SAW Summer Songwriters' Sessions - every Tuesday in July at Blues Alley
July 5th: Patty Reese and Friends
Known for her Americana Blues style, Mid-Atlantic favorite Patty Reese has won 17 Washington Area Music Association Awards (Wammies), including Artist of the Year and two time Songwriter of the Year. Her virtuosic, dynamic vocal ease, solid guitar work, and engaging stage presence has audiences, critics and DJ’s giving high praises and international airplay. Patty’s most recent compilation “LET IN THE SUN” shot to #4 Nationally on the Roots Music Report Chart w/5 songs in the top 40 and rated #15 Internationally. Patty’s currently recording her latest release in Nashville, TN with the Creative and Dreams Music Network label. Some surprises in store for you from this upcoming release! Sharing the stage with Patty are the incredible talents: Jonathan Sloane, Sonny Petrosky and Deren Blessman. Patty’s songs can also be heard in numerous movies including the 2022 Christmas release “Hashtag Blessed” which features her recent Christmas release “Deep in The Heart Of The Holiday” Learn more about Patty at https://pattyreese.com/, Facebook/Instagram @pattyreesemusic and all streaming platforms to include: Spotify, iTunes, Amazon, YouTube and more! LINK for tickets for 8 pm show | July 12th: Juels Bland and "Friends" with Michael Potts
A singer/songwriter/person from Silver Spring, Juels Bland has performed broadly throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Appalachia as well as countless open mics and coffeehouses here and there. Original lyrics and music full of rich tones provide a thought provoking, penetrating, and (sometimes) uplifting sound conjuring scenes of love, loss, longing and murder. Michael Potts
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Soulful Americana Blues
Local performer Juels Bland assembles fellow songwriters Lena Traynham and Kevin de Souza for a night of storytelling and intrigue! And music!
Michael Potts is a finger style guitarist in the genre-less realm of Mason Williams, Tommy Emmanuel, Stephen Bennett. Piano lessons at age 6 and classical guitar lessons at 10, led to playing in rock and fusion bands, folk groups, and as a soloist at weddings and other events. Musical downtime in the 80's and 90's allowed Michael to focus better on his business career. He reconnected with guitar after being introduced to Tommy Emmanuel's music in the mid-90's. And a well-received record release of my own compositions in 2020 gave him the spark to perform again.July 19th: Voices of Service
SAW Serves presents a Voices of Service Fundraiser for CAMMO. This retired military quartet of voices is capturing audiences all over the country with their uplifting songs and their mission of music from and for the US military. Voices of Service (VOS) is a singing quartet including retired service members Ron Henry, Christal Rheams, Jason Hanna, and Caleb Green. They have been singing together since late 2012. Their journey and purpose reached a new dimension in 2019 as they achieved a top 5 finish on Season 14 of America’s Got Talent. The group influenced global awareness of the struggle of our service members, veterans, their families, and people from all walks of life who’ve endured visible and invisible scars. The Center for American Military Music Opportunities (CAMMO) was founded in 2009. Cathie Lechareas, one of the founders of CAMMO, recognized specific challenges that some of our veterans and active-duty service members face. She wanted to create a platform where veterans and active service members interested in pursuing music industry careers could learn, grow, and thrive. LINK for tickets for 8pm show | July 26: ilyAIMY
For two decades, rob Hinkal and Heather Aubrey Lloyd have crisscrossed the nation as ilyAIMY (i love you And I Miss You). They have played everything from bait shops to biker weeks to clothing-optional resorts. They engage audiences with humor and award-winning narrative songs that pair an unforgettably soulful and powerful female vocalist with a percussive, clawhammer-like guitarist. Their infectious energy and rapid-fire lyricism is softened with cello and lush harmony, making ilyAIMY “a welcome jolt” and “an acoustically roiling, combustible attack on the usual singer/songwriter fare,” |
DC's award-winning New Folk Group defies labels and inspires audiences nationwide. Presented by The Songwriters’ Association of Washington DC (SAW)