Beginning Tuesday, and each Tuesday afterward, the Stoney Inn will host an open-mike showcase for aspiring songwriters.
Sign-ups will be held between 5 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., and up to a dozen songwriters will have the opportunity to perform up to three original songs (or 10 minutes, whichever comes first). Songwriters can play any song in nearly any genre, but only original songs will be accepted.
Each week, a guest judge from the music industry will choose the best original song, and the winner will receive two hours recording time in a professional studio to record the song.
Dusty Hamilton, who some years ago owned Cafe Montreal on K Street, is the originator of the event, along with Dave Nettles, a Sacramento musician and producer. They call the project the Bluebird Lounge Open Mike, in honor of the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, where such country music songwriters as Steve Earle, Garth Brooks and Alan Jackson were discovered.
The competition "is going to lean a little to pop and country songwriters because the Stoney Inn is a country bar," Hamilton said, "but it's open to anyone, so I guess you could say it leans country, but any country will do." The only exception, according to the Bluebird Lounge website is: NO rap.
There is no charge to attend the Bluebird Lounge open mike night or to participate in it, Hamilton said. The Stoney Inn is at 1320 Del Paso Blvd. in Sacramento. For information: www.bluebirdlounge.com.
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