Setting stories to song, Michelle Held, Nina Sophia, and Missy Covill put on a captivating show at Manchester Underground Music and Art.
Stories to Song with Nina, Michelle, and Missy
We are born to tell stories. No matter how good or bad we may feel about our storytelling abilities, it is part of our DNA. Where the stories shine is when they turn into song. Music is our universal language, which taps into that wellspring of human connection. Manchester Underground Music and Art hosted a night of Stories to Song featuring Michelle Held, Nina Sophia, and Missy Coville. The idea is to utilize the traditional format of songwriters in the round to share the gift of music and stories.
Ok, fine, Manchester Underground calls their series Story & Song, but you get the jist. Each singer tells a story that reveals the inspiration or background for a particular song. We’ve done a few of these round-robin formats, the first being at the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville and then a round-robin songwriter show at Funky Rivertown. Regardless of the name or the nuance of the format, the goal is to give the audience not only the joy of the music but an insight into the songwriter’s mind. You are given the gift of a window into their thoughts, a story upon a story. If you think about it, Stories to Song showcases the soul of the music.
Nina Sophia
John Mooneyham from Manchester Underground offered each songwriter on the stage a card. Nina Sophia, who drew the queen of hearts, went first. Each songwriter shared a song with a story before passing the microphone to the next songwriter.
If you’ve followed Life In Michigan, you know our love for Nina Sophia. We feel as though we’ve watched her evolve as a musician since our first chance encounter at Hopcat Detroit when she was leading Nina and the Buffalo Riders. Throughout her career and into tonight, there have been a few consistent features. First is the power of her vocals. There is a captivating passion that pulls you into her performance. The second is the authenticity of her songwriting. The lyrics and melody work together to paint a vivid picture.
Nina included songs familiar to fans of Nina and the Buffalo Riders, including “Cities,” which she said was inspired by riding with her older brother in his car through Detroit. Nina shared with us her growth as a musician and person, including coming to terms with alcohol and finding sobriety. Seeing her shining through her music this evening was fabulous.
Missy Covill
As soon as Missy Covill began to sing, I thought of some of the iconic songwriters who shaped the landscape of rock and country music. You know, Bob Seger, Bruce Springsteen, Bonnie Raitt, and Loretta Lynn. Her warm and powerful vocals reflected an artist steeped in the art of crafting a heartfelt story in a song.
Missy drew us into her story of heartache, loss, redemption, and love. A broken heart sent her on a 15,000-mile search for healing and discovery. Missy’s music laid bare her innermost feelings, brimming with raw emotion. In many ways, Missy’s music and performance were a lesson in the power of music to heal all wounds by bringing you through the dark pain and into the light of love.
Michelle Held
Cut from the cloth woven by Carole King and Bob Dylan, Michelle Held closed out each round of stories to song. She revealed her journey from acting to music, which featured a guitar paired with a poem. As Michelle drew us into her world, I was reminded of the magnetic pull that a guitar paired with lyrical vocals can have on us.
Michelle played fingerstyle guitar with deft precision and emotive clarity. Her resonant voice held us close as she crafted her stories to song. Her final song was extremely compelling as she tapped a heartbeat on the guitar with the graceful chiming of the open strings. It felt strong with sacred energy.
Pictures
More photos from Stories to Song with Michelle Held, Nina Sophia, and Missy Covill are in our gallery. Take a look and let us know what you think.
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