On Sunday, March 22nd, lauded indie-folk singer-songwriter Mason Jennings is set to take the stage at The Woodshop Listening Room for an evening of soft, reflective indie-folk music steeped in raw songwriting and intimate vocals.
Jennings is known for his DIY songwriting approach, and his music is often introspective, with a focus on more acoustic instrumentation and stories that detail the lives of everyday people, while often exploring themes like spirituality, love, relationships, and emotions.
He began playing guitar at the early age of 13, and his acoustic drive approach has remained a crucial part of his musical identity since then.
Mason Jennings’ self-titled debut album was released in 1997 and recorded at home with a four-track recorder, with Jennings playing all of the instruments himself. His more raw, stripped-down style launched his career in Minnesota and has built a loyal fanbase in the indie-folk world since then.
He has even received a star on the mural outside the Minneapolis music venue, First Avenue, which is one of the highest honors a musician can receive in the city.
Songs like “I Love You and Buddha Too,” from the album In the Ever, and “Be Here Now,” from the album Boneclouds, explore spirituality and mindfulness through presence in such a fascinating and impactful way.
These themes of presence and spirituality are best captured in the song "Be Here Now,” where Jennings sings, “Be here now, no other place to be. This whole world keeps changing; come change with me. Everything that's happened, all that's yet to come, is here inside this moment; it's the only one.”
Jennings' lyrics capture the essence of the stillness and peace of the present moment, all while detailing the obvious, which is that the future and the past are an illusion, and the present is all we have, so it’s important to be here, in the now.
In speaking with Mason about his show at The Woodshop and what excites him most about creating music after so many years of songwriting, he mentioned his love for playing intimate shows and his love for the process of creating something from nothing.
“I love playing intimate shows. It’s great for storytelling. I’ll be singing songs ranging my whole career. I hope people walk away feeling inspired to get in touch with the creative spirit in their own lives. It’s life-giving and life-affirming.
I love the process of something emerging from nothing. Walking into a room and feeling a new song arrive. That is the core love for me. Everything else arises from that.”
Jennings was last in Chattanooga in 2023, performing at Songbirds, and he mentioned that he is excited to return to the city.
“I really enjoy the area. I just really resonate with the land and the people there. Nothing specific, but I just feel very comfortable there. Excited to be back.”
Jennings’ show at The Woodshop on the 22nd will be a very stripped-down, intimate show at one of Chattanooga’s most intimate venues, which will be the perfect space to nurture the tender lyricism and the emotional vulnerability that are inherent to Mason’s music, while further showcasing his talent and his experience crafting beautiful indie-folk songs for over three decades.
Mason Jennings
- 6 p.m. March 22.
- $33.87-$154.26.
- The Woodshop Listening Room.
- 5500 Saint Elmo Ave. Chattanooga, TN.
- thewoodshoplisteningroom.com