Tim Placher bringing songwriters showcase to USF in Joliet

Five songwriters currently living in Nashville will perform their original songs on April 25 at the University of St. Francis in Joliet.

This Pindrop Songwriter Series Review is comprised of Sean Cunningham, Kiernan McMullan, Katie Pederson, Jefferson Rinck and Stevie Rae Stephens.

They are part of The Pindrop Series, a weekly songwriter showcase in Nashville, Tennessee, featuring 16 to 20 up-and-coming Nashville singer/songwriters, who showcase their songs in a “round” format and collaborate on harmonies and instrumentation, according to Tim Placher of Joliet, who arranged the event.

The Pindrop Songwriter Series Review is performing at several places in the Upper Midwest, with one of the stops at USF, Placher said. At the event, they will sit across the stage, rotate their original songs, and discuss the details and stories behind their songs, he said.

“These are people creating original music and trying to make it in the music business,” Placher said. “They relocated to Nashville from other places to make their way as songwriters. To really see people putting their passion out there – and their creativity – can be a very vulnerable experience. These people are sharing their innermost thoughts and feelings. It’s a great experience to be in the room with, in this case, five people sharing their craft.”

Why are the songwriters stopping in Joliet? Because of musical connections, Placher said.

Some musicians in the Will County area that relocated to Nashville spoke highly of Joliet’s welcoming music scene and its great original local music, he said.

Conversely, musicians from Nashville have performed in Joliet and had good experiences, Placher said.

So when Pindrop decided to send five singer/songwriters to the Upper Midwest, the community reached out to Placher to help facilitate that, he said.

“It’s just a network of connections over the last few years,” he said.

Placher said people don’t often get the chance to hear a group of working songwriters from Nashville perform their original works. And since USF’s spring semester hasn’t ended, Placher felt students and USF staff might be interested, too.

The event will be held in USF’s San Damiano Hall, which is the original auditorium in what used to be the Motherhouse for the Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate. Although the hall is primarily used as a conference room today, the original, century-old, stage is still intact, he said.

“This will be the first time it’s used again for music in a very long time,” Placher said.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Pindrop Songwriter Series

WHEN: 7 p.m. April 25

WHERE: University of St. Francis, San Damiano Hall in the USF Motherhouse, 520 Plainfield Road, Joliet (use Taylor Street door)

ETC: The event is free but a $10 donation is suggested. Refreshments available for purchase.