Stephens Auditorium and Reiman Gardens Announce Partnership to Host Summer Goldfinch Room Shows

Where: Reiman Gardens Catalpa Courtyard
When: May 27, June 24, July 15, July 29 and August 13
Time: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
 

AMES, Iowa – Stephens Auditorium and Reiman Gardens are pleased to announce The Goldfinch Room Songwriter Showcase at Reiman Gardens. This partnership brings together singers/songwriters from the Midwest in the Goldfinch Room tradition of storytelling with the stunning beauty of Reiman Gardens. Performances will take place in the Reiman Gardens’ Catalpa Courtyard. 

"We are absolutely thrilled to be hosting the Goldfinch Room Songwriter Showcase at Reiman Gardens this summer. It's an incredible opportunity to welcome such a talented lineup of artists to our space, and we can't wait to share this unique experience with our community,” said Christine Prescott, Director of Reiman Gardens. “The fusion of beautiful music and the stunning surroundings of the Gardens promises to be an unforgettable event for all who attend."

At each Songwriter Showcase, a local food truck will be on-site, and beverages will be available for purchase. Outside food and non-alcoholic beverages are allowed into the Gardens. Limited outdoor seating is available, but audience members are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and/or blankets. If the weather proves challenging, the performance will move inside to the Garden Room.

“Stephens Auditorium is thrilled for our Goldfinch Room Singer/Songwriter Series to move to Reiman Gardens this coming summer,” said Stephens Auditorium Executive Director, Tammy Koolbeck. “We’ve been without a true outdoor space since Iowa State Center’s parking lot projects started a few years ago. We look forward to introducing our Goldfinch Room artists and audience members to Reiman Gardens.”

Songwriter Showcase Schedule:

Tuesday, May 27: The Bird Hunters

Tuesday, June 24: David G. Smith and Carol Montag

Tuesday, July 15: Wolfskill & The Wild

Tuesday, July 29: Joshua Sinclair and Luke Fox

Tuesday, August 12: Lojo Russo and Abbie Sawyer
 

There are three ways you can purchase tickets for these concerts:

1. Stephens Auditorium is offering Goldfinch Room Songwriter Showcase season passes and individual show tickets in advance and on the day of the show. Passes and tickets include free admission to Reiman Gardens on the afternoon and evening of the performance only. Goldfinch Room season passes and tickets to individual shows will be sold on April 6 at this link: https://www.center.iastate.edu/gfr-reiman-gardens/.
2. Reiman Garden members receive free admission to all the Songwriter Showcases, as well as daily admission to Reiman Gardens for a full year. You can purchase your membership to Reiman Gardens at this link.
3. Day of admission. Purchase tickets to the show and day of admission to Reiman Gardens here. 

The Goldfinch Room Songwriter Showcase at Reiman Gardens is supported by the Ames Community Arts Council, Discover Ames Community Grant Award with additional underwriting support from Doug and Gwenna Jacobson and David and Bonnie Orth.

ARTIST BIOS

The Bird Hunters: Taking their name from a Turnpike Troubadours song, the band draws a lot of influence from bands like Turnpike, who weave heartfelt lyrics and deeper-meaning songwriting into foot-stomping, rowdy country music for the party crowd. The Bird Hunters are unwilling to trade shallow lyrics for a good time, and true, honest songwriting is always at the center of the music they make. The Bird Hunters claim the genre “Midwest Country” drawing influence from the radio they grew up listening to and the stories they’ve been told their whole lives. Iowa is known for its non-regional diction so you won’t find any fake accents, but the twang is well represented in their telecasters and the rhythms are made for two-stepping.

David G Smith: Internationally acclaimed Artist-Songwriter David G Smith is an acoustic roots solo performer with a lyric intensive style featuring guitars, resonator, music and a voice that range from dirt-funk to intimate. His music is a blend of Folk, Americana, Country & Blues. David was recently accepted as a Juried Artist with Noel Paul Stookey’s (Peter, Paul & Mary) Music To Life Org. He is a 2008 International Song Competition 1st Place Winner, a Robert Oermann DISCovery Award recipient, and two-time ISC semifinalist. He performs at the prestigious Bluebird Cafe/Nashville where his shows are regularly sold out. David has released 11 albums. His single “River Gonna Talk” was a 2023 #1 add on the NACC chart and reached #1 in the nation on Radio Guitar One’s Top 30 Americana Chart. David has been featured in American Songwriter and his songs have appeared on TNT, Lifetime Network, Travel Channel, several PBS affiliates shows and he has a string of indie & major-indie song-cuts to include with Rissi Palmer, only the 3rd black female country artist to chart, in 2007. His last four albums have been accepted for Grammy consideration. His Give-Back Series donates time and raises money and awareness for a variety of charitable causes.
 

Carol Montag: Performing singer/songwriter Carol Montag has been described by folk music legend Tom Paxton as a “genuine discovery” and “the best thing to come out of Iowa since Bonnie Koloc.” Her influences include Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins, Eva Cassidy, Julie Andrews, John Denver, and James Taylor to name a few. She has recorded four solo albums and two Christmas CDs with Kathy Donnelly and Nina Swanson in the trio known as Tribute. Carol has opened for or shared the stage with Arlo Guthrie, Michael Johnson, Jim Post, Greg Brown, Priscilla Herdmann, David Wilcox, John Gorka, John Stewart, Cliff Eberhardt, Larry Groce, as well as Three Dog Night. She was commissioned to write music for Ballet Iowa and Ballet LaCrosse and performed live with both companies.
 

Wolfskill & The Wild: A classically-trained violinist, and a songwriting troubadour, Wolfskill & The Wild are a Midwest-grown, Iowan native folk-duo, delivering an authentic and bold musical fusion. Once described as, "a smooth & silky pour" - Wolfskill & The Wild blend alternative folk, contemporary strings, and experimental ambience that pays homage
to their Driftless Area roots. Trailblazing their path in the indie-folk music scene, Wolfskill & The Wild has performed on stage in support of acts including: Son Little, The Arcadian Wild, The Ballroom Thieves, & Chicago Farmer
 

Joshua Sinclair: If Eric Church, Ed Sheeran, & The Black Keys all had a baby together, their musical bundle-of-joy would be JOSHUA SINCLAIR. Using only a guitar, a microphone, & a loop pedal, SINCLAIR performs originals off his past 17 albums as well as putting his own spin on cover tunes. With a resume that includes 4 record deals & placing more than 30 songs in film and television, including MTV & NBC, SINCLAIR shows no signs of slowing down, playing over 200 shows a year & opening up for artists such as Walker Hayes, Paul Cauthen, Tanya Tucker, NEEDTOBREATHE, and countless others. He is currently touring in support of his latest studio album entitled, "White Trash Recipes."
 

Luke Fox: Recently nominated for the Maverick award at the MCMO, A purest at heart and cut from the clothe of the troubadours and balladeers we all know and love, Luke, has been working hard through the years to carve out his own unique sound while passing down the line, songs of old and taking pride in shedding light on the new.. with just his guitar, a voice filled with all the character you’d imagine an old crooning storyteller might have, a harmonica, and kick drum… Luke, in vivid imagery, paints landscapes where devils and angels roam and collide. Drawing from personal heartache and triumph, He’s been known to get the feet moving and the tears flowing… He’s a true original. Powerful, yet visibly vulnerable with each performance, He cares deeply about music and it shows. Seeing him LIVE is the best way to really get to witness his unique brand of folk, country, rock, and Americana.
 

Lojo Russo: Lojo Russo has been making music along the ‘Big Muddy’ for most of her life. Born in California she likes to keep the river to her East and currently calls the Quad Cities (IA) home - performing mostly as a solo touring artist. But, most of her childhood and early adult years were spent in and around the Twin Cities (MN) music scene. Self-taught on guitar and voice Russo spent her formative years in different bands in the Twin Cities (MN) playing guitar, bass and mandolin in all sorts of folk, funk, jazz, jam, Irish and indie bands. The range of genres gave her a broader understanding of the music she played and a deeper understanding of the music she wanted to create. Those early years earned Russo a nomination for a "Mammy" (MN Music Award) for "Best Folk Artist" and the title of "Best Female Artist" from MN Women's Press.
 

Abbie Sawyer: Abbie Sawyer is a Midwest singer-songwriter who uncovers meaning and beauty with her heartfelt lyrics, “unforgettable voice” (Little Village Magazine), and “stunningly intimate” sound (dsm Magazine). As a life-long performer and musician, Abbie captivates live audiences with a deeply-felt, intimate style using her acoustic guitar, voice, and original music, bringing warmth and wonder to her performances. Abbie has shared billings with The Righteous Babes, Rufus Wainwright, Leyla McCalla, Lake Street Dive, The New Mastersounds, and Fitz & the Tantrums. She has toured internationally and her projects have over 40 million streams on Spotify.