The Songbirds Foundation is seeking to make strong community ties even stronger by launching “The Song Circle,” a night of live music featuring top Chattanooga songwriters sharing original songs and stories.
The inaugural show is set for Thursday, May 16 at 7 p.m. featuring Randy Steele and Josh Wheeler with host Richard Daigle.
“We saw a ton of fantastic local and regional songwriters at last month’s Tennessee Songwriters Competition, and The Song Circle will allow us to build off of that momentum,” said Songbirds Executive Director Reed Caldwell.
“It gives songwriters a chance to showcase their talents to a local audience in a great listening room environment. We’re very excited about this event and encourage all music lovers to come out.”
Steele is a critically acclaimed award-winning guitarist and banjo picker who performs both solo and as front man with Randy Steele and High Cold Wind. He won an Independent Music Award for Bluegrass song of the year and was a semifinalist in the esteemed American Songwriter song of the year contest and finalist in New Song LEAF Songwriting Competition in North Carolina and the Kerrville Folk Festival competition in Texas.
Originally from Birmingham, AL, Wheeler, a local chiropractor, is known for his quirky, humorous songwriting as well as his interactive and energetic stage presence. He has two albums out and plays regularly in Chattanooga and other areas.
Daigle is a New Orleans-born retired writer/editor and late-blooming singer/songwriter who released his first album in 2020. He plays regularly in Chattanooga and occasionally in Atlanta and Nashville and has twice been a Chattanooga finalist in the TN Songwriter Week competition.
“Audience interaction will be a big part of The Song Circle,” Daigle said. “The artists will not only share their songs but share where they get their inspiration from, how their writing process unfolds, and answer questions about the meaning behind their songs.”
Tickets are $10 and can be purchased in advance at seetickets.us/songcircle