8pm • No cover, but a suggested donation of $10-$20 is appreciated!
DC Bluegrass Union Songwriter Showcase
Host: Carolyn Eyerly
John Bolten • Eddie Lightner • Mike Shade
Carolyn Eyerly will be hosting the next DC Bluegrass Union Songwriter Showcase, and we have a great line up this month with John Bolten, Eddie Lightner, and Mike Shade!
John is an avid songwriter, musician, and folk music enthusiast from West Virginia. He has been called a “songwriter’s songwriter” and has played everywhere from the sidewalks of LA, to house concerts in South Carolina, to concert halls in Virginia. As a solo act, John has shared the stage with the likes of Drivin N Cryin, Jason Isbell, Tom House, Valerie Smith, and Eric Taylor, and once picked up Roland White in a rainstorm and took him to Walmart to buy a poncho. He leads Baltimore's Geraldine, a songwriting-driven old-time/bluegrass outfit with two well recieved albums to their names and mainstays at the Charm City Bluegrass and Annapolis Baygrass Festivals. John has recieved several songwriting accolades including multiple selections for the Mid Atlantic Song Contest, the Hazel Dickens Songwriting Contest, and the Common Ground on the Hill Song Contest. https://www.facebook.com/geraldinetheband/ and https://www.instagram.com/thegeraldineband.
Eddie Lightner is a celebrated mandolinist, currently based in the Maryland and Virginia area, known for his dynamic performances and heartfelt compositions. Performing with his two backing bands, The Potomac Pickers and Bluegrass Selected, Eddie has solidified his place in the bluegrass world. His talent took center stage during his 2024 IBMA showcase with Bluegrass Selected, further cementing his reputation as an influential artist. Eddie latest album, Notes of Life, has received widespread acclaim. Bluegrass Unlimited praised the album for its depth and impeccable craftsmanship, while Bluegrass Today highlighted its blend of tradition and innovation, offering something for every bluegrass fan. Whether captivating audiences on stage or creating timeless music in the studio, Eddie Lightner continues to make a lasting impact in the bluegrass community. https://www.facebook.com/edwin.lightner
Mike Shade is a DC area native songwriter and guitarist whose genres span the gamut from jazz and swing to rock and bluegrass. He began with piano and drums at an early age until taking up the guitar at 10 years old -- the instrument that ultimately stuck with him. During high school and college, Mike was a member of the Capital Focus Jazz Band, a youth-oriented traditional group who he toured with through England, Scotland, and the Netherlands as well as playing many shows domestically. Traditional music has been a common theme for him over the years and has led him more recently to bluegrass. Today, he's a member of 2024 WAMMIE award winners, Pictrola, playing more progressive and jam-laden styles of bluegrass and appearing onstage for audiences at Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, Watermelon Pickers' Fest, and other venues local and distant. Outside of bluegrass, Mike is also a member of the touring original heartland rock band, Brian K and the Parkway, playing lead guitar.
DCBU's President, Carolyn Eyerly, will be hosting this month. Carolyn performs Bluegrass originals and covers as well as grassed-up classic rock & country tunes much like Merle & Loretta. Carolyn was awarded the 2022 WAMMIE for the D.C. area's Best Bluegrass Artist when she released her CD, The Sunny Side of Life, on the Patuxent Music label. Produced by Dede Wyland, Carolyn’s CD project includes seven of her original compositions. Carolyn has been a dynamic lead singer in the Washington, D.C. area since 2011 in folk & bluegrass bands. She has created a huge playlist of popular bluegrass, gospel, and grassed-up eclectic songs and also fronts her own band, The Carolyn Eyerly Band, with a wildly talented bunch of bluegrass virtuosos.
Come out and enjoy some great music!