October 8, 2011

High-octane rockabilly and country star Rosie Flores headlines the 2011 Ypsilanti Songwriting Festival. 

View the day's schedule»

Featured events include: 

• Group Songwriting - work with Paul Burch and others to write the next great song about Ypsilanti
• Martin Bandkye (of ann arbor's 107one) in conversation with Rosie Flores
• Noise Music: an avant-garde genre blossoming locally. Three local noise musicians discuss their philosophies and demonstrate their individual techniques
• Schedule a Session with a Songwriter - these free one-on-one workshops allow you to get feedback from a local songwriter.
• Shows in YDL's garage, including band Leif Erikson & The Real America
• Songwriter Showcase - listen to budding local songwriters in an intimate setting
• Evening show at 8pm at Woodruff's in Depot Town, featuring Rosie Flores with special guest Paul Burch

About the songwriters:

Rosie Flores
Go to Rosie's website»

"Alternative country meets the rockabilly revival meets California guitar virtuosity in the music of Rosie Flores. Since the late '70s, guitarist, singer, and songwriter Rosie Flores has been an important figure on the alternative country scene in both Austin, TX, and Los Angeles. She's a hard-working, independently minded artist who's well-respected for her gritty, energetic vocals and fiery guitar solos." (Allmusic.com)

Flores’s solo recordings have landed on both the Billboard and Gavin charts and are featured in seven motion pictures. Her revved-up performances have won legions of fans and earned appearances on Austin City Limits and Late Night with Conan O’Brien. She appeared in the documentaries Every Night is Saturday Night: The Story of Wanda Jackson and Sweet Lady with the Nasty Voice. In 2008, Flores won a Peabody Award for her narration of the radio documentary on the history of rockabilly, Whole Lotta Shakin’.

The All Music Guide says of Flores: “Alternative country meets the rockabilly revival meets California virtuosity in the music of Rosie Flores. Since the late ‘70’s, guitarist, singer, and songwriter Rosie Flores has been an important figure on the alternative country scene... she’s well respected for her gritty, energetic vocals and fiery guitar solos.”

"Chauffeur" video on YouTube

"Country Boy" video on YouTube

"This Cat's in the Doghouse" video on YouTube

Paul Burch
Go to Paul's website»

Paul Burch returns with loads of charm, talent, and this fall’s release of Words of Love. Featuring guests Will Kimbrough and Kenny Vaughn along with the WPA Ballclub, Words of Love includes 13 Buddy Holly classics, just in time for the legend’s 75th birthday.

Arriving in Nashville in the early 90's, Paul Burch's marathon shows at Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge with his band the WPA Ballclub drew world press to Nashville’s live honky tonk music scene and along with BR549 sounded the arrival of Americana in Music City USA. Burch's debut album Pan American Flash was hailed by Billboard's Chet Flippo as “extraordinary, establishing Burch as a leader in marrying country's roots tradition with a modern sensibility” and placed #5 in the Top 10 Country Records of the 90’s by the editors of Amazon.com.

Over a decade of music,  Burch, a native of Washington D.C., has collaborated with stylists in every musical genre including Ralph Stanley, Lambchop, Ryan Adams, Exene Cervenka, Beverly Knight, Mark Knopfler, and Vic Chesnutt, and joined Jeff Tweedy, Elvis Costello, and George Jones on the Grammy nominated comeback by Charlie Louvin. Burch also served as music consultant to the PBS film The Appalachians and composed Last of My Kind, a soundtrack to Tony Earley's NY Times bestseller Jim the Boy.

Words of Love video on Burch's website

"Honey Blue" video on YouTube

"Life of a Fool" video on YouTube

"Lovesick Blues Boy" video on YouTube