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Songmaker Series

Directions

The Songmaker Series is an acoustic concert series featuring primarily nationally touring songwriters And 2024 promises more great shows!

After many years of hosting acoustic concerts in Charlottesville, Virginia, and seeing many of the available venues in our area close, we decided to embark on The Songmaker Series. Our desire is to provide not only a listening room, but also a sense of community for music lovers. We started with two fall shows in 2016 and our 2017 schedule included nine concert dates (spring and fall). We continued with seven concerts and two Songwriting Workshops in 2018, nine concerts and three Songwriting Workshops in 2019, and then only one concert in 2020. We all know what happened in 2020, and for several years after that. We want to thank C'ville Coffee for providing an excellent home for our concerts, as well as Bahlmann Abbot, Emily Gary, and Unity Of Charlottesville for hosting our Songwriting Workshops!! In addition, we are grateful for our dear friends, The Camp Albemarle Songwriters, who have often donated the proceeds from their annual Community Concert to our Series. Now, beginning in the fall of 2022, we're back presenting concerts once again. We had a concert in November of 2022, in cooperation with Unity Of Charlottesville (at Unity), and we're doing our 2023 shows cooperatively with FocusMusic, and Unity. We've already presented one concert in the spring of 2023, and we will present several more in the fall of the year as well. Here are the shows we've hosted so far:

-Pierce Pettis w/ Scuffletown Opening--10/7/16
-Tom Prasada-Rao--11/18/16

-The Songmaker Series Benefit Concert--1/27/17
-Kate Campbell w/ Mary Gordon Hall Opening--3/3/17
-James Keelaghan w/ Jon Nafziger Opening--4/7/17
-Kate MacLeod w/ Raven Hunter Opening--5/5/17
-The Camp Albemarle Songwriters Concert--5/25/17
At Camp Albemarle (To Benefit The Songmaker Series)
-Bahlmann Abbot & Mary Gordon Hall--7/28/17
-Tret Fure w/ Genna Matthew Opening--9/8/2017
-Cindy Kallet & Grey Larsen--10/6/17
-David Massengill--11/10/17

-Buddy Mondlock--1/26/18 + A 1-Day Songwriting Workshop On 1/27/18
-Christopher Williams--2/24/18
-Pierce Pettis--3/24/18
-Rod MacDonald--6/22/18
-Chris Rosser--9/8/18
-Brooks Williams--10/12/18
-Kate Campbell w/ Chris James--11/9/18 + A 1-Day Songwriting Workshop on 11/10/18

-The Promise Is Hope--2/15/19
-Siobhan O'Brien--3/16/19
-Anne Hills--4/13/19
-Cindy Kallet & Grey Larsen--5/4/19 + Songwriting Workshops by both Cindy & Grey
-A Tribute To Guy Clark w/ Bahlmann Abbot, Marianna Bell, Sam Bush, Rusty Spiedel, & John Hill--5/11/19
-Pat Alger + A Songwriting Workshop--9/21/19
-James Keelaghan--10/11/19
-Maia Sharp--11/8/19
-Chris Van Cleave w/ Muskrat Reames--12/6/19

-Sloan Wainwright w/ Mary Gordon Hall--2/22/20

Presented At Unity Of Charlottesville

-Kate Campbell--11/12/22
-James Keelaghan w/ David Woodhead--3/11/23
-Anne Hills w/ Mary Gordon Hall & The LaDaDas Opening--9/30/23
-David Roth--11/11/23
-Joe Jencks--3/23/24
-Joe Crookston--9/7/24
-Kate MacLeod's Mind The Gap--11/16/24
-Pat Wictor & Scuffletown (Double Bill)--3/1/25
-Anne Hills--5/3/25

Upcoming Shows:

-Reggie Harris & John Flynn (Double Bill)--10/4/25
-Muriel Anderson--11/1/25
-James Keelaghan w/ Jillian Mutundan opening--12/6/25
-Joe Crookston--4/11/26
-Pierce Pettis-9/26/26
-SONIA--11/7/26

10/13/2026

The Songmaker Series, FocusMusic Charlottesville, & Unity of Charlottesville present SONIA disappear fear in concert, Saturday November 7th @ 7 pm, at Unity.

SONIA disappear fear is a world class composer and artist whose talent of writing in a variety of genres and languages has garnered her a vast following worldwide. From a Palestinian Village to a synagogue in Germany to the Sydney Opera House, Americana singer-songwriter SONiA has brought her music to audiences across the globe. She shares her songs without shame, without fear, fulfilling the prophecy that music brings all kinds of kinds together, all the while—kicking ass.

She’s an award-winning performer. She’s won 6 GLAMAs (Gay and Le***an American Music Awards), including Female Artist of the Year. She won the GLAAD (Gay and Le***an American Anti-Defamation) for Best Album (following the path of Elton John and Brandi Carlile.)

SONiA has shared stages with many of her heroes; Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, Brandi Carlile, Nickel Creek, Green Day, Emmylou Harris, GEORGE, John Fullbright, Sheryl Crow, Lucinda Williams, Joan Jett, and Bruce Springsteen.

The show will be at Unity of Charlottesville / 2825 Hydraulic Circle / Charlottesville, VA. 22901, on Saturday November 7th @ 7 PM.

Tickets are $20 Advance / $25 At The Door. Purchase Advance tickets at: https://tithe.ly/event-registration/ #/10622568

We hope to see you there!

2027 Shows

1. March 6, 2027 Anne Hills
2. May 1, 2027 Reggie Harris/Pat Wictor
3. September 18, 2027 Magpie
4. November 13, 2027 Crys Matthews

09/25/2026

This Saturday 9/26, Pierce Pettis is coming to play a show for us, here in Charlottesville. We thought some of you might like to listen to a radio program produced about 5 years ago, where John Hill featured his music. Pierce is undoubtedly one of the finest songwriters we have ever heard, and we’re grateful that he’s coming to our stage. His concert is at 7 pm, at Unity of Charlottesville. Tickets are $20 Advance / $25 at the door. Advance tickets are available at: https://tithe.ly/event-registration/ #/10622560 Listen to the 3 hr. radio show, completely free of charge, with no strings attached. Enjoy!

https://acoustic-muse.mixlr.com/recordings/1457664

09/23/2026

This Saturday September 26th, The Songmaker Series, Focus Music Charlottesville, and Unity of Charlottesville will present the fabulous Pierce Pettis in concert. Pierce is one of our all-time favorite touring songwriters. He’s rare & exceptional! The show will be at Unity @ 7 pm. Tickets are $20 Advance/$25 At The Door. Advance tickets are available at: https://tithe.ly/event-registration/ #/10622560 We hope to see you there!

“Pierce Pettis doesn’t write mere songs, he writes literature.”—-Sing Out Magazine

09/05/2026

On Saturday September 26th, The Songmaker Series, Focus Music Charlottesville, and Unity of Charlottesville will present the fabulous Pierce Pettis in concert. Pierce is one of our all-time favorite touring songwriters. He’s rare & exceptional! The show will be at Unity @ 7 pm. Tickets are $20 Advance/$25 At The Door. Advance tickets are available at: https://tithe.ly/event-registration/ #/10622560 We hope to see you there!

“Pierce Pettis doesn’t write mere songs, he writes literature.”—-Sing Out Magazine

07/31/2026

05/15/2026

On Saturday May 23rd @ 7 pm, The Songmaker Series, Focus Music Charlottesville, and Unity of Charlottesville, will present Joe Crookston in concert. Joe has played our Series before, to an enthusiastic audience. Please come join us for his return engagement! Advance tickets are on sale for $20 at: https://tithe.ly/event-registration/ #/10622552 Tickets at the door on show night will be $25.

Joe is an amazing multi-instrumentalist and a fine songwriter. He will leave you spellbound as he weaves his magic. On stage, Joe is a force of nature. He’s in his power AND communes with his audience. From touring with Gordon Lightfoot, headlining major US festivals, receiving Folk Alliance International's “Album of the Year,” for “ Able, Baker, Charlie, & Dog (2009), releasing NINE BECOMES ONE (2023), to being named Folk Alliance International Artist-in-Resident, Joe is on fire. He’s played with Suzanne Vega, Dar Williams, John McCutcheon, Shawn Colvin, Mary Gauthier, John Gorka, Judy Collins and 100’s more, in many iconic music venues, such as Club Passim, Godfrey Daniels, and The Guthrie Center. His songs are also being made into award winning films, such as “Brooklyn In July”. When you see him live, he’ll surprise you. He awakens the cynics. His rhythm is infectious. In concert, he is funny as hell one moment and transcendent the next.

Some Joe Crookston YouTube Songs:
Able, Baker, Charlie, & Dog-- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQpx1kRlXfU
Good Luck John-- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSS6i7G78Zw
Blue Tattoo-- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmFJ1jC0oWM
John Jones-- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAuOdoxoQCg
Fall Down As The Rain-- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mw-D5qjxxSQ
The Nazarene-- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qB8UBZklVF0

The show will be held at the Unity Church of Charlottesville—2825 Hydraulic Circle on Saturday 5/23, starting at 7:00 PM. The doors open at 6:30. We hope to see you there!

Remaining 2026 Shows:

September 26—Pierce Pettis
November 7—SONiA disappear fear

05/05/2026

Coming up on Saturday May 23rd @ 7 pm, The Songmaker Series, Focus Music Charlottesville, and Unity of Charlottesville, will present Joe Crookston in concert. Joe has played our Series before, to an excellent turnout and an enthusiastic audience. Please come join us for his return engagement! Advance tickets are on sale for $20 at: https://tithe.ly/event-registration/ #/10622552 Tickets at the door on show night will be $25.

Joe is an amazing multi-instrumentalist and a fine songwriter. He will leave you spellbound as he weaves his magic. On stage, Joe is a force of nature. He’s in his power AND communes with his audience. From touring with Gordon Lightfoot, headlining major US festivals, receiving Folk Alliance International's “Album of the Year,” for “ Able, Baker, Charlie, & Dog (2009), releasing NINE BECOMES ONE (2023), to being named Folk Alliance International Artist-in-Resident, Joe is on fire. He’s played with Suzanne Vega, Dar Williams, John McCutcheon, Shawn Colvin, Mary Gauthier, John Gorka, Judy Collins and 100’s more, in many iconic music venues, such as Club Passim, Godfrey Daniels, The Guthrie Center, and The Columbus Performing Arts Center. His songs are also being made into award winning films, such as “Brooklyn In July”. He’ll surprise you. He awakens the cynics. His rhythm is infectious. In concert, he is funny as hell one moment and transcendent the next.

Some Joe Crookston YouTube Songs:
Able, Baker, Charlie, & Dog-- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQpx1kRlXfU
Good Luck John-- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSS6i7G78Zw
Blue Tattoo-- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmFJ1jC0oWM
John Jones-- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAuOdoxoQCg
Fall Down As The Rain-- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mw-D5qjxxSQ
The Nazarene-- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qB8UBZklVF0

The show will be held at the Unity Church of Charlottesville—2825 Hydraulic Circle on Saturday 5/23, starting at 7:00 PM. The doors open at 6:30. We hope to see you there!

Remaining 2026 Shows:

September 26—Pierce Pettis
November 7—SONiA disappear fear

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