By Ann Bates | Continuing the run of its Gwinnett concert series, Home By Dark’s September 12 show will feature acclaimed songwriters Marcia Ramirez and Emily Shackelton at 8 p.m. at the Gwinnett Performing Arts Center. The show promises an experience filled with storytelling, improvisation and musical performances hosted by Home By Dark founder and songwriter James Casto.
Home By Dark began in 2007 with the simple idea that bringing songwriters and instrumentalists together on one stage to perform and tell their stories would create an experience that was bigger than the music itself. From its origins as a small concert at a garden nursery in Milton, Ga., Home By Dark has grown into often sold-out performances at venues across North America and now the Gwinnett Performing Arts Center. Since its inception, Home By Dark has drawn audiences to view distinguished songwriters who have written popular songs for music’s biggest stars, including Ray Charles, Miranda Lambert and Trisha Yearwood. No two Home By Dark shows are alike, as audiences are invited to become part of each performance, filled with music, laughter, emotion and optimism.
Founder James Casto says: “I set out to create a concert experience that breaks down the barrier between the performers and the audience. Our goal is to elevate the songwriters and instrumentalists to perform their very best and to communicate their music and personal stories in an honest, genuine way.”
Marcia Ramirez is a songwriter and singer whose career has taken her across the country, performing as a solo artist and onstage with stars such as Rodney Crowell, Patty Loveless, Pam Tillis and Tanya Tucker. A Nashville mainstay, she has performed at venues such as the world famous Bluebird Cafe and is a popular session singer, having been credited on albums by John Berry and Hank Williams Jr. among many others. Marcia has penned hits for Australian country music star Melinda Schneider, The Whites, Nashville Star finalist Rachel Williams. She is currently touring with pop legend Christopher Cross, in addition to writing and recording for a new project to be released this year.
Emily Shackelton is a celebrated singer and songwriter from Biwabik, Minn. She honed her musical skills at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where she was awarded grand prize in the coveted John Lennon-BMI Foundation Songwriting Scholarship Competition. She has appeared on NPR’s Prairie Home Companion as a performer, and her songs have been featured on ABC’s hit drama Nashville and the corresponding soundtracks sung by Chip Easton, Lennon and Maisy and Hayden Panettiere
The September 12 show will benefit The Make Lemon Aide Foundation for Cerebral Palsy (CP), an organization dedicated to raising awareness about CP, training CP therapists and funding research. For more information, please visit www.makelemonaide.org.
- Tickets for Home By Dark range from $20-50 and are on sale now. Buy tickets at com, AXS.com, The Arena box office or by calling (770) 626-2464.
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