It's been 6 days since my last post and it's snowy again! The UpStream Songwriting Retreat is coming up next weekend, and I am reminiscing about this journey from 2018 until now.
Before you dig into this memoir of sorts, I want to let you know that a couple of spots for the full retreat weekend have opened up. Here's the info:
In the Fall of 2018, after my 2nd year of producing SnowyGrass, I decided that I wanted to host a songwriting retreat. Of course, I started thinking about who I might work with. Who would be a good fit and hold some of the same philosophies and values about songwriting?
I saw Clay Rose perform for the first time with the Gasoline Lollipops at a brewery in Boulder. There was something quite mesmerizing about his presence. Powerful, sincere. edgy, intuitive, insightful, and kind. The in-person conversation on set break was brief, yet compelling.
Then next time I saw Clay was at an indoor festival in Estes Park. I was helping out some friends there in an unofficial capacity when I greeted some of the bands to help welcome them and give them an orientation on where the green room was, etc. I got to connect again with Clay and it stuck with me. When you talk to Clay, he pauses. He listens. He takes it in. You feel seen, heard, perceived. This is who I wanted to work with on a songwriting retreat. He had the philosophies about songwriting and how to guide rather than dictate one "right" way.
Next, I found a location. Pat Murphy was quite supportive of the idea and Murphy's Resort was a perfect location.
That first year of the retreat, in early 2019, I also invited Esme Patterson and Arthur Lee Land and Carol Lee. As the sessions unfolded, the weight of how transformative this experience would prove to be for the participants became apparent. People took deep breaths and released built up tension and opened up to the process of writing. So many friendships have been made, and people have been motivated to start performing when the hadn't or keep writing when they had almost given up.
Arthur and Carol Lee, Esme, & Clay hanging out in a song circle.
In the first weekend of February in 2020, a month before Covid shutdowns, we gathered for a 2nd time. That was the first year I invited Daniel Rodriguez to be a coach. Though he is an incredibly intuitive and successful songwriter, he had not led workshops before. His vulnerability was endearing and relatable. The veterans in that session knew how to draw him out and once he started speaking, we were drawn in to his tips about using our observation skills and reading books to increase our songwriting repertoire and vocabulary. Daniel is such a wonderful guide to tapping into the senses to draw from everything around us to inspire writing. We also invited Neyla Pekarek who had recently left The Lumineers to pursue her own musical interests including a musical she wrote.
It was crystal clear how powerful this gathering of musicians had become. And yet, we could not gather again for 2 years--not in 2021 and not in 2022. It had become a nostalgic memory and the path was not clear whether to muster up the initiative again to start the engine again.
Scenes from 2018, the first year
In the summer of 2022, I attended RockyGrass Academy and took the fiddle workshops where Phoebe Hunt was an instructor. We talked a bit after class and I don't remember why, but somehow the conversation migrated to projects she has done with songwriting workshops with veterans and my retreat. This was another moment like I experienced with Clay. We were drawn towards wanting to work together on my songwriter project. Phoebe was invited to the next retreat, the one I had to muster up the initiative to start up again. I suppose this conversation was a big part of the impetus. Phoebe, with her many years of experience, brought fresh ideas and outlook, and implemented our first morning circle for grounding as well the closing circle for checking in. This is where Phoebe and Clay met and discovered a musical and collaborative spark, continuing to work on projects such as co-writing a ballet and band, duo, and recording projects.
January of 2023, when Phoebe first joined us, was also the time when 2 conversations with two more incredible talents came to fruition. (I saw Fruition with one of those talents!)
Probably some time around summer of 2021, I had a conversation with Charlie Rose on the patio at MainStage. Of course, we talked about songwriting. Charlie had an idea that he would love to teach songwriters how to be their own producers in the studio. Charlie, too, had philosophies about writing and recording that resonated with me. That idea was on a back burner waiting until I would have another conversation with Dave O'Dell of Animal Lane Studio. I knew Dave from recording my song Dolly Do there with Erin Dahlby (Lost Penny), Eric Thorin, and Sally Van Meter. Dave had an idea to record songwriters as part of a songwriting retreat or school experience. He already had been doing a lot of work with Charlie in the studio. We brainstormed how it might work. I was a little skeptical about the logistics with that many people. Dave assured me it would work, and work it did!
It is difficult to describe the magic that happened that weekend in 2023. The studio experience was culmination and a tangible expression. The groups found their path and their groove, deciding by consensus what song they would record and who would play and sing what. Phoebe was way into helping Charlie produce the songs, and Phoebe so graciously added fiddle to many of the songs. In one of the workshop sessions with Phoebe and Dan, someone brought up the topic of musical hooks. Collaboratively, Dan and Phoebe, along with about 14 songwriters, wrote a song called Bittersweet. In a burst of creative inspiration, Dan and Phoebe recorded that fresh new song, and Charlie added instrumentation on lots of instruments because Charlie can play just about anything. That is the same day I met Alexa Wildish who Phoebe knew for Nashville. Alexa and I sang harmonies, and we all collaboratively did a little producing. I had an idea that spoken word by Daniel should be used on the song, and Lisa Adeva Samoy, who was in the studio spontaneously wrote spoken word for it. It was brilliant!
We had a dream team. It almost gave us chills to think about how perfect and magical this team was for this gathering. The participants that year were also integral to the magic and just about everyone wanted to return. In 2024, Clay, Phoebe, Daniel, Charlie, and Dave, and always myself all came together to do it again, as well as most of the 2023 attendees. It was dialed in and we knew what worked. This time, we brought Charlie in for more workshops and he added a song revision element to the sessions which were well received. He and Phoebe made a great tag team to slice right into the elements of songs that were shared with revision in mind. And as always, Clay got to heart of writing, feeling, observing, helping people break open to reveal their core motivations and to get outside of themselves as well. To listen to another story and write about that. To step into the shoes of another writer like Leonard Cohen, John Prine, or even Usher. I got to add my perspective on writing with rhythm and letting melody inform lyric.
As dreamy as that team was, life happens. New life happened for Phoebe and her husband, Dom Leslie. They had a baby! I said, Bring the Baby! But, you know... ;) Congratulations to them! But 2025 was not the year for Phoebe to return. I sure hope she can join our family again. But what a fortunate connection I made through her to meet Alexa! Alexa will be joining us this year with her perspective and coming from a place of focus on voice. She is a vocal instructor and we are offering sessions a la carte for vocal workshops. This, too, was arranged after multiple conversations over coffee about music and songwriting. I could tell Alexa was our people.
Over these years, we have had a short 7 minute documentary filmed by Sean Doherty of Rocky Mountain Channel / Nick Molle Productions and then a longer 35 minute documentary. We have had Barb Davis document as our official photographer each year. As part of the retreat, each year we have a Listening Show. This serves 2 purposes. First of all, it gives the participants to see these coaches and songwriters in action, showcasing their songwriting in a real performance. Ain't nothing like the real thing. The second thing it does is it brings the larger community into the experience of this gathering. The vibration of music is meant to be shared and put into the world.
Each year, we have always given an opportunity for the songwriter participants to perform
for the public, as well. The first year was at The Barrel in Estes Park, the 2nd year was at Nicky's Steak House, the 3rd year was....hmm. I am a little mixed up. It happened at those 3 places. Maybe 2 years at the Barrel. I can't remember! But in 2023, the first year for recording in Lyons, I spoke to Andy from Moxie Mercantile in Lyons about my idea of the songwriters performing all day there that Sunday. Andy's last text to me ever was "Sound cool. Let's talk." Andy left us, sadly, just a bit before that event. Andy's presence was felt there that day as music filled the space just as he would have wanted. Asa and Elysa opened up their space as well, and we created a listening room. That was a very snowy day! Temperatures were below zero and the snow kept coming down, yet people showed up!
Here are scenes from that very cold, snowy day. The warmth of the songwriters radiates.
Last year, for the first time, we called that Lyons event, The Lyons Songwriter Walkabout. We placed songwriters in 4 venues, Oskar Blues, Moxie, Ranch House West, and MainStage. No snow that day! It was in the 60s! This year, songwriters will be performing in those same venues and it falls on a new Lyons event hosted by Lyons Chamber of Commerce called Lyons 1st Sundays when there are events all over town.
What else can I tell you? We are all excited to gather again and find out what new magic awaits. We have a couple of spots that opened up, so if you can, jump on the opportunity! Last year, we started offering A la Carte Workshops to allow participation without full weekend commitment.
Thursday in Estes Park: Clay Rose will lead a session that is now full. Jason Hicks will lead a session focusing on guitar as it relates to songwriting.
Friday, Daniel is leading a session in the evening and has some openings
Sunday, Alexa will lead vocal workshops at A-Lodge in the morning, and at 12:30, Jason has openings for his guitar workshop
If you can, get tickets for An Evening of Song and Story featuring Clay, Daniel, Charlie, and Alexa on Saturday, February 1st at Lonigan's in the back room.
Here is a playlist I JUST created for someone who emailed asking what the music would be like.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0IST6ZgRy9np4Mu72dYaJ2?si=QE1w4lI3SBCr_bKlBvUsbg&pi=u-er1Cip-fQHmr
I want to thank the Estes Arts District, Fine Arts Guild of the Rockies, and Chase the Music for providing scholarships for 10 attendees this year! I also want to thank Laurie Emmer of Mother's Cafe and Sabir and the crew at Lonigan's for providing meals.
Thank you, Asa and Elysa for donating workshop space exclusively for our workshops. She will have Shop Circular open with great deals on recycled clothing at A-Lodge.
Thank you Brian McCann and Oskar Blues for your cash contributions for the Walkabout.
We hope to have a great turnout for Oskar's, Moxie, Ranch House West, and MainStage! We appreciate the opportunity to provide free live music for them.
Here are pics from last year's Walkabout. Donations are super appreciated for this event!
Poster for 2025 + photos from Lyons Songwriter Walkabout 2024
Hey! Thanks for reading! If you got this far, I want to reward you with a 15% discount on 2 tickets for the show on Saturday, February 2nd. Follow this LINK
~nadine
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