July 12, 2025 | 2 pm @ Birthplace of Country Music Museum
TheBirthplace of Country Music Museum, in partnership withSongwriters of Highlands Appalachia, hosts the Songwriters Circle Showcase at 2 p.m., July 12, a free event where regional songwriters take their turn in the spotlight to share their craft with the community. The showcase takes place in the museum's performance theater. The event is free and open to the public, but donations to support future programs and the songwriters are appreciated.
Regional songwriters Patrick Alan Green, Peter Gagnonand Barnett Carr perform their original songs in the round, sharing the inspiration and story behind each piece. Afterward, the songwriters engage with the audience in a Q&A about the song's creation, structureand emotional impact.
Green, a singer-songwriter from Bluff City, Tenn., describes his style as "genreless." The first artist to record at downtown Bristol's Audioasis, Green began his musical journey later in life. His music, including his latest album "Without A Halo & Wings," is available on all streaming platforms.
Gagnon, originally from New York, developed a love for the mountains during family vacations and later gravitated toward music, spending 15 years playing bass in his local church's band. In 2021, he and his wife Barbara moved to Northeast Tennessee where they've found a new home among the mountains, musicand welcoming community. Gagnonregularly performs in local venues and with fellow songwriters from Songwriters of Highlands of Appalachia.
After years of failing to write what Carr perceived as the "perfect song," he re-invented himself in the hill country of Texas and began writing from the heart. His album "Dark Side of the Mountain" is his concept album about Appalachia and features two Grammy winners.
The Songwriters Circle Showcase is held quarterly and serves as an extension of the museum's monthly Songwriters Circle, a collaboration between the Birthplace of Country Music Museum and Songwriters of Highlands Appalachia. Each showcase event features regional songwriters who are part of the monthly Songwriters Circle. The Songwriters Circle, held 2 — 5 p.m. every second Saturday, offers a supportive environment where participants share their songs, collaborate with peers, and enhance their songwriting skills. There is no fee to attend. The goal is to foster creative community, encourage storytelling through songwriting, and provide opportunities for artists to perform and network with others.
For more information about Songwriters of Highlands Appalachia, visitHighlandsAppalachia.org. For more information about the Songwriters Circle and the Songwriters Circle Showcase, visit the Events page atBirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org.