A Music Community, a Podcast, and a Listening Room

Years ago I connected with a bunch of songwriters at the legendary Canal Street Tavern in Dayton, Ohio. Once a week songwriters and musicians would gather there to showcase new songs, and the crowd would actually listen and even respond, which happens to be a very rare thing in most music venues, as the performer is often competing against drinking, dancing, food, and conversation.

Because of the support, feedback, and passion for real songs Canal Street Tavern became almost sacred to many songwriters who at times never had another place to even play. But eventually it was sold, and then died, and then was turned into a deli where people eat sandwiches while playing arcade games.

There was no place to turn for a while, but the void has been filled the last couple of years by a place called Yellow Cab Tavern. Many of those same songwriters gather there now once a week. Lately I've been a part of that, and recently I played a live show for Roadside Attraction,which is a newly-revised podcast that happens to be one of the oldest in the USA.

It's quite a show. It has some comedy, live music, and follows a story of the happenings of a fictional town called Midway, USA. I was a guest on the show, where I played three songs, one alone, and two with the house band, The American Landscape, who happen to be friends of mine.

I sang "Twisted Mind", "Syria, West Virginia", and an American Landscape song called "Voices" that I helped to co-write on some of the lyrics.

You can listen to the podcast here: "Unexpect the Expected #205, and check out my recording of "Syria, West Virginia" with Thaddeus Williams from The American Landscape below.

And for what it's worth, here is an interview from 1993 I found of Mick Montgomery, the founder of Canal Street, who shares his vision for the rare "listening room" for musicians. Mick just recently passed away.