Archive for the ‘NewSong Music’ Category

MEET LEAF SONGWRITER COMPETITION FINALIST MAGGIE MONAGHAN

Friday, May 5th, 2023

The annual LEAF Singer-Songwriter Competition, now in its ninth year, will take place at Spring LEAF Retreat, in Black Mountain, N.C., on Saturday, May 13, 2023. Eight singer-songwriters have been selected from across the country to showcase, compete, and network at the competition.

MAGGIE MONAGHAN (Wellesley, MA)

Maggie Monaghan is an indie-folk singer-songwriter from Wellesley, MA. She is currently a rising senior at Wesleyan University in CT where she leads weekly open mics and is working on a musical. She began songwriting in high school, and it quickly became one of her biggest passions. She released her first single in May of 2022—and another last month—and is currently working to record and release an EP. Some of her top musical influences are Noah Kahan, Mt. Joy, St. Terrible, and Lizzy McAlpine.
 

NewSong Music: How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it before?

Maggie Monaghan: To someone who has never heard my music before, I would describe it as an intersection of the Indie-Folk and singer-songwriter genres. I am a huge lyrics person when I listen to music, so that is one of the areas of my songwriting that I would say has grown the most over time. I grew up playing piano, so I write a lot of music on piano but have recently picked up the guitar as well. I feel like guitar has definitely helped me lean even further into the folky elements of my songs throughout the writing and production process.

What is the first album you bought, and why?

The first album I ever bought was Elton John’s Greatest Hits because my dad used to have a CD of the album in his car, and I remember countless car rides from soccer games or school, blasting “Tiny Dancer” and “Crocodile Rock.” My dad has always been one of my biggest fans; in high school, I spent hours at the piano every week, singing and playing, and he would sit on the stairs behind me and just listen. He is relentlessly supportive of my dreams in music, and it always feels special to share that passion together.

What is one influence on your music that might surprise us?

Rainbow Kitten Surprise has been one of my top artists for the past four years. Some of their songs definitely trend in a more Indie direction, but a lot of their music is pretty alt. rock, which is why they may be a surprise as far as an influence for my music. Hearing about how they write some of their songs has been fascinating and inspired a lot of my music. Some songs of theirs have only two chords and yet such intricate and funky melodies. I remember first getting into them and being blown away by their lyrics, which have since inspired my approach to writing. Many of their lyrics could mean so many different things, and that act of interpretation is something I love about listening to their music. Their lyrics, tight harmonies, and instrumentals work together to convey such a specific vibe for each of their songs, and this cohesion—out of so many different, simultaneous instrumental elements—is something I admire. During my gap year, I spent a lot of time in my makeshift recording studio (a closet in our attic) on GarageBand making mash-ups, my favorite being an RKS-Maggie Rogers one.

What projects are you currently working on?

Since October, I have been working to record an EP with Pace Ferro, who owns Pharaoh Recording Studios in Plainville, CT, and Julian Sherwood, who is an incredible Indie artist and instrumentalist.  I am always writing and playing music, whether I am walking to class, at golf practice, or listening to music.  I am also currently working on a musical about the environment and colonialism; the plot takes place in a McDonald’s-esque fast food chain restaurant, and one of the main characters is a naturalist from the 1700s, back from the dead.  During the fall semester, I started weekly open mics with two friends at school and have been working to build that community since.  Getting to see the variety of talent that people show up with, week after week—as well as getting to meet and collaborate with so many new people—has been a highlight of my year.
 

MEET LEAF SONGWRITER COMPETITION FINALIST CORRIE LYNN GREEN

Wednesday, May 3rd, 2023

The annual LEAF Singer-Songwriter Competition, now in its ninth year, will take place at Spring LEAF Retreat, in Black Mountain, N.C., on Saturday, May 13, 2023. Eight singer-songwriters have been selected from across the country to showcase, compete, and network at the competition.

CORRIE LYNN GREEN (Port Republic, VA)

Born and raised in The Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, Corrie Lynn Green writes and reflects the secrets and stories of life in a small holler town. Drawing from her deep roots in rural Appalachia, she pulls the history of life, rebellion, religion, hardship, grit, joy, acceptance and the displacement of her friends and family off Shenandoah National Park into her captivating songs.

NewSong Music: How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it before?

Corrie Lynn Green: I would describe my music as an authentic, raw and unique sound and experience. My banjo style is unique to the folk songs I create. I break a lot of rules when it comes to any of the ways music is “supposed” to be. I just put forward what seems real and right to me as its being created. I tell stories that help heal me and help convey the story of the people I grew up with living the beautiful mountain way, often misunderstood, underestimated and ignored. 
 
What is the first album you bought, and why?
 
The first album I ever purchased was on Vinyl and it was Prince, Purple Rain. It is still my all time favorite album. Regardless of musical genre Prince was an incredible instrumentalist and creator of songs never heard before. He always broke rules and did things completely his way. He had a vision and his music is timeless but also captures a perfect time in my life as I fell in love with music. 
 

 
What is one influence on your music that might surprise us?
 
An influence on my music that may surprise you are bands like Beastie Boys, Tribe Called Quest, Moby, and Chris Isaak. These are not the main things I listen to but each of these styles existed somewhere in my time growing up and helped me break away from the idea that just because I had a very specific voice or that I played a very specific instrument I could experience and know music to have endless possibilities and I could go my own way following my heart to my authentic sound.
 
What projects are you currently working on?
 
I am currently working on a new album with D.W. Fearn that will be very different from the first. I believe we are always growing and changing and having life experiences that shape our music and sound. I am also getting ready for a very cool summer of gigs including Redwing Roots Festival, FredFest, The Purple Fiddle, and in the fall The Northern Appalachian Folk Fest Inc.

MEET LEAF SONGWRITER COMPETITION FINALIST LYLE DE VITRY

Monday, May 1st, 2023

The annual LEAF Singer-Songwriter Competition, now in its ninth year, will take place at Spring LEAF Retreat, in Black Mountain, N.C., on Saturday, May 13, 2023. Eight singer-songwriters have been selected from across the country to showcase, compete, and network at the competition.

LYLE DE VITRY (Asheville, NC)

Asheville based singer-songwriter Lyle de Vitry‘s thoughtfully crafted melodies and poetry are imaginative, visually arresting and thought provoking as he explores themes of nature, love, memory and the temporal. Lyle’s creative expression and inspiration are derived from a wide range of sonic spaces. A life of classical training, curious exploration of jazz, and a passion for traditional Appalachian music have each shaped his style into something fresh and innovative.

NewSong Music: How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it before?

Lyle de Vitry: Rhythmic, flowing fingerstyle guitar woven amidst introspective lyrics 
 
What is the first album you bought, and why?
 
I didn’t start buying vinyl until quite recently, actually. I don’t own many, but the first one I bought was Abysskiss by Adrianne Lenker. She’s one of my favorite songwriters and guitar players. That album is a masterpiece.  
 

What is one influence on your music that might surprise us?
 
I’m an old-time musician, and although most of my music may not sound inspired by Appalachian old-time, I’ve noticed more and more of my songs have a similar trance quality to some of the fiddle tunes I love to play.   
 
What projects are you currently working on?
 
I’ve been working on my debut album titled Door Within A Dream for the past year and a half. We’ve reached the mastering stage, so it’s nearly done! I also have a backlog of instrumental guitar music and a few piano compositions that I hope to record this spring/summer with some friends in Asheville. Additionally, I’ve been experimenting with writing choral music and arranging strings.
 

Meet LEAF Songwriter Competition Finalist Kate Prascher

Friday, April 28th, 2023

The annual LEAF Singer-Songwriter Competition, now in its ninth year, will take place at Spring LEAF Retreat, in Black Mountain, N.C., on Saturday, May 13, 2023. Eight singer-songwriters have been selected from across the country to showcase, compete, and network at the competition.

KATE PRASCHER (Highland, NY)

Kate Prascher is a Tennessee-born, Hudson Valley-based singer and multi-intrumentalist who writes evocative original songs with an “intangible vintage feel” – Ink 19

NewSong Music: How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it before?

Kate Prascher: Kate Prascher’s songs are invisible and sometimes tender, by turns playful and heart-piercing. Audiences will hear Kate’s “delicate and expressive singing” – Ink 19 and experience an evocative mix of Americana, bluegrass and folk.

What is the first album you bought, and why?

As a preteen, I was up late one summer night and saw Iris Dement perform “My Life” on Conan O’Brien’s show. It affected me deeply and I was driven to Borders in the next few days to buy the album. 

What is one influence on your music that might surprise us?

I really love the Cranberries! Like most folks, especially in these hyper-connected days, I listen to a little of everything. 

What projects are you currently working on?

I am almost finished with my first full length solo album. Started back in October 2022 and excited to bring that project into the world.

Meet LEAF Songwriter Competition Finalist MaisCéu

Thursday, April 27th, 2023

The annual LEAF Singer-Songwriter Competition, now in its ninth year, will take place at Spring LEAF Retreat, in Black Mountain, N.C., on Saturday, May 13, 2023. Eight singer-songwriters have been selected from across the country to showcase, compete, and network at the competition.

MAISCÉU (Lenoir, NC)

MaisCéu is the brainchild of Jimmie Griffith, a musician who hails from the mountains of Minas Gerais, Brazil. His music is a fusion of American and Brazilian musical traditions, reflecting his upbringing steeped in both cultures.

Inspired by the Blue Ridge mountains and the “Mares e Morros” of Minas Gerais, MaisCeu’s unique sound, featuring heartfelt Portuguese lyrics, is a reflection of his deep love for the outdoors and his passion for bending music genres. With an authentic and soulful approach to his craft, MaisCeu’s music speaks to the heart and soul of his listeners, drawing inspiration from the natural beauty of his childhood home and the rich musical traditions that have shaped him.

NewSong Music: How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it before?

Jimmie Griffith: The music itself borrows heavily from the music from my home state of Minas Gerais, Brazil (Clube da Esquina). The guitar harmonies, vocal melodies, and lyrics are very heartfelt and evokes a feeling akin to sunshine right after a rainstorm.

What is the first album you bought, and why?

Dori Caymmi — Tome Conta de Meu Filho. This album was the soundtrack for a documentary on Dorival Caymmi who I was obsessed with in my early teens. Dorival was a great songwriter and storyteller who told stories about the lives of the fishermen and the beautiful state of Bahia, Brazil. He was way ahead of his time musically and heavily inspired musicians from the Bossa Nova era and beyond.

What is one influence on your music that might surprise us?

Jamiroquai, the first three albums are still in heavy rotation at my house.

What projects are you currently working on?

I am looking for collaborators! My dream project would be to play with musicians that are well versed in old-time music but also other genres in order to seamlessly weave and blend NC (North Carolina) with MG (Minas Gerais, Brazil). 

Meet LEAF Songwriter Competition Finalist Jess Clemons

Wednesday, April 26th, 2023

The annual LEAF Singer-Songwriter Competition, now in its ninth year, will take place at Spring LEAF Retreat, in Black Mountain, N.C., on Saturday, May 13, 2023. Eight singer-songwriters have been selected from across the country to showcase, compete, and network at the competition.

JESS CLEMONS (The Dalles, Oregon)

NewSong: How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it before?

Jess: Folk/Americana with country and jazz influences. Norah Jones meets Brandi Carlile with a little Bonnie Raitt mixed in for good measure.

What is the first album you bought, and why?

Rusted Root — 1998 self-titled album. I was in eighth grade and their first album was hugely popular amongst my older sisters and their friends. It felt more lively and exotic than the James Taylor and John Prine and Tracy Chapman that were often spinning on my family’s record or CD player. Great singalong songs that didn’t always make much sense!

What is one influence on your music that might surprise us?

I am getting back into playing piano — which was my primary instrument from when I was a small child through college. I had the same jazz piano teacher from when I was five through high school — and he instilled groove and feel into my playing more than I realized until recently.

What projects are you currently working on?

This past year, a perfect four-piece band fell into my lap just when I was needing some musical inspiration, and we have just recorded a four-song EP to be released this summer.

Meet LEAF Songwriter Competition Finalist Josh Batenhorst

Tuesday, April 25th, 2023

The annual LEAF Singer-Songwriter Competition, now in its ninth year, will take place at Spring LEAF Retreat, in Black Mountain, N.C., on Saturday, May 13, 2023. Eight singer-songwriters have been selected from across the country to showcase, compete, and network at the competition.

JOSHUA BATENHORST, AKA CAPT. JOSH (Asheville, NC)

NewSong: How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it before?

Josh: You can hear the places I’ve lived in it. The High Plains, Austin, Western North Carolina — so a lot of country, a little blues, gospel, and a little jam. The constellation that I navigate by has folks in it like Jerry Jeff Walker, Robert Earl Keen, Guy Clark, John Prine, Emmylou Harris, Bonnie Raitt, Amanda Anne Platt, Bob Weir, Robert Hunter, Susan Tedeschi.

What is the first album you bought, and why?

So, I’m pretty sure I begged my mom to buy me the Air Supply album, back before I was even in kindergarten. I’m just going to let that speak for itself.

As for actually spending my own money on something, that would be a double purchase. I bought Michael Jackson’s Bad at full price, and Bruce Springsteen’s Welcome to Asbury Park, New Jersey at the same time from the dollar bin because I think I had $15 to spend when I got my first tape player. I think I listened to Bad quite a bit, and didn’t quite get Welcome to Asbury Park until I was a little older. I did like it enough to make my second purchase Tunnel of Love, which I wore out.

What is one influence on your music that might surprise us?

Maybe the Indigo Girls? I love harmonies and they’re killer songwriters, but I’m also kind of a dude — played football, have a big beard and a belly.

What projects are you currently working on?

Right now most of my creative energy is going into getting some traction with the new band — the Acoustic Light Brigade (ALB) — is what we’re calling it. It’s a four-piece right now and we’re just a baby band but we live all over the map — Atlanta, Asheville, Athens — so rehearsals have to be very strategic and timely. As a bit of content building, we’ve spent April doing “ALB Undercover” in which we are throwing some of our favorite cover tunes up on YouTube — one each day this month. I also run a touring theatre company for young audiences, Bright Star Touring Theatre, and that takes most of my day-job time and attention.

Finalists Announced for the 2023 LEAF Songwriter Competition

Monday, April 17th, 2023

NewSong Music announced the eight finalists who will perform at this year’s LEAF Songwriter Competition.

The event is a collaborative effort between NewSong Music and LEAF Global Arts. It aims to identify and recognize exceptional performers and songwriters from across the country. The finalists are invited to network and compete at the LEAF Retreat, on Saturday, May 13, 6:30-9:30 p.m. in Eden Hall.

This year’s finalists for the LEAF competition are: Corrie Lynn Green (Early Bird Finalist), a country-tinged folksinger from Port republic, Va.; Melodic, emotive, and punk-informed The Accidentals, who formed in Michigan by are now based in Nashville; singer and multi-instrumentalist Kate Prascher, from Highland, N.Y., who is best known for her evocative songwriting; singer-songwriter Josh Batenhorst — aka Captain Josh — from Asheville, N.C.; Wellesley, Mass.-based songwriter Maggie Monaghan; MaisCeu, from Lenoir, N.C. whose music is inspired by Brazil and the Blue Ridge Mountains; singer-songwriter Jess Clemons from Portland, Ore.; and Lyle de Vitry from Asheville, N.C., who crafts thoughtful melodies and poetry.

The winner of the LEAF Songwriter Competition, selected from a panel of music industry judges, will earn a spot as one of only eight finalists at the annual International NewSong Competition, held in Asheville in the fall. The winner will also return to the LEAF Festival, held October 19-22, 2023, as a featured, paid performer.

The LEAF Songwriter Competition is always a memorable experience where songs are shared, friendships are forged, and great music finds a welcome and supportive audience. It’s worth noting that the event is not intended to be a cut-throat music competition. Instead, NewSong is committed to building and supporting a community and network of outstanding artists.

About LEAF Global Arts

LEAF Global Arts is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization with a mission to connect cultures and create community through music and arts. LEAF is composed of two key cultural arts education programs — LEAF Schools & Streets and LEAF International — as well as two signature events: LEAF Retreat (May) and LEAF Festival (October). Since 1995, LEAF has served more than 200,000+ youths with programs in more than 15 community locations and in 10 countries worldwide. www.theLEAF.org

 

Catching up with LEAF/NewSong Competition Finalist Philip Bowen

Thursday, April 6th, 2023

Just about a year ago West Virginia native Philip Bowen performed as a finalist at the annual LEAF Performance and Songwriting Competition, produced by NewSong Music. While Bowen is perhaps best known for his TikToks (where he adds a fiddle part to pop songs from “Free Fallin’” to “Enter Sandman” to “Gangsta’s Paradise”) he stuck to acoustic guitar and original folk/Americana songs for the competition.

By the way, Bowen won TikTok’s Gamers Greatest Talent competition.

The LEAF event, in May of 2022, “Was actually one of the one of the first things [where I traveled] to go do all original stuff,” Bowen recalls. “I’m so glad like I did it when I did it, because it was a great experience. I got to meet lots of interesting people. To hear other people doing their songs, you get inspired by what they’re writing.” In fact, Bowen has kept in touch with fellow finalist Stephan Sylvester and the two have written songs together.

In a way, the LEAF competition kicked off a big year for Bowen, which included an interview by Rolling Stone on Twitch, performing at NPR’s Mountain Stage as part of the opening show for the program’s 40th season, co-writing in Nashville, and readying his own album for release. (And, since this interview, Bowen also teased social media viewers with a photo of himself at “America’s Got Talent.”)

New Music

Probably the biggest thing coming up for Bowen is the release of his new album — his debut solo project — due out this summer. “For me it was very important to record the entire album in Appalachia, generally, but specifically, but West Virginia,” he says. “I did all the studio work in West Virginia, and every session player (except for one pedal steel player from Nashville) was talent from Appalachia.”

The record, Bowen says, is a mix of eclectic styles. “Most of it’s very Americana and dealing with country vibes. And then a couple more jazzy, bluesy tunes on there.” He adds, “It was a very cool experience. I’m really excited to have it done. It almost feels like I ran a marathon.”

But backing up to last year — a month or so after LEAF, Bowen had some songwriters reaching out to him. One of those experience of co-writing over Zoom led to an opportunity to play at Nashville’s iconic Bluebird Café. Usually, a songwriter must, “jump through a million hoops,” to land a gig at the Bluebird, Bowen says. “It was a well-known thing that I got invited to come and do, versus having to go the open mic route and do all these auditions for it. I got invited to come and I got to play like, seven songs on center stage. It was just a really fun night.”

Mountain Stage

The Mountain Stage booking came out of Bowen’s connection to West Virginia — though he and his family are currently based in Michigan. A job offer in 2014 brought him north.

But, “Growing up in West Virginia, and being from the region, I had known about Mountain Stage my whole life,” Bowen says. He had heard that friends in West Virginia were sending his music to the producers of Mountain Stage, which was flattering, but, “I just was not expecting too much from it and I didn’t want to cold call them and force my stuff on them.”

Instead, while speaking to a local media outlet, “I mentioned on this TV interview that it would just be a dream come true to do Mountain Stage. It would be such an honor to do it,” Bowen recalls. A few weeks later, Bowen was visiting his parents in West Virginia for the holidays when he received an email from Mountain Stage host Larry Groce saying he wanted someone local for the opening show of the 40th season. The date was just a few weeks away, but Bowen didn’t bother to check his calendar for conflicts. “I was like, ‘Oh, 100%’,” he says.

The whole experience was unbelievable, Bowen says. “I got to sing with Kathy Mattea. I think each person has about a 25-minute set. So, it was a true joy, and it was sold out. The whole evening was a really wonderful experience and to be able to do that in my hometown — it was just the coolest, most surreal experience.”

Rolling Stone

But Bowen’s big year didn’t stop there. Before Covid, Bowen says, he had plans to play coffee shops and other small gigs in the Detroit area to work his way into that music scene. When everything shut down, he turned to online platforms to share his music. “And that really changed my whole life because of the audience it ended up giving me,” he says. “I had said yes to a couple things from Twitch — they reached out to me maybe a year before that and offered to include me in this Artists Collective thing they were doing because they wanted more music streamers to use their platform.”

He continues, “It was a collaborative thing. I got to meet some people who were doing what I was doing. And I got a couple of front-page opportunities through that on Twitch. And then this person from Twitch corporate reached out to me and said, ‘Hey, I just wanna let you know, Rolling Stone is doing this series on singer-songwriters. They said most of them are published, major-label supported songwriters. But I think that if it’s okay with you, I want to put you forward for it.”

Bowen says he didn’t get his hopes up, but he also thought, “What can it hurt?” Three weeks later, Bowen received a message from Rolling Stone’s editorial staff asking if he was available on a particular date.

The week of the Rolling Stone interview, Bowen was in Nashville for a songwriters workshop. He left a day early and drove home so he could do the online interview from his home studio. “I got home and this massive snowstorm come through Michigan, like no power, no internet,” Bowen says. Because he couldn’t change the date and time of the interview, Bowen’s family stepped into help, scrambling to find a place with electricity.

“I drove to this random warehouse in Detroit where my brother knew somebody,” Bowen remembers. “We hung a black tablecloth on the wall. And then I just started setting everything up to make it look like I was in a studio. Literally, I plugged in the last thing 45 seconds before my soundcheck.” The risk paid off: “It was total chaos. But it was just a miracle that it happened.”

Corrie Lynn Green named LEAF Competition ‘Early Bird’ Finalist

Monday, April 3rd, 2023

The annual LEAF Singer-Songwriter Competition, now in its ninth year, will take place at Spring LEAF Festival, in Black Mountain, N.C., on Saturday, May 13, 2023.

Congratulations to our LEAF Festival Competition’s ‘Early Bird’ finalist Corrie Lynn Green!⁠

 

 

Born and raised in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, Corrie Lynn writes and reflects the secrets and stories of life in a small holler town. Drawing from her deep roots in rural Appalachia, she walks down a path of self discovery through personal heartbreak, rebellion, hardship, joy and acceptance, Corrie Lynn stays true to the strength and grit that defines her personal story and others living the mountain way.

Corrie Lynn will be joining seven other yet-to-be-determined finalists at the LEAF Retreat May 11-14 in beautiful Black Mountain, NC, to network, showcase and compete in the annual LEAF Singer-Songwriter Competition.