Showcases
October 2022 VOCAL Songwriters Showcase
The October 2022 VOCAL Songwriters’ Showcase took place virtually via Zoom and FB Live on Monday, October 18, 2022. Two of VOCAL’s long-time members, Glenda Creamer and Jim Puckett, shared their well-crafted tunes with the group.
Glenda opened the evening with a spook-filled set and she was dressed for the occasion with her black witches hat! She opened with Saurena’s Song, describing the melodic hook reeling her in – swallowed the bait – he’s the best fisherman, and she’s waiting to see if she’ll get thrown back in or if she’s a keeper. Lazarus recounts the Biblical tale (a bit creepy/spooky) where Lazarus awakes from the dead. Scary, indeed! She then delivered her signature (and timely) song I’m a Witch Today, conjuring up evil emotions, vibes, etc. that you don’t want to come your way! She then brought us Ghost House, which was inspired by a crazy dark dream. They had just moved to a rental house and started experiencing really weird things, realizing then that the house was haunted. Moonshine Sky is another one of Glenda’s signature songs, a minor-keyed haunting number inspired by the moonshine-making days in Franklin County, VA during the Depression. Fortune Teller is a cool song she co-wrote with former VOCAL member and UofR Speech Professor Jerry Tarver. It “tells” about his love foretold, which then he stupidly betrayed, so he’s now asking the Fortune Teller to tell him a lie – he’ll even pay her double to reward her for her trouble! Glenda ended her set with another haunted tune Never Sing About the Moon (the crescent moon is for the witch, the full moon for the werewolf, but no moon is when all the creepy things come out!) If you don’t want him to fall in love with you, then don’t sing about the moon when you’re looking into his eyes, and don’t act pleased when he gives you a surprise.
Jim Puckett then took the virtual stage with his numerous guitars, swapping them depending on the desired tuning. He opened with Mabscott, an ode to the old coal-mining town, remembering his grandad driving the grocery truck around the mines. The Only Stars is a cool number about not only seeing billions and billions of starts in the sky, but also seeing millions in the darkness of your lover. Mississippi Line reveals a current theme of standing in line for assistance in some form or another, whether it’s food, gas, or most recently bottled water in the case of Jackson. You never know when you may be the one who has to stand in line, especially when your life and dreams have suddenly dried up. In Richmond is a tune where the city is calling out and waiting for you from all corners of its rich and sometimes dark history. From “Hollywood on the James” to the church on “The Hill” there is something for everyone. Jim brought his harmonica for Giving Me Ideas, where he and his lover are taking a drive in the country, the music cranked up to free them. Don’t have to tell me twice, she’s giving me ideas! It’s Okay is a new song from Jim with a “don’t worry, be happy” attitude to life and what comes along. Doesn’t matter what it is, someone borrows and wrecks your car, someone crashes on your sofa, etc. there’s always room at the Inn! Into My Arms is another cool song in alternate tuning that Jim describes as an “apocalyptic love song”. Regardless of all the gloom and doom and despair, I will always be there with arms wide open to take you in. Riverside is one of Jim’s signature tunes, a dark “Appalachian Murder Ballad” tale of taking your lover down to the river where the cool water feels good on a hot summer night. What begins as young passionate lovers trying to get away with everything they could ends with her being shot by a jealous lover who is then “taken to the water”. When The War is Over was written several years ago but is very applicable today with the situation in Ukraine. The parent compares the noises of war to the weather, with the rain and thunder – it will all be better when the war is over. Things Happen Fast describes the situation of many when they are living high on the hog, taking things for granted, when suddenly they find themselves in a free fall and lose everything they had. Jim ended the evening with Winter Town, where he initially is inclined to get out of town when the cold and snow arrives, but then realizes that is where his roots are, so decides to turn around and stay.
Great sets, Glenda and Jim!
If the video below doesn't play when you click it, follow this link to watch it on Facebook: October 2022 VOCAL Showcase Facebook Live
September 2022 VOCAL Songwriters Showcase
One of the qualities I've always admired about VOCAL is its ability to deal with change. From securing performance venues, to challenges presented with the pandemic lockdowns, and a host of other "little things" that would bog down other non-profit arts organizations, Matthew Costello and the leadership and membership of VOCAL have managed to find unique, workable solutions to these and other issues.
For instance - what happens when the VOCAL Songwriter of The Year and the composer of the VOCAL Song of The Year, both member-voted accolades, who have the honor of sharing the playbill for the next Songwriters Showcase...but both award winners are the SAME person?!? And there's never been a Songwriter's Showcase featuring a SINGLE performer?!?
Solution - you put aside tradition for one evening, hand the virtual microphone over to the "Cute Girl with Glasses", and get out of her way!
This was the case at this year’s September Songwriters Showcase, when Keely Burn, the 2022 VOCAL Songwriter of The Year, and composer of the 2022 VOCAL Song of The Year, "Your Company", stood alone, center stage, and showed us why she was so deserving of this year’s top honors.
Keely performed a 12-song set of her greatest hits, alternating between her keyboard and several ukuleles, while recovering from the travel lag associated with a wedding she sang at the weekend before. Oh, and there was the unplanned technical delay due to Facebook's procedure change for livestreaming without notice or warning (see VOCAL’s ability to deal with change above).
Keely shared insights into her songwriting process and inspirations along the way, and the common theme for her is relationships. Her opening selection "Waltz" explored the dynamics of marriage. "When I'm Acting" searched for acceptance in a complicated relationship. "Masterpiece", a classic Keely Burn song, clearly laid out parameters and expectations in a troubled relationship. "Broken Heart" was originally a collegiate exercise in Dorian mode that evolved into a breakup song. Here, the audience was treated to a wonderfully fresh freedom in Keely's lyric and melody.
Keely took a moment to say that yes, relationships are her guiding songwriting inspiration, but her lyrics often explore conflict and the resulting reactions that are NOT typical of Keely personally. "Your Company" was such a song, where she drew her inspiration from close friends and a Sondheim work with a similar name. Keely followed our 2022 VOCAL Song of the Year with "Lightning" a fiery, spirited ukulele song.
Keely has an EP project in the works, which she tells us is all about anxiety. "Bed of Nails", one of the songs from her forthcoming project, deals with adults making friends in the digital age, and how individual backgrounds can, well, complicate things. "Doorstop" was her audition song for the prestigious Summer Camp of the Interlochen Center for The Arts. It was a treat to hear a song from Keely's younger years, a clever song of empowerment. In this song, the audience could hear clear lines between yesterday's raw talented teenager and today's polished energetic artist.
The set continued with "Come Down Love" - a primal and declarative work, because what's a love affair without a few rough edges to work out? Keely's next song was a change-up, called "Strike Three" - but it wasn't about baseball (wink). The next song was one of our favorites, "Cute Girl with Glasses" - love her, don't love her, it's all good! But don't forget the ukulele!
Keely wrapped up the night with "Out of The Flood", a reminder that even in hard times, life washes away the things that drag us down.
Congratulations on a historic, vibrant Songwriters Showcase performance, and congratulations to the 2022 VOCAL Song of The Year writer AND Songwriter of The Year, Keely Burn!
~ David Atkins
August 2022 VOCAL Songwriters Showcase
August 2022 Vocal Showcase.
Another stellar night of music was provided by two long time VOCAL members, president Matthew Costello and Glenda Creamer. Hosting was another long time member, David Atkins.
Opening the program tonight, while waiting for attendees to show up, were two recorded examples of the songwriters works: "Lady You" by Matthew was a jazzy tune and "I'm Leaving Cody" a popish cowboy song from Glenda.
Matthew Costello
To start the live portion of the show, Matthew began with "Train of Thought" which outlined the dual thinking processes of the singer and the object of his attention. Next, "Life Is A Movie" described all the different contrasts one finds going through life, such as country life/city life, friends/strangers, heroes/villians, and shows the complexity of what we experience. A major piece of work by him "The Artist That Hung The Moon" (John Atkinson Grimshaw) is a picture itself by a song, of a picture by the artist with imagery and music. "If You Knew" was a song about being smitten, secret feelings the singer harbored for a woman he sees across a room and wonders if she has picked up on his feelings. Next in his set, Matthew presented "Bound By Walls of the Past" which included some lines how the title can affect a person, such as "Freedom in the future, walls in the past" and "Why pay remorse for rent". This question , "What is Happy", probably crosses most everyone's mind at least once in life. The answer, as Matthew explains, is "In The Eye of The Beholder" in his song "Get Me Some Happy". It shows up when we least expect it, and from unexpected sources, from the aura of strangers to our own inner being, it is a contagious feeling one can not ignore.
Glenda Creamer
Glenda began her set with the "Frog Song" a delightful tune describing all the antics of a frog and it's characteristics, slimy, green, hoppy, jumpy, swimming in the toilet bowl and other assorted traits, and she included some very froggy sound effects to complement the song, as well. The next song (Woman on the path?) comes from a suite of songs about Jesus and the Bible, in which the woman asks Jesus to bless the children He encounters in His walk through life. "Hit On By Older Men" tells the tale of how her wedding ring (a sapphire not a diamond) misleads men into thinking she is available and how she has to fend them off. Next in her set was "September Wind" and describes the changes the coming autumn is creating, pushing waves back to the shore, rustling leaves and cooling temperatures. One of her well known songs was next: "I'm A Witch" in which, she exemplifies all the traits of a witch, casting spells, shooting green darts and generally creating havoc in people's lives. "Ghost Town" to keep the halloween theme going, was a song about a haunted house invaded by kids who spend the night exploring for ghostly powers, to which she added spooky sounds. "Moonshine Sky" came from her experience growing up in rural Virginia, and related the exploits of local moonshiners who made their brew in the dark of night in the shadow of the mountains. Last song in her set, Glenda presented "Let The Cool In" and mister cool himself saunters in on a hot summer day to the delight of those suffering the heat.
One of the outstanding results of tonight's showcase proved that VOCAL has great songwriters who create meaningful and thought provoking lyrics and complimentary music skills.
July 2022 VOCAL Songwriters Showcase
The July 2022 Songwriters Showcase took place on July 18, 2022 via Zoom (streamed live on FB). Two long-time VOCAL members Bill Kaffenberger and Matt Manion were the featured writers.
Bill Kaffenberger
Bill opened the show in a dropped-D tuning with Acts of Random Blindness, the story of someone out of control with serious non-earthly problems who defied everything and cashed it all in – don’t mess with God or he’ll mess with you! In The Morning was a partially-written tune from the late 60’s – early 70’s that he had written with a friend who has since passed away. He’s sorry he walked out on his friend when he needed him most and doesn’t blame him for anything that happened in the past – I’ll be heading out when the morning comes. The Ghosts of Laurel Canyon is the title track of his newest release, describing his ventures into the canyon in search of the muse from past musicians who lived there. The ocean breaks for miles and miles – are these ghosts of the canyon even real, or are they walking these hills? Dad is a very sentimental tune about his father, remembering all the great times they had together. Summer Day Summer Sun was co-written with his high school friend Jim Howard, a salute to the summer fun and sun and the idea of leaving everything behind and dream on a new horizon. The next tune, also co-written by his friend Jim, was inspired by the Don McLean’s song Vincent. Asking what Van Gogh’s life could have been like, he encourages us to never give up on our dreams despite how despondent things may seem at the moment. She’s So Real is a signature tune of Bill’s that most everyone can relate to – trying to find that special person in your life who’s the “real deal”! She’s got a heart a million miles wide, so how can you go wrong with that? Maybe someday he will have the nerve to tell her how he feels about her. And So it Goes was written after attending a John Prine concert, where Prine encouraged all songwriters in the audience to go home and write a song. Bill took that to heart and wrote a pleasing-to-the-ear Prine-ish number. You can’t cook an egg in a toaster or comb your hair in the wind – reminded me of the advice dispensed in Prine’s Dear Abby song! He then introduced his new single Summer Rain, a rhetorical apocalyptic tune that will make you stop and think about what’s going on in our world today. His next tune, She Was Meant For Me, was written in the style of Gene Clark, a member of the former Byrds. He can’t believe that he’s the only one who understands that when all is said and done, and after a lot of time has passed, maybe she’ll see that she was meant for me! Bill ended his set with Someone Greater, a song he wrote back in the 70’s while at VCU and playing at the Grace Street Coffeehouse. After witnessing all the majestic mountains, newborn babies, etc. you certainly will believe there is someone greater! Great set, Bill!
Matt Manion
Long-time member Matt Manion then took the virtual stage, opening with one of his signature tunes I Don’t Need to be Perfect. Definitely a message many folks can relate to – let me just be myself and get on with my life! Looking for a Man’s Man describes the search for that perfect mate – doesn’t have to be rich, just someone who will grab me by the heart. Blue Springs Hideaway recounts the heavenly trip to the mountains in southwest Virginia, soaking in Mother Nature miles away from the city lights – rocky ridges and forest trails. Definitely a peaceful place for a great weekend! Another dreamy ode to Mother Nature is Life Can Be Funky Down on the Pamunkey, a really cool song describing all the wondrous aspects of natural life along this lazy river. Matt then treated us to a new song using sampling from the Simple Minds’ song Don’t You Forget About Me. I Just Wrote a Song Today asks the listener to just let him know if you don’t like it and he’ll stop it! Matt took us home with Rolling Sea, which included soothing backing tracks he recorded on the beach by the ocean. I could almost feel myself floating and bobbing peacefully with the gentle roll of the waves. Way to go, Matt!
June 2022 VOCAL Songwriters Showcase
The June 2022 VOCAL Virtual Songwriters Showcase featured two fine songwriters who represent distinctly different points within the spectrum of our membership, Keely Burn and Doug Patrick. This was another virtual showcase using Zoom while streaming via FB Live, which has been our standard operating procedure during the pandemic.
Keely Burn
Keely opening the evening, sharing both her Richmond home as well as her favorite four-legged audience with us! Keely has been with VOCAL since 2013, where even as a teenager her creative potential was clear to see. Her songwriting is filled with smart, challenging lyrics, joyful melodies, and confidence in the face of a challenging world. Her set tonight opened with the self-affirmation anthem Not Afraid. From her forthcoming sophomore album release (stay tuned for more info), Bed Of Nails explored the difficulty of making friends in the digital age, and “friending” someone who ultimately isn’t worth one’s time. Switching instruments, we were next treated to “Ukalady”. (Don’t ask, just watch the showcase on our website archive!) Keeping with the 4-string theme, Keely charmed us with her quirky tongue-in-cheek bio-pic, Cute Girl With Glasses. Her next songs dove further into her new album project, in the form of anxiety studies, including Drowning On Thin Air and Your Company, in honor of Pride Month; addressing those dealing with the pressures of trying to conform to society’s expectations. Rounding out this portion of her set was The Flood, a call to prioritize real life issues over personal drama. Concluding with a song of empowerment, for anyone struggling to carry both themselves and a partner, Keely delighted us with one of our favorites, Masterpiece. Thank you, Keely, for a great set!
Doug Patrick
We then turned from one of our freshest songwriters to one of our most enduring. Doug’s standard of excellence has endured as long as many of us can remember, and no one tells a story in song like Doug. Doug’s stage was his screened-in back porch, complete with rocking chair and crickets for background ambience!
Doug opened his set with the dreams of a small-town boy looking for a faster life, in Good Time Train. Next, when things don’t work out, we took comfort in the promise of a home to come back to, in Rivertown.
I try not to use words like “old”, “seasoned”, and “experienced” in these reviews, but when the artist sings a song of fatherly love, written for his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren(!), the artist leaves me little choice! Congratulations, Doug, both on the great-grandchildren, and for your tender song I’ll Hold You.
Doug continued with a story of Kentucky migrants looking for better days during the Great Depression, in Getaway, an old (sorry!) VOCAL favorite made new again with a slightly slower tempo and a soulful, poignant singing of the lyrics.
Hot dogs just taste better at a baseball game, and baseball just looks better when the coach finally relents and puts your grandson in the game, in Put Him In The Lineup.
Doug’s interest in Civil War history came in handy for his next few songs. Molly told of the horrors of battle through the eyes of one soldier’s final lament, while One Lone Georgia Pine romanticized a dark time from the performer’s ancestry.
Doug then concluded this night of original songwriting excellence with a song of hope for the future, “food for thought” as he put it, in I Believe.
Doug Patrick and Keely Burn. Separated by generations, but united in the craft of songwriting and the pursuit of excellence. Thanks to you both for a wonderful evening of music!
May 2022 VOCAL Songwriters Showcase
Steve Nuckolls
The live portion began with a set from Steve who started with "Looking For a Rocky Top" which included a picturesque description of a small country town in mountainous Virginia of which the singer hoped he would find elsewhere in his travels. "Lines of Love" told the tale of the things that hold love together, Next song was "A Higher Bar" in which the singer holds up for esteem for the actions of two young boys who saved some classmates. In the next song, "Gibson Guitar" the singer takes the role of a young boy who visits his local furniture store that sells other items, one being a Gibson Guitar which is displayed on a wall. The singer hopes one day he can own such a desirable object. The following song by Steve was a new one entitled "When To Pray". the substance of which was we don't need a church or calendar to tell us when to pray, it should be spontaneous. "Week To Be Overtime" tell us about the drawback of work day to day. The last song in Steve's set was titled "A Future For Us" and it told the tale of giving and taking in love and that in true love the people work out their differences and continue in their relationship.
Matthew Costello
With the help of some backing tracks, Matthew began his set, with "Bound BY Walls Of the Past" . In it he describes a past relationship and how the memories of that still come back to haunt, which segues in "You and I" about a different relationship in which the participants are bound together. "All Things Pass" ( from 1978) sets out a laundry list of what we experience in life and how they come and go such as life, love, night and day etc. The centerpiece of Matthew's program tonight revolved around "The Artist Who Hung The Moon" a haunting tale of an artist and his struggle to paint, that which he observed, and the complications in his life that stymied his creation(s). A well woven tale in words and music. "Subway To Brooklyn" was presented as a recitation about a hook up in a stentorian tone much like a Guy Noir story heard on Prairie Home Companion. This was followed by a moving tribute to moms, (his, particularly) and how she was the backbone of the house and the reliance thereof by husband and family. The final song in Matthew's set "Life Is A Movie" outlined all the characters we meet and ourselves play in life; friends, strangers, lovers and others.
Another fine night of music from two accomplished songwriters.
April 2022 VOCAL Songwriters Showcase
David Atkins
David Atkins then took the Zoom stage, accompanied by his backing tracks, with some of his signature tunes, including the honky-tonk bar-related favorites. When a Woman Smiles is one of our favorites, and we all know those smiles are too hard to resist! Gray is one of his newer tunes and takes a realistic view of society where everything is not black or white. The House on Leaksville Road is a haunting number recounting a visit to the house where he once lived with a love of the past. Emancipated is a newer song reflecting the ignorance and misguided attitudes of certain people stuck in their ways and unwilling to accept the truth. Wishing You Were Here takes us back to the bar where he’s crying in his beer and licking his wounds after being left by his lover. Southern Pride is another new song and bears the “three chords and the truth” philosophy of songwriting. He’s remembering some of his field trips from school in his youth where they visited homes/museums of Civil War heroes whose reputation has become tarnished through the years, making Southern Pride a dubious phrase. He then delivered his signature tune and crowd favorite Sing Your Own Song, a tribute to all of us writers out there just trying to get our stories out make sure they’re heard. He ended the evening with One Drink in the Bottle, another bar/honky-tonk number that he crafts so well (can’t waste a drop!). Way to go, David!
This concluded yet another wonderful evening of songwriting performances by two of our stellar writers!
March 2022 VOCAL Songwriters Showcase
The March 2022 VOCAL Virtual Showcase featured two very talented VOCAL songwriters, Dean Broga and Jeff Wagner.
Tonight’s showcase, simulcast on Zoom and Facebook, featured two longtime VOCAL songwriters, Bill Kaffenberger and Matt Manion. After some brief opening remarks by VOCAL president Matthew Costello, and two introductory songs by the featured artists, the show began.Matt Manion
Firstup, Matt Manion began his set with one of his standard songs “Don’tStand By Me” which is the hilarious tale of a band member who is leery of being on stage with another band member because he is getting shot at by a cuckold. This was followed by “Power Play” a song about job frustration. “Song For Speculators” describes half hearted love affairs, and part time lovers who don’t commit as “a bitter pill to take”. At this point in his set, Matt switched over to his keyboard, using organ tones, to present, what was a sad and mournful song “A Terrible Dream” which depicted musical scenes from the Ukrainian war. Quoting from the late civil rights leader, John Lewis, Matt created a song entitled “Necessary Trouble, Good Trouble” a phrase associated with Lewis, and exhorts those, such as LGBT people to stand up for their rights which leads into the next song “Boys On The Beach“. In this song Matt, sings about the singer who enjoys watching the young men on the beach cavort about in their swim suits which keeps him entranced. However, at the end, we learn the singer already has a companion who is enjoying the sights with him. The last song in the set was one to which most of us can subscribe “This Gettin’ Old, Is Gettin” Old“. Outlining all the aches and pains old folks suffer, he ruminates, “Golden Years are over sold” Indeed.
Bill Kaffenberger
Bill Kaffenberger (Berger, not Burger) now lives in L.A. but still participates in VOCAL activities. He has recently completed a CD entitled “Ghosts Of Laurel Canyon” from which he chose a couple of songs. But before those, he kicked off his set with an older song (Co-written with Jim Howard) “A Clear Day For Peace” which, in a way, piggy backed on Matt’s “Terrible Dream” but in a more positive tone. “She’s So Real” describes a lady with a smile as big as the sky, and eyes that sparkle and dance in the sun. In fact, as he stated, this song could have been titled “She’s Surreal” for all the idealistic metaphors he used. “Summer Day, Summer Sun” follows in the same path, though descriptive more of nature than a person musing of long lost days looking at mountain vistas and babbling brooks. “Oh Dad” is a tribute to his departed father in which Bill, presumably at graveside, talks to hi sfather about how much he misses him and loves him. It was touching to say the least. As mentioned a couple of songs Bill did came from his latest CD. This one, the title tune, has the singer searching the canyon and oll the SoCal locations looking for a lost love but so far, only finding the ghosts and asks, at the end, “are the ghosts still there, is the magic still there”. “The Weeping Time” takes place in Savannah Ga. during a sad time in history during the middle 1800’s during the slave trade era. It castigates those who profited off this despicable practice. “If I Ask” was a pleasant tune about seeing someone the singer likes and inquires if he can dance with her. “Without You” from the new CD follows through on the title with the plea “How Long Can I Go through(life) without you.” Bill ended his set tonight with a plea to God as “Someone Greater” we need in our lives and invites us to be “part of His plans’. That ended tonight’s showcase.
February 2022 VOCAL Songwriters Showcase
The February 2022 VOCAL Virtual Showcase featured two very talented VOCAL songwriters, Dean Broga and Jeff Wagner.
Dean opened the show with a variety of song themes. He started with Jersey, recounting his desire to get the heck out of the rat race in a large city and find a peaceful ranch in Wyoming. This is Dean’s first song and it has undergone several rewrites. The rocking/driving Open Road is his tribute to all the truckers out there and was written to meet the VOCAL challenge to write a trucker song. Life is a Dead End One-Way Street tells us we should just be nice to all the people we meet, as we are all going to end up in the same space, wondering why we ever joined the Human Race. Winter is a very beautiful and tender love song describing two lovers in the moonlight at midnight. This was another tune written to a VOCAL challenge for holiday/seasonal writing. He followed with another beautiful, romantic love song When I Met You (?), describing his love who found him when he was falling out of love and immediately took over his heart. Dean left us with Rodeo, inspired by hearing about a rodeo in Tulsa. Blue-eyed and pony-tailed in blue jeans describes the lady who stepped out of his dreams and caught his eye.
Jeff Wagner then took the virtual stage with several of his finely-honed folkish straight-from-the-heart tunes. He opened with The Reckless Kind, an older song of his that depicts his life according to some (I’ve sometimes resembled that remark!) He then sang a broken-heart-bound-to-be-mended song Sometimes a Fire Stops the Rain, where his strong heart is willing and able to jump in and save the pain of a distraught lover. Borderline describes a lot of folks in our ilk, where you’re pulling the 9-to-5 every day, but your heart has a side gig trying to come to life, writing the songs for all to hear. A newer song, Grace Street 1975 reminisces the old college years and the fun times had in all the great haunts. Yet another new song is Ruin My Day, an ode to a former lover after a tumultuous breakup. The Facts of Life was inspired by his becoming a grandfather and tells the tale of giving away his old guitar to his grandchild, where all the songs contained within were from the facts of life. My Ocean Girl is another new tune with a cool, island-inspired vibe, written for his wife. A lot of refreshing and calming “beachey” images here to relax by! Sometime is another sad breakup song which tied for the Song of the Year award a couple of years ago. Another new breakup song was Devil in the Details, where the Devil is his memories, as he remembers all the sordid details! She Was Raised on Sad Songs speaks for itself, where she would rather go stand in the rain than stand in the bright lights. Jeff ended the evening with You Carry Me, a memorable and thoughtful tune written for his brothers, who were always there for him when he needed them most.
Another wonderful virtual VOCAL Showcase!
January 2022 VOCAL Songwriters Showcase
The January 2022 VOCAL Songwriters Showcase, simulcast on Zoom and Facebook Live, featured two veterans of the Richmond music scene, Steve Nuckolls and Jim Puckett.
Introducing the performers, was Matthew Costello, VOCAL President who, while waiting for the viewers to arrive, kicked off the show with a couple of pre-recorded songs, one from each of the performers. “When Rain Turns to Snow’ was from Steve, who later did it live, and “Sunshine Knows Your name” was Jim’s offering, also done live later on.
Steve Nuckolls
To start the live show, Steve began with a series of songs written during the pandemic. “Her Celebrity” offers a tale about she makes him her celebrity of love. Lessons from his father were sprinkled through the next song “Nothing At All” with the advice, if you can say something nice about somebody, say nothing at all. This was followed by “There’s Future For Us” self explanatory and then “Black and Blue” opining how things could be in a perfect world, if we didn’t beat up on each other so much. “Hell Out Of Hereway” is a tale of the singer not being accepted in his own home town, and all the abuse suffered, until he can get the hell out of there and find a new place to live. “Six Feet Away” has the singer keeping social distance between himself and others for fear that if he doesn’t, he will end up six feet underground. The next song in his set, was an older song “Praying For A Rocky Top” which hopes the singer will find those traits of comfort that he found in his hometown, he will find in other places, He analogizes that feeling as in a Norman Rockwell painting. Closing out his portion of the show, he did the live version of the opening song “When Rain Turns to Snow“. A nice love song about how much his lover makes him feel warm and comforted when the weather changes.
Jim Puckett
Jim began his set of 10 songs, with “Breaking Ground” about infrastructure and all the progress that needs to be done to bring society into harmony, this was followed by “Vegas By Now” a tale of two people blowing their chances of making it to Vegas by making bad decisions. “The Only Stars” was a sad song about love lost: The stars (that were) in her eyes are now only the stars in the sky. “Feelin’ Lucky” describes some scenarios where the singer escaped from losing his life, like drowning or caught in a fire and is glad to be alive. Next up, “Brave New Face” a stoic look at trying to hide from a relationship that fell apart. “Here Comes The way It Goes” was followed by “So Help Me” which says “I’ll go as far as I need” (to go) to make things go smoothly again. “Mae June” is another sad tale of an ending relationship in July, a play on the title, but we should enjoy that which we have had up to now. “Shaky Leg” was kind of a nonsense song about a dog shaking his leg. The last song in his set was the live version of “The Sunshine Knows Your Name” in which the singer tells the object of his love “black clouds remember the rain and embers remember the flame” but for you “The Sunshine Knows your Name” And who wouldn’t like that.
Great night for music at the VOCAL Songwriters Showcase as always when such fine performers as above do their songs.
December 2021 VOCAL Songwriters Showcase
December 2021 VOCAL Virtual Holiday Songwriters Showcase
The annual VOCAL Holiday Showcase took place on Monday, December 21, 2021 in the pandemic-mandated virtual format. We had several VOCAL members perform some of their holiday/seasonal-inspired songs for this very special performance. Matthew Costello introduced the evening by playing a couple of winter-inspired instrumentals: Return (about the Winter Solstice by Matthew) and Winter Solstice (John Ellis).
Longtime member David Atkins opened the show with his signature honky-tonk tune Wish You Were Here, a bar tale about someone drinking in honor of his ex-girlfriend. He then performed the songwriter-inspired number The Ones Who Would Sing Their Own Songs, a fitting tribute to VOCAL members, and which earned him the Songwriter of the Year award a few years ago. He ended his set with a new song (and first single ever released) We’ve Never Needed Christmas More. There could not be truer words spoken regarding the holiday season in light of the pandemic. This is a very beautiful song with many descriptive images that conjure up great memories. Way to go, David!
Glen King then took the virtual Zoom/FB stage on piano with a new and thought-provoking Christmas song called What Will You Give Jesus. This is a well-written song that may stir up a bit of soul-searching when we are all caught up in our frenzied shopping and holiday festivities and forget the true meaning of Christmas. He then delivered a fairly new song Fanning the Flames of Love, a Doo-wop-ish number inspired by his early years listening to a NY radio station. This is a touching ode to a longtime love that is still as hot today as it was when it started! Glen ended his set with a philosophical number called Live Like There’s No Tomorrow, a tale about keeping your priorities straight, live for the day, etc. A great message that we all need to hear! Great job, Glen!
Russell Lawson brought us one of his just-polished Christmas songs, Dear Santa, and he won’t be satisfied until he sees Santa’s merry smile. With gift requests of X-boxes, iPhones, etc. the holiday certainly has changed! It’s a really cool song with vivid images and a lot of “furniture in the room” keeps us close to the holiday spirit! The High Road is a work-in-progress song co-written with a friend of his advising us to take the High Road but don’t linger there – it’s easy to fall down! Wayne and Maggie’s Grill came to Russell in a dream, and its setting is out in the middle of nowhere where it never snows, the river runs slow, and the truckers keep the hammer down. Needless to say, when the six-lane interstate came through it blew it apart. Many country/folk musicians played the place through the years, so the whole town shed the tears when it was torn down. He then delivered another holiday song Christmas Time is Here – holiday shoppers with kids in tow. Many great images here of Gingerbread, lists being made, etc., and the gifts look best by candlelight! Eggnog and candy canes definitely show that Christmastime is here! Great job, Russell!
Jim Puckett joined the celebration with his new song Winter Town, a place where he’s often thought of getting away from but just can’t bring himself to do. Even when the days are short and nights are long, he’s content to burn his boots in the town where he feels he belongs. He feels the pull of old familiar ways. Snowy Mountain Bride is one of his signature tunes. The Civil War soldier is making his way from the battlefield back home and hopes to be there by Christmas Eve. High up on that mountain the wind blows cold on the western side, and there lives a girl I’m gonna marry someday, my Snowy Mountain Bride.
It was refreshing to see longtime member Karen Trump take the stage with two of her tender and finely-crafted songs. God’ Redeeming Grace recounts the tale of falling in love in the springtime when all the flowers were in bloom. The Golden Road contrasts the easy, wide-open road to Hell with the narrow path that leads to Heaven. The Golden Road is shiny bright and it will guide me through the night. Lots of good imagery here to keep me engaged. Welcome back, Karen!
The evening was closed out by VOCAL member Jeff Wagner who delivered three of his reflective numbers. Snow Drift is a “Cowboy Christmas” song that could have gone sideways but instead has a happy ending. No one wants to die in a snow drift on a frigid night with an empty bottle of whisky and her name on his lips! Songs We Need to Play is a tribute to the sages who just need to tell/sing their stories as part of the healing process. I apologize for keep you out so late, but my years are getting short and there’s just so much still left to say! Holding Hands on Christmas is about a loving couple who have been together for over 40 years – the laughter far outweighs the tears; every ornament has a story to tell, and we know those stories all too well.
Another wonderful VOCAL virtual showcase, and Happy Holidays to all!
November 2021 VOCAL Songwriters Showcase
Tonight’s virtual showcase presented on Zoom and Facebook, featured Justin Laughter and Bill Kaffenberger.
Justin Laughter
Justin is a long time VOCAL member and besides performing his songs, has offered his legal advice to members of the group for many years at monthly meetings. Tonight he was playing a selection of his songs. “Sue” ( or candied apple) compared a recent love to “the coldest winter I’ve ever known”. “Short Roads” (rows?) refered to what farmers call the end of the crop when the fields are going into remission. Next was “1040EZ” in which the singer lets us know that he is a tax paying, debt free person. “Paul Revere” described the famous midnight ride of the title and compared i to what our current world looks like with regard to character. “Under” a song for Melissa, was a highly syncopated tune which was followed by “Holiday Movie” . This song asks the question is “Die Hard” a Christmas movie or merely a movie set in December. That question continues to today.
Bill Kaffenberger
Bill recently rejoined VOCAL after a hiatus of few years. Once a local musician, he has since relocated to Los Angeles to be near family. Of course, with the magic of the internet, he was able to perform live and in person tonight. His first song, “A Clear Dsy For Peace” was, in fact, his first song written when he was 17. “In The Morning” a co-written song describes the angst of breaking up by “remembering the things we shared” which now cause heartache. A fine tribute song “Dad” came next, in which he honored his late father with lines like ” I miss you” and “I love you” were freely given. Songwriters sometimes cite who influenced them and molded their style: Bill is no exception. He greatly admired the Byrds and many of his songs have that 12 string Rickenbacher twang. While not playing it tonight. he did a song “Maybe By Then” which had that sort of Byrds sound. “Misty Around” described a broken romance and how hard it is to day goodbye to someone you loved. In the same vein: “She’s So Real” was a portrait of of someone the singer loves. Next in his set, was “Summer Day, Summer Sun” in which the songer remininsces about lost youth. “Watching The World Go Mad’ talks about ll the crazy things and all the disconnects that go on around us everyday. To close his performance, Bill ripped off a quicky song titled “And So It Goes” which was the closing line of a long time ago news show hosted by Linda Ellerby. Tonight’s showcase feattured two songwriters showing their versaitility and styles of songwriting, which of course, is what songwriting is all about.
