Songwriters in the Round

June 13, 2007

Folk music lives! At least, that’s the message from the Northern Michigan Songwriters in the Round, a group of 60 acoustic musicians whose organization celebrates its 10th anniversary this month at Horizon Books in Traverse City.
This Friday, June 15, founders Patrick Niemisto, Chris Skellenger, Paul Koss, Jay Webber and Adair Correll will take the stage in the HorizonShine Café in the lower level of the bookstore for a trip down memory lane that began in June, 1997. Other members of the club may also sit in.
“We were looking for a venue that would offer a listening audience,” recalls Adair Correll. “We hooked up with Vic Herman and Amy Reynolds of Horizon Books back in June 1997 and have been playing the third Friday of every month since.”
Correll estimates that there have been 108 free performances through the years, with 2,700 original songs played in the HorizonShine Café. One of the stipulations of joining the group is that musicians can only perform original songs at their shows.
Correll also notes that the Songwriters have also produced four compilation CDs and have staged four major concerts at the Milliken Auditorium in TC. Another big concert is being planned for this fall.
As always, this Friday’s show will be free of charge, with the addition of extended hours, running from 7:30-10:30 p.m.

SONGWRITING WORKSHOP
Budding songwriters may also be interested to note that the organization is sponsoring a Songwriters Workshop and Concert on Saturday, June 23, with national recording artist Jonathan Edwards. Folk artist Edwards has 13 albums to his credit, over the course of a 30-year career. He will conduct a songwriting workshop from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the Leelanau School in Glen Arbor, followed by an 8 p.m. concert.

Tickets for the Jonathan Edwards workshop and concert are $50; or $15 for just the concert. For information www.glenarborart,
or call 231-334-6122.