After a winter tour, Jefferson Ross returns to Savannah and the songwriting showcase he helped create
Savannah Songwriters’ Series
Sun., April 22, 6 p.m.
Johnny Harris Restaurant
1651 E. Victory; Savannah
Songwriters: Jefferson Ross, Harry O’Donoghue, Roy Swindelle and Robert Benton
Free admission. Free parking.
Jefferson Ross is a Savannah-based singer-songwriter who blends country, blues and folk musical stylings with keen, descriptive lyrics. His songs paint a picture as well as tell a story.
A touring troubadour, Jefferson’s “Winter Tour 2012″ covered 15,000 miles in five weeks, from Boston, to Kerrville, Texas, and from Ann Arbor down to Ft. Myers, Fla.
An accomplished player on the Nashville music scene for over 25 years, Jefferson now sets his sights on putting Savannah and Tybee on the map as hot spots for original acoustic music.
He is a founding member of the Savannah Songwriters’ Series.
Harry O’Donoghue is a master folksinger, storyteller and songwriter. His comfortable easygoing manner has become a trademark. On stage with acoustic guitar, bodhran and his gentle voice, Harry weaves and interconnects a pattern filled with history and culture, his songs telling the story of Ireland past and present. Add with that his quick wit, engaging humour and ability to draw an audience into his show and the result is a wonderfully enjoyable and memorable experience.
Roy Swindelle is annually voted best musician on Tybee Island, where he plays as Roy & the Circuit Breakers at Doc’s Bar. Swindelle is a multi-instrumentalist, at ease on a set of drums, blowing a harp or slipping on a slide to play guitar. He is a member of the Savannah Songwriters’ Series.
Robert Benton, a native of Savannah, has been playing and singing for about 20 years. Benton grew up on Wilmington Island and attended UGA. Only in the last few years has he started focusing on writing. Benton is currently working with a drummer, developing originals, as they play gigs as the Benton Hill band.
contact:
Thomas Oliver (toliver.writeright@gmail.com)
404-660-4320
Roy Swindelle (band4rent@aol.com)
912-657-1035
Savannah Songwriters’ Series
Sun., March 25, from 6 – 7 p.m.
Johnny Harris Restaurant
1651 East Victory Drive
Free parking. Free admission.
In-the-round: Aaron LaFalce, Thomas Oliver, Pete Love and Kurtis Schumm
SAVANNAH SONGWRITERS JOINED IN THE ROUND BY ASHEVILLE ARTIST
Asheville, N.C., singer songwriter and radio personality Aaron LaFalce comes to Savannah March 25 as part of the Savannah Songwriters’ Series at Johnny Harris’ restaurant. The multi-instrumentalist took first place in two different categories in a recent Best of Western North Carolina poll: singer/songwriter & local performance artist.
Playing over 200 dates a year, LaFalce’s performances have taken him from New York’s Carnegie Hall & National Underground to the beach bars of British Virgin Islands.
Now in its third year, Savannah Songwriters’ Series promotes original music from local musicians in a free songwriters-in-the-round showcase once a month in Savannah, and once a month on Tybee Island. The series has grown in popularity, filling both the historic ballroom at Johnny Harris restaurant and Doc’s Bar on Tybee.
In addition to LaFalce, the showcase on the 25th will feature local songwriters Thomas Oliver, Pete Love and Kurtis Schumm.
Oliver moved to Tybee three years from Atlanta, where he primarily played original music with his group, The Usual Suspects, and won several songwriting awards from the Georgia Music Industry Association. Since moving to Tybee, Thomas has joined the community of musicians who entertain the tourist trade with mostly cover songs. But he is also eagerly joined the Savannah Songwriters Series’ effort to promote more original music
Love has played for nearly three decades with groups such as the Denny Phillips Band, Spectrum, Band in the Park and Mary Davis and Co. A guitar virtuoso, Love is in great demand.
Schumm is best known as part owner of the Tybee Island Social Club, a restaurant that burst onto the scene two years ago, offering regular live music as well as a hip urban Mexican cuisine. Before entering the restaurant business, Schumm played with his brother around town as Kurtis and Kody. They still tour and have opened from the Allman Brothers and Emmylou Harris. Kurtis can also be seen many nights playing at the Social Club.
contact:
Thomas Oliver
toliver.writeright@gmail.com
404-660-4320; 912-786-4732
Roy Swindelle
band4rent@aol.com
912-657-1035
We were thrilled to see so many original music lovers out to our first show at Johnny Harris’.
Bunny Ware came out to rub elbows and help us spread the word about our live music event. If you missed the article in the Savannah Morning News you can check it out HERE. Lots of great photos!!!
NEW SCHEDULE
PLEASE NOTE that we are moving the Johnny Harris event to the 4th Sunday of the month.
2nd Sunday – Doc’s on Tybee Island
4th Sunday – Johnny Harris on Victory Drive
If you are a regular to the event may I ask that you share the date change through your social media channels.
Play On!
Tami
GREAT NEWS
Starting January 15th The 3rd Sunday Song Writer Series will be held at Our New location The Famous “Johnny Harris” Restaurant on Historic Victory drive.
We are excited about the new venue and the support we are receiving from the management there. As always 2nd Sunday will be at Doc’s Bar on Tybee. Two historic locations supporting Live Original Music, what a great city we live in.
Wishing you a fun and safe New Year’s Eve… see you in 2012!
Savannah Songwriters Series
Sun., Nov. 20; 6-7 p.m.
Cha Bella Restaurant, East Broad St.
Pete Love and Robert Willis have been entertaining audiences around Savannah for a combined 50 years. They’ve played in bands and as solos for some of the most popular destinations for music.
But on Sunday, Nov. 20, Love and Willis will be showcasing their songwriting talents as part of the Savannah Songwriters Series at Cha Bella.
Love has played with groups such as the Denny Phillips Band, Spectrum, Band in the Park and Mary Davis and Co. for nearly three decades.
Willis, who resides in Jesup and began his musical venture in Brunswick and Jekyll Island, has been playing these parts for about 20 years. He can be seen regularly at Stingrays and Doc’s Bar on Tybee. He also has played the Riverboat. In Nashville, he’s written with Jason Aldean and Dwayne Blackwell (who wrote “Friends in Low Places”). He wrote “The Loft” with Marie Osmond, who can be seen singing it on YouTube.
Now in its second year, Savannah Songwriters promotes original music from local musicians in a free songwriters-in-the-round showcase once a month in Savannah, and once a month on Tybee Island. In addition to Pete and Robert, the showcase on the 20th will include Tubby Love (no relation to Pete) and Thomas Oliver.
Tubby Love is from Savannah. He graduated from the prestigious Berklee School of Music in Boston and spent the summer playing the festival circuit. He is currently on tour, making his way home for this Savannah Songwriters engagement.
Two years ago, Oliver moved from Atlanta, where he primarily played original music with his group, The Usual Suspects, and won several songwriting awards from the Georgia Music Industry Association’s. Since moving to Tybee, Thomas has joined the community of musicians who entertain the tourist trade with mostly cover songs. But he is also eagerly joined the Savannah Songwriters Series’ effort to promote more original music.
Savannah Songwriters Series
Sun., Nov. 20; 6-7 p.m.
Cha Bella Restaurant, East Broad St.
Contact: Thomas Oliver (toliver.writeright@gmail.com); 404-660-4320; 912-786-4732
Roy Swindelle band4rent@aol.com; 912-657-1035
Tom Cooler is a local songwriter who enjoys life on the rivers and beaches of coastal Georgia, especially during the Spring and Autumn seasons of the year. “What? Tybee too cold in November? You should try driving your JEEP onto the lake to go fishing thru a hole in the ice. Now that’s cold !” The reflections of nearly 20 years spent living in Wisconsin can be found in his music, in songs titled “Nebraska Boy” and “Back to Nashville”. Pursuits of optimism can be found in his songs “Time” and “Whiskey & Cigarettes”, while the undeniable grasp of Faith resonates in songs like “Dotted Line” and “Brother”.“It’s good to be home” he says, when talking about his childhood years in Savannah. “I have a lot of stories to tell, conjured-up from a lot of traveling around. I love ‘people’…I want them to listen, I’d like them to laugh, and I always try to let them to feel what I feel when I play my music. It’s great when they sing along…that’s the best !”
Tom will be IN THE ROUND this Sunday night at Doc’s on Tybee. 6pm
James Rinalducci will be in the round this Sunday!
Saxophonist James Rinalducci wails his tunes down on River Street and in the squares of Savannah, Georgia. After visiting Savannah for the annual Jazz Festival in 2009, James fell in love with the city and quit the restaurant business in which he worked for 25 years to make it as a musician. He has been playing Jazz for 4 years and has been playing his current 1928 Conn Alto Saxophone that he has fondly christened “Gilda,” after the 1946 movie starring Rita Hayworth.Alongside playing tunes and improvising, he composes music based on conversations he hears and transfers their tonality into music. His conversational compositions possess a unique, flowing sound that can have short, abrupt notes alongside drawn out tones, like phrases and exclamations in conversation.
Every February, James takes part of what is called The RPM Challenge. The challenge is to write and record an album of 10 songs or 35 minutes of music, all original work. All of which he does based on conversations he hears.
If ever you find yourself on River Street, in Johnson or Reynolds Square, keep an eye and an ear out for James and Gilda. Stop by and give him a sentence and he will improv a tune for you.
The Savannah Songwriters Series is at Cha Bella this Sunday, October 16th, doors open at 6pm.
“SOULFUL sexy singer/songwriter Spillane has the soul of a hopeless romantic, the voice of a smoky jazz chanteuse and the tenacity of a hardworking blues diva.”
~ Bill DeYoung, Connect Savannah
Jan Spillane will be IN THE ROUND with Jefferson Ross, Stan Ray and Jaysond Neill this SUNDAY in the Cha Bella Courtyard. 6pm.
Tybee Island singer/songwriter Thomas Oliver’s music is straight from the rich heritage of Southern music: the roots of Americana and real country.
Thomas moves easily from country love ballads to the blues of Ameriana, to folk country songs about Waffle House waitresses and getting older in an ever-younger society.
The son of a Sunday School teacher, Thomas once considered the ministry but opted instead for a career in journalism, which he spent mostly at Atlanta’s largest newspaper. Still his religious upbringing reveals itself in several songs he calls his spiritual blues, where he confronts the mystery of the misery suffered by both the just and the unjust.
Since moving from Atlanta two years ago, Thomas has played many of the music venues on Tybee, from Bernie’s Oyster House and the Rock House to Doc’s Bar and the Seagrass Saloon, as well as Wild Wing’s in Savannah and Uncle Bubba’s on Wilmington Island. His shows are a blend of Americana, classic country and his originals.
Last year, Thomas was one of the local artists showcased during Tybee’s Third Thursdays grassroots arts program. This year, he has joined the Savannah Songwriters Series, playing at both locations, Tybee’s Doc’s and Savannah’s Cha Bella. He has also played return engagements at the Tybee Bar Church. And his “Ballad of Tybee Island” is quickly becoming a favorite among the islanders.
The Georgia Music Industry Association has honored five of his songs from his two CDs as the Best of Country. “Finally Over Losing My Mind” and “The Life You Save Might be Your Own” are available on iTunes and most other Internet music sites.
Thomas is married to Melissa Turner. Between them, they have three adult children and one at UGA.
Thomas joins Jefferson Ross, Stan Ray and Pete Love at the Savannah Songwriters Series at Doc’s Bar on Tybee Sunday September 11
We are excited to get Season Two of the Savannah Songwriters Series underway.
This year we are showcasing two venues.
Second Sunday at Doc’s on Tybee Island & Third Sunday at Cha Bella in Savannah’s historic district.
Please check back as we finalize our 2011/2012 schedule.
Keep In Touch
SPONSORS & SUPPORTERS
DOC'S BAR ON TYBEE
JOHNNY HARRIS
GET INVOLVED
Would you like to be featured here as a Sponsor or Supporter of the Savannah Songwriters Series?
We are looking for rooms for our out of town guests. Please contact us if you'd like to get involved.
