Saturday, March 30, 8 p.m.
The Redstone Room, 129 Main Street, Davenport IA
Presenting an intimate, “in the round” evening of seated artists performing in close proximity with their audience, Davenport's Redstone Room, on March 30, hosts a special “Songs and Stories” program with a trio of talented singer/songwriters: R&B and soul musician Alicia Michilli from Detroit, Michigan; Americana artist Shannon LaBrie from Detroit, Michigan; and folk, rock, and country virtuoso David G. Smith, a native of the Quad Cities' neighboring Blue Grass, Iowa.
A gifted pianist and guitarist in addition to a singer/songwriter, Smith alternates his time between Iowa and Nashville, Tennessee, and has shared stages and collaborations with the likes of Justin Townes Earle, Keb' Mo', Dave Moore, Gary Gauthier, and Griffin House. He was the first-place winner in the prestigious International Song Competition for his single “Made for You,” and his partnership with artist Anne E. DeChanted resulted in their tune “Sunday Morning Drive” topping the Roots Music Alt Folk Chart in 2015. In addition to touring and recording, with six full-length albums under his belt this decade alone, Smith is a tireless fundraiser for causes and organizations including St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Boys Town, Rett Syndrome, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease, with his critical accolades matching his humanitarian endeavors. Music Row magazine called Smith “a major find” and his most recent album First Love “a minor masterpiece,” while NoDepression.com raved that the artist “comes across with the same sort of weathered resolve that best exemplifies fellow travelers like Kris Kristofferson and Townes Van Zandt.”
Michilli is an R&B and soul artist most widely recognized for an impressive run on the popular national television show America's Got Talent – this Nashville transplant raised on the Detroit Motown sounds. Those influences are undisguised in her music, and Michilli's soulful and powerful vocals have gained the attention and support of many fellow writers and performers. Among artists she has recently opened for are Andra Day, Nelly, and her longtime hero Keb' Mo', with Michilli also enjoying the privilege of singing background vocals for Mo' and Taj Mahal during the musicians' recent TajMo tour. Michilli dropped the popular single “Crazy” in conjunction with the release of her sophomore EP Letters from the Edge, and according to NashvilleUnsigned.com, “Alicia Michilli just made the world a little better by releasing her newest album … . This old soul gave us vulnerability, control, passion, honesty, and soul wrapped up in the perfect package.”
With over 12 millions streams on Spotify and Apple Music, LaBrie has toured over 500 dates, with the list artist she has opened for including Gabe Dixon, Phoenix, ZZ Ward, Billy Bob Thornton, Rayland Baxter, and Robert Randolph. Her résumé now also includes her first album cut – the lead single on Randolph's Got Soul, which received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Contemporary Blues Album. Having landed on iTunes' top-10 chart with singles including “Alcohol” and “It's Political,” LaBrie has also been a critics' favorite since the recording of her 2016 album War & Peace. CMT has called her “part Tom Petty, part folk goddess with Dylan-esque lyrics,” while Rolling Stone stated, “Her songs unfold with style and subtlety, coasting over the albums' lush arrangements via LaBrie's gorgeous voice. It's as if Jeff Buckley and Norah Jones started a band that went a tiny bit country.”
David G. Smith, Alicia Michilli, & Shannon LaBrie play the Redstone Room at 8 p.m. on March 30, admission is $15-18, and more information and tickets is available by calling (563)326-1333 or visiting RiverMusicExperience.org.
