Spy Review: New Singer/Songwriter Night at Foxy’s by Mark Pelavin

(L to R) Dave Hawkins, David Dodd, Sean Schultz

There are lots of great musicians in Talbot County, and plenty of places to hear them play. But until now there has been a real void in the local music scene – there has not been a showcase for original music. I love James Taylor, Dolly Parton, and Chris Stapleton as much as the next guy, but there is something special, sometimes even magical, about hearing songwriters perform songs they have written.

That’s what makes the new Singer/Songwriter Night at Foxy’s Harbor Grille in St. Michaels so welcome. It provides a much-needed opportunity for area musicians to showcase their own songs. 

Singer/Songwriter Night at Foxy’s was the brainchild of David Dodd, who plays with the band Groove Tide and has often played at “Open Mics” in the area. Dodd, whose first love is writing and performing original music, was inspired after playing at a few nights at David Lee’s Original Songwriting Night at the Screaming Goat Yard & Tap in Spring Branch, Texas. He reached out to Foxy’s with the suggestion to do something similar. Dodd serves as the program’s host, and his songs (and guitar playing!) are always a highlight. 

Some of the performers are amateurs, singing their own songs in public for the first time. Others are established artists, already well-known in the area. 

Each of the two nights has had a “featured artist.”  The first week showcased Steve Lowe, who shared a number of songs from his soon-to-be released EP. One highlight was “Feels Like County,” about “life on the river, just taking it as it is.”  Lowe, who often appears with his band (Steve Lowe and Lowe Downs), has a captivating voice and a powerful way of capturing a sense of place – whether that place is his childhood home of Florida (“White Sands/blue skies/everything’s alright/jump right in”) or the Eastern Shore. 

Pete Baker opened the second night, with songs from his four albums as well as a few that are not yet released. Baker is a pro on stage, easily engaging the audience with his crowd-pleasing songs. His style is uncomplicated, in all the best ways, with radio-friendly tunes on the pop side of the spectrum. “Back in the Day,” beautifully captured the feeling of being “blissfully in denial,” as a younger man and of doing everything he could to avoid becoming “one of those who has lost their spark and been beaten down by life.”  Hitting the same theme in another song, Baker sang about the joys of being “happy, poor and free,” and making sure that “I was gong to live before I died.”

In addition to the featured artists, a diverse array of local songwriters, including

• Frank Hogans, whose fingerpicking on the guitar perfectly complimented his stories of love gone wrong (“now we’re on our own, kissing strangers”).
• Oliver Voss (who plays in the area as part of “Oliver and Friends”), who offered a few songs that, he explained, were written that day. This is one of the most exciting aspects of the Singer/Songwriter showcases; inspiring musicians to pen original music. 
• St. Michaels’ favorite Dave Hawkins, who will be the featured artist at the next Singer/Songwriter night (May 19th). 

In addition to serving as host, David Dodd offered some of the best songs of both evenings. A believer in the “write what you know” school, Dodd connected with audience on his songs about traveling to North Carolina and Jamica, about his life on “Gray’s Creek,” and a day spent “Watching the Rain.”

Other performers included Mac Macnamara (of St. Michael’s Junction 33), Suzzane Sanders (“you talk more than any two people I know”), who accompanied herself on the ukulele, and Sean Schultz. Schultz’s “Strange,” a moving song about love and addiction, was a particular highlight

Foxy’s next “Singer/Songwriter” night will be on Monday, May 19, 2025, from 5:00 – 8:00 pm. After a two-week break, it  will return on June 9th, with featured artist Anna Burgess, and continue on Monday nights through the summer.

Mark Pelavin is a consultant and freelance music journalist living in St. Michaels.  You can find more of his work on his Substack.