October 2025 VOCAL Songwriters Showcase
The October 2025 showcase featured three long-time VOCAL members who delivered a wide variety of homespun tales.
Russell Lawson opened the show with several finely-crafted and faith-based tunes. Light sings praise to the bright cleansing light from Jesus and asks for it to calm him when he’s confused and lead him to the truth. Montana Wide was born during a mission trip among the Blackfeet Indian people. Russell has incorporated some evocative imagery from the Montana landscape along with the spiritual movement felt by the indigenous people there. Rush is based on Acts 2:1-11 describing the powerful emotion that overcomes you when you are touched by the Spirit. You hear the mission bell and do your best to spread your loving care to the needy world around you. Wayne and Maggie’s Grill is one of Russell’s signature tunes that came to him in a dream. They opened the roadside diner and hosted numerous folk and country singers for many years, but it began to dwindle when the darned six-lane interstate was built. It was eventually torn down and Wayne passed from cancer, but the memories of the place will live forever among the local folks. Russell was joined by Liz Nance, his musical partner of thirty years, who sang harmony accompanied by a shaker on the rest of his set. Charleston, SC is a very beautiful tune with lots of imagery describing his hometown in the low country. I can only imagine the Spanish moss and magnolias! Delta Blessing is another song inspired by a mission trip to assist with the Katrina cleanup. Just like the Delta, we are all cleansed and healed following God’s work. Wheatland is a beautiful ethereal song inspired by the untimely passing of a son of one of his close friends. The story is from the perspective of the boy floating above the crowd as they celebrate his life. While they are grieving, he is finally free and will always be nearby to offer peace and comfort to those in his midst. Days Gone By is based on the twenty-first chapter of Revelations and advises us to not dwell on all the bad things that occurred in the past but instead get on your knees and lift your voices high! When you climb that golden stair into the sky all tears will be dried and you’ll no longer be thinking of days gone by. Russell and Liz ended with Church Hill Tunnel, vividly describing the tragic event when the tunnel collapsed on a C&O train years ago. The locomotive is still buried there along with a few bodies. The tunnel’s sealed so no one else will die, and train whistles still make Mama cry.
VOCAL veteran Glenda Creamer then took the stage and treated us to her musical treasures. I Think It’s Spring is an uplifting and singable tune describing all the sounds and sights of the Spring season. She actually began writing this in spring but had a couple of “life detours”. Better late than never! She turned up the heat with Broken AC and Company on the Way, recounting the hectic and sweltering experience of your air conditioning breaking down at one of the worst times! Her next song was a timely rhetorical statement on today’s society (where is my baby, my love, my home, the schools, the justice, golden rule, etc.) September Wind was written for her husband of 45 years who was in the audience. This was a nautical theme remembering the early years of their marriage when they did lots of sailing, chasing the autumn waves, saying goodbye to summer, enjoying the accompaniment of bald eagles, etc. Wherever You Go is one of Glenda’s beautiful signature songs, meant for a wedding - following you wherever you go, where your people are my people. On The Stair to Nowhere is a tune lots of folks can probably relate to at some point in their lives, where you’ve temporarily lost direction in your life and need someone to help point you in the right direction. Lazarus is a very interesting song from Glenda’s musical Songs in the Life of Jesus, telling the story of Lazarus rising from the dead. She will give you a scare in the audience if you’re unprepared with the last line of the song! Ghost House is a clever number, quite appropriate for the season, and even included some audience participation. They were renting a haunted house where the ghosts would spook kids who laid out of school, admonishing them to stay in school, do their homework and make good grades! I’m a Witch Today is another one of Glenda’s signature tunes that the crowd always enjoys. If she’s not in a particularly cheery mood on a given day you’d better watch out! Glenda left us with the haunting dropped-D tuning Moonshine Sky, recounting the days when her mother grew up in Franklin County, VA (moonshine capital of the world). Needless to say, all kinds of nefarious deeds come with the territory and Glenda’s musical delivery drives it home!
John Ellis rounded out the evening with a few of his awesome tunes. He opened with what I thought was an awesome Peter Frampton-ish instrumental accompanied by backing tracks. Talia’s Song is a bit on the dark side featuring some scorching guitar work. He’s wondering why his ex-lover’s presence seems to be everywhere and just won’t leave him be. Nothing like being haunted and tortured by an evil past! Winter Solstice is a very beautiful instrumental fitting for the season and features some very intricate guitar work. Autumn Hours is another seasonal tune reflecting on one of his most favorite times of the year where summer turns to fall and there is a lot of peace and tranquility. Band of Silver is one of John’s signature songs describing an overheard conversation re: wedding plans. They seemed to be only concerned with the size of the ring/stone and totally unconcerned with the meaning of the circular ring itself! Sweet Tooth Child I believe is a newer song from John and I was channeling ZZ Top as I listened to the guitar slinging. Liking the way you sigh and moan, swaying to the rhythm of my song – she’s definitely got a fix on him! John left us on an up note with another rocking backing-track instrumental titled Five Black Kittens.
An awesome evening with great talent from all writers!
Showcase Photos
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Photo Credits: Matthew Costello, John Ellis, Norman Roscher
