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Chili Pepper Songwriting Club To Host First Songwriter's Night Since 2020

Kalamazoo Fretboard Festival/Kalamazoo Valley Museum

At 6 pm on Sunday, September 19, the first of up to 12 aspiring songwriters will take the stage at Liquid Note Brewing in Otsego to play up to three original songs in a round of 4 songwriters per hour between 6 - 9 pm. 

Rene Meaveis one of the founders of the Chili Pepper Songwriting Club.   Modeled on Nashville's songwriter's nights, Meave tells Cara Lieurance that the club presents these public shows as a way to help participants hone skills, gain experience, and establish themselves as regional performers and beyond. He singles out Dani Jamerson and Frankie Ballard as songwriters who took part in club events and pursued successful music careers.

The pandemic shut down both the Songwriter's Nights and its long-time venue, the M-89 Bar & Grill. The club also suffered the loss of longtime member Guillermo Martinez among others, but it was clear there was still a need for people who love to "put together melody and lyric" to continue the work, says Meave. He himself is working on an album that will be released around December.

Cara Lieurance is the local host of NPR's All Things Considered on 1021 WMUK and covers local arts & culture on Let's Hear It on 89.9 Classical WMUK weekday mornings at 10 - 11 am.
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