August 25, 2015

 

The Songwriter Series with host Steven McClintock is a series of live shows featuring interviews and music from known and unknown songwriters. Get into the minds of the songwriters and explore their process and inspirations and see them perform live. The first show which debuted on November 14, 2013 met with rave reviews and was seen around the world on the live stream.

This month, the show will be in Orange County at McCormick & Schmicks Pilsner Room, Irvine CA.

Tickets in Advance – $10 (You can reserve tables for 4 or more people after ticket purchase)
Tickets at the door – $15

All ages ok – free parking . Doors open at 5:30pm show starts at 7:30

 

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Appearing at this show…..

 

[su_spoiler title=”Michael Peterson”]Michael Peterson’s chart topping, country music classics “Drink Swear Steal & Lie” and “From Here To Eternity” helped make him Billboard magazines top selling new male artist and top new airplay artist in Country music in 1997-1998.

With over 2500 concert performances and keynotes in 19 countries during a unique career that spans over 30 years, Michael Peterson has had the good fortune to be:

• A million selling, Grammy nominated, Country music star with three consecutive, self penned #1 hits

• A top songwriter with the unusual good fortune to have had his songs recorded by Country, Rock, Pop and Gospel Hall of Famers

• A contributing author for 6 books, including the New York Times best selling “Chicken Soup For The Soul” series.

• The recipient of numerous distinguished public service awards including the prestigious Bob Hope “Spirit of Hope” medal from the USO following his 11 tours and over 150 performances for Service men and women deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and South Korea

His national award winning High school assembly program TAG, You’re It! ™and its follow up WHAT’S YOUR STORY? ™ have inspired and equipped hundreds of thousands of young people and are considered among the finest transformational experiences available for students today.

The lasting impact of Michael’s ongoing work with students was reflected in his recent selection as sole recipient of the American Legion’s National Education Award.

The award, whose previous recipients include former First Ladies Barbara and Laura Bush, Tom Brokaw, Former US Secretary of Education William Bennett, Fred Rogers (Mister Rogers) and Bob Keeshan (Captain Kangaroo) is presented to groups or individuals that have significantly and positively enhanced public education in the United States.

In addition, the American Legion Auxiliary presented Michael the prestigious National Public Service Award in recognition of 30 years of consistently contributing his talents for the good of others.

Established in 1983, the award recognizes outstanding individuals and organizations for contributions that improve their communities, especially efforts that benefit the military, veterans and their families. Previous recipients include Gen. Colin Powell (Ret.), Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, former President Ronald Reagan, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Jeane Kirkpatrick, advice columnist Ann Landers and Miss America 2000, Heather Renee French.

The golden thread that connects this wide variety of projects and most often guides Michael’s decisions about where to best invest his talents is simple:

“Great art drives emotion and emotion…drives action”

His most recent projects continue to reflect his commitment to this winning philosophy.

Michael currently serves as National Spokesperson for the American Legion’s “American Legacy” scholarship (helping to ensure a College Education for children of fallen Warriors) and for the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival (NVCAF) a nationwide program through the V.A. encouraging both the Visual and Performing Arts as a pathway to expression and hopeful healing for wounded Veterans.

A co-founder of the WE ARE VETERANS™ Project in 2014, plans are well under way for Michael to host an all star cast of Gold medal winning Veteran performers and A-list entertainers in the nationally televised WAVE ON OLD GLORY, WAVE ON concert special.

Featuring songs from WE ARE VETERANS™, his 17th career album, the concert will be followed by a 60-city tour from 2016 – 2018, raising money and awareness in support of Veterans and Military families.

As a continuation of his innovative contributions to public education, Michael, along with distinguished Military service Veteran, COL Jill Chambers U.S. Army (R) and world renowned children’s author and illustrator Guy Gilchrist, have most recently created the unforgettably delightful children’s book series  Little IsGood ™ captivating kindergarten through second grade students with relevant inspiring lessons based on the 7 pillars of Character education.

For over 30 years Michael Peterson has been creating music and laughter, inspiring and entertaining audiences all over the world. His expertise and commitment to “Moving People” has caused organizations as diverse Special Olympics, Selective Service, Ronald McDonald House, the USO, St Jude Children’s research hospital, the American Legion, the New Holland Corporation, the U.S. Army, the American Soybean Association, the National Bio-Diesel board, the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) at Syracuse University and dozens of other organizations to seek him out as a voice for messages that matter.

 

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[su_spoiler title=”W.G. Snuffy Walden”]

Born in Louisiana, raised in Texas, W.G. Snuffy Walden started piano lessons at the age of six before deciding after a year that a self-taught method was the better fit. While attending college in Houston on a double major of pre-med and math, he worked at a late-night radio show and played guitar in a strip club.

He continued along this path, with music in the background, until one day he dropped out of school, quit his job, and strapped on his guitar full-time. “I went from being a wannabe doctor to a rock musician. Hey, it was the sixties; it was a different time.” In 1968, he formed a blues-based rock trio, Stray Dog, who relocated from Texas to England. Snuffy recorded several albums and then moved to Los Angeles where he continued his solo career and began touring with artists such as Chaka Khan, Eric Burdon, and Donna Summer.

It was during this period that several film and television agents heard Snuffy playing guitar at regular monthly gigs in a Santa Monica nightclub. “When they asked me about scoring for film and television, I wasn’t sure what it entailed,” Snuffy confesses, “but I could see the handwriting on the wall for touring, and it wasn’t pretty. I kept envisioning Holiday Inn at age 60.”

Walden later found out that the primary reason he got the interview with the producers of “thirtysomething” was because they wanted to see the guy with a name like “Snuffy.” Regardless, he submitted a tape. “I never heard a word so I assumed they hated it. They were about to sign another composer when they popped the audio and video cassettes in and loved the music and the way it worked with the show. That was ‘thirtysomething,’ the first show I did.” Snuffy scored the pilot, the series, and wrote the theme.

A month and a half after “thirtysomething” went on the air, Snuffy got a call asking if he would be interested in a “little show” premiering after the Super Bowl. The show turned out to be “The Wonder Years.” Snuffy scored the pilot, then went on to score the series, and revamped a Beatles song for the end credits.

Walden’s work in “thirtysomething” and “The Wonder Years” brought him new attention in the composing-world and he went on to score “Ellen,” “Roseanne,” “Sisters,” “The Jackie Thomas Show,” “Friday Night Lights,” “Men of a Certain Age,” “Under the Dome”, “Aquarius,” and many other television shows; more than a dozen cable films and movies for television; several independent films; and the major release “Leaving Normal.”

He has received twelve Emmy nominations, multiple BMI awards, and was awarded the Emmy for Outstanding Main Title Theme for “The West Wing.”

Snuffy’s ability to combine intricate emotions with musical simplicity has earned him a special place among the ranks of composers, as his work continues to ring with genuine warmth and truth.

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[su_spoiler title=”Sara Niemietz”]

Sara Niemietz is a fan of the third person.  If you were to bump into her in real-life, she would sing and strum you a tune, but for now, she’ll write you a sketch of her life.

Twenty-two year-old, Chicago-native Sara Niemietz moved to California over a decade ago, in search of creative opportunities.  Since then, she has starred on Broadway (Carol Burnett’s Hollywood Arms), appeared in television and film (Akeelah and the Bee, Glee), recorded vocals for many scores and projects, released four albums, sang in Times Square before 50,000 people, and spent countless hours honing her craft.

The last few years have been full of new ventures.  Sara’s heartfelt songs and highly interactive approach to social media have garnered over seventeen million views and over a hundred thousand followers and subscribers across various new media platforms.  In 2011, Ellen DeGeneres saw one of Sara’s videos and invited her to sing on The Ellen Show.  That year, Richard Marx and Sara began a series of collaborations. She appeared on his A Night out with Friends CD/DVD set, as well as his Christmas Spirit record.

In 2012, Sara collaborated with Emmy-award winning composer, W.G. Snuffy Walden, and released a new EP, Push Play.  The two recorded another collection of Christmas songs, Christmas Favorites, which became available later that year.  A few months later, BJ Thomas invited Sara to Nashville to record on his new album, The Living Room Sessions (released in Spring of 2013).  Her writing and singing also appear in the end titles of several recent films (Mickey Matson and the Copperhead Conspiracy, In the Key of Eli, and Stetson: Street Dog of Park City).

In 2013, Sara was thrilled to return to the Mark Taper Forum to play the role of Wanda in Enter Laughing, a one-night production, fundraiser, and tribute to Carl Reiner. That year, she was also invited to sing with BJ Thomas at the Grand Ole Opry. Her songs were heard on Delta Airline’s in-flight Singer-Songwriter channel for the duration of the summer.  Sara’s rendition of “Turn! Turn! Turn!” was heard in the 2014 season of Under the Dome.

Sara was honored to reprise the role of Wanda in the sold-out run of Enter Laughing at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts this March. Melissa Manchester and Sara recently co-wrote “Feeling for You,” the first single from Melissa’s new album, You Gotta Love the Life.

Sara enjoys playing guitar, bass, and piano, and is often engaged in both singing and writing sessions.  She can be frequently found in her natural habitat: live shows in Southern California.

Now that you’ve read her story, Sara hopes to tell you more some day soon – perhaps in the first person.

For more info, please visit www.saraniemietz.com

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[su_spoiler title=”Tessa Delee”]

Tessa started songwriting when she wrote her first song “You Better Watch My Brother or He’s Gonna Eat the Cat Food”…no, it was never a hit, but it gave her a taste of things to come. At 8 years old she sang solo on her mom’s bluegrass record, at 9 she had her first song on Itunes, at 10 she sang back up for White Apple Tree on their first CD and Christian rocker Stephen Petree. 
About the same time, Tessa started putting songs on You Tube and that is where producer and vocal coach wiz, Ken Stacey(American Idol), heard her sing. He quickly signed her to a production and songwriting deal and she began her career as a songwriter. Tessa’s love for pop punk music and desire to be the best at what she does has spawned dozens of songs all over the internet. She is currently recording her first EP, building a band for live shows, and is producing her father, Steven McClintock, on his newest CD of pop punk covers.

https://soundcloud.com/tessadelee[/su_spoiler]

[su_spoiler title=”Mark Wood”]Mark James Wood began performing professionally at the age of eleven in 1968. He started performing his original compositions in the early 1970s and has been performing nearly 300 shows a year ever since. Now owner of MWE Inc., Mark has over 300 artists on the performance roster and provides event production services for clients worldwide.  In his spare time…he writes songs![/su_spoiler]

Guests….

[su_spoiler title=”Kevin Fisher”]Kevin Fisher is a songwriter…..solid and successful. He took his skills he learned from singing and writing for the SoCal band Naked to the World, voted Acoustic Band of the Year by the National Academy of Songwriters, and put it into a Gold and Platinum record with country singer Sara Evans, a Gold and Platinum record with the amazing Rascal Flatts, excellent cuts by Uncle Kracker, Tim Rushlow(Diamond Rio), Little Big Town, Paul Anka and more. He has been a staff writer for some of the most creative publishing companies around…like Hayes Street Music, Pitchfork Music, Courtyard Music, and Warner Chappell. He is also out there on TV and film with such shows as Brotherhood, Pretty Little Liars, True Blood, Frozen Ground(Nicolas Cage), and soon to be released the Angriest Man in Brooklyn(Robin Williams, Mila Kunis). Last but not least, Kevin Fisher is the co-author for the musical “Unbeatable: A Musical Journey” which opened in New York in 2009.[/su_spoiler]

[su_spoiler title=”Warren Sellers”] Warren Sellers first hit the songwriting scene in 1995 when his talent was recognized through songwriting competitions. That led to his first publishing deal with McJames Music, an indie publisher with offices in Nashville and Los Angeles. That got him in the game and he was hooked. Once signed as a staff writer, he began making frequent trips to Nashville to work on his craft, build relationships…. songwriting 101! He began working more and more with well-known songwriters and getting some cuts with up and coming artist. In 2000, he started attending Durango Songwriters Expo. It was there he met Jeffrey Steele which eventually led to being signed to write for Jeffery and Windswept Music. He continued sharing his time between Los Angeles and Nashville teaching seminars for NSAI and working with new writers at Durango Songwriters Expo. Warren songs have been recorded by Jonelle Mosser, award winning Canadian artist Shane Yellowbird, pop artist Scott Krippayne, pop rock band Petree and up and coming Canadian artist Dawson Reign. Warren just received his first TV placement on a reality show on ABC….more to come. https://www.facebook.com/warren.sellers [/su_spoiler]

 

 

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	Rudy Svrcek