Medford Singer/Song-Writer Performing in Nashville-Style Concert

On September 24 at 8 p.m. three singer/songwriters – Susan Cattaneo, Kirsten Manville, and Becky Pine – will present a Nashville style “in-the-round” concert at the Unitarian-Universalist church in Wakefield, MA, home of the Linden Tree Coffee House (326 Main Street). Although not an official part of the Linden Tree’s 2016-2017 season (which will officially begin on October 8 with a performance by Anne Hills), the beloved and long-running coffee house is helping to promote the show, and Manville and Cattaneo both performed as part of the 2015-16 Linden Tree series. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. Advanced tickets can be purchased through Brown Paper Tickets at kirstensusanbecky.brownpapertickets.com.

All three women lived in Nashville for an extended period of time, and pursued music while there. Manville and Cattaneo both returned to the Boston area in the early 2000s (Cattaneo is a Medford resident and Manville lives in Wakefield), and Pine returned to her hometown of Cairo, NY for a short period, and then moved back to Nashville in early 2016. When the three of them were planning the show, they thought it would be fun to do an in-the-round style performance, which is very common at many Nashville venues. All three performers will be onstage at once, taking turns singing songs and swapping stories amongst themselves and the audience. Manville says “I love doing in-the-round shows. I always say it’s the best of both worlds – I get to perform a show and hear a show all at once. And because of the back and forth between the writers, the audience really feels a part of the show. Becky and Susan are both great songwriters so I am really looking forward to this evening.” Cattaneo adds “I love doing Nashville style in-the-round shows! They’re the most intimate of performances, and usually you get to hear the back story behind the songs. Sometimes, the artist who is performing before me will inspire me to play a song with a similar theme, and there’s this wonderful give and take that happens between artists on stage.”

Susan Cattaneo is one of Boston’s most respected songwriters. A powerful singer and sophisticated writer, Susan combines vivid storytelling with a modern songwriter’s spin. Respectful of tradition, but not bound by it, Susan blends rock, folk and blues with a healthy dose of country. Susan’s latest album, Haunted Heart, was released in January 2014 to national acclaim. It was voted one of Alternate Root’s Top 100 Albums of the Year, and won Album of the Year at the Limelight Music Awards. This spring Susan performed as a finalist at the Philadelphia Songwriters Project and at the Wildflower Festival Songwriters contest. Over the past two years, she has also been a finalist or winner at some of the country’s most prestigious songwriting and music contests including Kerrville’s New Folk Contest, the International Acoustic Music Awards, and the Independent Music Awards. In addition to being a solo performing artist, Susan has been teaching songwriting at the Berklee College of Music for over 10 years, and has also recently joined the Western Mass trio The Boxcar Lilies.

Kirsten Manville is an accessible singer/songwriter with straightforward lyrics and a refreshing lack of pretense, with music that is honest and heartfelt, whether she’s telling a story, delving into an emotion, or capturing a moment in time. Manville released her first solo album entitled Come With Me in late 2013. The CD was a Top 5 pick in the June 2014 issue of Metronome Magazine, and her songs have received radio airplay on a number stations both in the United States and overseas, including WUMB, WICN, WGDR, and KZUM. Her song “A Simple Life” spent time in the Top 30 charts (peaking at number 11) of The Globe Radio, an Adult Album Alternative format internet radio station, and her song “Play My Guitar” has been in the Top 20 songs on WOSRadio. In July 2013 she was a finalist in the songwriting competition at the Ossipee Valley Music Festival, and in February 2016 she was a finalist in the Maine Songwriters Whittlesey Barn Songwriting/Performance Contest.

Becky Pine’s music is a unique blend of Americana, folk, and pop. Pine grew up in the Catskills area of New York, and fell in love with country music at a young age. At 18 she moved to Nashville to attend Belmont University. Feeling a little overwhelmed by all the musical talent in the city, she concentrated on music business and after graduation worked in a number of different aspects of the industry, including at a management company and a stint as Little Big Town’s personal assistant and nanny. After moving back home to New York, Becky knew she could no longer ignore her own dreams of writing and performing. She released a 5-song EP entitled Perfect Timing earlier this year, which spent time as one of the top 10 albums on the iTunes singer/songwriter charts. Living in Nashville once again, Becky is continuing to make a name for herself as a singer/songwriter.

Please join Susan Cattaneo, Kirsten Manville, and Becky Pine for an evening of entertainment on September 24 at 8 p.m. in the fellowship hall of the Unitarian Universalist Church (326 Main Street, Wakefield, MA). Tickets are available at kirstensusanbecky.brownpapertickets.com.

– Submitted by Kirsten Manville