July Songwriters Round

The Homegrown Hideaway Songwriters Round aims to spotlight artists from Norfolk County and surrounding communities, creating an environment that encourages intimate, heartfelt storytelling.

Each round five songwriters will take turns performing an original song and providing insight into their writing process. Time should allow for four to five rounds, with a brief intermission in between. Curated by Nolan Gibson, the goal was to gather a unique mix of artists and perspectives all under one roof.

Without further ado, meet your songwriters:

Amber Banks: Amber Banks is a musician, local to Norfolk County, who has been practicing her craft since the age of 9. She has been posting cover videos on Facebook and YouTube since 2016, has performed at local venues and Festivals (The Waterford Old Town Hall, The Norfolk Tavern, Cornstock), and had the honor of opening for Grammy-nominated band Professor Louie and the Crowmatix at a benefit concert for the Music Department of Valley Heights Secondary School! Inspired by Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, The Band, Van Morrison, and Don Mclean, among others, her style can be described primarily as “acoustic folk”, although she also draws heavily from the influences of Soul, Blues, Classic Rock, Doo-Wop, and Country genres as well.

Eli Wells: Eli Wells is a singer-songwriter from Port Rowan whose lyrical style, like an impressionist painting, aims to evoke vivid sensations with strokes hazy enough to let the imagination draw the more intimate details. Topics as vast as language, obsolescence, and chauvinism—and as personal as longing, guilt, and belonging—constitute his catalogue, always with a calling card in the form of an unshakeable hook.

Jess Rayner: Jess Rayner is a singer-songwriter local to Norfolk County. She loves to showcase songs with detailed storytelling and paint vivid pictures for the listeners, through covers and her own original work. While she pulls inspiration from just about any style of music, her style is highly influenced by folk music, new and old.

Andrew Bentham-Riley: Born and raised in Hamilton, ON, Andrew Bentham-Riley’s lyrical style is anecdotal – sharing a narrative of his own life, an assorted batch of tales from the road, love, loss, and lessons learned along the way. Andrew pairs these stories with tastefully crafted guitar parts wearing his influences for all to see finding better days through music. https://hyperfollow.com/andrewbentriley

Adam Liefl: Adam Liefl is a singer/songwriter and guitarist from Waterford, blending folk, blues and lazy afternoon major 7ths into original songs about love, perseverance and nature.

The Songwriters Rounds take place Tuesday June 18th, Tuesday July 16th, and Wednesday August 14th, with doors opening at 6:00 pm.

Every concert will be from 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm with an intermission.

Seating is provided inside the barn. Feel free to relax just outside on the picnic tables or bring your own lawn chair to listen from outside if the night is beautiful.

The bar will be stocked with wine, beer and ciders from a variety of local businesses. Keep coming back to sample some of Norfolk’s finest!

NOTE: bar will be closed during the performance. We know you will appreciate the opportunity to give the artists your complete attention. See you soon!