Four years ago a group of like-minded songwriters decided to band together and start a small music festival in Red River, New Mexico. Equal parts scenic and sonic, The Red River Songwriters’ Festival has quickly grown into one of the premier events in the southwest for fans of storytelling troubadours. The core group — Walt Wilkins, Susan Gibson, Drew Kennedy, Kelley Mickwee, Josh Grider, and Brandy Zdan — recognized the potential in creating an event geared toward the discerning lover of lyric and melody, and a festival was born.
Before the festival— before the shows and the records and the radio— this journey began with one thing for each of them: a song. But where do these songs— songs that would go on to be recorded by both the artists mentioned above and some of the biggest names in American music— come from? How were they crafted? What goes into the process, from beginning to end, that eventually led to each one of these artists launching successful careers?
What: The Red River Songwriters’ Summer Camp
When: June 18-20, 2015
Where: Various Locations in scenic Red River, New Mexico
Who: Classes led by Walt Wilkins, Susan Gibson, Drew Kennedy, Kelley Mickwee, Josh Grider, Brandy Zdan, and Jana Pochop
Cost: $300 per person (food and lodging not provided).
It is with these questions in mind that the idea behind The Red River Songwriters’ Summer Camp came to fruition.
• If you’ve been wanting to start writing songs of your own but don’t know where to start, this event is for you.
• If you’ve been writing songs for a while and want to learn how to take the next step, whether that be a show or an album, this event is for you.
• If you’ve already taken a leap of faith and played shows of your own or recorded an album, yet you know you have room for improvement, this event is for you.
They’ll cover all the bases— the nuts and bolts of writing, the methods behind presenting your songs to an audience, the proper approach to bringing your songs to life in the studio, even the tricks of the trade when it comes to spreading the word (Jana Pochop will share her expertise when it comes to the murky world of self-promotion and booking).
All of the workshop leaders are troubadours in the true sense, touring nationally year-round. They’ve had songs cut by artists like the Dixie Chicks, Eric Church, Pam Tillis, Kenny Rogers, Jim Lauderdale, Kellie Pickler, Lori McKenna, Jason Eady, and Ricky Skaggs. They want to share their stories and collective knowledge with you so that you might be able to get what you’re looking for out of your craft— whether that’s to write a song that stands the test of time, hold a captive audience, record an album, or simply learn from a group of people who have dedicated their lives to music. There will be classes, one-on-one discussions, and performance opportunities for attending songwriters, along with an evening set or two from your fearless leaders.
Please join us in Red River June 18 – 20, 2015!
Website: http://www.redriversongs.com/summercamp
Email redriversummercamp@gmail.com to reserve your spot. Please include your full name and number of attendees. We will be in touch about your payment shortly.