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Katie is an international touring, radio-charting artist who “delivers razor-sharp lyrics with a hearty, soulful voice”. Grace Morrison has trademarked a sound she calls Saltwater Country.
Outdoor performance at the Roxbury Public Library Gazebo. At this concert, the first 100 attendees who bring donations to Roxbury Social Services will receive free ice cream! 🍦
Bring your lawn chair and a picnic, and join us on the lawn of the library to hear two awesome performers: Katie Dahl and Grace Morrison.
About the Artists:
Clear-eyed and tough-minded, songwriter/playwright Katie Dahl is known for her smart songs, wry wit, and wise spirit. A small-town celebrity on the Wisconsin peninsula where her family has lived for 175 years, Katie is also an internationally touring, radio-charting artist who “delivers razor-sharp lyrics with a hearty, soulful voice” (American Songwriter). In live shows that are both courageously honest and devilishly funny, Katie dives deep into questions of land and love, family and body image, grief and joy. “In unsettled times,” says Peter Mulvey, “Katie Dahl brings us a grounded spirit.” “Katie Dahl’s songs aren’t just melodies and words, they’re journeys that are firmly grounded in a sense of place—beautiful, real landscapes that help you feel places that you may have never been before. That’s the very best kind of songwriting.” – Dar Williams
If nerditude had a formal name, it would be Grace Morrison. She’s a little bit of everything—pianist, accordion player, Renaissance Faire performer, cranberry grower, reader of historical nonfiction, coffee devotee (she sells her own coffee blend), and an unapologetic expert on all things New England. And somehow, all these quirks weave seamlessly into the fabric of her music, making her one of the most unique and endearing songwriters around. Born and raised on the shores of Cape Cod, Grace Morrison has trademarked a sound she calls Saltwater Country. “I was always too pop for folk and too folk for country. Eventually, I started peeling back the layers of my music to find out what truly made it mine. At the heart of it all was my deep, undeniable connection to the Cape Cod coastline—it’s in my blood, in my voice, in every lyric I write. My music carries the storytelling of country, the twang, but also the raw, unshakable spirit of a Swamp Yankee. That’s Saltwater Country.” Proudly unconventional, she’s never held what some would call a "real job." She says “it’s always been music and how lucky am I that music has given me this wild, unpredictable journey through the human experience. I wouldn’t trade that for anything.” Her career started when she was in high school playing at coffee shops, where she sang for tips—one of which came from none other than actor James Spader. “I still have the $20 he left me,” she laughs. Not long after, she hit the road with Rock 4 Xmas, sharing the stage with legends like Eddie Money, Joey Molland (Badfinger), Carmine Appice (Vanilla Fudge, writer of Da Ya Think I’m Sexy), and Greg Douglass (Steve Miller Band, co-writer of Jungle Love).
“I was 17, on a tour bus with rock icons. You can’t ask for a better crash course in rock ‘n’ roll than that. I could tell you some stories,” Grace Morrison says with a knowing grin. “It was Spinal Tap in real life—literally, someone from that movie was on the tour. But for me, the biggest thing was realizing that this life—touring, performing—was possible. All I’ve wanted since then was to get back on that bus.” In those early years, she struggled to define her own sound. “My dad was convinced I should be a blues singer—like he hadn’t even heard my voice,” she jokes. “It took time, but I finally figured out who I am as an artist. And that’s Saltwater Country.” One of the defining moments in her journey came when she collaborated with hit songwriter Lori McKenna. “I was eight months pregnant when Lori invited me to write with her. We wrote Just Loving You, and it was the most personal thing I had ever written. The way it connected with audiences—it was something I had never experienced before. I learned that the more personal and specific my songs are, the more they seem to resonate. You’ve got to write what you know.” Saltwater Country, the album, is a testament to that. Saltwater Country takes the old adages of “3 chords and the truth” and “don’t bore us, get to the chorus”, wraps them up with a 90’s pop bow, and leaves the listener with a sound that is at once new and familiar. Produced by Jon Evans (Tori Amos, Sarah McLachlan), the album ranges from the gritty, swampy Poor Man’s Daughter—a raw reflection on growing up with nothing—to the fun, twang-filled Beer in a Teacup, an anthem about embracing imperfections and letting self-doubt roll off your shoulders. It’s the sound of an artist who’s found her confidence, embraced her quirks, and learned that sometimes, when life gets messy, you just pour your beer in a teacup and move on.
Register online or by calling the library at (973) 584-2400. We need to know who's coming for safe headcount purposes as well as our way to contact you should mother nature require us to postpone.
Skylands Songwriters Guild is an educational 501(c)3 dedicated to nurturing the community of Singer/Songwriters of Northwest New Jersey and the surrounding region. We seek to provide enlightenment for the public, revealing the talents of songwriters, and to offer educational and performance resources for artists to advance their craft. SSG seeks to provide an open and supportive atmosphere for aspiring amateurs through accomplished professionals. The Guild will host learning and sharing events such as Open Mics, coffeehouses, song-craft workshops and seminars, as well as showcases and festivals for performances. The Principals of the SSG are well established in the local independent artist community, hosting many of the events mentioned above. They seek to make the SSG a non-profit entity unto itself for the sole purpose of building community among those who create and those who appreciate!
Funding has been made possible in part by funds from Morris Arts through the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.
With thanks to all our concert series sponsors.
AGE GROUP: | Seniors | Families | Adults |
EVENT TYPE: | General | Arts & Entertainment |
The Roxbury Township Public Library is a municipal library serving the communities of Succasunna, Ledgewood, Landing, Berkshire Valley, Port Morris, and Kenvil. Residents of the township are eligible to a free library card which enables access to 2.8 million items across the Morris Library Alliance including digital books, museum passes and more.
