Alpharetta to host songwriters at Wire and Wood

Alpharetta to host songwriters at Wire and Wood Songwriters festival comes to downtown Nov. 9

 

October 30, 2013

ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Downtown Alpharetta will have music flowing through the night Nov. 9 with the inaugural Wire and Wood Songwriters Festival. The first and only festival of its kind in the Atlanta area, the event will bring in over 20 artists from around the Southeast to perform their hits.

"Alpharetta is becoming known for its music scene and festivals filled with lively entertainment," said Alpharetta Mayor David Belle Isle. "People love music, and this new event brings together great musicians who not only wrote the songs they will perform but have stories to share about the song's history. Bring those elements together along with a variety of great food and the awesome community of Alpharetta and you have a don't-miss event."

Music will be flowing through the streets as the songwriters perform their soulful melodies from five different stages throughout downtown. The stage names include: Cotton House, Hop Alley, Smokejack and the grand Wire and Wood. A variety of street stages will also be set up along Milton Avenue.

The free event is from 4-7 p.m. Families can come for dinner, stroll through the stages and plan to stay for the big stage performances beginning at 7 p.m. There will also be interactive stages by Music Matters and the Guitar Center set up from 4-7 p.m.

Along with plenty of food trucks, the local restaurants will of course be on hand with food, beer and wine.

"We are excited to be partnering and helping to bring this unique event to life, and we look forward to hosting music lovers from around the Southeast who come to town to enjoy the stories and songs of these awesome artists," said Janet Rodgers, president and CEO of the Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau. "It will be a fantastic event filled with great food, awesome music and fun entertainment for the whole family."

This is a rain or shine event. Parking will be available at the Milton Center and downtown parking lots. For more information on the festival, visit www.awesomealpharetta.com.

THE WIRE AND WOOD MUSIC LINE UP

Christopher Alan Yates – www.reverbnation.com/christopheralanyates – Multi-instrumentalist and member of the Sweet Tea Project, which also includes Collective Soul's Ed Roland.

Riley – www.rileysmusic.com – 2012 Bill Lowery Horizon Award winner who is currently signed to Elton John's Rocket Management.

Brian Bisky – www.facebook.com/bbisky – Has performed at Eddie's Attic, Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre and the Roxy in Los Angeles. Currently touring with the Sweet Tea Project.

Kurt Scobie – www.kurtscobie.com – Tireless performer on the college circuit that has shared stages with the Civil Wars, Matthew Perryman Jones and Montell Jordan.

Joe West – www.joewestonline.com –Winner of the Gibson Songwriting Contest and finalist on the Charlie Daniels Roundup.

Sabrina – www.sabrinasongs.com – Winner of Sonic's Search for a Star Competition and frequent performer at Nashville's Bluebird Café and Tin Pan South.

Diane Durrett – www.dianedurrett.com – Has performed with Sting, Indigo Girls and Greg Allman and opened for Tina Turner, Faith Hill and many more.

Hope Sonam – www.hopesonam.com – A native of Rome, Ga., her song "Terrified" was featured on the hit ABC TV show "The Lying Game."

Roxie Randle – www.roxierandle.com – Has released three solo CDs and was voted Nashville's Female Demo Singer of the Year by DemoSinger.com.

Joel Bridges – www.joelbridgesmusic.com – Performed with BADHORSE, New Music Weekly's 2010 Country Group of the Year. His songs have reached Top 25 on Music Row's country chart in Nashville.

Ashley Harris – www.ashleyharris.com – Owner of Ragamuffin Music Hall in Roswell. Her single "Unfinished Woman" reached no. 1 on the Indie World Record Report.

John Allison – www.johnallison.com – A New York native that has performed all over the world and released two solo projects.

Bill Kahler – www.billkahler.com – A Kerrville Folk Festival and Plowshares Festival Songwriting finalist that has released five solo CDs.

Matthew Kahler – www.myspace.com/mathhewkahlermusic – Legendary Georgia singer/songwriter Shawn Mullins calls Matthew "one of the best songwriters of our time."

Chas Sandford – www.chassandford.com – Wrote the mega-hit "Missing You" by John Waite, "Talk to Me" by Stevie Nicks and "What Kind of Man Would I Be" by super-group Chicago.

Victoria Banks – www.victoriabanks.net – Penned the award-winning "Saints and Angels" recorded by Sara Evans and the Billboard record-breaking hit "Come On Over" by Jessica Simpson.

Pat Terry – www.patterryonline.com – Writer of Travis Tritt's no. 1 hit "Help Me Hold On" and Tanya Tucker's "It's a Little Too Late…to do the right thing now."

Matt Blanchard – www.mattblanchard.com – Saxophonist that has performed on the David Letterman Show, at Lincoln Center and internationally with NYC-based Jersey Band.

Jim Hettinger – Keyboardist that performed and recorded for Walt Disney World for eight years. He now serves as musical director for the HOME BY DARK Songwriters Show.

Tony Marvelli – Bassist that has performed with Mark Shultz, Point of Grace, the Drifters and the Platters and at Carnegie Hall and on Fox TV's "Next Great American Band."