Andrews – In the first of what promises to become a regular series of songwriters showcases, the Valleytown Cultural Arts Center was the focus for fundraising efforts from two local musicians in June.
Local songwriters Zach Kilmer and Troy Underwood entertained a crowd on June 11 at the downtown center with stories behind their original music.
A longtime veteran of area bands, as well as plenty of solo gigs, Kilmer’s songs – including an ode to his former dog, “Rosie” – were ripe for unraveling the complexities at the intersection of life and the loss of a loved one.
Upon singing “Message from the Myna Birds,” Kilmer discussed the song’s origins from the beginning of Aldous Huxley’s final utopian work, Island, in which the myna birds remind the main character to “live in the now.”
Kilmer’s “Good Ol’ Day” was also a reminder how “only sadness and happiness lend themselves to the songwriting process. So if you’re happy, you’re too busy living and making that happiness your life.”
Underwood’s alternating tunes took on a Southern spin with “Suppertime,” a reminiscence on a simpler life and time when “families and the intricacies of the human condition” were more manageable from a child’s perspective.
Riffing with and accompanying each other through the 90-minute, all-original set, the two easily worked to let the audience embrace the collaborative spirits of creativity. Each hope they found a way for more area songwriters to encourage each other.
Valleytown Cultural Arts & Historical Society Board President Tim Comstock said he hopes to have more events like this one to highlight the talent of area musicians. That’s on the agenda, along with the center’s revitalization for the 2024-25 season and a regularly scheduled arts calendar.
Donations and volunteers are always welcome to help advance the board’s mission and the center’s building fund.