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UPCOMING SHOWS

River Glen, Abbie Sawyer, and Marnie McCourty in Guelph, ON

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Revel Cider, 62 Dawson Rd, Guelph, ON

SATURDAY, APRIL 20TH @ Revel Cider in Guelph, ON Music: 3:00pm-5:00pm Admission: $10-$20 suggested donation (kids 12 & under FREE)

FROM IOWA TO ONTARIO 2024... Folk music has historically been a response to the times, to the world around us. “Folk” as a genre serves as an ongoing artistic reflection of society and the lives of common everyday folks, to provide an opportunity to orient how our individual and often deeply personal life experiences fit into the larger picture of our communal experience. A musical tradition that Iowa songwriters Abbie Sawyer and River Glen are honored to carry forward in their “From Iowa to Ontario” Tour 2024.

LIGHTING UP PEOPLE’S HEARTS… Abbie Sawyer captivates live audiences with her warmth, humor, stirring lyrics and soulful voice. As a singer-songwriter, Abbie shares her deeply-felt music from the heart to the heart. Expect to go on a journey with each song as she shares stories and anecdotes along the way. Her debut solo album, “Love Is a Flood” (2022), illuminates her experiences of motherhood and the pandemic, including postpartum anxiety and depression, joy and healing. This album and Abbie’s experience was featured on Iowa Public Radio and National Public Radio. As a life-long performer and musician, Abbie has curated a deeply-felt, intimate style using her acoustic guitar and voice, bringing warmth and wonder to her performances. “I want to feel life through my heart, and I want to help light up other people’s hearts." — (Iowa Public Radio, “For Abbie Sawyer, Life is Therapy”)

NOURISHING PEOPLE’S CURIOSITY… River Glen was born at home in Dubuque, Iowa, homeschooled by his mom, and raised in a family band. His original music playfully blends elements of folk, pop, and rock. His songwriting strikes a delicate balance of pop-appeal and lyrical substance; from wonderings about love, family, and belonging, to the celebration of death and loss as a natural part of life. River critiques modern pop-culture through the lens of familiar, traditional folk themes, always with tasty grooves and clever rhymes. In 2017, River was named Fellow by the Iowa Arts Council for his original music. While serving in this honorary position, River began work on “As Above, So Below”, an album of original music featuring over one hundred and fifty singers/musicians, almost entirely from his home state of Iowa. “As Above, So Below” was released on May 1st, 2023. More information about “As Above, So Below” as well as more of River’s original music, videos, etc…can be found at www.riverglenmusic.com “These combined life experiences have fed into River Glen & Band’s ambitious new album, As Above, So Below, which incorporates a kaleidoscopic array of musicians who call Iowa home. As longtime Iowa Public Radio DJ Bob Dorr observes in the introductory track, this record is a “patchwork quilt woven lovingly with voices and instruments of over 150 people.” Yes, you read that right: more than 150 musicians!” —- (KEMBREW MCLEOD OF LITTLE VILLAGE WRITING ABOUT RIVER’S ALBUM "AS ABOVE, SO BELOW" 2023)

CALMING PEOPLE'S WORRIED MINDS… Marnie McCourty: making sounds for ages, sometimes with friends, sometimes solo. Marnie loves to bend guitar and uke strings, willow, time, saw blades, and voice.

River Glen, Abbie Sawyer, and Hillary Watson in London, ON

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The Root Cellar, 623 Dundas St, London, ON

SUNDAY, APRIL 21ST...Upstairs @ The Root Cellar in London, ON. Doors: 2:30pm Music: 3:00pm-5:00pm General Admission: $10-$20 (kids 12 & under FREE) TICKETS: shorturl.at/lKLNZ

FROM IOWA TO ONTARIO 2024... Folk music has historically been a response to the times, to the world around us. “Folk” as a genre serves as an ongoing artistic reflection of society and the lives of common everyday folks, to provide an opportunity to orient how our individual and often deeply personal life experiences fit into the larger picture of our communal experience. A musical tradition that Iowa songwriters Abbie Sawyer and River Glen are honored to carry forward in their “From Iowa to Ontario” Tour 2024.

LIGHTING UP PEOPLE’S HEARTS… Abbie Sawyer captivates live audiences with her warmth, humor, stirring lyrics and soulful voice. As a singer-songwriter, Abbie shares her deeply-felt music from the heart to the heart. Expect to go on a journey with each song as she shares stories and anecdotes along the way. Her debut solo album, “Love Is a Flood” (2022), illuminates her experiences of motherhood and the pandemic, including postpartum anxiety and depression, joy and healing. This album and Abbie’s experience was featured on Iowa Public Radio and National Public Radio. As a life-long performer and musician, Abbie has curated a deeply-felt, intimate style using her acoustic guitar and voice, bringing warmth and wonder to her performances. “I want to feel life through my heart, and I want to help light up other people’s hearts." — (Iowa Public Radio, “For Abbie Sawyer, Life is Therapy”)

NOURISHING PEOPLE’S CURIOSITY… River Glen was born at home in Dubuque, Iowa, homeschooled by his mom, and raised in a family band. His original music playfully blends elements of folk, pop, and rock. His songwriting strikes a delicate balance of pop-appeal and lyrical substance; from wonderings about love, family, and belonging, to the celebration of death and loss as a natural part of life. River critiques modern pop-culture through the lens of familiar, traditional folk themes, always with tasty grooves and clever rhymes. In 2017, River was named Fellow by the Iowa Arts Council for his original music. While serving in this honorary position, River began work on “As Above, So Below”, an album of original music featuring over one hundred and fifty singers/musicians, almost entirely from his home state of Iowa. “As Above, So Below” was released on May 1st, 2023. More information about “As Above, So Below” as well as more of River’s original music, videos, etc…can be found at www.riverglenmusic.com “These combined life experiences have fed into River Glen & Band’s ambitious new album, As Above, So Below, which incorporates a kaleidoscopic array of musicians who call Iowa home. As longtime Iowa Public Radio DJ Bob Dorr observes in the introductory track, this record is a “patchwork quilt woven lovingly with voices and instruments of over 150 people.” Yes, you read that right: more than 150 musicians!” —- (KEMBREW MCLEOD OF LITTLE VILLAGE WRITING ABOUT RIVER’S ALBUM "AS ABOVE, SO BELOW" 2023)

GETTING PEOPLE'S TOES TAPPING… Hillary Watson is a singer-songwriter and multi-disciplinary creative. She is a classically trained musician and a member of the London-based 3-part harmony folk group, The Pairs. Influenced by a wide array of music throughout her life from folk, to rock, to Jesus Christ Superstar, Hillary's music is a blur of genres. Percussive and thought-provoking, her words of honest human experience are relatable. www.thepairsmusic.com

NEWSLETTER... 

Iowa Public Radio's Artist of the Month...WOOT!!

Many of you may not know that Iowa Public Radio is one of the best supporters of local/regional music in all of the U.S. Seriously! 

And I am so honored to be named the IPR Artist of the Month of October 2023. The band and I did an in-studio performance that will soon be released on the IPR YouTube channel.

In the meantime, here is a lovely article they released to announce that I am Artist of the Month: https://www.iowapublicradio.org/ipr-music/2023-10-04/as-above-so-below-a-true-journey-in-musical-collaboration

I'll continue to post everything they release throughout the month, so check back for more tunes & vids!

-River

 

Moving to Guelph... 

Thanks to everyone who has reached out to inquire about the return of the Car Concerts series. I will be relocating to Guelph in September and hope to return to those efforts in October. The best way to stay in the loop is to join my mailing list, so please do so and I'll be in touch. Thanks and be well, y'all!

-River

A CELEBRATION OF IOWA MUSIC! 

WEBSITE LINKS FOR 'WE ARE HERE' PERFORMERS

Please show your support by checking out their websites, sign up for their mailing lists, 'like', 'follow', and 'subscribe' to their social media pages, purchase their recordings, and engage with their work going forward! Information is also listed for you to tip any of tonight's performers, if you feel so inclined to show your support in that way.

RIVER GLEN: www.facebook.com/riverglenmusic

Venmo: @River-Breitbach 

PayPal.Me/RiverBreitbach

SARA ROUTH: www.sararouth.com

Venmo: @sara-routh-music

ADE: www.soundsofade.com

Venmo: @bayo-ajose

D MILREE: www.dmilree.bandcamp.com

Venmo: @diana-weishaar

LILY DETAEYE: www.lilydetaeye.com

Venmo: @lilydetaeye

DAN PADLEY TRIO: www.danpadley.com

Venmo: @danpadley

BLAKE SHAW: www.blakeshawbass.bandcamp.com

Venmo: @blakeshaw89

THE SAVAGE HEARTS: www.savagefiddler.com

Venmo: @annie-savage-2

CHARLOTTE BLU: www.charlotteblu.com

Venmo: @chrissy-boyer

A DO-NOT-MISS LIVESTREAM CONCERT! 

WE ARE HERE - A CELEBRATION OF IOWA MUSIC 
The pandemic has had a devastating impact on America's arts sector and has asked that artists pivot and adapt their efforts. And that's exactly why this event was created; to demonstrate and deliver a top-notch, standard-bearing livestream concert that showcases a variety of artists from across Iowa! 

The mission of this free-to-all performance is to promote awareness about "the mental health benefits that the arts provide to the public by combating the ill effects of isolation and loneliness associated with COVID-19" (Americans for the Arts) and to deliver a call to action to music lovers in Iowa and beyond about the importance of actively engaging with and supporting the local/regional artists whom they love as these artists adapt their art-making in response to our current constraints. 

This event is made possible with generous support and funding from the Iowa Arts Council: https://iowaculture.gov/arts

WATCH THE EVENT HERE: https://fb.me/e/1x2hXuslO

Weekly Car Concerts! 

That's right, folks, every Monday at 12PM CST you can watch me perform live from my car via Facebook Live! 

Just go to my music page (www.facebook.com/RiverGlenMusic) and 'like' the page in order to receive notifications and updates.

Furthermore, each week's performance will be based on a theme that is suggested by you and other members of the audience. It's lots of fun and I hope you'll make a habit of joining me!

"Press On" 

Times are strange for a music maker. While holed up for this winter I'm releasing some new material with the help of an app that let's me be a whole band. Also, songs in 3/4 time are underrepresented today, so here's one called "Press On". 

 

KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN!!! 

RIVER GLEN & 50 IOWA ARTISTS!

Hello everyone! River here. This past year I received the honor of being named a 2017-2018 Iowa Arts Council Fellow. In this role I am advocating for creating music that is communal and truly Iowa-grown. I am working to create an album of music that will feature over 50 Iowa artists from across the state. In a sense, it will serve as a sonic snapshot of the multitude of voices and musical traditions that exist across Iowa. I believe that art is community and I want to showcase many of the current and former Iowa-based artists who I've learned from and grown alongside during these past 25 years. 

In order to book recording time for these artists, and to pay them for their time and talent, I ask each of you to contribute to raise $7,000. Crowdfunding efforts such as this have become an essential part of funding projects in the art world, so I'm calling on you to share this campaign and contribute what you're able. For many, this means pitching in $20 to purchase yourself a copy of this album in advance. For those of you who can play an even bigger role, please contribute more. I've made it worth your while as you'll see on my Kickstarter page

 

Love to you all. 

-River

Our 2018 submission for... 

NPR's Tiny Desk Contest!
 

It's a pleasure to present to you our submission for NPR's Tiny Desk Contest 2018. "As Above, So Below" is a song loosely inspired by the concept of The Hero's Journey. We recorded this live performance in the recital hall of the Voxman music building at the University of Iowa and were very blessed to work alongside the talents of Joshua De Lanoit (videographer) and James Edel (sound engineer) to capture this magic so we could share it with you. Please enjoy, share this video, and check out our upcoming performances to experience our music in-person. Much love to all!

-River