Songwriters In The Raw w/Jessica Smucker, Frank Critelli, and Owen Walsh
- Sun, Sep 8
Run Time: 150 min.
Doors – 6:30 PMShowtime – 7:00 PMTickets – $20 adv./$25 day ofSongwriters in the Rawis an in-the-round concert series curated and hosted by Jessica Smucker. This show’s special guests are Frank Critelli (Connecticut) and Owen Walsh (Asheville, NC; formerly Honesdale, PA).***
Owen Walsh
Owen Walsh has been telling stories and performing music his entire life. Born and raised on the banks of the Lackawaxen River in Honesdale, Pennsylvania — a small, historic coal-mining town — Owen grew up surrounded by relics of 19th Century American life and imagery ripe for musical exploitation.
Owen began playing violin at the age of three, studying formal repertoire. At 12 years old, he found his dad’s dusty, old Epiphone guitar tucked away in a closet and taught himself how to play. Soon after he learned his first few chords, Owen began writing songs. He’s followed in the long tradition of Americana folk music, in which lyrics are equal in importance to the melodies that bind them.
website:https://owenwalshmusic.com
***Frank CritelliPoet, philosopher, raconteur, busker, disc jockey, teacher, gardener — all these and more describe Frank Critelli, a tireless advocate and beacon for local music whose voice soars higher and stronger than Castle Craig in his Meriden, Connecticut, hometown.
For over 30 years, he has played music in streets and subways, clubs and coffeehouses, barrooms and classrooms, colleges, festivals, theaters, and in his kitchen. Those who have seen him live know that’s when he’s in his element.
Frank writes songs and often performs live. Many times solo, and sometimes accompanied by one or more musical co-conspirators. Currently he is one-third of original music trio The Bargain. But whether you see him solo or with a band, you’ll come away entertained, energized, and possibly enlightened.website: http://frankcritelli.com
video: https://youtu.be/OjAov9unRN8?si=jJ5rKjsINHTf2XjZ
***
Jessica Smuckerbelieves that the best way to change the world is to channel our pain into connection. Her songs have a way of reaching deeply into people’s souls and inviting the kind of reflection that feels both reassuring and unsettling. Wrapped in catchy melodies, her lyrics appear simple and relatable on the surface, but each listen will uncover more hidden pockets of nuance. She’s the kind of writer and performer who can lull a noisy room into a hush with a single line.
Based in Lancaster, PA, Jessica was raised in the Mennonite faith tradition by a family full of storytellers, activists, adventurers, and pranksters. She has toured nationwide and performs regularly throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern U.S. Her discography spans from 2008-2022 and includes two EPs three full-length albums, and a handful of singles.
Jessica has won or placed in several national songwriting contests including SolarFest’s Singer/Songwriter Showcase Competition, the Connecticut Folk Festival Song Competition, and the Mid-Atlantic Song Contest. In her life beyond music, Jessica is a published poet and essayist, a social justice warrior, a freakishly good Scrabble player, and mother to two of the smartest people she’s ever met in real life!
Website: https://jessicasmucker.com