Awendaw Green presents: The Journey of a Song; Piccolo Spoleto Songwriters in the Round

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Sam Rae

Lowcountry songwriters Mike Kaufman, Danielle Howle and Sam Rae

Lowcountry songwriters Danielle Howle, Sam Rae and Mike Kaufman present their songs (and the stories behind them) in the historic Circular Church. Each of these seasoned performers is known for drawing audiences in close, creating community through the shared experience of music.

Danielle Howle (https://www.daniellehowle.com/) has 18 albums to her credit, her latest being "Current" on the Kill Rock Stars label. Danielle has toured extensively, sharing stages with Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, the Indigo Girls, Mark Bryan and countless others in venues ranging from living rooms to festival stages."I've been watching this Earth for a long time, and it's still fascinating," Howle says, reflecting on her work to date."I find wonder in everything on some level.I'm still curious and captivated by the human experience; I'm a current reporter on that.

Her vision is one of urgency and connection. "I'm just listening to what my spirit and the earth wants me to write right now," Howle admits. "I feel like my songs are reminders that we're not alone, and we're part of something greater than ourselves, and there's a responsibility there. That's where I feel things, but I don't want to say that out loud; I just want to live it through my observations and what I write about."

Sam Rae (https://samraemusic.com/) (they/them) blends the traditional landscape of storytelling through song with their roots in classical cello and improvisational cello looping. With a degree in cello performance Rae's roots were laid in a classical past however, Rae's strongest talent becomes obvious as they showcase their songwriting and vocal delivery, weaving tasteful lyrics and subtly complex guitar voicings into a story that a diverse audience can hold onto, providing comfort amidst chaos. Rae focuses the performance lens on their Americana/Folk driven songs with vibrant vocals and acoustic guitar painting achingly familiar melodies with strong lyrical content. Rae uses the cello as a hypnotic interlude between songs weaving the performance together with looped cello melodies that remind the audience of the beauty in the improvised, present moment. Their Americana inspired songwriting juxtaposed with interludes of portal evoking semi-psychedelic cello looping makes for a refreshingly unique musical experience.

Alongside their own performances they have doubled as cellist and back up singer for Grammy Award-winning artist Brandi Carlile (2015, 2018-2021) and have toured extensively around the US collaborating with a variety of artists including Brandi Carlile, Gregory Alan Isakov, The Highwomen, Courtney Marie Andrews and more. They have been touring and performing original music since 2011 after receiving their degree in Classical Cello Performance from the University of Iowa. In 2020 Sam Rae released their third and most poignant album Ten Thousand Years recorded at the Hall of Justice Studios in Seattle, WA following albums Stories From the Marrow (2014) and Bring us to New Islands (2017). Charleston Magazine describes them as an entity that ‘…is intentional. Once you accept that Rae is taking you on a journey, you can surrender to the ride.’

Mike Kaufman (https://mikekaufmanmusic.com/) made a career teaching and performing music. With four albums to his credit, he's performed in concert halls, festivals, coffee houses, churches, bars, living rooms, back yards and front porches. "As a teacher, my goal was always to have students include music in their lives, as a means of connecting to their own emotions as well as the world around them. As a songwriter/performer, it's been my privilege to experience the power of music creating bridges between performers, audiences and the universe that surrounds us all."

We are grateful to Awendaw Green (http://www.awendawgreen.com/) for sponsoring this event and for supporting music and musicians for well over a decade!!