Announcing the official line-up for the 2019 Corpus Christi Songwriters Festival, to be held Feb. 15-17, 2019:
Ian Moore
Ian Moore, the Seattle-based, Austin, TX-born guitar player, singer and songwriter makes the proverbial renaissance man look lazy. Coming on the heels of Strange Days, his most successful record since his eponymous debut and despite a never-ending cycle of touring, Moore offers a new record of bright, blazing rock-n-roll that combines his legendary guitar prowess with radio-friendly songs that showcase his elastic, soul-inflected vocals. He also founded the artist’s healthcare alliance SMASH (Seattle Musicians Access to Sustainable Healthcare) and has joined the board of NARAS for the Pacific Northwest as governor and head of the advocacy committee.
As always, Ian has his eyes on the challenges faced by musicians of every stripe, having experienced the spectrum of artist successes and tribulations over a nearly 30-year career. “Its a very different climate right now. When we hit a city, it doesn’t matter that i have 14 records, radio hits, etc. The only thing that matters is if we can really show up and leave the people feeling they saw something amazing. Its keeps me hungry, and i like the challenge” says Moore.
Walt Wilkins
Songwriter, singer, traveler, troubadour, Walt Wilkins has been all four since going full time into the music business over 25 years ago. During that time, he’s made 9 solo records, 4 records with The Mighty Mystiqueros, one with his wife Tina, and a live album with Kevin Welch. He’s had over a hundred of his songs recorded by other artists, traveled a fair part of the world, and has had some very, very large times.
Susan Gibson
Anyone who meets singer-songwriter Susan Gibson will know immediately that her family is a core foundation in everything she does, from the songs she writes to the tour routes she takes. Songwriter of the CMA Single of the Year, “Wide Open Spaces”, BMI Writer of the Year 1999, 2009 West Texas Music Hall of Fame Entertainer of the Year, Official Folk Alliance Showcase Artist in 2010 and 2011, and has been touring nationally since 1999.
George Ensle
George Ensle (pronounced Enslee) is a veteran Singer/Songwriter who began his career in Houston in 1967 sharing stages with legends Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark and Billy Joe Shaver. He pens his own brand of StorySongs, powerfully crafted and played with his unique finger picking style on his vintage Martin D-35 and Fender Resonator guitar.
He is celebrating 50 years as a performing songwriter and in February 2017 was inducted into the Houston Folk Music Archives at Rice University.
He has won numerous songwriting awards, been awarded Government grants to teach children through the Artist in the Schools program, and released albums and CDs in the US and Europe, including a Movie–in-Song CD, “Small Town Sundown”, based on his original story, which he performs as a one man “Songplay.”
Claude Butch Morgan
Claude Butch Morgan is a triple threat on the Texas music scene; he is a songwriter, storyteller, and guitarist who is constantly pushing his limits as a performer. He honed his chops as a guitar player in various USO bands while in the military during Vietnam, then came home to the San Antonio area and became known across Texas for his lead guitar skills and his energetic performance style. He found his songwriter groove at The Kerrville Folk Festival and was a finalist for New Folk in 2005 and 2008 and a winner of the Wildflower Performing Songwriters contest in 2004. A “Singer/Songwriter of the Year” nominee at the Texas Music Awards in 2012, Morgan continues to grab audiences with his songwriting and storytelling, punctuated by the taste and tone of a world class guitarist.
Al Barlow
There is no scientific way to prove it, but Al Barlow may very well be the happiest man on the face of this big ol’ goofy world. You think this when you see him from across a room, when you listen to any of his songs live or on your home stereo, even when he’s just a big, sunny East Texas voice twanging on the other end of a phone line. Any way you encounter him, Al Barlow is pure, unadulterated and relentless Happy personified. And he’s one of the best not to mention the funniest — American singer-songwriters you’ve likely never heard. You’ve certainly never heard songs quite like his before: quirky, mischievous little ditties about matchbooks and empty peanut butter jars and fishing and nosy co-workers that come on silly but rarely go on their merry way without goosing the heart by surprise.
Ken Gaines
Houston area singer/songwriter, guitarist, producer, and teacher Ken Gaines has the goal of writing great songs in just about every genre and style you can come up with. “For all the great songs that have been written I belong to a wonderful tribe who believe there are a least as many great ones still to be written.” His voice has the range to cover all styles and his supple guitar work lays down arrangements instead of just chords. His lyrics are both powerful and poetic and highlight the skills of a story teller and observer of life. In 2005 he was voted Singer Songwriter of the Year by the Academy of Texas Music and in 2007 his song “Einstein’s Violin” was nominated Song of the Year at the Texas Music Awards.
Lisa Beck
Texas born and raised singer-songwriter Lisa Beck writes and performs with passion and conviction, her original songs of love, heartbreak, betrayal, redemption and pure joy. Born into a musical family, Lisa was washed daily in the sweet harmonies of her mother and aunt, who had performed in an old time gospel quartet from their pre-teen years until they each married and started their own families. Influenced by the old gospel songs of her family, the traditional country sounds of great songwriters like George Jones, Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton, as well as folk artists like Joan Baez, Bob Dylan and Simon & Garfunkel, Lisa has never let a musical genre limit her musical writings and loves all styles of music. Lisa is currently part of a self proclaimed Hillbilly- Jazz duo with songwriting friend Jason Carter who brings the Jazz to her Hillbilly. Lisa also performs as one half of the duo artists Art & Lisa, the husband and wife team were twice nominated as vocal Duo of the Year by the Texas Music Academy in the Texas Music Awards in 2009 and 2011. Although getting a very late start in the music and songwriting business, Lisa is living proof that it’s never too late to learn something new or too late to re-invent or rediscover who you are.
Jana Pochop
Jana Pochop (the ‘h’ is silent) began her vastly diverse career as an independent singer-songwriter when, as a child, she asked for a drum kit and her parents got her a guitar instead. She discovered Mary Chapin Carpenter and Shawn Colvin at the age of 11 and found a beautiful purpose for that guitar. Her instinct for deep grooves and poignant lyrics are obvious on her most recent musical offerings, onetwothreescream’s Lit released in 2018, her 2017 singles, and her 2014 EP Throats Are Quarries. Jana combines her gifts; lyrics that are as fearless as they are vulnerable, as skeptical as they are hopeful – woven into beautiful and fully fleshed arrangements. Jana has allied with many of the Texas music makers like Terri Hendrix, Susan Gibson, Elizabeth Wills, and Michael O’Connor. She has gotten a lot of field experience traveling with Gibson as tour manager / documentarian over their 10 years of working together, and Jana has toured everywhere from Seattle to Sweden with Gibson. In 2016, Pochop joined Kiya Heartwood’s band on electric guitar and toured Ireland and the U.K., playing Fringe Festivals in Edinburgh and The Isle of Wight.
Yosh & Yimmy
“Yosh & Yimmy” is a folk duo made up of San Antonio based Josh Glenn of the Josh Glenn Experiment (indie/folk) and Corpus Christi based Jimmy Willden of Jimmy Willden Band (alternative/folk/rock). Acoustic guitars, clever riffing, harmonizing voices, and the occasional tap of a looping pedal can be expected in their eclectic and engrossing performance. Think singer-songwriter meets mad folk scientist and you’re on the right track.
Shayna Sands
Shayna Sands is a passionate singer-songwriter from Texas and a versatile artist with a killer voice. She’s a dedicated musician influenced by the likes of Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Eric Burden, Danzig, Nina Simone, Howlin’ Wolf, The Kinks, The Ronnettes, Dead Moon, Daniel Johnston, as well as the masters of classical guitar. She has played festivals all over Texas as well as CMJ in NYC and has been featured in publications all over South Texas including the STEAM Magazine, The Caller Times, The Bend Magazine, The Metro Leader, and The Foghorn for her distinct sound and voice. She was named honorable mention for the Corpus Christi, Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Doc Carter
Timothy “Doc” Carter used the nickname Doc because he’s actually an ER doctor in addition to being an aspiring songwriter and musician. In two years, Carter has released three EPs including Blue Eyes, Get Past the Waves and Too Many Sunsets. He appreciates the work that Corpus Christi Songwriters does as an organization to promote the craft in the Coastal Bend, and is honored and humbled to be recognized by such a talented group of musicians.
Frank Martin Gilligan
Melissa Brooke
Stephen K. Morris
Michael Waid
Alex Winters
Katy McKenzie
Katy started writing songs and playing guitar when she was very young, eventually playing open mics everywhere she could, and much to her embarrassment, at family gatherings. As time went on this hobby turned into a passion and then into a career. This past year, she wrote and recorded my first ever EP, FREEDOM. Getting to see words she’d written come to life in the studio was an incredible experience. Writing songs, and singing is what she’s always loved from the very beginning, and it is the root of all her passion. she has made some amazing memories pursuing this crazy dream and hopefully many more to come.
Mark Jungers
Ireland
Ireland is an award winning singer/songwriter from the DFW area who brings an authentic indie-folk experience to every project. Her distinctive voice signature conjures something both nostalgic and new. Ireland is a hardworking musician who plays several gigs weekly and puts out new music every year. Whether playing in front of a small coffee shop crowd or rocking out at festivals and local restaurants her energy and charm is contagious. Ireland got her start at the age of 13 opening for The Chris Rivers Band. At the age of 15 she became the youngest semi-finalist, since Maren Morris, in the B.W. Stevenson Singer/Songwriter Memorial Contest. She is also an award winning lyricist and songwriter. In 2016 Ireland began regularly performing in the DFW area, Austin and Houston at regular gigs as well as music festivals. Ireland has released several EPs and is currently at work writing her first full length album. The working title of the album is “The Life of Rosemary Ellis.” Her desire is to create an album that tells a life’s story one song at a time.
Sasha K.A.
Ty Dietz
Grant Ewing
Jake Yanez
Steven Hansen
Garrett Wieland
Bruce Gambill
Caleb Navarro
Dylan Tanner
Tony Kirkpatrick
Magnus
The Salt Lifers
