Peace Center Announces New Peace Voices Songwriters Program

The Peace Center announces Peace Voices Songwriters, a new extension of the Peace Voices program. Spearheaded by Greenville's Edwin McCain and songwriter Maia Sharp, the program features a concert series with guest singer-songwriters. It also offers a workshop series for aspiring songwriters, which will culminate in a recorded song.

Called the "great American romantic" by The New York Times, McCain has built an enviable career over the past 20 years. His enduring love songs and wedding must-haves "I'll Be" and "I Could Not Ask For More" have become two of the biggest love songs in the history of pop music. 2018 marks the 20thyear of the hugely popular "I'll Be," which topped the Billboard charts in 1998 and has proven to be a timeless classic over the past two decades. After recording his mega hits and experiencing the success that comes with a television show (Flipping Ships), McCain now performs upwards of 100 shows annually throughout the United States.

Sharp wears many hats. She has had her songs recorded by The Dixie Chicks, Bonnie Raitt, Trisha Yearwood, Keb' Mo', Cher, McCain and Art Garfunkel. She produced McCain's album Mercy Bound and, most recently, two songs for Garfunkel's retrospective double album, The Singer. Sharp has six solo releases, and her latest duo project is Roscoe & Etta, with writing/production partner Anna Schulze. Each release has led to extensive touring throughout the United States and United Kingdom, and appearances on Mountain Stage, Acoustic Cafe, World Cafe, NPR's All Things Considered, CBS This Morning and NBC's Today.

Peace Voices Songwriters Concert Series

All concerts are held in the intimate listening room environment of Genevieve's theater lounge, with food and beverages available for purchase. Each evening will feature McCain and Sharp and a special guest songwriter. Each concert is $75.

An Evening of Original Music with Edwin McCain, Maia Sharp and Phillip Lammonds

Friday, Nov. 2, at 7:30 p.m.

Raised in the Appalachian foothills of the Carolinas, Phillip Lammonds has a way of elevating life's ordinary moments with the turn of a phrase and the lift of a just-right melody into soulful, poetic perfection. Lammonds began writing songs just after college when he formed The Blue Dogs, along with his buddies Hank Futch and Bobby Houck. He recently signed a publishing deal with Curb Records in Nashville and has written songs with, or for, artists like Darius Rucker, Lee Brice, McCain, Blake Shelton, Craig Morgan, Josh Turner and Hootie and the Blowfish.

An Evening of Original Music with Edwin McCain, Maia Sharp and Gabe Dixon

Friday, Jan. 25, 2019, at 7:30 p.m.

Singer-songwriter Gabe Dixon has served as keyboardist and vocalist for Paul McCartney, Alison Krauss & Union Station, O.A.R. and Supertramp. He opened for and toured with the likes of Loggins & Messina, Gavin DeGraw and Delta Rae. Dixon's songs have received placements on major television shows including Parks and Recreation, Grey's Anatomy and The Vampire Diaries. "Find My Way" served as the opening credit song for the box office hit The Proposal, starring Sandra Bullock. His sophomore album, Turns To Gold, came out in 2016 and was called "heart-wrenchingly honest" (Paste) and "simply an exceptional album" (No Depression).

An Evening of Original Music with Edwin McCain, Maia Sharp and Jill Sobule

Friday, March 1, 2019, at 7:30 p.m.

Hailed by The New York Times for making "grown-up music for an adolescent age," Jill Sobule uses her warm wit and poet's eye to poignantly look at life. She first caught mainstream attention with her 1995 song "I Kissed a Girl" - the first song about same-sex romance ever to crack the Billboard Top 20 (and no relation to the later Katy Perry tune). Her '90s alt-rock anthem "Supermodel" was featured in an iconic scene in the film Clueless. Since then, she's always pushed forward, exploring new sounds and subject matter, including LGBTQ rights, teen mental health and the unhealthy obsession with staying forever young.

An Evening of Original Music with Edwin McCain, Maia Sharp and David Wilcox

Friday, May 3, 2019, at 8 p.m.

"Fueled by brilliantly articulate guitar, an honestly pretty baritone, and deft lyrics, David Wilcox combines the best of both pop and modern folk aesthetics" (The Boston Globe). Considered a songwriter's songwriter, Wilcox was first inspired to play the guitar in college and is now 20 records into a career marked by personal revelation and wildly loyal fans. "He can carry any issue of significance to him straight into a listeners heart" (LA Weekly), and he takes audiences on a musical journey that is "compelling and richly deserving of a listen" (Rolling Stone).

Peace Voices Songwriters Workshop Series

The Peace Voices program was originally designed with the idea to help people learn how to express themselves and share their voice. Now going into its seventh year, the program expands with the newly developed Peace Voices Songwriters Workshop Series. Over the course of four workshops led by McCain and Sharp, and featuring renowned guest singer-songwriters, participants can develop their voices through song and walk away with a studio recording of their new work. All four workshops and the final studio recording are offered as a package for $350, and payment plans are available.

Show Us What You Got

Thursday, Nov. 1, 6-10 p.m. with McCain, Sharp and guest songwriter Phillip Lammonds

Why Do You Love It So Much: Mining Inspiration From Others

Thursday, Jan. 24, 6-10 p.m. with McCain, Sharp and guest songwriter Gabe Dixon

Song Seeds: Gathering, Watering, and Knowing When They're Grown

Thursday, Feb. 28, 6-10 p.m. with McCain, Sharp and guest songwriter Jill Sobule

Get Your Song Out of Your Head and Into the Studio

Thursday, May 2, 6-10 p.m. with McCain, Sharp and guest songwriter David Wilcox

For the latest information about Peace Voices Songwriters, visit www.peacecenter.org/community-impact/songwriters.

Tickets to the concert series and workshop registration may be purchased by calling 864.467.3000 or 800.888.7768, in person at the Peace Center Box Office or online at www.peacecenter.org. Workshop payment plans are not available online.

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