Songwriters in the Raw is an in-the-round concert series curated and co-hosted by Jessica Smucker & Andrew Pauls.
This month's show is hosted by Andrew Pauls. Special guests are Owen Walsh (Asheville, NC; formerly of Honesdale, PA) and Hannah Bingman (State College, PA; formerly of Lancaster). Get your tickets HERE!
What to expect at the show:
>> Doors will open at 6:30. The show will start at 7.
>> GA Tickets are $15 in advance, and $20 at the door if not sold out. As always, we’re proud to present an all-ages show! Get your tickets HERE!
>> If you haven't yet discovered the magic of the West Art Coffee⚡Bar, now's your chance! We're open from 7am-10pm daily, with a full and delicious espresson bar menu, along with a lovely selection of beer, wine, and cocktails, plenty of N/A options, and some tasty bites from our favorite local bakeries. Something for everyone, all day long! Come hang out before the show and experience it for yourself!
>> Parking may be available in the small lot across the street. Beyond that, there’s parking available around Buchanan Park and F&M College in the blocks surrounding West Art.
>> Seating: This will be a seated show in The Sanctuary. Our space is ADA accessible, and we will do our best to accommodate any specific needs.
>> Please note that all ticket sales are final. Thank you for supporting great music!
About the performers:
Owen Walsh has been telling stories and performing music his entire life. Born and raised on the banks of the Lackawaxen River in Honesdale, Pennsylvania — a small, historic coal-mining town — Owen grew up surrounded by relics of 19th Century American life and imagery ripe for musical exploitation.
Owen began playing violin at the age of three, studying formal repertoire. At 12 years old, he found his dad's dusty, old Epiphone guitar tucked away in a closet and taught himself how to play. Soon after he learned his first few chords, Owen began writing songs. He's followed in the long tradition of Americana folk music, in which lyrics are equal in importance to the melodies that bind them.
website: https://owenwalshmusic.com
***
Hannah Bingman
Student, farmer, mail carrier, woodworker, instructor, arts council president, prison librarian, Appalachian Trail hiker, musician. Hannah Bingman has held many titles throughout the years, but the one that’s been glued to her through them all is musician. Bingman sees herself as a songwriter first, guitarist second, and singer third. These experiences continue to provide depth and meaning to her lyrics, maturing her songwriting process she began at the age of 14. Bingman grew up in rural Pennsylvania where the arts didn’t flourish but the landscape did. She found mentors and a community in the area’s music scene. By age 16, she was playing regularly in that scene. Since then, Bingman’s journey over the last decade and half has been one guided by where the wind takes her. Bars, coffee shops, basements, living rooms, festivals, farms, rehab facilities, and just about every corner of a venue in driving distance. Not to mention, three albums, the latest being Loam (2013) where she weaves the stories of farmers, inmates, and lovers into a pattern of interconnecting songs, leading the listener through its story.
In 2006, she grabbed the top prize for the Susquehanna Folk Music Society’s songwriting contest. Bingman became a Regional Round Finalist for the Mountain Stage NewSong Songwriting Competition in 2011, and grabbed third place in the Pennsylvania Heritage Songwriting Competition in 2016. She’s played opening spots for the likes of Christine Lavin, Michael Glabicki, Jeffrey Gaines, Kaki King, Ellis, David Rovics, the Infamous Stringdusters, and Ann Rabson, among others.
Ten years ago, she found herself in a blues duo with Doug McMinn, and most recently formed a band, the Dilly Beans, with her pal Nell Hanssen from the band Chicken Tractor. These days, Bingman calls State College, Pennsylvania home. She has fully embraced her role as a folksinger in today’s political climate, opting to share home recordings and writings as they come and playing wherever people may gather.
website: https://www.hannahbingman.com
**
Andrew Pauls writes songs about everything from rainy days to Spain to space travel. But all of his songs have one thing in common: they’re about the relationships we have with ourselves, each other, and the places we call home.
Rooted in the American folk tradition, Andrew’s lyrics dance with his banjo and guitar to forge relatable songs about everyday joys and tragedies. In his music, listeners will hear the influence of songwriting veterans like John Prine and Joni Mitchell swirled with the flavors of contemporary artists like Watchhouse (FKA Mandolin Orange), The Tallest Man on Earth, and Hiss Golden Messenger.
Raised amidst the fertile farmland of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Andrew grew up on a steady diet of Mennonite four-part hymn singing and Paul Simon. Soon after receiving his first guitar for Christmas at age 11, Andrew realized he wasn’t satisfied with singing other peoples’ songs – he needed to write his own. Now, Andrew has been writing and performing for over fifteen years, drawing audiences in with his wordsmithing and authenticity.
In addition to his work onstage, Andrew is passionate about building up Lancaster, PA’s music community. In 2024, Andrew founded the Lancaster area Songwriters Circle, a community of local songwriters that gathers to give feedback on each other's songs and support one another. Andrew also helps organize Songwriters In the Raw, a concert series performed “in the round” bringing talented songwriters from around the country to Lancaster. Andrew also started the Lancaster Country Cabaret, a variety show showcasing local talent performing classic country music, dancing, and skits.
When he’s not focused on music, Andrew works as an independent consultant, supporting organizations with research and project management related to climate change adaptation. In this work, too, Andrew brings his creative spirit, blending his passions for music and the environment by facilitating collective songwriting workshops.
Andrew enjoys commuting by bicycle, exploring his walkable city, cooking, reading, learning new things, and getting his hands in the dirt. He lives in Lancaster, PA with his spouse and a Chihuahua named Pinto.
website: https://andrewpauls.com/
Get your tickets HERE!