Tag: Lake Orion

Momentary Feelings — Lilly MacPhee Overcomes Heartbreak and Disappointment on “This Too Shall Pass” Single

Lilly MacPhee closes a difficult chapter and finds catharsis on “This Too Shall Pass.” Photo courtesy of the artist.

Lilly MacPhee knows moments of heartbreak and disappointment are fleeting.

The Detroit singer-songwriter acknowledges those emotions and their ephemeral impact on her latest indie-folk single, “This Too Shall Pass.”

“It was the first song I had written when I moved back from Nashville, and it was an accumulation of everything I had been through over the years. When I was living in Nashville, my best friend Jackie [Pappas] and I would talk on the phone several times a day,” said MacPhee, who briefly relocated to Nashville in 2023.

“I would vent to her, or she would vent to me about something. But when I would vent to her, she would always say, ‘Lilly, this too shall pass,’ and it [stayed] with me. And then I thought, ‘That sounds like a song. Thank you, Jackie.’”

On “This Too Shall Pass,” MacPhee closes that difficult chapter and finds catharsis in family and friends. Comforted by serene acoustic guitar, she sings, “I kissed lips that spoke lies / Met grief eye to eye / Cried to the ones who cared / When silence was too much to bear.”

“Songwriting itself is like therapy—it’s how I view it. You get everything out and it makes you feel better. A song like that is bittersweet,” she said.

“You hope people don’t relate to it, but you’re OK if they do because it’s a comforting feeling for them to know that they’re not the only ones experiencing heartbreak, grief, or whatever else they might be going through in life.”

Continue reading “Momentary Feelings — Lilly MacPhee Overcomes Heartbreak and Disappointment on “This Too Shall Pass” Single” →

Best Practices — Kylee Phillips Shares “The Good Parts” of Her Personal Journey on New EP

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Kylee Phillips offers heartfelt tales of resilience and acceptance on “The Good Parts.” Photo – Misty Lyn Bergeron

Kylee Phillips doesn’t need to give herself daily pep talks anymore.

After some deep introspection, the Ypsilanti, Michigan singer-songwriter/keyboardist gained a fresh perspective and wanted to share “the good parts” of her journey on a new EP.

“I feel like the pep talks worked,” said Phillips about The Good Parts, her sophomore release. “It’s encouraging because it’s hard to see yourself grow when it’s happening, and it’s not until you look back that you say, ‘Oh, I made it to the other side.’”

Coming out the other side, Phillips offers heartfelt tales of resilience and acceptance across four honest tracks on her indie-folk-pop EP.

“The songs are about saying, ‘Maybe I need to try a different path,’ but they’re also saying, ‘These are the things I’ve noticed about myself that are not going to change—that I’m not letting go of,’” she said.

“It’s this funny combination of ‘I’m going to have to make some different choices, but I also know better who I actually am now.’”

That authenticity quickly resonates with listeners on The Good Parts, which features reflective lyrics and lush instrumentation.

“I had a friend reach out to me and say, ‘I feel like you wrote this song for me.’ And I said, ‘I wrote it for myself, and now I feel like you need it more than I do,’” she said. “I always write the stuff that I need to hear, but when it’s also what other people need to hear, it feels special.”

Continue reading “Best Practices — Kylee Phillips Shares “The Good Parts” of Her Personal Journey on New EP” →

The Power of Goodbye — Melanie Pierce Finds Closure From a Past Relationship on “Enough” Single

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Melanie Pierce shares messages of self-empowerment and resilience on “Enough.” Photo courtesy of Melanie Pierce

Melanie Pierce boldly reclaims her power on “Enough.”

The Detroit singer-songwriter asserts her true feelings and finds closure from a past relationship on her new emo-pop single.

“‘Enough’ is a song that I’m very proud of, and I’m really thankful to have had music to lean on when the events behind the song were taking place,” Pierce said.

“The song is a reflection of events that hurt or things that at the time I looked at through rose-colored glasses. Then I pulled them off and said, ‘This sucked … and it’s enough for me to get over this and move on.’’”

Surrounded by fearless acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, and drums, she sings: “I poured my heart out and I wrote you songs / You felt awkward, said it’s like someone’s singing happy birthday to you / Someday, I’m gonna find someone who actually deserves all I do / So I reclaim every song I sent you and the magic you had access to / And the girl that would have done anything for you.”

“It’s a song that screams, ‘I don’t deserve this,’” Pierce said. “I hope the takeaway for listeners is exactly that. You don’t deserve the shit you’ve put up with and you’re stronger than this.”

I spoke with Pierce about her latest single ahead of an October 11 show at 20 Front Street in Lake Orion, Michigan.

Continue reading “The Power of Goodbye — Melanie Pierce Finds Closure From a Past Relationship on “Enough” Single” →

Homegrown Talent — Steve Taylor Relaunches Monthly Michigan Songwriter Showcase at 20 Front Street on September 19

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As a local music champion, Steve Taylor is eager to showcase some homegrown talent.

The Lake Orion, Michigan singer-songwriter is relaunching his monthly songwriter series spotlighting Michigan artists at 20 Front Street on September 19.

“I’m excited to have a new home to do this series,” said Taylor, who last hosted the series in late 2023 at the now-closed Berkley Coffee & Oak Park Dry.

“I hope it’s something that people will come out and support and help give some love to our local artists who write their own music.”

Known as the Michigan Songwriter Showcase, the first show in the series features Taylor and Metro Detroit singer-songwriters Rebecca Cameron, Dan Cafferty, and Jacki Daniels.

“I’ve done shows with Dan at Trinity House and Berkley Coffee, and he was just getting started with songwriter rounds at that point. He’s such a great guy and talented guitar player, and his songs are upbeat and funny,” Taylor said.

“Rebecca is really talented, and she’s done other shows that I’ve hosted at Berkley Coffee. Since she’s in Clarkston, I thought this would be close by and be a good show for her as well. Jacki also hosts songwriter rounds and she’s been heavily involved in our music scene.”

Continue reading “Homegrown Talent — Steve Taylor Relaunches Monthly Michigan Songwriter Showcase at 20 Front Street on September 19” →

The Advocate — Michigan Fingerstyle Guitar Society Supports Local and Global Musicians Through Spring Concert Series

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Kyran Daniel headlines several upcoming live shows in partnership with the Michigan Fingerstyle Guitar Society.

As longtime musicians, Ron Stavale and Yeman Al-Rawi strongly advocate for fingerstyle guitarists in Michigan and beyond.

The Michigan Fingerstyle Guitar Society (MFGS) members celebrate the skill and artistry of contemporary acoustic guitarists by showcasing their talent and technique through live shows and workshops.

“When you see an artist, it’s not gimmicky like somebody with a drum and a bell on their head doing all these things,” said Stavale, who’s played fingerstyle guitar since his 20s.

“They’re orchestrating compositions on a guitar by filling in all the things that maybe Yeman and I or another person would try and do. They do it in such a way that really draws me in.”

Stavale and Al-Rawi hope to draw fingerstyle guitar enthusiasts to several upcoming MFGS live shows and workshops that feature Australian headliner Kyran Daniel along with Michigan openers David Day and Nicholas Martin over five days:

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Full Steam Ahead – One Ton Trolley Honors the ‘70s Rock Album Era on ‘Sunday Morning Cigarettes’

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One Ton Trolley’s Anthony Zack, Bill Arnold, Chris Brown and Jon Johnson celebrate the ’70s rock album era on “Sunday Morning Cigarettes.” Photo courtesy of One Ton Trolley

One Ton Trolley charges full steam ahead into the album era.

The Clarkston, Michigan roots-rock quartet pays homage to the days of listening to a record in its entirety and becoming immersed in the experience on Sunday Morning Cigarettes.

“I wanted to make a 1970s rock album where you got in on the first song and you rode the thing all the way to the end,” said Bill Arnold, One Ton Trolley’s lead vocalist, guitarist and dobroist, about the band’s latest album.

“I was thinking of pre-car keys Bill laying on the floor of his bedroom reading the liner notes to a record. I wanted it to flow … I’m pretty pleased with the order.”

For Sunday Morning Cigarettes, One Ton Trolley arrives in good order, but not without revisiting old routes to the past. The album’s dozen tracks reflect on previous relationships, choices and lessons from a wiser, clearer perspective.

“I don’t really write about personal experiences as much as I try to write about things that I see or hear,” Arnold said. “I’m like an observer that tries to put them … more in first person.”

Continue reading “Full Steam Ahead – One Ton Trolley Honors the ‘70s Rock Album Era on ‘Sunday Morning Cigarettes’” →

Spring Forward – Earthwork Music Celebrates the Season with Michigan Tour and Sampler Album

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A Michigan music collective is ready to spring forward with a new tour and music sampler.

Earthwork Music, a collective of artists and musicians that fuses music with cultural and environmental awareness, is kicking off its first collaborative tour in five years this week with a run of Michigan shows.

Tour stops include April 19 at Kalamazoo’s Dormouse Theatre, April 20 at Lake Orion’s 20 Front Street, April 21 at Grand Rapids’ Midtown, April 22 at Traverse City’s The Alluvion and April 23 at the Ludington Area Center for the Arts in Ludington.

“The spring tour features 18 musicians and will be a cabaret-style show featuring each person leading one song with a varying backing band supporting. It will be beautiful, chaotic and absolutely magical,” said Nicholas James Thomasma, a Grand Rapids folk singer-songwriter and an Earthwork Music collective artist.

“Sometimes it will just be one or two people on stage; sometimes it’s a full band. Sometimes there are strings, sometimes drums, sometimes acoustic guitars and sometimes all 18 of us will be on stage together. Part of the excitement about this tour is that even the artists aren’t sure how it’s all going to work yet!”

Thomasma will share that anticipation alongside 17 other Earthwork Music artists, including: Dede Alder, Earthwork Music founder Seth Bernard, Ralston Bowles, Sari Brown, The Antivillains’ Sarah Cohen, Samantha Cooper, Chris Good, Jordan Hamilton, Amber Hasan, Josh Holcomb, Audra Kubat, Elisabeth Pixley-Fink, The Crane Wives’ Dan Rickabus, The Appleseed Collective’s Vince Russo, The Go Rounds’ Mike Savina, Jo Serrapere of Stella! and Ben Traverse.

“The thing I enjoy most is the thoughtful and creative people that make up our collective,” Thomasma said. “It’s a treat to play music with these folks, but even more so it’s a treat to simply know them as friends and spend time with them off stage.”

Continue reading “Spring Forward – Earthwork Music Celebrates the Season with Michigan Tour and Sampler Album” →

Sage Advice – The Steve Taylor Three Finds the Right Balance on ‘Travel Light’ Album

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The Steve Taylor Three’s Carey Waver, Steve Taylor and Bryan Frink share gratitude, wisdom and honesty on “Travel Light.” Photo – Daniel Roth

Steve Taylor follows a valuable piece of advice from his father.

The Lake Orion Americana singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist carries an optimal load of “supplies” through life’s peaks and valleys with bandmates Bryan Frink (bass, guitar, keys, vocals) and Carey Weaver (drums, percussion, vocals) on The Steve Taylor Three’s insightful new album, Travel Light, out Friday.

“Once a year, my dad and I would go hike the Appalachian Trail in the Appalachian Mountains. He would always talk about how you had to bring everything with you because you’re going to be up in the mountains,” Taylor said.

“You’d have to carry all your water, and you don’t realize how heavy water is until you carry it with you all day. The idea is you only bring what you need. I thought the whole idea of camping and hiking and having to carry everything in your bag is a great metaphor for life.”

Inside The Steve Taylor Three’s Travel Light “bag” resides a comforting assortment of gratitude, wisdom and honesty across 11 transformative tracks. Each one introduces a past, present or future destination along an unpredictable journey filled with heartwarming experiences.

“The older we get, the more reflection there is. I seem to be writing a lot of songs now about the passage of time and what it means. That wasn’t the case when we were younger,” said Taylor, who last released Earn Every Scar with his bandmates in March 2020.

“The simplicity of that phrase, ‘It Doesn’t Take Long,’ I try to take that title or that refrain and just come at it from family, relationships and everything. You realize when you get to close to 50 … I’m going to turn 49 here in a couple weeks and Bryan and Carey have already turned 50. You think, ‘Wow, 50.’ When we were younger, we thought people who were 30 were old.”

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Midwest Sounds – Wiltsie’s Nov. 27 Festival Showcases and Supports Local Artists

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The Real Dan Minard, Aaron Markovitz and Jackie Pappas perform at Wiltsie’s. The three singer-songwriters also are part of the Midwest Sounds festival lineup. Photo – Brandon Still

Wiltsie’s thoughtfully highlights the artistic brilliance of independent Michigan artists.

The intimate Clarkston listening room will spotlight and support local singer-songwriters during their inaugural Midwest Sounds festival on Nov. 27 at Bay Court Park’s Brady Lodge.

“Festivals have a whole ‘nother dynamic and atmosphere, and I think we’ll get a different crowd in to see these musicians and artists. The goal is for them to get more recognition and acknowledgement for what they’re doing while being able to pay them,” said Jackie Pappas, an Americana singer-songwriter who co-runs Wiltsie’s with Brandon Still and Paul Angelini.

Midwest Sounds will feature a star-studded lineup of Americana, folk, country and rock artists, including The Real Dan Minard, Sean Miller, Emily Rose and Pappas, as well as a young songwriters round.

Meanwhile, the newly formed Americana quartet of Jason Dennie, Aaron Markovitz, Keith Billik and Scott Kendall – also known as Through the Thicket – will headline the daylong festival.

“It’s all about giving back to the musicians, getting more of a crowd in and shining a light on everyone because they work so hard and are so talented,” said Pappas, who’s also partnered with Oxford’s HomeGrown Brewing Co. and Fenton’s D&W’s Street Eatery for refreshing festival craft brews and food.

In addition, festival ticket proceeds will support a new Wiltsie’s grant and mentorship program for independent musicians. As a newly established nonprofit housed in Main Street MI’s historic co-working space, Wiltsie’s will help one artist each month with recordings, videos, photos and music distribution.

“We want to help get them on their feet and give them that first nudge, so they can have a great portfolio to move forward and send their stuff to some venues. If they really like what we’re doing, then they’ll come back and have the funds to hopefully continue with us,” Pappas said.

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Out of the Vault – Steve Taylor Revives Unreleased Tracks for New ‘Beside Myself’ Album

Steve Taylor celebrates unreleased tracks and B-sides on his new solo album, “Beside Myself.”

For Steve Taylor, creative inspiration inadvertently starts with a full hard drive.

The Lake Orion Americana roots singer-songwriter surprisingly ran out of storage space on his digital audio workstation while polishing tracks this summer for his latest solo album, Beside Myself.

“I’ve had this thing for 10-15 years, and I got an error message that said, ‘Hey, You’re running out of space, and you’ve now exceeded the limit of this hard drive.’ I said, ‘Oh man, I’ve got to start deleting songs off here,’ and I put out a solo album in 2005 that I recorded in a similar fashion called And So On, and I thought, ‘I can delete tracks that have already been mastered and released,’” Taylor said.

“But I had all these other tracks on there, like ‘Do You Remember’ and some of the other ones that wound up on Beside Myself. I was like, ‘Well, I guess I should just finish these off, or I should just add something to these.’ We weren’t able to do anything; I wasn’t playing any shows. We weren’t getting together as a band, and every gig was cancelled. I felt like I needed that outlet just to kind of stay creative.”

As a quarantine-fueled creative project, Beside Myself features 10 poignant, acoustic tracks and B-sides focused on long-term love, delayed goals, deer-car crashes, childhood memories, peaceful lullabies and other classic life experiences. In a sense, it’s a closely cherished sonic scrapbook of Taylor’s musical evolution as an influential singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and frontman of The Steve Taylor Three.

“These songs were forgotten; they were songs that I had written for my wife or my neighbors. ‘Sleep & Dream’ was a lullaby I had written for my kids when they were little, and I used to sing it to them before they went to bed. And none of them had I ever intended to release. Some of them just started as demos so I could give them to people, and we could learn to play them live,” said Taylor, who recorded the project in a home studio located under his basement stairs.

“Some of them were already done, like ‘Do You Remember.’ I had recorded that and given it to my wife for our anniversary, but I hadn’t done anything else with it. I started looking to see how many of these were actually done and how many needed more instrumentation. I started counting them up and found there was a group of 10 that I could use.”

Continue reading “Out of the Vault – Steve Taylor Revives Unreleased Tracks for New ‘Beside Myself’ Album” →