, was just released in February of 2023 on Bandcamp. Karen is currently recording her second record of 11 songs, tentatively titled, Wildflower at Owl Cave Audio in Bath, ME. Musically the record reflects Karen’s roots while embracing experimentation and other sonic possibilities. At the heart of Wildflower, there is a strong love for family and tradition.
Maine-based songwriter and rising contemporary folk artist, Tim Winchester was first introduced to the guitar at a young age by his father, a self-taught finger-style guitarist and avid music lover.
In 2016, after more than a decade of not picking up the guitar, a couple of friends convinced Tim to play a few original songs at a local open-mic night which would spark a renewed interest in performing and a deeper curiosity into songwriting and storytelling. Shortly thereafter, he timorously took his music from the living room to listening rooms and has curated a growing collection of heart-stirring songs ever since. An auditory palette of soothing and sorrowful colors, Tim’s music has been described as “atmospheric” and “an ethereal landscape of storytelling”.
He has released 2 full-length studio albums, Into The Open (2021) and Northern Lights (2022)
Ben Wood is a singer-songwriter who has called Maine home for most of the past 20 years. He was first introduced to music at a young age by an older brother and uncle who collected tapes and vinyl. Inspired and heavily influenced by the likes of Dylan, Neil Young, Motown, and soul music, Ben first picked up guitar playing and singing as a teenager. Over the past 25 years, he has played in a number of bands and gradually developed a style that is an eclectic mix of genres and influences ranging from jazz to Americana to neo-soul and R&B.
After several long hiatuses from songwriting, Ben has been more focused over the past few years. He recently recorded a collection of original songs at Acadia Studio in Portland which will be released on all online music platforms in the coming weeks.
MSA and Blue present an MSA Member Songwriter Showcase featuring award-winning songwriters and nationally-recognized touring artists Emilia Dahlin and Jenny Van West, as well as the first-place winners of our 2021 and 2022 songwriter contests, Karen Gray and Oliver Rhodes.
MSA had a field of 34 entries for this year’s event. Three judges – blinded to contestant names – ranked each song for lyrics, melody, originality, song structure, and overall impact. The rankings were combined to choose six finalists. The top ten songs were extremely close in scoring and combined ranking, a testament to the high-quality of song writing from MSA members. All of the songs were worthy contenders.
The six finalists who will compete live for the top three prizes are:
Karen Gray
Ronnie Mocciola
Adam Fromm
John Schindler
Phillip Redo
Stan Keach.
Song Contest Finals will return as a full live event this year, Thursday, November 10th, from 7-9 PM, at Nomad (the former Frontier) located in Fort Andross, 14 Maine Street, Brunswick, Maine.
ALL TICKETS HAVE BEEN SOLD… WE ARE SOLD OUT!